RCN Corvettes (Flower Class): HMCS Edmundston K106/HMCS Eyebright K150/HMCS Fennel K194/HMCS Fergus K686/HMCS Forest Hill K486/HMCS Fredericton0 K245/HMCS Frontenac K335/HMCS Galt K163/HMCS Giffard K402/HMCS Guelph K687/HMCS Halifax K237

HMCS Edmundston (K106)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Edmundston (K106) (Flower-class).  Commissioned at Esquimalt on 21 Oct 1941, Edmundston was assigned after workups to Esquimalt Force.  On 20 Jun 1942, she rescued 31 crew members of SS Fort Camosun, disabled by a torpedo from the Japanese submarine I-25 off the coast of Washington. She left Esquimalt for the Atlantic on 13 Sep 1942, arriving at Halifax on 13 Oct 1942, and was assigned to WLEF.  On 4 Jan 1943, she commenced a five-month refit at Halifax, including fo'c's'le extension, carried out workups at Pictou, then joined EG 5 at St. John's.  For the next ten months she was employed in support of North Atlantic, Gibraltar, and Sierra Leone convoys.  She underwent a refit at Liverpool, NS, from May to Jul 1944, worked up in Bermuda in Aug 1944 and, in Oct 1944, joined the newly formed EG C-8.  She served the remainder of the war as an ocean escort, leaving Londonderry on 11 May 1945 with HMCS Leaside K492 and HMCS Poundmaker K675, for the last time as escort for convoy ONS.50.  She was paid off at Sorel on 16 Jun 1945 and sold for mercantile use, entering service in 1948 as Amapala, last noted under Liberian flag in Lloyd's list for 1961-62.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Edmundston (K106) (Flower-class).

HMCS Eyebright (K150)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Eyebright (K150) (Flower-class).  Built for the RN, she was commissioned at Montreal on 26 Nov 1940 as HMS Eyebright.  She arrived incomplete at Halifax on 11 Dec 1940 and, after working up, left on 21 Jan 1941, with convoy HX.104 for Sunderland.  There she was completed on 16 Apr 1941, and proceeded to Tobermory to work up.  Transferred to the RCN on 15 May 1941 and commissioned as HMCS Eyebright K150, she was later allocated to EG 4 (RN), based at Iceland, whence she sailed on 12 Jun 1941 to join convoy OB.332 for Halifax.  She joined Newfoundland Command in Jun 1941, and for the next five months was employed as escort to convoys between St. John's and Iceland.  In Nov 1941 she began a refit at Charleston, SC, resuming escort duty late in Jan 1942, and arrived at Londonderry with her first transatlantic convoy, SC.66, on 6 Feb 1942.  In Jan 1943, she joined EG C-3, and in Jul 1943 commenced two months' refit at Baltimore, MD, including fo'c's'le extension.  Following repairs at Pictou and workups at Bermuda in the summer of 1944, she joined EG W-3, WLEF, and saw continuous service in the western Atlantic until the end of the war, with one further round trip to Londonderry as a temporary member of EG C-5.  HMCS Eyebright was returned to the RN at Belfast on 17 Jun 1945, and sold in 1947 for conversion to a whale-catcher.  She entered service in 1950 as the Dutch Albert W. Vinke, last appearing in Lloyd's list for 1964-65.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Eyebright (K150) (Flower-class).

(Ron Bell Photo)

HMCS Eyebright (K150) (Flower-class).

(Ron Bell Photo)

HMCS Eyebright (K150) (Flower-class).

(IWM Photo, FL6174)

HMCS Eyebright (K150) (Flower-class).

HMCS Fennel (K194)

(USN Naval History and Heritage History Photos)

HMCS Fennel (K194) (Flower-class).  Built at Sorel for the RN, she was launched on 20 Aug 1940.  In Dec 1940 she was towed to Liverpool, NS for completion and commissioned there on 15 Jan 1941 as HMS Fennel.  She left Halifax on 5 Mar 1941 with convoy HX.113 for the UK, and while there received finishing touches at Greenock.  On 15 May 1941 she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned as HMCS Fennel K194.  Following workups at Tobermory in Jun 1941 Fennel was assigned to NEF, first serving as an ocean escort between St. John's and Londonderry.  In Jun 1942, she commenced a year's service with the newly formed WLEF.  She underwent a refit at New York from mid-Jul to late Sep 1942.  In Jun 1943, she was detached to EG C-2 for one round trip to 'Derry, and on returning she went to Baltimore, MD, for a refit which included the extension of her fo'c's'le, completing on 06 Sep 1943.  After working up at Pictou she resumed her ocean escort duties with C-2, and on 06 Mar 1944, was one of seven escorts of HX.280 that hounded U-744 to its death.  In Aug 1944 she had two months' refit at Pictou, followed by three weeks' workups in Bermuda and at year's end transferred to EG C-1 for the duration of the war.  HMCS Fennel arrived at Greenock 29 May 1945, from one of the last convoys, and was returned to the RN at Londonderry on 12 Jun 1945.  She was sold in 1946 to Kosmos and became the whaling vessel Milliam Kihl.  She was re-built as a buoy-boat in October 1948.  Refitted as whaler in 1951 in Kiel, Germany.  Laid up in 1960/1961.  Last drifting season 1964/1965.  Laid up again in Sandefjord.  Sold to Norwegian ship breakers in Grimstad in 1966.

(USN Naval History and Heritage History Photos)

HMCS Fennel (K194) (Flower-class).

HMCS Fergus (K686)

 (Judy Agis Photo)

HMCS Fergus (K686) (Flower-class).  Commissioned at Collingwood on 18 Nov 1944, HMCS Fergus was the last corvette launched for the RCN.  She arrived at Halifax in mid-Dec 1944, and early in Jan 1945, proceeded to Bermuda to work up.  Arriving at St. John's on 2 Feb 1945, she joined EG C-9, with which she was to served on North Atlantic convoy duty until VE-day.  She left Greenock early in Jun 1945 for return to Canada, was paid off on 14 July 1945 at Sydney and placed in reserve at Sorel.  Sold for mercantile use in November, she was renamed Camco II and, in 1948, Harcourt Kent.  She was wrecked on Cape Pine, Newfoundland, 22 Nov 1949.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Fergus (K686) (Flower-class).

HMCS Forest Hill (K486)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Forest Hill (K486) (Flower-class).  Laid down and launched as HMS Ceanothus, she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned on 1 Dec 1943 as HMCS Forest Hill K486 on the Clyde, Scotland; named for a village absorbed by Toronto.  Following workups at Tobermory she joined EG C-3 at Londonderry, leaving on 29 Jan 1944, to join her first convoy, ONS.28.  She served as an ocean escort until late in Dec 1944, when she arrived at Liverpool, NS, for an extended refit, on the completion of which, two months later, she sailed for Bermuda to work up.  Returning in Apr 1945, she joined Halifax Force for local duties.  Paid off on 9 Jul 1945 and laid up at Sorel, she was sold on 17 Jul 1948 and broken up at Hamilton in 1952.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Forest Hill (K486) (Flower-class).

HMCS Fredericton (K245)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, GM1149)

HMCS Fredericton (K245) (Flower-class).  Built at Sorel, Quebec, she was commissioned there on 8 Dec 1941.  After arriving at at Halifax on 18 Dec 1941, she was assigned to WLEF until Jul 1942, when she joined Halifax Force (Aruba Tanker Convoys).  In Sep 1942, after one round trip to Aruba, she was placed under US operational control to escort New York-Guantanamo convoys.  She arrived in New York for the last time on 21 Feb 1943, rejoining WLEF in Mar 1943.  After a major refit at Liverpool, NS, from 9 Jun to 10 Oct 1943, and workups at Pictou, she joined EG C-1 and for the next ten months was employed as an ocean escort.  She left Londonderry on 30 Sep 1944, for convoy ON.256 and upon arriving in Canada, went to Saint John, NB for two months' refit . This was completed in mid-Dec 1944 and, in Jan 1945, the ship proceeded to Bermuda for three weeks' workups.  In Feb 1945 she joined EG C-9, with which she was to spend the balance of the war as ocean escort.  HMCS Fredericton was paid off on 14 Jul 1946, at Sorel and broken up in 1946.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Fredericton (K245) (Flower-class).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo)

HMCS Fredericton (K245) corvette in mid ocean with C-1 group December 1943.

Commissioned on 8 December 1941, at Sorel, Québec, the Flower Class corvette HMCS Fredericton arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on December 18. She was assigned to Western Local Escort Force until July 1942, when she joined Halifax Force (Aruba Tanker Convoys). In September, she was placed under United States operational control to escort New York-Guantanamo convoys. She rejoined Western Local Escort Force in March 1943. After a major refit, she joined Escort Group C-1 and for the next 10 months was employed as an ocean escort. In February 1944, she joined Escort Group C-9, with which she was to spend the balance of the war as an ocean escort.

HMCS Fredericton was paid off on July 14, 1945, at Sorel. Although she was thought  to have been broken up in 1946, it appears that she was sold to become a whale-catcher in 1948, successively as the Panamanian-flag Tra los Montes, Olympic Fighter (1950), Otori Maru No. 6 (1956), and Kyo Maru No. 20 (1961). Last noted in Lloyd’s Register for 1978-1979.

HMCS Frontenac (K335)

(Stuart Graham Photo)

HMCS Frontenac (K335) (Flower-class).  Built at Kingston, Ontario, HMCS Frontenac was commissioned there on 26 Oct 1943.  She arrived at Halifax in mid-Dec 1943 and carried out working-up exercises in St. Margaret's Bay in Jan 1944.  She was then assigned to EG 9, Londonderry, and made the crossing in Mar 1944 as escort to convoy SC.154.  It was decided, however, the EG 9 should be made up only of frigates, and HMCS Frontenac returned to St. John's where in May 1944 she joined EG C-1.  She left Belfast 19 Dec 1944 to escort ON.273, her last westbound convoy, and early in Jan 1945, commenced three months' refit at Liverpool, NS.  On completion she was assigned to Halifax Force and sent to Bermuda to work up, but saw little further service before being paid off at Halifax on 22 Jul 1945.  She was then taken to Sorel, but was sold in Oct 1945 to the United Ship Corp. of New York.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Frontenac (K335) (Flower-class).

(Alan Soderstrom Photo)

HMCS Frontenac (K335) (Flower-class).

HMCS Galt (K163)

(Sue Horsley Photo)

HMCS Galt (K163) (Flower-class).  Built at Collingwood, Ontario, HMCS Galt was commissioned on 15 May 1941, at Montreal.  After she arrived at Halifax on 06 Jun 1941, she was assigned in Jul 1941 to NEF and left St. John's on 25 Aug 1941 with SC.41, her first convoy, for Iceland.  She was to serve on that route until Jan 1942.  In Feb 1942 she commenced a refit at Liverpool, NS, which was completed on 11 May 1942, and after working up in June was assigned to EG C-3.  She arrived at Londonderry for the first time on 5 Jun 1942 with convoy HX.191, and served on the "Newfie-Derry" run for the balance of the year. She arrived Jan 1943, at Liverpool, NS, for another refit which was completed at Halifax in mid-Apr 1943, worked up in St. Margaret's Bay and, in Jun 1943, joined EG C-1.  She left Halifax 13 Mar 1944, for New York for yet another refit, this one including fo'c's'le extension, completing early in May 1944, and a month later left Halifax for Bermuda to work up.  On her return she was allocated for the balance of the war to EG W-5, WEF.  HMCS Galt was paid off 21 Jun 1945 at Sorel, and broken up at Hamilton in 1946.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Galt (K163) (Flower-class).

HMCS Giffard (K402)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Giffard (K402) (Flower-class).  Laid down and launched for the RN as HMS Buddleia, she was renamed HMCS Giffard K402 in Sep 1943.  On 10 Nov 1943, she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned as HMCS Giffard K402; named after a town in Quebec.  After working-up at Tobermory HMCS Giffard joined EG C-1 at Londonderry and on 15 Feb 1944, sailed to join her first convoy, ON.224.  On 7 May 1944 she rescued 49 survivors of the torpedoed HMCS Valleyfield, and the following week resumed her duties as an ocean escort until 27 Nov 1944, when she left Halifax for Liverpool, NS, to undergo a major refit.  Completed in Mar 1945, this was followed by workups in Bermuda, when she arrived in St. John's on 15 Apr 1945, to be employed locally until  her departure on 13 May 1945 with convoy HX.335 for the UK.  HMCS Giffard left Greenock early in Jun 1945 on her final westward voyage, was paid off on 5 Jul 1945 and laid up at Sorel to await disposal.  She was broken up in 1952 in Hamilton.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Giffard (K402) (Flower-class).

HMCS Guelph (K687)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Guelph (K687) (Flower-class).  Laid down as HMCS Sea Cliff K687 on 29 May 1943, she was built by the Collingwood Shipyards, Collingwood, Ontario.  Renamed HMCS Guelph K687 on 15 Jul  1943, she was launched on 20 Dec 1943.  HMCS Guelph was commissioned at Toronto on 09 May 1944.  She was presented with a black Cocker Spaniel from a local Guelph, Ontario breeder.  Their Mascot was named Rags.  HMCS Guelph arrived at Halifax early in Jun 1944 and left on 2 Jul 1944 escorting RN submarines P.553 and P.554 to Philadelphia.  She then proceeded to Bermuda for workups, leaving there on 2 Aug 1944, for New York, where she joined EG W-3.  She served with this group as a local escort until late Sep 1944 when she was transferred to EG C-8 which, although forming in Londonderry, was to be based at St. John's.  She made her passage eastward as escort to convoy HFX.310.  On her final transatlantic trip she left Belfast on 9 Apr 1945 to be based at Halifax until paid off on 27 Jun 1945 at Sorel.  On 2 Oct 1945 she was sold to a New York buyer; retaining her name under Panamanian flag.  She was last noted in Lloyd's Register for 1964-65 as Burfin, a name she had borne since 1956.

HMCS Halifax (K237)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Halifax (K237) (Flower-class).  Built by Collingwood Shipyards Lt., Collingwood, Ontario, she was commissioned on 26 Nov 1941, at Montreal.  HMCS Halifax was the first RCN corvette to be completed with a long fo'c's'le.  Assigned to WLEF on her arrival at Halifax on 18 Dec 1941, she was transferred in Jul 1942, to Halifax Force (Aruba Tanker Convoys).  On 14 Aug 1942 she arrived at Aruba with HA.3, her third tanker convoy, and was assigned to escort TAW.15, a Trinidad-Aruba-Key West convoy which developed into the only major convoy battle of the war in those waters.   Arriving in New York on 14 Sep 1942, she was placed under US control for New York- Guantanamo convoys until Mar 1943, when she joined WLEF.  Between 2 May and 15 Oct 1943, she underwent an extensive refit at Liverpool, NS, followed by workups at Pictou.  On New Year's Day, 1944, she arrived at St. John's to join EG C-1, leaving Londonderry on 11 Aug 1944 for two weeks' refit at Lunenburg.  This refit was followed by three weeks' further repairs at Halifax and, late in Dec 1944, workups in Bermuda.  In Jan 1945, she briefly joined Halifax Force, transferring in Feb 1945 to EG C-9 for the rest of the war.  Paid off on 12 Jul at Sorel, she was sold for conversion to a salvage vessel.

(IWM Photo, FL6176)

HMCS Halifax (K237) (Flower-class).