HMS Pimpernel

The ship was ordered in September 1939, laid down on 19 July 1940 at Harland & Wolff in Belfast and launched 16 November 1940.{{cite web | title=HMS Pimpernel K 71 - NI Community Heritage Archive | website=NI Community Heritage Archive – Causeway Coast and Glens Museum Services | date=1940-11-16 | url=https://niarchive.org/archiveitems/hms-pimpernel-k-71-ship-number-1077launched-16-nov-1940-commissioned-9th-january-1941-4909/ | access-date=2025-02-16}}{{cite web | title=Shipbuilding and Engineering Works | website=Harland and Wolff | url=https://www.theyard.info/ships/ships.asp?entryid=107 | access-date=2025-02-16}} The ship was commissioned 9 Jan 1941.

Between 19 July and 1 August 1941, the ship acted as one of the escort ships for Convoy OG 69.{{cite journal | last=Syrett | first=David | title=THE Battle for Convoy OG 69, 20–29 July 1941 | journal=The Mariner's Mirror | volume=89 | issue=1 | date=2003 | issn=0025-3359 | doi=10.1080/00253359.2003.10659275 | pages=71–81}}

In August 1942, the ship picked up survivors from several ships that had been sunk by U-boats, including by {{GS|U-553||2}}.{{cite web | title=A Look Back at My Life and Service in the Merchant Navy | website=BBC | date=2006-03-21 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/83/a2969283.shtml | access-date=2025-02-16}} Pimpernel scuttled the British ship Empire Bede which had been heavily damaged by torpedo fire.{{cite web | title=Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII | website=uboat.net | date=1942-08-18 | url=https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/2065.html | access-date=2025-02-16}}

Between 3 and 12 January 1943 the ship formed part of the escort squadron for Convoy TM 1.{{cite web|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/misc/index.html?yy.php?convoy=TMF.1!~miscmain|title=Convoy TMF.1|publisher=Andrew Hague Convoy Database|accessdate=2025-02-16}}

In May 1943, the ship acted as an escort for the convoy ONS 7 between Scotland and North America.{{cite book | last=Syrett | first=David | title=The Defeat of the German U-boats | publisher=University of South Carolina Press | publication-place=Columbia, S.C | date=1994 | isbn=978-0-87249-984-3 | pages=119–120}}

The ship participated in convoys OS 105 and KMS 79 from 17 to 21 January 1945.{{cite web | title=HMS Pimpernel: report on proceedings of convoys OS 105 and KMS 79 from 17 to 21 January | publisher=The National Archives | date=2008-12-18 | url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2155096 | access-date=2025-02-16}}

The ship was broken up and scrapped at Portaferry, Northern Ireland in October 1948.

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite web | title=HMS Pimpernel [digital copy] : Summary of service, 1941-1945 | website=Imperial War Museums | url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1504019913 | access-date=2025-02-16}}: A summary of sea service of those involved was produced in 1978 and is available in the collections of the Imperial War Museum.

{{Flower class corvette|original}}

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Category:1940 ships

Category:Flower-class corvettes of the Royal Navy