The First World War Flower family included more than conventional convoy vessels. Two subclasses, totalling about 40 ships, were designed as submarine decoys or Q-ships. Their guns were hidden, and their outward appearance imitated merchant shipping so that a submarine might approach on the surface before the sloop revealed its armament. This deception role shows how much tactical variety could sit beneath the broad sloop classification.
Notable Point · 15:20-17:03
Flower-class sloops built as Q-ships
Two Flower-class branches were purpose-built submarine decoys, using concealed guns and a merchant-ship appearance to tempt U-boats into vulnerable surface attacks.