Allied Warships

HMS Polyanthus (K 47)

Corvette of the Flower class

Navy	The Royal Navy
Type	Corvette
Class	Flower
Pennant	K 47
Built by	Henry Robb Ltd. (Leith, U.K.)
Ordered	31 Aug 1939
Laid down	19 Mar 1940
Launched	30 Nov 1940
Commissioned	24 Apr 1941
Lost	21 Sep 1943
Loss position	57° 00'N, 31° 10'W
	The British corvette HMS Polyanthus (K 47) lost on 21 Sep 1943 in position 57° 00'N, 31° 10'W.
History	At 0022 hours on 21 Sepember 1943 the German U-952 fired a Gnat at an escort of the convoy ON-202 and heard after three minutes a detonation, followed by sinking noises. HMS Polyanthus (T/Lt. John Gordon Aitken, RNR) was hit and sank immediately at position 57º00'N, 31º10'W. The British frigate HMS Itchen picked up one survivor, but he died when the frigate was torpedoed and sunk two days later by U-666. Hit by U-boat Sunk on 21 Sep 1943 by U-952 (Curio).
U-boat Attack	See our U-boat attack entry for the HMS Polyanthus

Commands listed for HMS Polyanthus (K 47)

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	Commander	From	To
1	Lt. Arthur Hague, RNR	early 1941	25 Jun 1942
2	Lt.Cdr. Raymond Spurr Holland, RNR	25 Jun 1942	8 Jan 1943
3	T/Lt. John Gordon Aitken, RNR	8 Jan 1943	21 Sep 1943 (+)

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Notable events involving Polyanthus include:

HMS POLYANTHUS K47, was sunk during the convoy ON.202, on the 20th of September, 1943. 30% of K47's company were rescued by the River Class Frigate HMS ITCHEN K227-told to me by one of two of K227's survivors; Peter Flood A/B S.T.(Able Seaman Torpedoman). The other survivor of K227 was P.O.E.R.A.(Petty Officer Engine Room Artificer)Bill Clarke; told to me by Peter Flood; i have a photo of these two sailors. The lone survivor of H.M.C.S. ST. CROIX I81, was William Fisher-Stoker First Class. When K227 was sunk by U-666, Flood, Clarke and Fisher were rescued by the Polish Merchant Ship, S.S. WISLA. Brian 'Canuck' Murza, W.W.II Naval Researcher/Author. (1)

2 May 1942
HMS Polyanthus (Lt. A. Hague, RNR) picks up 12 survivors from a lifeboat of the British merchant Derryheen that was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-201 on 22 April about 300 nautical miles west of Bermuda in position 31°20'N, 70°35'W.

8 Aug 1943
HMS P 511 (Lt. R.H. Bull, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Polyanthus (T/Lt. J.G. Aitken, RNR), HMCS Drumheller (T/Lt. L.P. Denny, RCNR), HMS Lagan (Lt.Cdr. (retired) A. Ayre, RNR), HMCS Kamloops (T/Lt. D.M. Stewart, RCNR), HMCS Gatineau (Cdr. P.W. Burnett, RN), HMCS Chambly (T/A/Lt.Cdr. A.F. Pickard, RCNR), HMS Drury (Lt.Cdr. N.J. Parker, RN) and HMS Primrose (T/Lt. P.E. Kitto, RNR). (2)

16 Sep 1943
HMS H 33 (Lt. D.G. Kent, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Anemone (Lt.Cdr. P.G.A. King, RNR) and HMS Polyanthus (T/Lt. J.G. Aitken, RNR). (3)