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Once a ship had been built and launched she then had to be out-fitted, and then complete sea trials
before being handed over to her new owners, in the case of a ship for the Royal Navy this meant she also had to be commissioned as fit for purpose, once commissioned she was then considered ready for action and would take her place in the fleet.
HMS PETUNIA was the third "Flower Class" corvette to be built and launched from the Leith Shipyards of Henry Robb.
HMS PETUNIA was to serve throughout the war and was involved in convoy protection in the North Atlantic and in the warmer waters but no less dangerous of the South Atlantic.
She also took part in the invasion of the European mainland at D-Day, this little ship had many adventures as well and was to end her time with the Chines Nationalist Government in the fight against the Chinese Communists, as FO PU before sinking in a collision in 1947, details of which have been difficult to find.
We try here to give as full an account of her history as time and research permits, if you know of missing info
or you have any photographs of her, then please get in touch and we shall update her story as we go along.
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Comments
My late uncle, Alistair Sim served on HMS Petunia during the Second World War. One of the stories he told was about the Petunia on convoy duty in the North Atlantic when she was attacked by a U Boat. My uncle was on deck when they spotted the trail from an incoming torpedo. He recalled that some of the men shit themselves on the spot while it had the reverse effect on him in that he couldn't go for a week. As they waited for the impact the torpedo ran underneath the ship and out the other side.
In memory of Uncle Alistair
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