 HMSRockrose during the Second World War | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSRockrose |
| Namesake | Rock-rose |
| Ordered | 21 September 1939 |
| Builder | Charles Hill & Sons,Bristol |
| Yard number | 284 |
| Laid down | 28 October 1940 |
| Launched | 26 July 1941 |
| Completed | 4 November 1941 |
| Out of service | 4 October 1947 |
| Identification | Pennant number: K51 |
| Fate | Sold toSouth African Navy, 1947 |
 South Africa | |
| Name | HMSASProtea |
| Namesake | Protea |
| Acquired | 1947 |
| Commissioned | 4 October 1947 |
| Decommissioned | January 1957 |
| Renamed |
|
| Reclassified | As afishing trawler, 1964 |
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class & type | Flower-classcorvette |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 205 ft (62 m)o/a |
| Beam | 33 ft 2 in (10.11 m) |
| Draught | 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 16knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Range | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Complement | 85 |
| Sensors & processing systems | |
| Armament |
|
HMSASProtea was asurvey ship of theSouth African Navy. The ship was originally built as aFlower-classcorvette for theRoyal Navy duringWorld War II and served asHMSRockrose (pennant number:K51).Rockrose was initially assigned to convoy escort duties in the North Atlantic after her completion in 1941 but was later transferred to South African waters and then to theFar East with the same mission. She returned home in 1945 and waspaid off.
Two years later the ship was purchased by South Africa and was converted into a survey ship in 1949.Protea was obsolete by the late 1950s and was placed inreserve in 1957. The ship was sold in 1962 and was converted into afishing trawler with the name ofJustin. The company subsequently failed and she wasscrapped in 1967.
Rockrose displaced 940 long tons (960 t) atstandard load and 1,080 long tons (1,100 t) atdeep load.[1] The ship had anoverall length of 205 feet (62.5 m), abeam of 33 feet 2 inches (10.1 m) and a deepdraught of 13 feet 7 inches (4.1 m).[2] She was powered by a singlevertical triple-expansion steam engine using steam provided by twocylindrical boilers. The engine developed 2,750indicated horsepower (2,050 kW) which gave a maximum speed of 16knots (30 km/h; 18 mph). The ship carried 230 long tons (234 t) offuel oil that gave her a range of 5,000nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[1]Rockrose was armed with a singleBL 4-inch (102 mm) Mk IX gun and two twin mounts for.303-inch (7.7 mm) Lewis light machine guns. Foranti-submarine work, she was fitted with twodepth charge rails and a pair of depth charge throwers for her 40 depth charges.[2] The ship was equipped with aType 271 surface-searchradar and a Type 123AASDIC.Rockrose was one of those Flower-class ships that had an extendedforecastle and her crew numbered 85 officers andratings.[1]
As part of her conversion to a survey ship in 1949–50, the ship was disarmed and her interior was extensively reworked to improve her endurance and accommodations. Herbridge was remodelled to improve visibility and a pair ofecho sounders were fitted in addition to a navigational radar and direction-finding gear. The changes increased her displacement to 1,080 long tons (1,100 t) at standard and 1,340 long tons (1,360 t) at deep load. Her crew now consisted of 82 officers and ratings.[3]
Rockrose was named after therock-rose flower. The ship was ordered on 21 September 1939 fromCharles Hill & Sons[4] and waslaid down on 28 October 1940 at itsBristol shipyard as yard number 284.[5] She waslaunched on 26 July 1941 and completed four months later on 4 November.Rockrose was initially assigned to the North Atlantic for convoy escort work, but was transferred to the South Atlantic in 1942.[6] The ship never engaged the enemy, but rescued survivors from sunken ships on 8, 10 and 29 October of that year.[7] She was later transferred to the Far East and returned home in 1945, after which she was placed in reserve atDevonport Royal Dockyard.[6]
Rockrose was purchased by South Africa in 1947 for conversion into a hydrographic survey ship and was commissioned in the South African Navy on 4 October after a brief refit. Together with the newly purchasedminesweepersRosamund andPelorus, she arrived atCape Town on 24 December. While awaiting for her conversion to begin, the ship was docked atSalisbury Island, Durban. Gilbert Hamer & Co. of Durban finally began work in mid-1949 and she was recommissioned as HMSASProtea in February 1950. In late 1952, the ship sailed fromPort Elizabeth toMarion Island to bring back a patient for anappendectomy and arrived back at Port Elizabeth with only 15 long tons (15.2 t) of fuel remaining.[8]
The following year, she participated in QueenElizabeth II's coronation celebrations in Port Elizabeth. By the late 1950s, the ship's limitations were becoming apparent, particularly her limited space and electrical power, andProtea was reduced to reserve in January 1957. She was listed for disposal in March 1961 and was subsequently purchased by Johannesburg businessman Ernest Bisogno, owner of Maritime Fisheries (Pty) Ltd, forR4,000. The ship was towed fromSimon's Town to Cape Town in October 1963, after having been renamedJustin, for anoverhaul and then sailed for Durban to begin conversion into a refrigeratedtuna fishing trawler. Her owners were not successful and the ship was broken up inTable Bay in late 1967.[9][10][11]
Media related toHMSAS Protea at Wikimedia Commons
