French corvette Alysse

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Alyssum.

Alysse

Flower-class corvette in 1942 paint
History
France
Name	Alysse
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
General characteristics
Class and type	Flower-class corvette
Displacement	950 tonnes
Length	62.7 m (205 ft 9 in)
Beam	10.9 m (35 ft 9 in)
Draught	2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Propulsion	Engine: 4-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine Fuel: Gazole Pressure: 225 PSI Power:2,750 hp (2,050 kW)
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range	3,450 nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) Fuel capacity: 230 tonnes
Complement	70
Sensors and processing systems	Type 271 surface radar
Armament	1 BL 4 in (102 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

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.

Convoys escorted by Alysse

Year	Month	Name of convoy
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. 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.

Alysse just prior to sinking, 9 February 1942

References

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