HMS Campanula,

[Irishgirl]

I am trying to research my late father's service record during WWI. I know that he served on the "Campanula" from January 1916 until September I918. From reseaching the net I discovered that the Campanula was credited with sinking a German U boat but have been unable to find any further information of her movements or locations 1916- 1918. I would appreciate any information or suggestions as to where to look so I can unravel this mystery. Also where should I go to get a transcript of Dad"s WWI naval service record.

[joseph]

Irishgirl,

Welcome to the forum, have a look here for the documents;

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...amp;queryType=1

Regards Charles

[Malcolm]

HMS Campanula was an Arabis type Flower Class Sloop , 1250 tons launched Christmas day 1915 at Barclay Curle, 16.5 knots armed with 2 x 4.7 inch and 2 x 3 pounder AA guns. numbered T48 in 1916 and T16 in 1918, sold 1922.

Aye

Malcolm

[stan johnson]

H.M.S.Campanula...She had a crew of 90 and was capable of 16 knots. with 2x4,0 guns and 2x3pdr.AA

Here she is...

[ARABIS]

Hello Irishgirl,

Welcome to the Forum.

The November 1918 Navy List gives Campanula as being based in Malta & this seems to be confirmed by stan johnson`s photo as the background is clearly Malta. The ship in the photo has been modified to operate kite balloons as there is a shortened mast behind the second funnel & a platform over the stern. This could be a post war photo as the main armament seems to have been removed.

H.M. Le Fleming in his book "Warships of World War 1" gives the complement for the Acacia type as 77-104 & the Azalea type & the Arabis type [which Campanula was] as 79. I have an ongoing project trying to list the full crew of H.M.S. Arabis on which my grandfather died & so far can only identifiy 75.

On the 18th January 1918 in the mediterranean off Cape Bon, the U-boat UB66 fired two torpedoes at a ship in a convoy escorted by Campanula. The sloop dropped two depth charges over the U-boat`s estimated position & oil & wreckage came to the surface. There were no survivors.

The first thing you need to do is download his service record from the National Archives through the link which joseph has given you.

Regards,

ARABIS.

[Michael Lowrey]

Campanula’s sinking claim for UB 66 was rejected in the German official history. UB 66 was off Egypt on the 17th, where she sank the steamer Windsor Hall. That would not allow her adequate time to get to Cap Bon.

Additional research by Oliver Lörscher, who is on this board, has determined that Campanula’s attack was against U 33 and that the submarine was not substantially damaged. The details in U 33's war diary agree with the details in British documents (time, location, number of depth charges, single torpedo fired etc.)

Best wishes,

Michael

[ARABIS]

Thanks Michael,

My account came from "U-Boats Destroyed" by Paul Kemp.

Cheers,

ARABIS.

[stan johnson]

Arabis, Yes picture was post war.so could be that the complement differs in wartime . as she was scrapped in 1922 the picture would have probably been one of the last of her.

Stan.