RCN Corvettes (Flower Class): HMCS Strathroy K455/HMCS Sudbury K162/HMCS Summerside K141/HMCS The Pas K168/HMCS Thorlock K394/HMCS Timmins K223/HMCS Trail K174/HMCS Trentonian K368/HMCS Trillium K172/HMCS Vancouver K240/HMCS Ville de Québec K242

HMCS Strathroy (K455)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Strathroy (K455) (Flower-class).  Built at Midland, Ontario, she was commissioned there on 20 Nov 1944.  HMCS Strathroy arrived at Halifax in Dec 1944 and immediately escorted her first convoy, HF.147, to Saint John, NB.  She arrived there on 18 Dec 1944 for completion of fitting-out that could not be done at the builder's prior to freeze-up.  She then carried out workups in Bermuda, and on completing these joined Halifax Force in Apr 1945, for local escort duties.  On 12 Jul 1945 she was paid off and laid up at Sorel for disposal.  She was purchased in 1946 by the Chilean Navy and renamed Chipana; serving until paid off on 30 Sep 1966.  She was broken up in 1969.

HMCS Sudbury (K162)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Sudbury (K162) (Flower-class).  Built at Kingston, Ontario, she was commissioned on 15 Oct 1941, at Montreal.  HMCS Sudbury arrived at Halifax on 26 Oct 1941.  She joined Sydney Force as local escort to ocean convoys but in Jan 1942, joined Newfoundland Command, making one round trip to Londonderry.  On her return she transferred to the newly formed WLEF and in June 1942 to Halifax Tanker Escort Force.  In the following three months she made two round trips to Trinidad and one to Aruba, escorting tankers both ways.  In Sep 1942 Sudbury was placed under US control, escorting New York-Guantanamo convoys.  She arrived at Liverpool, NS, on 26 Dec 1942, for two months' refit, worked up at Halifax and then joined WLEF, in Jun 1943, becoming a member of EG W-9.  In Sep 1943 she was lent to EG C-5 for her second transatlantic trip, afterward resuming service with W-9 until New Year's Day, 1944, when she left for the west coast.  She arrived at Esquimalt on 3 Feb 1944, and later that month commenced refit, including fo'c's'le extension, at Vancouver.  On completion on 10 May 1944, she joined Esquimalt Force for the duration of the war, being paid off on 28 Aug 1945, at Esquimalt.  After the war HMCS Sudbury was sold and converted for use as a salvage tug, entering service in 1949 under her original name.  She was broken up at Victoria in 1967.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Sudbury (K162) (Flower-class).

HMCS Summerside (K141)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Summerside (K141) (Flower-class).  Commissioned at Quebec City on 11 Sep 1941, HMCS Summerside arrived at Halifax on 25 Sep 1941.  She was assigned to local escort duty out of Halifax and later Sydney but left St. John's on 11 Dec 1941 as ocean escort to SC.59 for Iceland, returning with ON.50.  It was to be her only trip there.  She left St. John's on 25 Jan 1942, for convoy SC.66 to Londonderry, returning with ON.71 to join WLEF in Mar 1942.  In Jul 1942 she was transferred to Gulf Escort Force until, earmarked for duties in connection with Operation "Torch", she left Halifax on 19 Oct 1942 for the UK.  For the next four months she was employed on UK-Mediterranean convoys, returning to Canada in mid-Mar, 1943, for a major refit at Saint John from 11 Apr to 25 Sep 1943.  Her fo'c's'le was extended in the process.  After working up at Halifax she joined EG C-5 and in Apr 1944, after seven transatlantic trips, was assigned at Londonderry to Western Approaches Command for invasion duties.  She was employed in UK waters until returning to Canada for two months' refit at Liverpool, NS, commencing in mid-Oct 1944.  After further repairs at Halifax were completed on 18 Jan 1945, she proceeded to Bermuda for three weeks' workups.  In Mar 1945 she sailed for the UK to serve with EG 41 (RN) out of Plymouth until the war's end.  She returned to Canada at the end of May 1945, was paid off at Sorel on 06 Jul 1945 and broken up at Hamilton, Ontario, in 1946.

(CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Photo)

HMCS Summerside (K141) gunshield art, 7 Feb 1943.

HMCS The Pas (K168)

(Derwyn Crozier-Smith Photo)

HMCS The Pas (K168) (Flower-class).  Commissioned at Montreal on 21 Oct 1941, HMCS The Pas arrived at Halifax on 04 Nov 1941.  She joined Halifax Force as a local escort, but in Mar 1942, was reassigned to WLEF, then forming.  In Jun 1942 she was transferred to Halifax Tanker Escort Force, and during the next three months made three round trips between Halifax and Trinidad-Aruba.  In Sep 1942 she came under US control as escort to New York-Guantanamo convoys but arrived at Liverpool, NS, on 29 Nov 1942, for two months' refit.  Following workups locally, she rejoined WLEF and, on its division into escort groups in Jun 1943, became a member of EG W-4.  The ship was badly damaged in collision with the American SS Medina in the western Atlantic on 21 Jul 1943, while escorting convoy ON.192, and was under repair at Halifax and Shelburne until early Oct 1943.  She then returned to her duties with WLEF until Sep 1944 (from Apr 1944 as a member of EG W-3), when she underwent a refit at Sydney and, on completion of this late in Nov 1944, joined HMCS Cornwallis as a training ship for the balance of the war.  The Pas never did receive an extended fo'c's'le.  She was paid off on 24 Jul 1945, at Sorel and broken up at Hamilton, Ontario, the following year.

(CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Photo)

HMCS The Pas (K168) (Flower-class).

(RCN Photo via the Comox Air Force Museum)

HMCS The Pas (K168) (Flower-class).

 (Ron Bell Photo)

HMCS The Pas (K168) (Flower-class), St. Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia, 11 Nov 1942.

HMCS Thorlock (K394)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Thorlock (K394) (Flower-class).  Built at Midland, Ontario, HMCS Thorlock was commissioned there on 13 Nov 1944, and arrived at Halifax on 16 Dec 1944.  On 7 Jan 1945, she left for Bermuda to work up, setting out on 01 Feb 1945 for the return journey northward.  Later that month she was allocated to EG C-9 and on 26 Feb 1945 left Halifax to pick up her first convoy, SC.168.  She served for the remainder of the war as an ocean escort, making five transatlantic trips.  On 12 May 1945, when on the final leg of an Atlantic crossing with convoy ON.300 from the UK, she was diverted, along with HMCS Victoriaville, to accept the surrender of U-190 and escort the U-boat to Bay Bulls, Newfoundland.  She was paid off on 15 Jul 1945, and placed in reserve at Sorel.  Sold in 1946, she served in the Chilean Navy as Papudo until disposed of for scrap in 1967.

(Chilean Navy Photo)

Chilean Navy Ship Papudo (37), former HMCS Thorlock (K394).

HMCS Timmins (K223)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Timmins (K223) (Flower-class).  Built at Esquimalt, she was commissioned there on 10 Feb 1942.  HMCS Timmins served with Esquimalt Force until transferred to the east coast.  Upon arrival at Halifax on 13 Oct 1942 she was assigned to WLEF.  With its division into escort groups in Jun 1943, she became a member of EG W-6, transferring to W-2 in Apr 1944.  She commenced a two-month refit at Liverpool, NS, late in Jun 1943, followed by workups at Pictou.  A second refit, again at Liverpool, was carried out between late Jun and mid-Oct 1944.  It included the extension of her fo'c's'le and three weeks' working-up in Bermuda followed.  HMCS Timmins was paid off on 15 Jul 1945, at Sorel, and sold later that year for commercial use.  She entered service in 1948 as the Honduran-flag Guayaquil and, ironically, foundered at Guayaquil, Ecuador, on 3 Aug 1960.

HMCS Trail (K174)

(Terry Marentette Photo)

HMCS Trail (K174) (Flower-class).  Commissioned at Vancouver on 31 Apr 1941, she left Esquimalt 31 May 1941 for the east coast, arriving at Halifax on 27 Jun 1941.  In Aug 1941 she joined Newfoundland Command, departing St. John's on 23 Aug 1941 to escort convoy HX.146 as far as Iceland.  During the year she made four round trips there, and on 20 Jan 1942, left St. John's to join SC.65 for the first of two round trips to Londonderry.  She returned to Halifax on 02 Apr 1942 and, after a brief refit at Liverpool, NS, joined Halifax Force for Northern Waters in June.  Between Jul and Nov 1942 she was employed escorting convoys between Labrador and Quebec City, also calling at Gaspé and Hamilton Inlet.  She arrived at Halifax in Nov 1942 to join WLEF for the balance of the war, as a member successively of escort groups W-6 (from Jun 1943); W-5 (from Apr 1944) and W-4 (from Dec 1944).  She underwent a refit at Lunenburg from mid-Jul to 03 Sep 1943, followed by workups at Pictou, and a further refit at Liverpool, NS, between mid-Jul and 23 Oct 1944.  Following the latter, which included extension of her fo'c's'le, she underwent additional repairs at Halifax and then proceeded to Bermuda to work up in Dec 1944.  She left there on 7 Jan 1945, for Boston, MA, to resume service with WLEF until paid off on 17 Jul 1945 at Sorel.  In August 1950, HMCS Trail was sold to the Steel Co. of Canada, Hamilton, Ontario, and was ship was broken up at Hamilton.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Trail (K174) (Flower-class).

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Trail (K174) (Flower-class).

(US Naval History and Heritage Photos)

HMCS Trail (K174).

HMCS Trentonian (K368)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Trentonian (K368) (Flower-class).  Commissioned at Kingston on 01 Dec 1943, HMCS Trentonian departed for Halifax on 26 Dec 1943.  HMCS Trentonian arrived at Halifax late in Dec 1943 and, after further fitting-out at Liverpool, NS, and Halifax, left the latter port for Bermuda on 18 Feb 1944, to work up.  Returning at the beginning of Mar 1944, she was assigned to Western Approaches Command and left for Londonderry on 23 Apr 1944 to join.  For three months she carried out escort duty in connection with the invasion and on 13 Jun 1944, while escorting the cable vessel Monarch off Normandy, she was shelled in error by a US destroyer.  The Monarch was hit several times resulting in numerous casualties, luckily however, HMCS Trentonian was not hit during this incident.  Late in Aug 1944 she transferred to EG 41 (RN) and, based at different times at Plymouth and at Milford Haven, escorted Channel convoys.  While so engaged on 22 Feb 1945, she was torpedoed and sunk near Falmouth by U-1004, with the loss of six lives.

U-1004 was eventually scuttled in "Operation Deadlight", the code name for the scuttling of German U-boats aquired by the Allies after the end of the war.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Trentonian (K368) (Flower-class).

(DND Photo)

HMCS Trentonian (K368) (Flower-class).

HMCS Trillium (K172)

(Library and Archives Canada/DND Photo)

HMCS Trillium (K172) (Flower-class), and MTB V-252, at Jetty No. 5 on Halifax side of the Narrows.  Built at Montreal for the RN, she was commissioned at there on 31 Oct 1940 as HMS Trillium.  She arrived at Halifax on 14 Nov 1940 and in the Clyde on 20 Dec 1940 for final fitting out at Greenock, which was completed on 3 Mar 1941.  In Apr 1941, after three weeks' workups at Tobermory, she joined EG 4 (RN), Greenock, for outbound North American convoys.  On 15 May 1941, HMS Trillium was transferred to the RCN and commissioned as HMCS Trillium.  She left Aultbea on 10 Jun 1941 with OB.332 for St. John's to join Newfoundland Command.  After two round trips to Iceland she arrived at Halifax on 28 Aug 1941 for three months' refit there and at Lunenburg.  On completion of the refit in Dec 1941 she made one further round trip to Iceland and, on 20 Jan 1942, left St. John's for convoy SC.65 to Londonderry.  After two return trips on the "Newfie-Derry" run she went to Galveston, Texas, for refit from 16 Apr to 23 Jun 1942.  Following workups at Pictou, she resumed mid-ocean service with EG A-3 from Aug 1942 until Apr 1943, when she arrived at Boston for a refit that included the extension of her fo'c's'le.  This was completed on 27 Jun 1943, after which she worked up at Pictou before joining EG C-4.  Late in Apr 1944 she returned to Pictou for a two-month refit, followed by additional repairs at Halifax, and early in Aug 1944 went to Bermuda to work up.  She arrived at St. John's 2 Sep 1944, to join EG C-3.  On 14 Jan 1945, while escorting the Milford Haven section of ON.278, she sank a coaster in a collision and required five weeks' repairs, afterward resuming mid-ocean service until the end of the war.  HMCS Trillium was unique in that she spent her entire career as a mid-ocean escort, participating in three major convoy battles: SC.100 (Sep 1942); ON.166 (Feb 1943); and SC.121 (Mar 1943).  She left St. John's on 27 May 1945, for the UK, where she was returned to the RN at Milford Haven on 27 Jun 1945.  Sold in 1947 for conversion to a whale-catcher, she entered service as the Honduran-registered Olympic Runner in 1950, Otori Maru No. 10 in 1956 and Kyo Maru No. 16 in 1959.  Last in Lloyd's Register for 1972/1973.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Trillium (K172) (Flower-class).

(DND Photo)

HMCS Trillium (K172) (Flower-class).

HMCS Vancouver (K240)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Vancouver (K240) (Flower-class).  Laid down and launched as HMCS Kitchener K240, she was renamed HMCS Vancouver K240 in Nov 1941.  Commissioned at Esquimalt on 20 Mar 1942, she joined Esquimalt Force and, on 20 Jun 1942 escorted the torpedo-damaged SS Fort Camosun to Victoria.  In Aug 1942 she left for Kodiak, Alaska, to perform escort service for several weeks in support of the Aleutian campaign.  On 24 Feb 1943, she again arrived at Kodiak to serve under US control until the end of May 1943.  In mid-Sep 1943 she emerged from three months' refit at Vancouver with an extended fo'c's'le.  Reassigned in Feb 1944, to WLEF, she arrived at Halifax on 25 Mar 1944.  After serving briefly with escort groups W-3 and W-1, she was transferred in Jun 1944 to Quebec Force as escort to Quebec City-Goose Bay convoys for three months.  Late in Nov 1944, after a month's refit at Charlottetown, PEI, she proceeded to Bermuda to work up, and on her return rejoined W-1 for the balance of hostilities.  She was paid off on 26 Jun 1945, at Sorel, she was sold on 5 Oct 1945 and broken up at Hamilton, Ontario, in 1946.

(Ron Bell Photo)

HMCS Vancouver (K240) (Flower-class).

(US Naval History and Heritage Photos)

HMCS Vancouver (K240).

HMCS Ville de Québec (K242)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Ville de Québec (K242) (Flower-class).  Built by Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City, Quebec, she was laid down on 7 Jun 1941 as HMCS Quebec.  Renamed in Apr 1942, she was commissioned on 24 May 1942, at Quebec City as HMCS Ville de Quebec K242.  She sailed for Halifax on 06 Jun 1942, and arrived there on 12 Jun 1942 having escorted Quebec-Sydney convoy QS.7 en route.  After a brief period for final fitting of equipment, she sailed on her first operation cruise on 06 Jul 1942.  Late in Jul 1942, after working up at Pictou, she was assigned to WLEF and used almost exclusively as an escort to convoys between Boston and Halifax.  In Sep 1942, HMCS Ville de Québec was allocated to Operation "Torch."  For her Atlantic crossing she was assigned as escort to Convoy HX-212.  Not being a regular member of the escort group, she was assigned to pick up survivors.  When she arrived in Liverpool on 21 Sep 1942, she landed 172 merchant seamen from some of the six ships that had been torpedoed and sunk.  She arrived at Londonderry on 10 Nov 1942, sailing again on 26 Nov 1942 as escort to convoy KMS.4G to Bone, North Africa.  For the succeeding four months was employed on UK-Mediterranean convoys.  On 13 Jan 1943, she sank U-224 west of Algiers.  She made one attack with depth-charges and, as she was turning to make another, saw the U-boat break surface in the middle of the depth-charge pattern.  HMCS Ville de Quebec turned and rammed the U-boat, sinking it.  She returned to Canada in Apr 1943, carried out brief repairs at Halifax, then arrived at Gaspé on 12 May 1943 to join Quebec Force, escorting Quebec-Sydney and Quebec-Labrador convoys.  In Sep 1943 she returned to Halifax and later that month joined EG W-2, WLEF.  In mid-Jan 1944, she began an extensive refit at Liverpool, NS, completing early in May 1944, and on 22 May 1944 left for a month's workups in Bermuda.  On her return she joined EG C-4 for one round trip to Londonderry, transferring in Sept 1944 to EG 41, Plymouth.  Based at Milford Haven, she served with that group for the balance of the war.  On 22 Apr 1945, HMCS Ville de Quebec K242 returned to Halifax with convoy ONS.2, and was later paid off on 06 Jul 1945 at Sorel.  Sold for mercantile use in 1946 and renamed Dispina; Dorothea Paxos in 1947; Tanya in 1948; and Medex in 1949.  She was listed on Lloyd's Register until 1952.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ville de Québec (K242) (Flower-class).

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ville de Québec (K242) (Flower-class).

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