nearly sister-ship Primrose 1917
| Name | No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Alyssum | Earle, Hull | 1915 | 5/11/1915 | 1916 | sunk 18/3/1917 | |
| Amaryllis | Earle, Hull | 1915 | 9/12/1915 | 1916 | BU 1/1923 | |
| Arabis | Henderson, Glasgow | 1915 | 6/11/1915 | 1916 | sunk 10/2/1916 | |
| Asphodel | Henderson, Glasgow | 1915 | 21/12/1915 | 2/1916 | to Denmark 6/1920 (Fylla) | |
| Berberis | Henderson, Glasgow | 1915 | 3/2/1916 | 1916 | BU 1/1923 | |
| Buttercup | Barclay Curle, Glasgow | 1915 | 24/10/1915 | 12/1915 | BU 2/1920 | |
| Campanula | Barclay Curle, Glasgow | 1915 | 25/12/1915 | 1916 | BU 9/1922 | |
| Celandine | Barclay Curle, Glasgow | 1915 | 19/2/1916 | 1916 | BU 1/1923 | |
| Cornflower | Barclay Curle, Glasgow | 1915 | 30/3/1916 | 1916 | sunk 15/12/1941 | |
| Crocus | Lobnitz, Renfrew | 1915 | 24/12/1915 | 3/1916 | BU 7/1930 | |
| Cyclamen | Lobnitz, Renfrew | 1915 | 22/2/1916 | 1916 | BU 7/1932 | |
| Delphinium | Napier & Miller, Govan | 1915 | 23/12/1915 | 1916 | BU 10/1933 | |
| Genista | Napier & Miller, Govan | 1915 | 22/2/1916 | 4/1916 | sunk 23/10/1916 | |
| Gentian | Greenock & Grangemouth | 1915 | 23/12/1915 | 2/1916 | sunk 16/7/1919 | |
| Geranium (1919- RAN) | Greenock & Grangemouth | 8/1915 | 8/11/1915 | 3/1916 | sunk 24/4/1935 | |
| Gladiolus | Connell, Scotstoun | 1915 | 25/10/1915 | 1915 | to Portugal 9/1920 (Republica) | |
| Godetia | Connell, Scotstoun | 1915 | 8/1/1916 | 1916 | BU 2/1937 | |
| Hydrangea | Connell, Scotstoun | 1915 | 2/3/1916 | 5/1916 | BU 4/1920 | |
| Lobelia (1920- Newfoundland Navy) | Simons, Renfrew | 1915 | 7/3/1916 | 3/1916 | hulk 1924 | |
| Lupin | Simons, Renfrew | 1915 | 31/5/1916 | 6/1916 | BU 3/1946 | |
| Marguerite (1919- RAN) | Dunlop Bremner, Glasgow | 7/1915 | 23/11/1915 | 1916 | sunk as target 1/8/1935 | |
| Mignonette | Dunlop Bremner, Glasgow | 1915 | 26/1/1916 | 1916 | sunk 17/3/1917 | |
| Myosotis | Bow McLachlan, Paisley | 1915 | 4/4/1916 | 1916 | BU 1/1923 | |
| Nasturtium | McMillan, Dumbarton | 1915 | 21/12/1915 | 1916 | sunk 27/4/1916 | |
| Nigella | Hamilton, Glasgow | 1915 | 10/12/1915 | 1916 | BU 11/1922 | |
| Pansy | Hamilton, Glasgow | 1915 | 1/2/1916 | 4/1916 | BU 1/1920 | |
| Pentstemon | Workman Clark, Belfast | 1915 | 15/2/1916 | 4/1916 | BU 4/1920 | |
| Petunia | Workman Clark, Belfast | 1915 | 3/4/1916 | 1916 | BU 12/1922 | |
| Poppy | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | 1915 | 9/11/1915 | 12/1915 | BU 4/1923 | |
| Primula | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | 1915 | 6/12/1915 | 1/1916 | sunk 1/3/1916 | |
| Rosemary | Richardson Duck, Thornaby | 1915 | 22/11/1915 | 12/1915 | BU 12/1947 | |
| Snapdragon | Ropner, Stockton | 1915 | 21/12/1915 | 1916 | BU 5/1934 | |
| Valerian | C Rennoldson, South Shields | 1915 | 21/2/1916 | 1916 | foundered 22/10/1926 | |
| Verbena | Blyth SB, Cowpen Quay | 1915 | 9/11/1915 | 1916 | BU 10/1933 | |
| Wallflower | Irvine, Middleton | 1915 | 8/11/1915 | 1916 | BU 8/1931 | |
| Wisteria | Irvine, Middleton | 1915 | 7/12/1915 | 1916 | BU 1/1931 |
|
Displacement normal, t |
1250 |
|
Displacement full, t |
1350 |
|
Length, m |
81.7 |
|
Breadth, m |
10.2 |
|
Draught, m |
3.40 |
|
No of shafts |
1 |
|
Machinery |
VTE, 2 cylindrical boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
2000 |
|
Max speed, kn |
16 |
|
Fuel, t |
coal 130 |
|
Endurance, nm(kts) |
2000(15) |
|
Armament |
2 x 1 - 120/40 QF Mk I, 2 x 1 - 47/50 Vickers AA, sweeps 6 ships: 2 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk III, 2 x 1 - 47/50 Vickers AA, sweeps |
|
Complement |
104 |
Ship project history: The ships which have revived a class of sloops
in Royal Navy. They were designed in the end of 1914 for usage as a minesweeping
vessel, patrol ship, tug, personal and cargo transport. Because of congestion of
Admiralty and private yards having experience of military shipbuilding, they
were built on unspecialized yards. For this purpose a hull structure and a
propulsive plant have as much as possible simplified. Difficult in production
and maintenance turbines and water-tube boilers have refused in favour of more
habitual to reservists and recruits triple expansion stem engine and
fire-tube coal-burning boilers. At designing special measures on magazine
protection have been taken. It have moved astern and have protected by light
box-shaped armour. Early 1915 36 ships of 1st group are ordered. In the summer
of the same year the order for 36 ships of 2nd group with a little bit increased
engine power has followed.
Simplicity of a construction has allowed to put a number of the ships into the
service in five months after laying down. They were successful in many respects
and had only one serious lack: single-shaft machinery
and big enough slenderness of the hull has led to that
sloops differed by the big tactical diameter.
The new ships have received names of colours and plants, therefore the type
became known as "Flower". In a role of minesweepers they have appeared not so
successful (too a deep draught) and have become famous in other role: since 1917
they were attracted in escort service.
Foxglowe was badly damaged by aircraft 9/7/1940; she was converted to AA ship
and to depot ship in 1943. Lupin since 1940 was used as the target and sunk
22/3/1946; she was salvaged and sold for scrap. Rosemary since 1943 was used as
target and laid up the same year.
The ships from RNVR were in Singapore when war begun and were lost there:
Laburnum in February, 1942 and Cornflower 19/12/1941.
Modernizations: 1916 - 1917, all survived: + 2 DCT, 1 DCR
mid-1930s, all survived: - 2 x 1 - 47/50; + 2 x 1 - 40/39 pompom
early 1940s, Rosemary: + 1 x 1 - 76/40 QF Mk I HA, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 2 DCT, 1 DCR
early 1940s, Lupin: - 1 x 1 - 102/40; + 3 x 1 - 40/39 pompom
Naval service: Cornflower was sold out commercially after World War I but returned into RN when World War II begins. She was lost when Singapore falls. Alyssum, Gentian, Mignonette and Nasturtium were mined, Arabis was sunk in action with German ships and Genista and Primula were torpedoed by Germans. Lupin since 1940 was used as the target and sunk 22/3/1946; she was salvaged and sold for scrap. Rosemary since 1943 was used as target and laid up the same year.
Primula 1916
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-10