Comments by "doveton sturdee" (@dovetonsturdee7033) on "Flower class - Guide 124" video.

  1.  @stevenpilling3773  An extra knot or two would have been desirable, but the Admiralty's decision was intended to make use of more basic (and cheaper!) reciprocating engines as opposed to turbines, because of the assumption that the engine rooms would have been manned by mainly RNR personnel, who would have been familiar with the mercantile marine type of engine, but would have known far less about turbines.
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  2. As they were used to escort convoys whose speed of advance rarely exceeded 8 knots, the speed was adequate.
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  3. The author, Nicholas Monsarrat, served aboard one, and ended the war as a Lieutenant-Commander in command of a frigate. I believe that Lockhart ( Donald Sinden in the film) is believed to have been based on Monsarrat.
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  4.  @davidthelander1299  Yes. Going back a few years now, 1953 to be exact. The vessel portraying 'Compass Rose' was actually the Greek Kriezis, formerly HMS Coreopsis, which was on her way back to Britain to be scrapped. Sadly, none of the British 'Flowers' survived, but happily Canada preserved HMCS Sackville.
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  5. The first 26 were ordered on 25 July, 1939. To give you some idea of the urgency, the Admiralty held a meeting with representatives of Smith's Dock, whose whaler 'Southern Pride' was the basis of the Flower design, in January, 1939, and the sketch design was approved before the end of February. Of the first 26, Godetia was completed in 6 months 19 days, and Gladiolus in 5 months 18 days. These two, however, were built by Smith's Dock. Other yards seem to have taken longer, with 10-12 months being about the average. A naval yard (as compared to civilian builders) such as Harland & Wolff seems to have been quicker. 20 Flowers were ordered from H & W on 19 September, 1939, and all except two were completed in less than seven months. One of this order, Rhododendron, was built in 4 months 26 days, which is the quickest build time I have come across. I haven't found any building times for the 64 Canadian Flowers, only launch to completion dates.
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  6. Barwell was laid down on 6 September, 1939, launched on 13 February, 1940, and commissioned on 26 April, 1940. She was built by Lobnitz, of Renfrew. She appears to have been scrapped in Singapore around 1957. The Bar class (76 vessels) were 173.75 ft long, by 32.25 ft x 11.25 ft, and displaced 730 tons, full load. Armament was 1 x 12 pounder gun. Usual crew was 32, and they were coal fired. I believe one still exists, SAS Somerset, (originally HMS Barcross ) as a museum ship in South Africa. There are one or two photos. on her website.
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  7. HMS Coreopsis
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