LÉ Maev

LÉ Maev /ˈmeɪv/ was a Flower-class corvette of the Irish Naval Service.^[2] She was launched in August 1941 as HMS Oxlip, and served on the Arctic convoys during World War II.

Nameplate of LÉ Maev, on display in the Maritime Museum of Ireland
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Oxlip
Namesake	Oxlip
Builder	A & J Inglis, Glasgow
Laid down	9 December 1940
Launched	28 August 1941
Completed	28 December 1941
Decommissioned	1946
Maiden voyage	1942
In service	1942-46
Identification	Pennant number: K123
Fate	Sold to Irish Navy 1946
Ireland
Name	LÉ Maev
Namesake	Medb, the legendary queen of Connacht
Acquired	1946
Identification	Pennant number: 02
Fate	Scrapped 23 March 1972
General characteristics
Class & type	Flower-class corvette
Displacement	1020 tons standard (1280 full load)
Length	205 ft (62 m)
Beam	33 ft (10 m)
Depth	14 ft (4.3 m)
Installed power	Single reciprocating vertical 4-cylinder triple expansion by John Kincaid, Greenock[1]
Propulsion	2,759 ihp (2,057 kW) 2 cylindrical Scotch single-ended boilers. Single shaft
Speed	max: 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) cruising: 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	5 officers, 74 ratings
Sensors & processing systems	ASDIC Radio Radar Gyrocompass Echo sounder Decca Navigator System
Electronic warfare & decoys	Degaussing

Construction

HMS Oxlip was ordered in July 1939 as part of the Royal Navy's 1939 War Emergency building programme. The Flower-class corvette was laid down by A & J Inglis of Glasgow on 9 December 1940, launched on 28 August 1941 and completed on 28 December the same year. After working up and trials she joined Western Approaches Command for anti-submarine warfare and convoy escort duties.

Royal Navy service

From February 1942 onwards Oxlip served with close escort groups on Arctic convoys taking war materiel from the Western Allies to the Soviet Union. In three years Oxlip sailed with 18 Arctic convoys (outbound and homebound), contributing to the safe and timely arrival of more than 300 merchant ships. With the end of hostilities she was decommissioned and in 1946 she was sold to the Irish Government.

Convoys escorted

Arctic convoys 1942-45^[3]

Outbound	Homebound
PQ 11	QP 8
PQ 14	QP 11
JW 51A	RA 52
JW 55B	RA 55B
JW 56B	RA 56
JW 59	RA 59A
JW 61	RA 61
JW 65	RA 65
JW 66	RA 66

Irish Naval Service

LÉ Maev was commissioned into Irish service in December 1946,^[4] and named after Medb, the legendary queen of Connacht.

She was decommissioned in March 1972.^[1]