HMS Camellia (K31)
Encyclopedia
HMS Camellia was a that served in the Royal Navy
.
She was laid down on 14 November 1939, launched on 4 May 1940, and commissioned on 18 June 1940. In January 1941 she served as a rescue transport for five crewman of the merchant ship Ringhorn which had gone down in stormy weather.
On 4 February 1941 Camellia and the destroyer Harvester
picked up 121 survivors from HMS Crispin, sunk by U-107 (Korvettenkapitän Günther Hessler
).
On 7 March 1941, serving as escorts for convoy
OB 293 escort south-east of Iceland
, Camellia and her sister ship sank the German submarine U-70 (Kapitänleutnant Joachim Matz), and possibly the elusive U-47 (Oberleutnant Günther Prien
) which was probably sunk the same day (other theories for the loss of U-47 include mines
or being struck by her own torpedo
es).
She was commanded by Lieutenant Charles Corneby from 6 June 1941 until August 1942, and by Lieutenant George Charlton from 29 July 1944 until the end of the war.
On Christmas Eve 1941, she saw unknown action and lost an indeterminate number of sailors listed as "killed in action".
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
She was laid down on 14 November 1939, launched on 4 May 1940, and commissioned on 18 June 1940. In January 1941 she served as a rescue transport for five crewman of the merchant ship Ringhorn which had gone down in stormy weather.
On 4 February 1941 Camellia and the destroyer Harvester
HMS Harvester (H19)
HMS Harvester was an H-class destroyer originally ordered by the Brazilian Navy with the name Jurua in the late 1930s, but was bought by the Royal Navy after the beginning of World War II in September 1939. Almost immediately after commissioning, in May 1940, the ship began evacuating Allied troops...
picked up 121 survivors from HMS Crispin, sunk by U-107 (Korvettenkapitän Günther Hessler
Günther Hessler
Günther Hessler was a Fregattenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He commanded the Type IXB U-boat , sinking twenty-one ships on three patrols, for a total of tons of Allied shipping, of which was sunk on one patrol alone...
).
On 7 March 1941, serving as escorts for convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
OB 293 escort south-east of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, Camellia and her sister ship sank the German submarine U-70 (Kapitänleutnant Joachim Matz), and possibly the elusive U-47 (Oberleutnant Günther Prien
Günther Prien
Lieutenant Commander Günther Prien was one of the outstanding German U-boat aces of the first part of the Second World War, and the first U-boat commander to win the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Under Prien's command, the submarine sank over 30 Allied ships totaling about...
) which was probably sunk the same day (other theories for the loss of U-47 include mines
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
or being struck by her own torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es).
She was commanded by Lieutenant Charles Corneby from 6 June 1941 until August 1942, and by Lieutenant George Charlton from 29 July 1944 until the end of the war.
On Christmas Eve 1941, she saw unknown action and lost an indeterminate number of sailors listed as "killed in action".