HMS Polyanthus (K47): Difference between revisions
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{{short description|Flower-class corvette}} |
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{{other ships|HMS Polyanthus}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}} |
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{{Use British English|date=July 2017}} |
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{|{{Infobox ship begin}} |
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{{Infobox ship image |
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|Ship caption=''Polyanthus'' during [[World War II]] |
|Ship caption=''Polyanthus'' during [[World War II]] |
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{{Infobox |
{{Infobox ship career |
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|Ship country=United Kingdom |
|Ship country=United Kingdom |
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|Ship flag= |
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}} |
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|Ship name= |
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|Ship honours= |
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|Ship captured= |
|Ship captured= |
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|Ship fate=Sunk by |
|Ship fate=Sunk by {{GS|U-952}} |
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|Ship status=Wreck near 57.00N, 31.10W |
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|Ship notes= |
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|Ship class={{sclass2|Flower|corvette}} |
|Ship class={{sclass2|Flower|corvette}} |
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|Ship displacement={{convert|925|LT|t ST|lk=in}} |
|Ship displacement={{convert|925|LT|t ST|lk=in}} |
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|Ship tons burthen= |
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|Ship length={{convert|205|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}o/a |
|Ship length={{convert|205|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}o/a |
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|Ship beam={{convert|33|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} |
|Ship beam={{convert|33|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} |
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* 1 × 4-cycle triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine |
* 1 × 4-cycle triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine |
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* {{convert|2750|ihp|abbr=on}} |
* {{convert|2750|ihp|abbr=on}} |
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|Ship sail plan= |
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|Ship speed={{convert|16|kn|km/h|1|lk=in}} |
|Ship speed={{convert|16|kn|km/h|1|lk=in}} |
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|Ship range={{convert|3500|nmi|km|0}} at {{convert|12|kn|km/h|1}} |
|Ship range={{convert|3500|nmi|km|0}} at {{convert|12|kn|km/h|1}} |
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* 2 × [[Lewis Gun|.303 inch Lewis machine gun]] (twin) |
* 2 × [[Lewis Gun|.303 inch Lewis machine gun]] (twin) |
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* 2 × Mk.II depth charge throwers |
* 2 × Mk.II depth charge throwers |
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* 2 × |
* 2 × [[Depth charge]] rails with 40 depth charges |
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|Ship notes= |
|Ship notes= |
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'''HMS ''Polyanthus''''' was a {{sclass2|Flower|corvette}} of the [[Royal Navy]]. She was [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 30 November 1940 from [[Leith|Leith Docks]] on the [[Firth of Forth]], at an estimated cost of £55,000.<ref name=Milner>{{cite book| title=North Atlantic Run |author=Milner, Marc |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1985 |page=158 |isbn=0-87021-450-0}}</ref><ref>[http://wilkinp4.blackapplehost.com/History/WW2/WarshipWeek/WarshipWeek.htm Warship Week(s) in World War 2], RishtonWeb, Retrieved |
'''HMS ''Polyanthus''''' was a {{sclass2|Flower|corvette}} of the [[Royal Navy]]. She was [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 30 November 1940 from [[Leith|Leith Docks]] on the [[Firth of Forth]], at an estimated cost of £55,000.<ref name=Milner>{{cite book| title=North Atlantic Run |author=Milner, Marc |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1985 |page=158 |isbn=0-87021-450-0}}</ref><ref>[http://wilkinp4.blackapplehost.com/History/WW2/WarshipWeek/WarshipWeek.htm Warship Week(s) in World War 2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902104155/http://wilkinp4.blackapplehost.com/History/WW2/WarshipWeek/WarshipWeek.htm |date=2 September 2011 }}, RishtonWeb, Retrieved 13 April 2011.</ref> ''Polyanthus'' was sunk by the {{GS|U-952}} using new German weapons technology on 20 September 1943 about 1,000 miles southwest of [[Reykjavík]] during convoy escort duty in the [[Battle of the Atlantic|Battle of the North Atlantic]].<ref name=ubn>{{cite web |url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5489.html |
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|title=HMS Polyanthus (K 47) |
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|last=Helgason |
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|first=Guðmundur |
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|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net |
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|access-date=13 April 2011 |
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}}</ref><ref>Lawson, Siri,[http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/on202.html "Convoy ON & ONS 18"], WarSailors.com. Retrieved 13 April 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?31818 HMS ''Polyanthus'' (K-47) (+1943)], www.wrecksite.eu, Retrieved 13 April 2011.</ref> |
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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{{main|Flower |
{{main|Flower-class corvette}} |
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Flower-class corvettes like ''Polyanthus'' serving with the Royal Navy during [[World War II]] were different |
Flower-class corvettes like ''Polyanthus'' serving with the Royal Navy during [[World War II]] were different from earlier and more traditional sail-driven corvettes.<ref>Ossian, Robert,[http://www.thepirateking.com/ships/ship_types.htm "Complete List of Sailing Vessels"], www.thepirateking.com, Retrieved 13 April 2011.</ref><ref>Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare'' (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 11, pp.1137–1142.</ref><ref name=Jane>''Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II'', New Jersey: Random House, 1996, {{ISBN|0-517-67963-9}}, page 68.</ref> The "corvette" designation was created by the French in the 19th century as a class of small warships; the Royal Navy borrowed the term for a period but discontinued its use in 1877.<ref>Blake, Nicholas and Lawrence, Richard, ''The Illustrated Companion to Nelson's Navy'', Stackpole Books, 2005, pp 39-63. {{ISBN|0-8117-3275-4}}</ref> During the hurried preparations for war in the late 1930s, [[Winston Churchill]] reactivated the corvette class, needing a name for smaller ships used in an escort capacity, in this case based on a [[whaling ship]] design.<ref>Chesneau, Roger and Gardiner, Robert, ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946'', US Naval Institute Press (June 1980), p. 62 {{ISBN|0-87021-913-8}}</ref> The generic name "flower" was used to designate the class of these ships, which – in the Royal Navy – were named after flowering plants.<ref name = Milner/> |
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==War duty and sinking== |
==War duty and sinking== |
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Although designed for quick and cheap construction, ''Polyanthus'' and ships like her in the Flower class were |
Although designed for quick and cheap construction, ''Polyanthus'' and ships like her in the Flower class were operative in convoy escort during the Battle of the North Atlantic.<ref>{{cite web |
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|url=http://uboat.net/allies/warships/types.html?type=Corvette |
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|title=Corvettes |
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|last=Helgason |
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|first=Guðmundur |
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|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net |
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⚫ | The primary mission of protection against [[U- |
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|access-date=13 April 2011 |
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}}</ref> |
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⚫ | The primary mission of protection against [[U-boat]]s saw ''Polyanthus'' active in several transatlantic convoys in the early part of the war. By late 1943, the ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' were using an [[G7es torpedo|acoustic homing torpedo]] - known to the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] as a [[GNAT (torpedo)|GNAT]] - which they hoped would reverse the changing tide of war, favouring the Allies in the Atlantic.<ref name=GNAT>Pocock, Michael W., |
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http://www.maritimequest.com/daily_event_archive/2007/pages/sept/23_convoy_on_202.htm "Daily Event for September 23", www.MaritimeQuest.com, 2007, Retrieved 13 April 2011.</ref> |
http://www.maritimequest.com/daily_event_archive/2007/pages/sept/23_convoy_on_202.htm "Daily Event for September 23", www.MaritimeQuest.com, 2007, Retrieved 13 April 2011.</ref> |
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On the night of 19–20 September 1943, two westbound Convoys [[Convoys ONS 18/ON 202|ONS18 and ON 202]] were facing frequent U-boat engagements, calling ''Polyanthus'' to their aid in the wake of several setbacks, including the near destruction of |
On the night of 19–20 September 1943, two westbound Convoys [[Convoys ONS 18/ON 202|ONS18 and ON 202]] were facing frequent U-boat engagements, calling ''Polyanthus'' to their aid in the wake of several setbacks, including the near destruction of {{HMS|Escapade|H17|6}} and {{HMS|Lagan|K259|6}}.<ref name=GNAT/> After successfully driving away {{GS|U-238||2}}, ''Polyanthus'' was ordered to rescue the crew from the escort {{HMCS|St. Croix|I81|6}}, recently sunk by {{GS|U-305||2}}. Whilst under the command of Lieutenant John Gordon Aitken [[Royal Naval Reserve|RNR]], ''Polyanthus'' was sunk by ''U-952'' using a GNAT before any rescue could be effected.<ref name=ubn/><ref>{{cite web |
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|url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/3075.html |
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|title=HMS ''Polyanthus'' (K 47) |
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|last=Helgason |
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|first=Guðmundur |
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|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net |
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|access-date= 13 April 2011 |
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}}</ref> At least 7 officers and 77 crew were lost with ''Polyanthus'' among them Lt [[Graham Shepard]]. The only known survivor drowned within days at the hands of another U-boat attack on the ship that rescued him, {{HMS|Itchen|K227|6}}.<ref name=ubn/> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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==Notes and references== |
==Notes and references== |
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'''Notes''' |
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{{ |
{{Reflist|30em}} |
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'''Bibliography''' |
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* {{Cite Colledge2006}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* {{cite web |
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|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship3075.html |
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⚫ | |||
|title=Ship's company list |
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*[http://www.batamemories.org.uk/MAIN/ENG/00-EN-Pages/WAR%20PAGES/Leslie%20Hockley.html Able seaman Leslie Hockley], a crewman on HMS ''Polyanthus'' |
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|last=Helgason |
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|first=Guðmundur |
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|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net |
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}} |
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{{coord|57|0|0|N|31|6|0|W|display=title}} |
{{coord|57|0|0|N|31|6|0|W|display=title}} |
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{{Flower class corvette|original}} |
{{Flower class corvette|original}} |
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{{September 1943 shipwrecks}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Polyanthus, HMS}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Polyanthus, HMS}} |
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[[Category:1940 ships]] |
[[Category:1940 ships]] |
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[[Category:Flower |
[[Category:Flower-class corvettes of the Royal Navy]] |
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[[Category:Ships built in |
[[Category:Ships built in Leith]] |
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[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1943]] |
[[Category:Maritime incidents in September 1943]] |
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[[Category:Ships sunk by German submarines]] |
[[Category:Ships sunk by German submarines in World War II]] |
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[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean]] |
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean]] |
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[[Category:Warships lost with all hands]] |
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[[sl:HMS Polyanthus (K47)]] |
Latest revision as of 10:05, 14 August 2023
History | |
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United Kingdom | |
Builder | Henry Robb Ltd. |
Laid down | 19 March 1940 |
Launched | 30 November 1940 |
Completed | 23 April 1941 |
Out of service | 21 September 1943 |
Fate | Sunk by German submarine U-952 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Flower-class corvette |
Displacement | 925 long tons (940 t; 1,036 short tons) |
Length | 205 ft (62.48 m)o/a |
Beam | 33 ft (10.06 m) |
Draught | 11.5 ft (3.51 m) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 16 knots (29.6 km/h) |
Range | 3,500 nautical miles (6,482 km) at 12 knots (22.2 km/h) |
Complement | 85 |
Armament |
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HMS Polyanthus was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 30 November 1940 from Leith Docks on the Firth of Forth, at an estimated cost of £55,000.[1][2] Polyanthus was sunk by the German submarine U-952 using new German weapons technology on 20 September 1943 about 1,000 miles southwest of Reykjavík during convoy escort duty in the Battle of the North Atlantic.[3][4][5]
Background[edit]
Flower-class corvettes like Polyanthus serving with the Royal Navy during World War II were different from earlier and more traditional sail-driven corvettes.[6][7][8] The "corvette" designation was created by the French in the 19th century as a class of small warships; the Royal Navy borrowed the term for a period but discontinued its use in 1877.[9] During the hurried preparations for war in the late 1930s, Winston Churchill reactivated the corvette class, needing a name for smaller ships used in an escort capacity, in this case based on a whaling ship design.[10] The generic name "flower" was used to designate the class of these ships, which – in the Royal Navy – were named after flowering plants.[1]
War duty and sinking[edit]
Although designed for quick and cheap construction, Polyanthus and ships like her in the Flower class were operative in convoy escort during the Battle of the North Atlantic.[11] The primary mission of protection against U-boats saw Polyanthus active in several transatlantic convoys in the early part of the war. By late 1943, the Kriegsmarine were using an acoustic homing torpedo - known to the Allies as a GNAT - which they hoped would reverse the changing tide of war, favouring the Allies in the Atlantic.[12]
On the night of 19–20 September 1943, two westbound Convoys ONS18 and ON 202 were facing frequent U-boat engagements, calling Polyanthus to their aid in the wake of several setbacks, including the near destruction of HMS Escapade and HMS Lagan.[12] After successfully driving away U-238, Polyanthus was ordered to rescue the crew from the escort HMCS St. Croix, recently sunk by U-305. Whilst under the command of Lieutenant John Gordon Aitken RNR, Polyanthus was sunk by U-952 using a GNAT before any rescue could be effected.[3][13] At least 7 officers and 77 crew were lost with Polyanthus among them Lt Graham Shepard. The only known survivor drowned within days at the hands of another U-boat attack on the ship that rescued him, HMS Itchen.[3]
See also[edit]
Notes and references[edit]
Notes
- ^ a b Milner, Marc (1985). North Atlantic Run. Naval Institute Press. p. 158. ISBN 0-87021-450-0.
- ^ Warship Week(s) in World War 2 Archived 2 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, RishtonWeb, Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Polyanthus (K 47)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ^ Lawson, Siri,"Convoy ON & ONS 18", WarSailors.com. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ^ HMS Polyanthus (K-47) (+1943), www.wrecksite.eu, Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ^ Ossian, Robert,"Complete List of Sailing Vessels", www.thepirateking.com, Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ^ Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 11, pp.1137–1142.
- ^ Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II, New Jersey: Random House, 1996, ISBN 0-517-67963-9, page 68.
- ^ Blake, Nicholas and Lawrence, Richard, The Illustrated Companion to Nelson's Navy, Stackpole Books, 2005, pp 39-63. ISBN 0-8117-3275-4
- ^ Chesneau, Roger and Gardiner, Robert, Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, US Naval Institute Press (June 1980), p. 62 ISBN 0-87021-913-8
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Corvettes". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ^ a b Pocock, Michael W., http://www.maritimequest.com/daily_event_archive/2007/pages/sept/23_convoy_on_202.htm "Daily Event for September 23", www.MaritimeQuest.com, 2007, Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Polyanthus (K 47)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
Bibliography
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
External links[edit]
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ship's company list". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.
- "The Last Hurrah of the Wolf Packs" an article reprinted from Canadian Forces Internal News Sources (September 1993)