| Navy | The Royal Canadian Navy |
| Type | Corvette |
| Class | Flower |
| Pennant | K 155 |
| Built by | Davie Shipbuilding and Repairing Co. Ltd. (Lauzon, Quebec, Canada) |
| Ordered | 22 Jan 1940 |
| Laid down | 25 Feb 1940 |
| Launched | 4 Jul 1940 |
| Commissioned | 20 Oct 1940 |
| Lost | 7 Dec 1941 |
| History | HMCS Windfolwer (Lt. John Price, RCNR) was rammed and sunk by the Dutch freighter Zypenberg in dense fog off the Grand Banks. She was escorting convoy SC-58 at the time of her loss. 23 of the ships crew were lost. |
| Former name | HMS Windflower |
Commands listed for HMCS Windflower (K 155)
Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | T/Lt. John Hubert Smith MacDonald, RCNR | 20 Oct 1940 | 13 Oct 1941 |
| 2 | T/Lt. John Price, RCNR | 14 Oct 1941 | 7 Dec 1941 (+) |
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Notable events involving Windflower include:
8 Mar 1941
HMS H 50 (Lt. P.R.H. Harrison, DSC, RN) conducted exercises off Tobermory with HMCS Trillium (Lt.Cdr. R.F. Harris, RCNR) and HMCS Windflower (T/Lt. J.H.S. MacDonald, RCNR). (1)
12 Mar 1941
HMS H 50 (Lt. P.R.H. Harrison, DSC, RN) conducted exercises off Tobermory with HMCS Trillium (Lt.Cdr. R.F. Harris, RCNR) and HMCS Windflower (T/Lt. J.H.S. MacDonald, RCNR). (1)
29 Mar 1941
Convoy SL 70.
This convoy departed Freetown on 29 March 1941 and arrived in UK waters (Liverpool) on 23 April 1941.
The convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Alfred Jones (British, 5013 GRT, built 1930), Ancylus (British (tanker), 8017 GRT, built 1935), Andrea Brovig (Norwegian (tanker), 10173 GRT, built 1940), Barrgrove (British, 5222 GRT, built 1918), Belgravian (British, 3136 GRT, built 1937), Benledi (British, 5943 GRT, built 1930), Bulysses (British, 7519 GRT, built 1927), Chelatros (Greek, 3489 GRT, built 1914), Clan MacBrayne (British, 4818 GRT, built 1916), Clan MacInnes (British, 4672 GRT, built 1920), Colytto (Dutch, 4408 GRT, built 1926), Dagomba (British, 3845 GRT, built 1928), Delius (British, 6065 GRT, built 1937), Denpark (British, 3491 GRT, built 1928), Dornoch (British, 5186 GRT, built 1939), Egda (Norwegian (tanker), 10050 GRT, built 1939), Elstree Grange (British, 6598 GRT, built 1916), Grangepark (British, 5132 GRT, built 1919), Gunda (Swedish, 1770 GRT, built 1930), Henry Stanley (British, 5026 GRT, built 1929), Industria (British, 4850 GRT, built 1940), Mandalay (British, 5529 GRT, built 1911), Marconi (British, 7402 GRT, built 1917), Meliskerk (Dutch, 6045 GRT, built 1919), Para (Norwegian, 3986 GRT, built 1921), Parklaan (Dutch, 3807 GRT, built 1911), Phidias (British, 5623 GRT, built 1913), Sacramento Valley (British, 4573 GRT, built 1924), Storanger (Norwegian (tanker), 9223 GRT, built 1930) and William Wilberforce (British, 4013 GRT, built 1930).
The rescue ship Zamalek (British, 1567 GRT, built 1921) was also part of the convoy.
On departure from Freetown the convoy was escorted by the light cruiser HMS Dragon (Capt. R.J. Shaw, MBE, RN), corvette HMS Calendula (Lt.Cdr. A.D. Bruford, RNVR) and the A/S trawlers HMS Kelt (T/Lt. W.T. Hodson, RNVR) and HMS Pict (???).
At 1726N/31, HMS Dragon parted company with the convoy. The armed merchant cruiser HMS Bulolo (Capt.(Retd.) R.L. Hamer, RN) had joined shortly before HMS Dragon parted company.
Around 1300N/4, HMS Kelt and HMS Pict parted company with the convoy to proceed to Bathurst.
At 1755N/4, HMS Calendula parted company with the convoy to proceed to Bathurst.
Around 1730N/5, the light cruiser HMS Birmingham (Capt. A.C.G. Madden, RN) and the troopship Christiaan Huygens (Dutch, 16287 GRT, built 1927) joined the convoy. They had departed Freetown around 1730N/2 to overtake the convoy.
Around 1600N/19, HMS Marsdale (Lt.Cdr. D.H.F. Armstrong, RNR) joined the convoy after which HMS Bulolo parted company.
Around 0900N/20, the destroyer HMS Winchelsea (Lt.Cdr. W.A.F. Hawkins, DSC, RN) joined the convoy.
Around 1800N/20, the destroyers HMS Harvester (Lt.Cdr. M. Thornton, DSC, RN), HMS Beagle, (Lt.Cdr. R.T. White, DSO and Bar, RN), HMCS Columbia (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) S.W. Davis, RN), HMCS St.Francis (Lt.Cdr. H.F. Pullen, RCN) and the corvettes HMS Heather (Cdr.(Retd.) J.G.C. Gibson, RN), HMS Orchis (Lt. A.D. White, RNR), HMCS Hepatica (T/Lt. C. Copelin, RCNR) and HMCS Windflower (T/Lt. J.H.S. MacDonald, RCNR) joined the convoy.
At 2105N/20, HMS Birmingham parted company with the convoy to proceed to Scapa Flow.
The convoy arrived in U.K. waters on 23 April 1941. Some of the A/S escorts had already parted company with the convoy earlier.
24 Apr 1941
Convoy HG 60.
This convoy departed Gibraltar on 24 April 1941.
It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Agios Vlasios (Greek, 2974 GRT, built 1918), Arlesford (British, 2472 GRT, built 1922), Baron Dechmont (British, 3675 GRT, built 1929), Clonlara (Irish, 1202 GRT, built 1926), Cortes (British, 1390 GRT, built 1919), Ebro (British (former Danish), 1547 GRT, built 1920), Edencraig (British, 1592 GRT, built 1940), Empire Lough (British, 2824 GRT, built 1940), Osric (Swedish, 1418 GRT, built 1919), Ousel (British, 1533 GRT, built 1922), Petrel (British, 1457 GRT, built 1920), Portsea (British, 1583 GRT, built 1938), Ruckinge (British, 2869 GRT, built 1939), Starling (British, 1320 GRT, built 1930) and Wigry (Polish, 1893 GRT, built 1912).
On departure from Gibraltar the convoy was escorted by the destroyer HMS Firedrake (Lt.Cdr. S.H. Norris, DSO, DSC, RN), sloop HMS Wellington (Lt.Cdr. W.F.R. Segrave, RN), corvettes HMS Coreopsis (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Davies, RNVR), HMS Fleur de Lys (Lt.Cdr. L.M. Carter, RNR), HMS Spiraea (T/Lt. L.C. Head, RNVR) and the submarine HrMs O 23 (Lt.Cdr. G.B.M. van Erkel, RNN).
On 28 April, HMS Firedrake was to part company with the convoy to proceed direct to Portsmouth and from there to the Chatham Dockyard where she was to refit.
The three corvettes most likely parted company with the convoy on 30 April.
Around 1800Z/2, in approximate position 40°10'N, 21°57'W, HrMs O 23 parted company with the convoy to join southbound convoy OG 60. The convoy was now only escorted by HMS Wellington.
Around 1715Z/8, the destroyer HMS Boadicea (A/Cdr. E.C.L. Turner, RN) joined the convoy. On joining the convoy it became apparent that the destroyer HMCS Columbia (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) S.W. Davis, RN), sloop HMS Egret (A/Capt. E.M. Haes, RN), corvettes HMCS Snowberry (T/Lt. R.S. Kelley, RCNR), HMCS Trillium (Lt.Cdr. R.F. Harris, RCNR), HMCS Windflower (T/Lt. J.H.S. MacDonald, RCNR), A/S trawlers HMS Arab (T/Lt. C.A. Shillan, RNVR), HMS Ayrshire (T/Lt. L.J.A. Gradwell, RNVR) and HMS Lady Madeleine (T/Lt. W.G. Ogden, RNVR) had already joined the convoy earlier although at the time of HMS Boadicea joining HMCS Snowberry had lost contact with the convoy but she rejoined around 2000Z/8.
At 1900Z/8, HMCS Columbia was detached for other duties.
Around 1000Z/10, in position 55°31'N, 14°00'W, the destroyers Niagara (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) E.L. Armstrong, RCN) and HMCS St. Clair (A/Lt.Cdr. D.C. Wallace, RCNR) joined. They were supposed to have joined earlier with the other ships but had to refuel first at Londonderry as they had insufficient fuel to do so without refuelling first.
Around 1400A/11, the Oban section of the convoy parted company. This section was made up of the following merchant vessels; Edencrag, Portsea and Ruckinge. They took HMS Ayrshire with them as escort. They arrived at Oban on 12 May.
HMS Egret arrived at Londonderry on 11 May.
On 12 May 1941, the Ousel arrived at Londonderry.
On 12 May 1941 the Agios Vlasios arrived in the Clyde as did HMS Boadicea, HMCS Niagara, HMCS St. Clair, HMS Wellington, HMCS Snowberry, HMCS Trillium, HMCS Windflower,
On 12 May 1941, the Clonlara arrived in Belfast Lough; Clonlara.
On 12 May 1941, the following merchant vessels arrived at Holyhead; Baron Dechmont, Ebro and Starling. On 12 May 1941, the Osric arrived at Workington.
On 13 May 1941, the following merchant vessels arrived at Liverpool; Arlesford, Empire Lough and Wigry.
On 13 May 1941, the Cortes and Petrel arrived at Preston.
The exact movements of HMS Arab and HMS Lady Madeleine will have to be investigated further. (2)
3 Nov 1941
HMCS Windflower (T/Lt. J. Price, RCNR) picks up 21 survivors from the British merchant Flynderborg and 6 survivors from the British merchant Gretavale that were torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-202 northeast of Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland in position 51°21'N, 51°45'W.
Media links
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Sources
- ADM 173/16791
- ADM 199/284
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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