ROYAL NAVY SOUTH ATLANTIC COMMAND - ROYAL NAVY H
5)HOLLYHOCK (CORVETTE)
Image by A. I.
Completed: 1940
Displacement: 940 tons full 1,180 tons
Length: 62,48 meters
Beam: 10,06 meters
Draught: 4,04 meters
Armament: 1 × 102mm, 1 × 40mm , 4-6 × 20mm / 12.7mm, ASW (0-1×hedgehog, 1-2×DCL, 1-2×DCR)
Propulsion: 2 × S.E cylindrical boilers, 1 × vertical triple expansion reciprocating engines @ 2750 hp, 1 (shaft)
Speed: 16 kts
Complement: 85
Detached for South Atlantic base Freetown for convoy and escort duties from Sep 1941 to february 1942 when was detached for Indian Ocean.
During World War II, the Flower-class corvette HMS Hollyhock (K64) used Freetown, Sierra Leone, as a strategic staging and transit hub for West African coastal and troop convoy escorts in late 1941.
Key Operations at Freetown
Arrival with Convoy OS 9: Arrived at Freetown on 5 November 1941 after escorting outbound traffic from Liverpool.
Anti-Submarine Exercises: Participated in anti-submarine training and exercises off the coast of Freetown with local naval forces on 9 November 1941.
West African Coastal Escort: Escorted convoy ST8 from Freetown to Takoradi between 11 and 16 November, returning to Freetown by 22 November.
Troop Convoy Departure: Departed Freetown on 28 November 1941 screening a major troop transport convoy (WS 12Z) southward toward Simonstown and Durban before being reassigned to the Eastern Fleet.
8 Sep. 1941
Nominated for convoy defence based at Freetown. (Note: During this refit radar equipment for detection of surface targets and land was fitted. Structural changed were made to foc’sle which was lengthened to provide additional accommodation and improve habitability. For further details of the development and use of radar by the RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse. Information about Type 271 radar is also available in SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann. Minesweeping equipment was also fitted.)
November 5th Detached from OS9 on arrival at Freetown and joined Local Flotilla for defence of convoys on passage locally to and from ports in West Africa.
16th. Part of escort for Local Convoy ST8 during passage from Freetown to Takoradi.
17th Took passage from Takoradi to return to Freetown.
20th Nominated for Ocean Escort of military convoy WS12Z with HM Destroyers DULVERTON, SOUTHWOLD, HM Sloop MILFORD and HM Corvette VERBENA. (Note: HM Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN was attached to WS12Z Ocean Escort.
25th Retained at Freetown (Note: This may have been due to defects.)
27th Took passage to join WS12Z.
December Escort of WS12Z in continuation. Detached from WS12Z to refuel at Pointe Noire, Belgian Congo and returned.
15th Detached from WS12Z on relief by HM Corvettes ASTER and MARGUERITE.). Took passage to Simonstown. On arrival taken in hand for defect repair and boiler cleaning. Retained at Cape and deployed for Local Escort with HM Corvettes VERBENA, HELIOTROPE, TULIP and ASTER. See ESCORT by DA Rayner)
1 9 4 2 January Nominated for convoy defence in Indian Ocean. Sunk 09 Apr 1942 in attack by aircraft from Japanese aircraft carrier SORYU 30 miles SSE of Batticaloa, Ceylon in position 7.30N 81.56E with loss of 53 of the ship’s company. ss ATHELSTONE was also sunk in the Japanese air attacks. One source indicates that 14 of the survivors from the ship and other from ATHELSTANE crews were able to reach the coast of Ceylon in a boat from the tanker.
