Flower-class corvettes served thirteen navies on both sides

The Flower class served with thirteen navies. Allied operators included the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, US Navy, Free French Navy, Free Belgian Navy, and the Hellenic, Indian, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norwegian, South African, and Yugoslav navies. The Kriegsmarine was the thirteenth operator, so the class fought on both sides of the war. Four ships under construction in France fell into German hands, and three were completed because Germany also faced an acute escort shortage. German armament differed from Allied fits, but finishing the captured hulls shows the demand for any workable escort. The basic design could be adapted to varied national requirements without losing its utility.