| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Corvette |
| Class | Flower |
| Pennant | K 190 |
| Built by | Harland & Wolff Ltd. (Belfast, Northern Ireland) |
| Ordered | 8 Apr 1940 |
| Laid down | 16 Nov 1940 |
| Launched | 12 Mar 1941 |
| Commissioned | 9 Jun 1941 |
| Lost | 20 Feb 1945 |
| Loss position | 51° 47'N, 7° 06'W |
| History | On 20 February 1945 HMS Vervain (T/A/Lt.Cdr. Robert Alwyn Howell, RNVR) was torpedoed and sunk about 25 nautical miles south-east of Dungarvan, Ireland in position 51º47'N, 07º06'W, by the German submarine U-1276. 60 of the crew, including the commanding officer, were killed and 36 survivors were rescued. Hit by U-boat |
| U-boat Attack | See our U-boat attack entry for the HMS Vervain |
| Former name | HMS Broom |
Commands listed for HMS Vervain (K 190)
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 | Lt. Hugh Parker Crail, RNR | 21 Apr 1941 | mid 1943 |
| 2 | T/Lt. Robert Alwyn Howell, RNVR | mid 1943 | 20 Feb 1945 (+) |
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Notable events involving Vervain include:
9 Apr 1942
HrMs O 10 (Lt. J.H. Geijs, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with the Escort Group B 3 and later with HMS Firedrake (Lt.Cdr. S.H. Norris, DSO, DSC, RN), FFS Lobelia, HMS Salisbury (Lt.Cdr. M.H.R. Crichton, RN) and HMS Vervain (Lt. H.P. Crail, RNR). (1)
10 Jun 1942
HMS Vervain (Lt. H.P. Crail, RNR) picks up 8 survivors from the British merchant Ramsay that was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-94 in the North Atlantic in position 51°53'N, 34°59'W.
1 Nov 1942
HMS H 43 (Lt. B.J.B. Andrew, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Vervain (Lt. H.P. Crail, RNR). (2)
18 Nov 1942
HMS Vervain (Lt. H.P. Crail, RNR) picks up 52 men from the American merchant Yaka that was torpedoed and damaged by German U-boat U-624 south-south-east of Cape Farewell. The abandoned Yaka was finally torpedoed and sunk later that day by German U-boat U-522 in position 54°07'N, 38°26'W.
1 Mar 1943
HMS Vervain (Lt. H.P. Crail, RNR) picks up 66 survivors from the American merchant Wade Hampton that was torpedoed and sunk on 28 February 1943 by German U-boat U-405 in the North Atlantic, east of Cape Farewell, in position 59°49'N, 34°43'W.
20 Mar 1943
HMS Vervain (Lt. H.P. Crail, RNR) picks up 5 survivors from the British merchant Fort Lamy that was torpedoed and sunk on 8 March 1943 by German U-boat U-527 in the North Atlantic, south-east of Cape Farewell, in position 58°30'N, 31°00'W.
2 Nov 1943
HrMs O 9 (Lt. J.B.M.J. Maas, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Vervain (T/Lt. R.A. Howell, RNVR), HMS Rosebay (Lt. R.J. Tadhunter, RNR) and HMS Watchman (Lt.Cdr. G.H.D. Williams, RN). (3)
3 Nov 1943
HrMs O 9 (Lt. J.B.M.J. Maas, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Watchman (Lt.Cdr. G.H.D. Williams, RN), HMS Vervain (T/Lt. R.A. Howell, RNVR) and HMS Rosebay (Lt. R.J. Tadhunter, RNR). (3)
17 Nov 1943
HMS Sirdar (Lt. J.A. Spender, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Larne with HNoMS Rose (Lt. L.R. Lund, RNorN) and HMS Vervain (T/Lt. R.A. Howell, RNVR). (4)
29 Dec 1943
HMS Spirit (Lt. A.W. Langridge, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lanre with HNoMS Eglantine, HMS Vervain (T/Lt. R.A. Howell, RNVR), HMS Fame (Cdr. R.A. Currie, RN) and HMS Deveron (Lt.Cdr. R.E.H. Partington, RD, RNR). (5)
30 Dec 1943
HMS Spirit (Lt. A.W. Langridge, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lanre with HMS Vanquisher (A/Lt.Cdr. F.M. Osborne, DSC, RANVR), HMS Vervain (T/Lt. R.A. Howell, RNVR), HMS Deveron (Lt.Cdr. R.E.H. Partington, RD, RNR) and HNoMS Eglantine. (5)
19 May 1944
HMS Unshaken (Lt. J. Whitton, DSC, RN) departed Dundee for Sheerness. She was escorted by HMS Vervain (T/Lt. R.A. Howell, RNVR). (6)
26 Sep 1944
HMS Vitality (Lt. K.S. Renshaw, DSC, RNR) conducted exercises off Larne with HMS Vervain (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.A. Howell, RNVR). (7)
Media links
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Sources
- File 2.12.03.6379 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- ADM 173/17255
- File 2.12.03.6372 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- ADM 173/18090
- ADM 173/18094
- ADM 199/1385
- ADM 173/19421
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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