Royal Canadian Navy Armed Yachts (Q, S, and Z Class)

RCN 1931–1949, Yachts (Q, S and Z Class)

HMCS Ambler (Q11); HMCS Beaver (S10); HMCS Caribou (S12); HMCS Cougar (Z15); HMCS Elk (S05); HMCS Grizzly (Z14); HMCS Husky (S06); HMCS Lynx (Z07); HMCS Moose (Z14); HMCS Otter; HMCS Raccoon; HMCS Reindeer (S08); HMCS Renard (S13); HMCS Sans Peur (Z02); HMCS Vison (S11); HMCS Wolf (Z16).

HMCS Ambler (Q11)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ambler (Q11).

HMCS Ambler (Q11) was an armed yacht that served in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). Initially carrying the pennant number Q11 and later Z32, she was launched in 1922 in Brooklyn, New York as the Ambler and was commissioned into the RCN on 6 May 1940. She was paid off on 20 July 1945.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3589808)

HMCS Ambler (Q11).

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ambler (Q11).

HMCS Beaver (S10)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Beaver (S10)

Empowered to requisition British-registered craft of any description from private owners, the Royal Canadian Navy failed to turn up vessels with any real potential for anti-submarine use in 1939. A discreet survey of the United States yacht market showed promise, but purchase was impossible without contravening neutrality regulations. It was then arranged for a sufficient number of Canadian yachts, however inadequate, to be requisitioned from their owners, who then replaced them with yachts purchased in the United States. These replacements had, of course, already been selected with care by the Royal Canadian Navy, which, “discovering” that the replacements were better than the yachts originally requisitioned, took over the replacements instead. By early 1940, 14 yachts had been acquired in this fashion, armed, and given animal names. Five of them (HMCS Beaver, HMCS Cougar, HMCS Grizzly, HMCS Renard and HMCS Wolf) had served in the United States Navy as auxiliary patrol craft from 1917 to 1919. Makeshift though the yachts were, they shouldered the responsibility for local anti-submarine defence until the summer of 1941, when corvettes began to be available to replace them, and they afterward proved their worth as training vessels and guard ships.

The oldest of her type, HMCS Beaver (former name: Aztec) was commissioned on April 1, 1941 at Halifax, Nova Scotia and assigned to Halifax Local Defence Force. She was employed much of the time as a radar training ship but served briefly, first with Saint John, New Brunswick Force and then with Sydney Force toward the end of 1942. On July 29, 1943, she arrived at Digby, Nova Scotia to become a training ship for DEMS (Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship) gunners, and was later used for seamanship training. HMCS Beaver was paid off on October 17, 1944, sold in 1946, and resold 10 years later for scrap.

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HMCS Caribou (S12)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Caribou (S12)

HMCS Caribou (S12) was an armed yacht that served in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).Initially carrying the pennant number S12 and later Z25, she was launched in 1928 in Bay City, Michigan and was commissioned into the RCN on 27 May 1940. She was paid off on 20 July 1945.

HMCS Cougar (Z15)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Cougar (Z15).

HMCS Cougar (Z15) was an armed yacht that served in the Royal Canadian Navy as a patrol vessel from 1940 to 1945.Cougar was built as a civilian motor yacht Sabalo in 1916 by George Lawley and Sons at Neponset, Massachusetts. The U.S. Navy acquired her in 1917 and employed her as the patrol vessel USS Sabalo (SP-225) for the remainder of World War I, returning her to her owner, W. Earl Dodge of New York City, in 1919.Dodge sold Sabalo to Van Lear Black of Baltimore, Maryland, in 1921. Black in turn sold her in 1931 to the Albert Pack Corporation of Chicago, Illinois, which renamed her Breezin' Thru. In 1937, Leila Y. Post Montgomery of Battle Creek, Michigan, bought Breezin' Thru, then sold her in 1940 to Bearl Sprott Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.The Royal Canadian Navy acquired Breezin' Thru in 1940 and commissioned her as the patrol vessel HMCS Cougar (Z15) on 11 September 1940.Cougar was placed on antisubmarine patrol out of Esquimalt, British Columbia. In May 1942 she was transferred to Prince Rupert Force, based at Prince Rupert, British Columbia. She returned to Esquimalt in June 1944, where she served as an examination vessel.Cougar was decommissioned on 23 November 1945 and returned her to Bearl Sprott Ltd. in 1946.Once again named Breezin' Thru, the yacht operated as a pleasure craft after her return to Bearl Sprott. She was sunk during a hurricane at Kingston, Jamaica, in September 1950.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Cougar (Z15), Strait of Juan de Fuca, 1 Dec 1940.

HMCS Elk (S05).

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Elk (S05).

Originally launched in 1926 as the yacht Arcadia, Elk was one of several American yachts discretely acquired in the Second World War and refitted for the RCN despite strict American neutrality and regulations preventing the sale of vessels for belligerent purposes.

Elk left Halifax for Pictou on 21 June 1940 for conversion and arming, after which she was commissioned at Halifax on 10 September and transferred to the America and West Indies Station. She arrived in Bermuda on 23 September, returning to Halifax on 13 May 1941. Following a major refit there, she sailed for Trinidad on 2 December. On 11 May 1942 she returned to Halifax and was assigned to Sydney Force, serving extensively as escort to Sydney-Corner Brook convoys. In February 1943 she was sent to Halifax for repairs, and in May transferred to Digby as a training ship. A month later, however, she was moved to Shelburne, remaining there until November and then returning to Digby, where she was to be based until the end of the war. She served almost continuously as escort to the ancient British training submarine L.23. Elk was paid off on 4 August 1945 and sold. After long service as a short-haul passenger ferry, Grand Manan III, she was sold in 1968 for breaking up.

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HMCS Grizzly (Z14)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Grizzly (Z14)

Originally named Machigonne whenshe was launched in 1909, Grizzly was one of several American yachts discretely acquired during the Second World war and refitted for the RCN despite strict American neutrality and regulations preventing the sale of vessels for belligerent purposes. She was commissioned on the west coast, but the condition of her engines made it impractical for her to function effectively. She was towed to Prince Rupert in July for use as a stationary guard ship and examination vessel. In the spring of 1944 she was taken to Victoria, where her hull was found to be in poor condition. Paid off on 17 June, she was broken up at Victoria the following year

HMCS Husky (S06)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Husky (S06)

Originally named Wild Duck when she was launched in 1930, Husky was one of several American yachts discretely acquired during the Second World War and refitted for the RCN despite strict American neutrality and regulations preventing the sale of vessels for belligerent purposes.

Husky left Halifax on 30 May 1940 for conversion and arming at Quebec City. Commissioned at Halifax on 23 July, she was assigned to Sydney Force for anti-submarine patrol duty. She was transferred that December to Trinidad, but returned to join Saint John, New Brunswick Force on 24 September 1941. A year later she returned to Halifax Local Defence Force for a few months before being reassigned in March 1943 to training duties at HMCS Cornwallis (then located at Halifax). She moved with that establishment to Digby, NS, and for the remainder of the war exercised with RN submarines in the Bay of Fundy.

Paid off to reserve at Sydney on 3 August 1945, she was sold into mercantile service in 1946. After a term as the inspection vessel Good Neighbor for the port of New Orleans, she was sold in 1968 for use as a sport-diving tender in Honduran waters. She later returned to New Orleans to become a floating restaurant.

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HMCS Lynx (Z07)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Lynx (Z07)

Lynx left Halifax with Husky on May 30, 1940, for conversion and arming at Quebec City. On her return she was commissioned at Halifax on August 26 and allocated to Sydney Force. She returned at year's end to Halifax for the winter, and in July, 1941, was assigned to Gaspe Force. The ship was plagued by mechanical troubles, however, and spare parts proved unobtainable. She was accordingly transferred to Halifax on November 25. On January 18, 1942, Lynx rescued the passengers and crew of SS Empire Kingfisher, which had sunk off Cape Breton. Soon afterward condemned for further sea duty, she was paid off on April 23, 1943, and offered for sale, but no buyer was forthcoming until July, 1943. For some years a banana trader in the Caribbean, she was finally lost near Sydney, Australia, under the name Rican Star.

HMCS Moose (Z14)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Moose (Z14)

Moose left Halifax on June 3, 1940, for conversion and arming at Quebec City, where she was commissioned on September 8. She was then assigned to Halifax Local Defence Force until may, 1942, transferring then to Sydney, where by September, 1943, she was employed as training ship and examination vessel under control of HMCS Cornwallis. Moose was paid off on July 20, 1945, and sold the following year to Marine Industries Ltd., who renamed her Fraternite. Sold to a U.S. buyer in 1956, she became Ottelia, and is apparently still in service in the Mediterranean.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Moose (Z14)

HMCS Otter

(RCN  Photo)

HMCS Otter.  Lost in a fire, sinking off Halifax on 26 Nov 1941.

On 26 March 1941 she was destroyed by an accidental explosion and fire, near Sambro Island just off Halifax. Two Officers and 17 men were lost.On the morning of 26 March 1941, as the OTTER sailed only 24 nautical miles from Halifax, an explosion and a fire ripped through the vessel. Soon the crew of the steel hulled, but wooden superstructure, vessel recognized that the fire was too much and the captain ordered to abandon ship.The crew barely fit into the two lifeboats and one carley float. Rescue was close at hand, as a Polish freighter and a Royal Navy submarine was nearby. However, due to the extremely heavy seas, rescue proved to be very difficult. In fact, one of the lifeboats was flipped by an unusually large wave when a polish freighter came alongside. The already waterlogged sailors were flung into the icy water, and some were never seen again. Once they were rescued, some were in such bad shape they never even survived the trip into Halifax, despite the efforts of the Polish merchantmen who took turns applying artificial respiration and trying to warm the men.A British Submarine also found the carley float with 15 men on it. However, by the time they rescued the men only four were still alive.

HMCS Raccoon

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Raccoon
Originally the yacht Halonia, built in 1931 for Charles A. Thorne of Chicago, she was acquired by the RCN in Mar 1940 , converted to an armed yacht and commissioned as HMCS RACCOON. On 20 Mar 1942, Racoon sailed from Halifax as convoy escort to St. John's, Nfld arriving at St. John's on 26 Mar 1942.  She departed St. John's  on31 Mar 1942 as convoy escort to Halifax, arriving at Halifaxon 07 Apr 1942. From 07 Apr to 12 May 1942 she served on Local Escort duty from Halifax to Sydney, NS and from Halifax to Shelburne, NS. From 12 May 1942 onward she was part of the Sydney and Gulf Escort Force. She was assigned to HMCS FORT RAMSAY near Gaspé, Quebec on 25 May 1942 to patrol and escort convoys in the river and Gulf of St. Lawrence. During the night of  06-07 Sep 1942, U-165 attacked Convoy QS-33, escorted by the armed yacht HMCS Racoon. Some time later, the ship set out in search of the submarine, when she was hit and sunk by two torpedoes from U-165. All 37 hands were lost.

HMCS Reindeer (S08)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Reindeer (S08)

Reindeer accompanied Husky and Lynx to Quebec City for conversion and arming in the summer of 1940. She was commissioned at Halifax on July 25 for service with Sydney Force, returning to Halifax on December 26 for the winter. She joined Gaspe Force in July 1941, but by year's end was back again with Halifax Local Defence Force. In May, 1942, she moved to Sydney Force, and that November, to Saint John, N.B. Force. On December 24, 1942, Reindeer was assigned as training ship to HMCS Cornwallis, then located at Halifax, transferring with the establishment to Digby in 1943. She was employed there on A/S training with RN submarines until the end of the war, except for a stint at Saint John, N.B., during the first half of 1944. She was paid off to reserve at Sydney on July 20, 1945, and sold later that year.

HMCS Renard (S13)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Renard (S13), later Z13 during the Second World War.

Built by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Manie, USA in 1916. In her prime, Renard had shown a turn of speed to match her destroyer-like appearance, but she was 24 years old when commissioned on 27 May 1940, at Halifax.  She left the following day for Quebec City for conversion and arming, returning on 03 Dec 1940 to Halifax, where she was assigned to Halifax Local Defence Force. In Apr 1942, she began a long refit at Liverpool, N.S., and Pictou, on completion of which in July she became a torpedo and gunnery training ship attached to HMCS Cornwallis, with torpedo tubes fitted for the purpose.  She moved with the establishment to Digby in Jul 1943, but returned that Nov 1943 to Halifax to serve as a torpedo-firing ship. Surveyed in 1944 and found not to be worth repairing, she was paid off on 01 Aug 1944. She was sold in 1945, purportedly to become a floating power plant for a Cape Breton mine, but was derelict at Sydney in 1955. Her specifications were: Length: 225 ft, Beam: 21 ft, Draught: 8 ft, Speed: 15 kts, Armament: 1-12pdr, 2-21" TT.

HMCS Sans Peur (Z02)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Sans Peur (Z02)

In 1933 this luxury yacht was built as the Trenora by John I. Thorneycroft & Co. Ltd., Southampton UK for a British surgeon, Dr. Ernest G. Stanley. She was sold to the Duke of Sutherland, who renamed her as Sans Peur, and was an investor in British Columbia owning Sutherland Canadian Lands Co. and he had been a Commander RNR during the First World War serving in Motor Launches. The yacht was cruising in California waters at the outbreak of the war. She was laid up temporarily when the Duke returned to the UK to assume wartime duties. The yacht was under the authority of the Admiralty, but was berthed in Esquimalt Harbour. She was requisitioned in 1939 at Esquimalt and commissioned for patrol service on 05 Mar 1940. From May 1942, SANS PEUR served the dual function of patrol vessel and training vessel, but after Nov 1942 was used for training alone. Originally chartered, the ship was purchased in 1943. Following an extensive refit at Esquimalt, she left on 24 Jan 1944 for Halifax, arriving late in Feb 1944. In Mar 1945 she was sent to HMCS Cornwallis, where she carried out A/S training in conjunction with RN submarines, and after Feb 1946, she was a training ship at Halifax. Paid off on 31 Jan 1947, she was sold to Maple Leaf Steamships of Montreal, but on resale the following year she reverted, under Panamanian flag, to her original name, Trenona. Later refitted by her builders at Southampton, she resumed her career as a yacht for Italian owners, but by 1975 was in use as VIP accommodation at Okinawa, Japan.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Sans Peur (Z02)

HMCS Vison (S11)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Vison (S11)

Built by Pusey & Jones Corp., Wilmington, Del. in 1931. VISON left Halifax on 23 Jun 1940, for Pictou, where she was to be converted and armed. She returned to Halifax on 02 Oct 1940 and was commissioned three days later. She was then assigned to the base at Gaspé, but returned to Halifax in Nov 1940 when the base was closed for the winter. In Dec 1940, she was sent southward, operating out of Trinidad and Bermuda until her return to Halifax on 13 May 1941. In Jul 1942 she became a member of Gaspé Force, proceeding to Halifax for passage to Trinidad in Dec 1941.  She rejoined Halifax Local Defence Force in Apr 1942, but was transferred to Sydney Force in Jul 1942. In Feb 1943, VISON returned to Halifax as a training ship attached to HMCS CORNWALLIS and moved with the establishment to Digby in Apr 1943. She remained there until the end of the war as a seamen's training ship, exercising with RN submarines in the Bay of Fundy, and was paid off for disposal on 04 Aug 1945.

HMCS Wolf (Z16)

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(DND Photo)

HMCS Wolf (Z16)

Aged 25 years at the time of her commissioning on 02 Oct 1940, Wolf spent the entire war as a member of Esquimalt Force, at first on training and patrol duty and then, from Sep 1943, as an examination vessel.  Paid off on 16 May 1945, she was sold in 1946 to become the merchant vessel Gulf Stream.  She was wrecked off Power River, B.C., on 11 October 1947.