In early 1939, with the risk of war with Nazi Germany increasing, it was clear to the Royal Navy that it needed more escort ships to counter the threat from Kriegsmarine U-boats.

To meet this requirement, the Smiths Dock Company of Middlesbrough, a specialist in the design and build of fishing vessels, offered a development of its 700-ton, 16 knots (18 mph; 30 km/h) whale catcher Southern Pride.

Apart from providing a very useful space where the whole crew could gather out of the weather, the added weight improved the ships' stability and speed and was retroactively applied to a number of the original Flower-class vessels during the mid and latter years of the war.

At 1550 hours, in position 32°48'5 N, 21°06E, off Derna, Libya, HMS Erica, who was investigating an A/S contact, struck a mine and sank.

It was at first thought to have been a torpedo but ML's from Tobruk and Benghazi carried out an A/S search of the area but without result, and from subsequent investigation it is evident that she struck a mine in a field laid by HMS Rorqual some time ago.