RCN River class Frigates: HMCS Glace Bay (K414), HMCS Grou (K518), HMCS Hallowell (K666), HMCS Inch Arran (K667)
HMCS Glace Bay (K414)
(Gary Penelton Photo)
HMCS Glace Bay (K414) River class Frigate. Built at Lauzon, Quebec, she was commissioned on 2 Sep 1944, at Levis, Quebec. She arrived at Halifax 23 Sep 1944. She carried out workups in Bermuda in mid-Oct 1944 and on her return was assigned to EG C-4, Londonderry. She left St. John’s, Newfoundland, for Londonderry on 17 Nov 1944, escorting a number of U.S.-built sub-chasers destined for the Russian Navy. Glace Bay was employed continuously on convoy duty until VE-Day, and early in Jun 1945, left ‘Derry for the last time to spend several months at a variety of tasks off the east coast of Canada. In Oct 1945 she made a round trip to Bermuda, and on her return was paid off on 17 Nov 1945 at Sydney. She lay in reserve at Shelburne until sold in 1946 to the Chilean navy and re-named Esmeralda and in 1952, Bacquedano. She was broken up in 1968.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Glace Bay (K414) River class Frigate.
HMCS Grou (K518)
(Naval Museum of Manitoba Photo)
HMCS Grou (K518) River class Frigate. She was named for a French martyr of 1690 in lieu of the name Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec, the latter being considered overly long. Built at Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, she was commissioned at Montreal on 4 Dec 1943. She arrived at Halifax later that month, worked up in St. Margaret’s Bay and in Mar 1944, was assigned to EG 6, Londonderry. In Apr 1944 she went to the Kola Inlet and returned as escort, along with HMCS Waskesiu, HMCS Outremont and HMCS Cape Breton, to convoy RA.59 from North Russia, arriving at Loch Ewe on 6 May 1944. Based at various times at ‘Derry, Portsmouth, and Plymouth, she was present on D-Day on A/S patrol. HMCS Grou left for home with convoy ON.285 on 17 Feb 1945, and on 4 Mar 1945 began a six-month tropicalization refit at Dartmouth, NS. In Oct 1945 she left for the west coast, where she was paid off into reserve at Esquimalt on 25 Feb 1946. She was broken up at Victoria in 1948.
HMCS Hallowell (K666)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Hallowell (K666) (River-class). Commissioned on 8 Aug 1944, at Montreal, HMCS Hallowell arrived at Halifax on 3 Sep 1944 and left a month later for Bermuda to work up. Returning early in Nov 1944, she was allocated to EG C-1 and was Senior Officer’s ship from Dec 1944 onward, remaining with the group until the end of the European war. She left St. John’s 28 Nov 1944 to join convoy HX.322, and was thereafter continuously employed escorting North Atlantic convoys. Early in Jun 1945, she left Greenock for home, and in Jul and Aug 1945 was engaged in transporting troops from St. John’s to Canada. She was paid off at Sydney on 7 Nov 1945 and placed in reserve at Shelburne. Sold to Uruguayan interests in 1946, she was re-sold to a Palestinian firm in 1949 for conversion to a short-service Mediterranean ferry and re-named Sharon. In 1952 she was acquired by the Israeli Navy, re-converted to a warship and re-named Misnak. In 1959, she was again sold, this time to the Sinhaliese (Sri Lanka) Navy and re-named Gajubahu. She was discarded in 1978.
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Hallowell (K666) (River-class).
(R. Pentland Photo)
HMCS Hallowell (K666) River class Frigate.
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Hallowell (K666) River class Frigate.
HMCS Inch Arran (K667)
(Ryan Lee Photo)
HMCS Inch Arran (K667) River class Frigate. Built at Lauzon, Quebec, she was commissioned on 18 Nov 1944, at Quebec City. HMCS Inch Arran left for Halifax on 3 Dec 1944, visiting Dalhousie en route. In Jan 1945 she proceeded to Bermuda to work up, and on her return to Halifax on 4 Feb 1945, she was assigned to EG 28. She served for the rest of the war on A/S and supported duties out of Halifax, and on 13 May 1945 escorted the surrendered U-889 into Shelburne, NS. Tropicalization refit, commenced on 6 Jun 1945 at Sydney, was suspended on 20 Aug 1945, and the ship was paid off on 28 Nov 1945. Placed in reserve at Shelburne, she was sold in 1946 to Marine Industries Ltd., but re-acquired in 1951 by the RCN for conversion to a Prestonian class ocean escort (308) at Saint John, NB. She was re-commissioned on 23 Aug 1954, serving on the east coast as a training ship until finally paid off on 23 June 1965. She was then acquired by the Kingston Mariners’ Association for conversion to a nautical museum and youth club, but was eventually scrapped in 1970.
(Jim Silvester Photo)
HMCS Inch Arran (K667) River class Frigate.
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Inch Arran (K667) River class Frigate.