HMS Cowslip (K196) was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War.[1][2] The ship spent much of the war in convoy escort and anti-submarine duties during the Battle of the Atlantic.[3]

HMS Cowslip, underway, being towed in the Second World War

Construction

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The ship was ordered 8 April 1940, laid down 16 January 1941 and built at Harland & Wolff in Belfast.[1][4] The ship was launched 28 May 1941[4] and commissioned 9 August 1941.[1]

Career

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On 30 October 1942, together with a merchant ship, Cowslip rescued some 78 crewman and 7 gunners who were survivors from the Président Doumer sunk by German submarine U-604.[2][5]

On 30 Sep 1942, the ship saved a merchant ship captain, 41 crew and 8 gunners from the water who were survivors from the sunken Empire Avocet.[6][7]

The ship was sold in July 1948 and scrapped at Troon in April 1949.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "HMS Cowslip (K 196) of the Royal Navy". uboat.net. 1940-04-08. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  2. ^ a b Prag, Christian (2009-04-16). No Ordinary War. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-022-2.
  3. ^ Edwards, Bernard (2014-07-30). Donitz and the Wolf Packs. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword. p. 116. ISBN 978-1-4738-2293-1.
  4. ^ a b MBE, Tom McCluskie MBE (2013-03-01). The Rise and Fall of Harland and Wolff. The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7524-9241-4.
  5. ^ Edwards, Bernard (2012-10-30). The Decoys. Pen and Sword. p. 165. ISBN 978-1-4738-8708-4.
  6. ^ Tennent, Alan J. (2001). British and Commonwealth Merchant Ship Losses to Axis Submarines, 1939-1945. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. p. 103. ISBN 978-0-7509-2760-4.
  7. ^ Malcolm, Ian M. (2013-07-01). Shipping Company Losses of the Second World War. The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-5371-9.