HMS La Malouine (K46) - 1940 To Mid 1942

1940 To Mid 1942

La Malouine took part in her first convoy, out of Freetown, Sierra Leone, in September 1940. At the end of September 1940 she formed part of the escort for convoy HX72, sailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Eight merchant ships were lost during this convoy. La Malouine alone picking up 146 survivors from the SS Canonesa, Dalcairn, Empire Airman and the Frederick S. Fales. All these ships were sunk by the German submarine U-100. By the end of 1940 she had taken part in nine convoys.

1941 found La Malouine as a member of the 2nd Escort Group operating out of the port of Londonderry, Northern Ireland. On 7 January 1941, in company with another corvette, HMS Anemone, she assisted in the sinking of the Italian navy submarine Nani. On 5 May, during an air raid on Belfast, Northern Ireland, La Malouine was damaged by a near miss and lost two of her crew killed. This required several weeks of repair. By July she was back on active service joining convoy SL81 out of Freetown. This convoy lost six ships, including the Kumasian to U-74 on 5 August 1941. La Malouine picked up 59 of the Kumasians survivors. During 1941 La Malouine escorted 10 convoys.

Between January and May 1942 La Malouine was involved in 4 convoys. In February 1942 she was at Gibraltar in company with the corvettes, Bluebell, Stonecrop, Myosotis and Carnation.

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