French corvette Alysse

*Alysse*
History
France
Ordered:	12 December 1939
Laid down:	24 June 1940
Launched:	3 March 1941
Commissioned:	17 June 1941
Identification:	Pennant number: K100
Fate:	torpedoed and sunk on 9 February 1942 in the North Atlantic, in position 46º00'N, 44º00'W by the German submarine U-654 while escorting convoy ON-60[1]
General characteristics
Class and type:	Flower-class corvette
Tonnage:	900
Displacement:	950 tonnes
Length:	62.7 metres (206 ft)
Beam:	10.9 metres (36 ft)
Draught:	2.7 metres (8 ft 10 in)
Propulsion:	Engine: 4-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine; Fuel: Gazole; Pressure: 225 PSI; Power:2,750 hp (2 MW);
Speed:	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range:	3,450 nautical miles at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph); 2,630 nautical miles at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph); Fuel capacity: 230 tonnes;
Complement:	70
Sensors and ; processing systems:	Type 271 surface radar
Armament:	1 BL 4-inch (101.6 mm) Mark IX gun; 1 Mark VIII 40 mm gun; 2 Mark IIA 20 mm guns; 2 Hotchkiss machine guns; 1 Mark III "hedgehog" mortar (24 shells); 4 Mark I depth charge launchers; 2 ramps for Mark I depth charges; 60 depth charges[2];

Alysse (formerly HMS Alyssum) was one of the nine Flower-class corvettes lent by the Royal Navy to the Free French Naval Forces.

Construction

Alysse was built by George Brown & Co.

War Service

Originally built as HMS Alyssum by the British Royal Navy, she was loaned to the Free French Navy upon completion on 17 June 1941.

In all, Alysse escorted 9 convoys:

Year	Month	Name of convoy
Convoys escorted by Alysse
1941	July	convoy England-United States
1941	August	SC-40
1941	September	SC-44
1941	September	ON-19
1941	October	SC-50
1941	November
1941	December
1942	January	SC-62
1942	January	ON-60

Shortly after midnight on 9 February 1942 while escorting convoy ON-60, Alysse was torpedoed by the German submarine U-654.^[3]. The torpedo struck Alysse on the port side in the forward part of the ship causing her to settle by the bow. The surviving crew were rescued by HMCS Hepatica and HMCS Moose Jaw; 36 crew members were lost. Hepatica then attempted to tow Alysse but after 30 minutes the tow parted. A further attempt was made to tow her to port later that day but after 18 hours Alysse foundered and sank at 6°34N/44°10W. ^[4]

References

↑ "FFL Alysse (K 100) of the Free French Navy - Free French Corvette of the Flower class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
↑ Alysse (J-1159) (+1942) Wreck site
↑ "FFL Alysse (K 100) (French Corvette) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
↑ "HMS Alyssum (K 100) of the Royal Navy - British Corvette of the Flower class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 22 March 2018.

Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers and Frigates: The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4.

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[1] "FFL Alysse (K 100) of the Free French Navy - Free French Corvette of the Flower class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 22 March 2018.

[2] Alysse (J-1159) (+1942) Wreck site

[3] "FFL Alysse (K 100) (French Corvette) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 22 March 2018.

[4] "HMS Alyssum (K 100) of the Royal Navy - British Corvette of the Flower class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 22 March 2018.