RCN Frigates (River Class): HMCS St. Catharines K325/HMCS Saint John K456/HMCS St. Pierre K680/HMCS St. Stephen K454/HMCS Ste. Thérèse K366/HMCS Stettler K681/HMCS Stone Town K531/HMCS Stormont K327/HMCS Strathadam K682/HMCS Sussexvale K683

HMCS St. Catharines (K325)

Steve Epp Photo)

HMCS St. Catharines (K325) (River-class).  Built by Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt, BC, she was commissioned on 31 Jul 1943, at Esquimalt.  Departing Esquimalt soon after, she arrived at Halifax on 4 Oct 1943 and in Nov 1943 sailed for the UK as a member of EG C-2.  She was continuously employed on convoy duty until Oct 1944, and from Feb to Sep 1944 she was Senior Officer's ship.  With six other escorts of convoy HX.280, she took part in the destruction of U-744 on 6 Mar 1944.  After refitting at Shelburne from Oct to Dec 1944, she went to Bermuda to work up and, on her return to Halifax, commenced tropicalization refit there.  By the time this was completed in Aug 1945, the war was over and the ship was paid off on 18 Nov 1945.  In 1947 she was sold to Marine Industries Ltd. and laid up at Sorel.  Later re-sold to Morton Engineering & Drydock Co., Quebec City, she was re-acquired in 1950 and converted to a weather ship.  Transferred to the Department of Transport, she was taken round to the west coast to be stationed in the North Pacific as of July, 1952.  Replaced in March, 1967, by CGS Vancouver, she was broken Japan in 1968.

(Dave Chamberlain Photo)

HMCS St. Catharines (K325) in drydock, Saint John, NB ca spring 1945.

(Gary Medford Photo)

HMCS St. Catharines (K325).

HMCS Saint John (K456)

(LCdr Stacy Photo)

HMCS Saint John (K456) (River-class).  Built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, she was commissioned on 13 Dec 1943, at Montreal.  She arrived at Halifax on 20 Dec 1943 and in Jan 1944, was sent to Bermuda to work up.  On her return in Feb 1944 she was based for a short time at Halifax, but in Apr 1944 she was assigned to EG 9 in Londonderry.  She departed Halifax on 28/29 Apr 1944 and joined C 3 as escort for convoy HX 289 for her transit to Londonderry, joining EG 9 on her arrival on 12 May 1944.  She was present on D-Day.  On 1 Sep 1944, she and HMCS Swansea sank U-247 off Land's End, and on 16 Feb 1945, HMCS Saint John destroyed U-309 in Moray Firth.  In Dec 1944, she escorted convoys JW.62 and RA.62 on the North Russia run, to and from Kola Inlet.  She arrived at Cardiff for repairs on 27 Feb 1945, and, when these were completed in Apr 1945, proceeded home for tropicalization refit at Saint John, NB, from May to Oct 1945.  She was paid off 27 Nov 1945, at Halifax and placed in reserve in Bedford Basin until sold and broken up at Sydney, NS in 1947.

(Harold Colgan Photo)

HMCS Saint John (K456) (River-class).

(Lana James Photo)

HMCS Saint John (K456) (River-class), Halifax.

(Lana James Photo)

HMCS Saint John (K456) (River-class).

HMCS St. Pierre (K680)

(DND Photo)

HMCS St. Pierre (K680) (River-class).  Built at Lauzon, Quebec, by Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., she was commissioned on 22 Aug 1944, at Quebec City.  She arrived at Halifax in Oct 1944 and spent more than four months under repair . She carried out workups in Bermuda in Mar 1945 and on 5 Apr 1945 left for Londonderry via the Azores, having been assigned to EG 9.  From Horta she picked up convoy SC.172, arriving at `Derry on 21 Apr 1945.  On 12 May 1945 she left Greenock to escort JW.67 to North Russia, but was detached the next day to accompany a number of surrendered U-boats bound from Trondheim to Loch Eriboll.  She left the UK late that month for Canada, and on 4 June 1945 commenced tropicalization refit at Lauzon.  The job was called off on 20 Aug 1945 and the ship paid off 22 Nov 1945 at Sydney, to be placed in reserve at Shelburne.  In 1947 she was sold to the Peruvian Navy and renamed Teniente Palacios, shortened to Palacios in 1953.  She was broken up in 1966.

HMCS St. Stephen (K454)

(DND Photo)

HMCS St. Stephen (K454) (River-class).  Commissioned on 28 Jul 1944, at Esquimalt, HMCS St. Stephen arrived at Halifax on 28 Sep 1944 and in Oct 1944 proceeded to Bermuda to work up.  Returning in mid-Nov 1944, she joined EG C-5 and spent the balance of the war as a mid-ocean escort.  She left Barry, Wales, on 27 May 1945, to take passage home with convoy ON.305, and early in Jun 1945 began tropicalization refit at Dartmouth, NS.  This was cancelled in Aug 1945 and on 30 Jan 1946, the ship was paid off at Halifax and laid up in Bedford Basin.  On 27 Sep 1947, she was re-commissioned, having undergone alterations to fit her as a weather ship.  She was stationed between Labrador and Greenland until Aug 1950, when she sailed to Esquimalt to be paid off on 31 Aug 1950 and lent to the Department of Transport.  Retained primarily as a "spare" in the event of a mishap to HMCS St. Catharines or HMCS Stone Town, she was purchased by the Department in 1958.  Ten year later she was sold to a Vancouver buyer, purportedly for conversion to a fish factory ship.

(Maritime Museum of British Columbia Photo)

HMCS St. Stephen (K454) (River-class), as weathership 302.  Three of the River Class Frigates were taken over by the Department of Transport, (DOT) extensively modified and crewed by D.O.T. personnel to serve as weatherships. One Frigate was HMCS St. Stephen, a three-year veteran of station 'B'. The other two were HMCS St. Catharines and HMCS Stonetown.

After the three ships were taken over by the Department ofTransport (DOT) they became Canadian Government Ships (CGS) St. Catharines, CGS Stonetown and CGS St. Stephen. All the DOT ships, the buoy vessels, icebreakers and so on were known as CGS. They had civilian crews, were members of the DOT and operated as merchant ships. The personnel consisted of: Masters, Mates, Engineers, Chief Stewards, Radio Officers, Electricians, Weather Observers and any other trade that was needed to get the job done. Radio operators were required to have their commercial deep sea radio certificate in order to work for the Department of Transport.

The government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker decided to consolidate the duties of the Marine Service of the Department of Transport and on 28 Jan 1962 the Canadian Coast Guard was formed as a subsidiary of DOT. As a result, the three weather ships became Canadian Coast Guard Ships along with the rest of the DOT fleet.

HMCS Ste. Thérèse (K366)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ste. Thérèse (K366) (River-class).  Built by Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., HMCS Ste. Thérèse (K366) was commissioned on 28 May 1944, at Lévis, Quebec.  She arrived at Halifax early in Jul 1944 and, after preliminary workups in St. Margaret's Bay, NS, proceeded to Bermuda to complete the process.  Returning n mid-Aug 1944, HMCS Ste. Therese left Halifax in late Oct 1944 to join convoy HX.317 for passage to Londonderry.  There she joined EG 25 and served with it in UK waters until Feb 1945, when she was re-assigned to EG 28, Halifax.  She served locally with EG 28 until the end of the war, and on 22 Nov 1945 was paid off at Sydney, NS, and placed in reserve at Shelburne, NS.  She re-commissioned on 22 Jan 1955, after conversion to a Prestonian class ocean escort (309), finally being paid off at Esquimalt on 30 Jan 1967.  She was broken up in Japan that year.

HMCS Stettler (K681)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Stettler (K681) (River-class).  Built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, HMCS Stettler was commissioned on 7 May 1944, at Montreal.  She arrived at Halifax on 28 May 1944 then carried out workups in Bermuda in Jul 1944.  On her return to Halifax she was assigned to EG 16.  On 7 Mar  1945, she left for Londonderry, EG 16's new base, and was thereafter employed in UK waters except for two round trips to Gibraltar in May and Jun 1945.  She left 'Derry for home on 16 Jun 1945, the last Canadian warship to do so, and began tropicalization refit at Shelburne, NS.  Work was suspended in Aug 1945 and the ship was paid off 9 Nov 1945.  She was sold but later recovered and converted to a Prestonian class ocean escort (311), being re-commissioned on 27 Feb 1954.  In the Spring of 1966, HMCS Stettler participated in exercise Maple Spring along with HMCS Grilse and HMCS St. Croix, with port visits along the east coast of South America.  She subsequently moved to the west coast, and was finally paid off there on 31 Aug 1966.  She was purchased by Capital Iron and Metal, Victoria, BC, in 1967 to be broken up.  Shortly after purchase the price of scrap metal plummeted and she was not broken up late 1971, early 1972.

HMCS Stone Town (K531)

(St. Mary's Museum Photo)

HMCS Stone Town (K531) (River-class).  Commissioned at Montreal on 21 Jul 1944, HMCS Stone Town arrived at Halifax on 13 Aug 1944, and on 3 Sep 1944 commenced a month's workups in Bermuda.  On her return to Canada she was assigned to newly formed EG C-8 as Senior Officer's ship, and spent the balance of the war as a mid-ocean escort.  She sailed from Londonderry on 12 May 1945, as escort to convoy ONS.50 on her way home, and on 22 Jul 1945 commenced tropicalization refit at Lunenburg.  Work was stopped on 24 Aug 1945 and the ship was paid off on 13 Nov 1945 at Lunenburg, to be laid up in reserve at Shelburne.  Sold to the Department of Transport for a weather ship, she was modified for the purpose at Halifax in 1950, named Canadian Coast Guard Weathership Stonetown, and sailed that Oct 1950 for Esquimalt.  In Oct 1957, after 15 years on station in the North Pacific, she was replaced by CGS Quadra and sold in 1968 to a Vancouver buyer, purportedly for conversion to a fish factory ship.

(Naval Museum of Manitoba Photo)

HMCS Stone Town (K531) (River-class).

(Frank Statham Photo)

Canadian Coast Guard Weathership Stonetown, circa 1960s.

HMCS Stormont (K327)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Stormont (K327) (River-class).  Commissioned at Montreal on 27 Nov 1943, HMCS Stormont arrived at Halifax in Dec 1943, worked up in St. Margaret's Bay and in mid-Mar 1944, sailed for Londonderry to join EG 9.  She was present on D-Day, and in Jul 1944 assisted the damaged HMCS Matane toward Plymouth.  In Oct 1944 she escorted a convoy to Gibraltar and, in Dec 1944, escorted convoy JW.62 to Kola Inlet and RA.62 back.  She left 'Derry on 09 Dec 1944, for Halifax and tropicalization refit at Shelburne.  The latter, begun in Jun 1945, was discontinued on 20 Aug 1945 and the ship was paid off 09 Nov 1945.  She was sold in 1947 to a Montevideo buyer for conversion to a merchant ship, but was re-sold in 1951.  Converted at Kiel, 1952-54, to a luxury yacht for Aristotle Onassis, she was re-named Christina.  After the elder Onassis died in 1975, Christina inherited the yacht, and gave her to the Greek government as a presidential yacht in 1978.  She was renamed Argo for a number of years, but was eventually allowed to deteriorate . In 1998, she was purchased by another Greek ship owner, John Paul Papanicolaou, who restored her and renamed her Christina O.  She continues to sail.

(Jim Pierce Photo)

HMCS Stormont (K327).

(Jim Pierce Photo)

HMCS Stormont (K327) wheelhouse, Jan 1944.

(Jim Pierce Photo)

HMCS Stormont (K327) twin 20-mm Oerlikon AA guns, Jan 1944.

(US Naval History and Heritage Photos)

HMCS Stormont (K327).

HMCS Strathadam (K682)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Strathadam (K682) (River-class).  Built at Esquimalt, BC, she was commissioned on 29 Sep 1944, at Victoria, she arrived at Halifax on 21 No 1944 and left a month later for Bermuda to work up.  Returning to Halifax, she was assigned to EG 25, Londonderry, and sailed from St. John's on 2 Feb 1945.  Except for one trip late that month to Gibraltar, HMCS Strathadam was employed in UK waters until VE-Day.  On 7 Mar 1945, with HMCS La Hulloise and HMCS Thetford Mines, she took part in the sinking of U-1302 in St. George's Channel, and on 11 Apr 1945 she was carrying out another attack when a Hedgehog projectile exploded prematurely, killing six of her crew.  She returned to Canada at the end of May 1945, and in Jul 1945 commenced tropicalization refit.  This was cancelled 20 Aug 1945 and the ship was paid off at Halifax on 7 Nov 1945, to be laid up at Shelburne.  She was sold to Uruguayan interests in 1947 but acquired by the Israeli Navy in 1950 and re-named Misgav K30.  In the late 1960s she was paid off, and in 1970 was expended as a target for Gabrial missile trials by Israel.

(CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Photo)

HMCS Strathadam (K682) (River-class).

(CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Photo)

HMCS Strathadam (K682) (River-class).

HMCS Sussexvale (K683)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Sussexvale (K683).  Launched on 12 Jul 1944, she was the last  frigate launched for the RCN.  HMCS Sussexvale (K683) was commissioned on 29 Nov 1944, at Quebec City, and arrived at Halifax on 16 Dec 1944.  She left on 8 Jan 1945, for a months' workups in Bermuda, on completion of which she was assigned to EG 26.  She arrived in Londonderry to join the group on 6 Mar 1945 and spent the remainder of the war in UK waters, based primarily at Portsmouth.  She returned home in May to begin tropicalization refit at Shelburne, NS, but this was called off and the ship was paid off at Sydney on 16 Nov 1945.  Placed in reserve at Shelburne, she was subsequently sold to Marine Industries Ltd., but re-acquired by the RCN and converted to a Prestonian class ocean escort (313).  Re-commissioned 18 Mar 1955, she served as a training ship until paid off on 30 Nov 1966.  Sold in Dec 1966 to Kennedy & Mitsui, Vancouver, BC.  She was scrapped in Japan in 1967.

(US Naval History and Heritage Photo)

HMCS Sussexvale (K683).

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