Primrose 1917
Foxglove 1939
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Foxglove | M41, T15, T33 | 520 | Barclay Curle, Whiteinch | 1915 | 30/3/1915 | 5/1915 | depot ship 1943 |
| Acacia | M26, T00 | 986 | Swan Hunter, Low Walker | 1/1915 | 15/4/1915 | 5/1915 | sold 9/1922 |
| Hollyhock | M42, T16, T43 | 521 | Barclay Curle, Whiteinch | 1915 | 1/5/1915 | 6/1915 | sold 10/1930 |
| Dahlia | M37, T11, T28 | 522 | Barclay Curle, Whiteinch | 1915 | 21/4/1915 | 5/1915 | sold 7/1932 |
| Honeysuckle | M43, T17, T44 | 801 | Lobnitz, Renfrew | 1915 | 29/4/1915 | 5/1915 | sold 9/1922 |
| Lilac | M65, T24, T52 | 370 | Greenock & Grangemouth | 1915 | 29/4/1915 | 5/1915 | sold 12/1922 |
| Aster | M28, T02 | Earle, Hull | 1915 | 1/5/1915 | 6/1915 | sunk 4/7/1917 | |
| Larkspur | M48, T22, T50 | 203 | Napier & Miller, Old Kirkpatrick | 1915 | 11/5/1915 | 6/1915 | sold 3/1922 |
| Jonquil | M46, T20, T48 | 374 | Connell, Scotstoun | 1915 | 12/5/1915 | 6/1915 | to Portugal 5/1920 (Carvalho Araujo) |
| Anemone | M27, T01, T03 | 988 | Swan Hunter, Low Walker | 3/1915 | 13/5/1915 | 7/1915 | sold 9/1922 |
| Daphne | M38, T12, T29 | 523 | Barclay Curle, Whiteinch | 1915 | 19/5/1915 | 6/1915 | sold 1/1923 |
| Marigold (ex-Ivy) | M45, T19, T61 | 317 | Bow McLachlan, Paisley | 1915 | 27/5/1915 | 6/1915 | sold 1/1920 |
| Veronica | M98, T31, T87 | 288 | Dunlop Bremner, Glasgow | 1/1915 | 27/5/1915 | 8/1915 | sold 2/1935 |
| Sunflower | M97, T30, T82 | 496 | Henderson, Glasgow | 1915 | 28/5/1915 | 6/1915 | sold 1/1921 |
| Iris | M44, T18, T46 | 802 | Lobnitz, Renfrew | 1915 | 2/6/1915 | 7/1915 | sold 1/1920 |
| Laburnum | M47, T21, T49 | 375 | Connell, Scotstoun | 2/1915 | 10/6/1915 | 8/1915 | lost 2/1942 |
| Lavender | M49, T23 | 461 | Archibald & McMillan, Dumbarton | 1915 | 12/6/1915 | 7/1915 | sunk 4/5/1917 |
| Lily | M66, T25, T53 | 524 | Barclay Curle, Whiteinch | 1915 | 16/6/1915 | 7/1915 | depot ship 10/1923 |
| Primrose | M96, T29, T75 | 568 | Simons, Renfrew | 1915 | 29/6/1915 | 7/1915 | sold 4/1923 |
| Mallow (7/1919- RAN) | M68, T27, T59 | 525 | Barclay Curle, Whiteinch | 1915 | 13/7/1915 | 8/1915 | dismantled 7/1932 |
| Mimosa | M95, T28, T62 | 318 | Bow McLachlan, Paisley | 1915 | 16/7/1915 | 8/1915 | sold 11/1922 |
| Bluebell | M29, T03, T12 | 466 | Scotts, Greenock | 1915 | 24/7/1915 | 8/1915 | sold 5/1930 |
| Daffodil | M31, T05, T27 | 467 | Scotts, Greenock | 1915 | 17/8/1915 | 9/1915 | sold 2/1935 |
| Magnolia | M67, T26, T58 | 470 | Scotts, Greenock | 1915 | 26/6/1915 | 7/1915 | sold 7/1932 |
|
Displacement normal, t |
1200 |
|
Displacement full, t |
1275 |
|
Length, m |
76.2 pp 80.0 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
10.1 |
|
Draught, m |
3.36 |
|
No of shafts |
1 |
|
Machinery |
1 VTE, 2 cylindrical boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
1800 |
|
Max speed, kts |
16.5 |
|
Fuel, t |
coal 130 |
|
Endurance, nm(kts) |
2000(15) |
|
Armament |
2 x 1 - 76/40 12pdr 12cwt QF Mk I/II, 2 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, mechanical minesweeping gear Mimosa: 2 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk VI, 2 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, mechanical minesweeping gear |
|
Complement |
90 |
Ship project history: Soon after the outbreak of war in August 1914 the Admiralty realised the need for additional vessels capable of minesweeping, for general service, towing and the transport of libertymen and stores. The DNC produced a design based on mercantile scantlings, simple and robust, and capable of being built by non-specialist yards. By standardising on fittings building rates were accelerated and several were built in 19-21 weeks. Being single-screw ships they had large turning circles, and they carried steadying sail to assist in keeping their head to wind. To protect the ammunition it was carried in a lightly armoured 'box' magazine far aft; on several occasions the entire magazine was blown into the air by a mine-explosion without detonating the contents. Later vessels were fitted with treble-thickness plating around the bows and reinforced bulkheads forward. The first 12 ships were ordered on 1 January 1915, followed by another 12 on the 12th. They were delivered between May and September 1915. They were almost exclusively used on minesweeping until 1917, when they proved ideal for convoy escort.
Modernizations: 1917, all survived: + 2 DCT, 1 DCR
1920s, most survived: - 2 x 1 - 76/40, 2 x 1 - 47/40; + 2 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV, 2 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk II
1930s, most survived: + type 121 sonar
early 1940s, Foxglove: - 1 x 1 - 102/40, sweeps; + 1 x 1 - 76/40 12pdr 12cwt QF Mk I/II/V, 2 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 DCT, 1 DCR
Naval service: Aster was mined 4/7/1917 in Mediterranean Sea, Lavender was torpedoed by German submarine UC75 in English Channel 4/5/1917. Laburnum was destroyed at Singapore by Japanese troops at city fall in February 1942. Foxglowe was badly damaged by aircraft 9/7/1940; she was converted to AA ship and to depot ship in 1943.
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-13