Southern Pride

Summary

Southern Pride was a steam-powered whaler built by the Smiths Dock Company of Middlesbrough in 1936.[2] She was the initial design inspiration for the Flower-class corvettes used to escort convoys in the North Atlantic in World War II.[3][4][5] The final design for the Flower class was significantly modified from that of Southern Pride factoring in things like ease of construction.[6]

Southern Pride, after Royal Navy conversion.
History
NameSouthern Pride,
OwnerSouthern Whaling and Sealing Company, London (1936–1940), Admiralty (1940–44)
BuilderSmiths Dock Company
Launched1936
In service1936–1944
FateWrecked near Freetown, 16 June 1944
General characteristics
Tonnage582 GRT
Length160 ft (49 m)
Installed powerSteam
Speed15.25 knots (28.24 km/h; 17.55 mph)[1]
Crew30

After World War II began Southern Pride was requisitioned by the Royal Navy, and converted into a warship.[4] Her conversion took six weeks and cost 75,000 pounds. She was wrecked off Freetown in June 1944.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ McKay, John; Harland, John (1994). The flower class corvette Agassiz. Anatomy of the Ship. Naval Inst Press. p. 13. ISBN 978-1-55068-084-3.
  2. ^ Woodman, Richard (2005). The History of the Ship. Conway Maritime Press. p. 376. ISBN 978-1-84486-004-3.
  3. ^ Brian Lavery (2016). Churchill's Navy: The ships, people and organisation, 1939-1945. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 227. ISBN 9781844863372. About this time Mr William Reed of Smith's Docks came to see me. He enlarged upon the properties of the whale-catchers of the Southern Pride class built to the British Corporation's classification. It seemed to me that vessel with the characteristics of Southern Pride would meet the requirements outlined by Sir Roger Backhouse.
  4. ^ a b David Brown (2007). Atlantic Escorts: Ships, Weapons & Tactics in World War II. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 9781844157020.
  5. ^ "Southern Pride HMS (K 249)", wrecksite.eu
  6. ^ Harland, John (1991). "The Whaler and the Corvette". Warship: 201–204.
  7. ^ "Naval Losses: List Completed To May 8". The Times. 18 May 1945. Retrieved 7 February 2010.