Royal Canadian Navy Corvettes (Flower Class), HMCS Sackville (K181) to HMCS Woodstock (K238)
Royal Canadian Navy Corvettes (Flower Class), Part 4
HMCS Sackville (K181)
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Sackville (K181) (Flower-class). Built by Saint John Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Saint John, NB, she was launched on 15 May 1941. Commissioned on 30 Dec 1941, at Saint John, N.B., HMCS Sackville arrived at Halifax on 12 Jan 1942. She joined NEF after working up, and on 26 May 1942 left St. John's to escort HX.191 as part of the newly formed EG C-3. In Apr 1943, she transferred to C-1, and in Sep 1943 briefly joined EG 9 in support of the beleaguered combined convoy ONS.18 / ON.202, which lost six merchant vessels and three escorts. In Oct 1943 HMCS Sackville transferred to C-2 for the balance of her war career. She underwent two major refits: at Liverpool, NS, and Halifax, from 14 Jan to 02 May 1943; and at Galveston, Texas, from late Feb to 7 May 1944, when her fo'c's'le was extended. Upon her return from working up in Bermuda, in Jun 1944, she made a crossing to Londonderry. Soon after leaving for the westward journey she split a boiler and had to return to 'Derry for repairs. She left again on 11 Aug 1944, to limp home as escort to ONS.248, refitted at Halifax and, in Sep 1944, briefly became a training ship at HMCS Kings. In Oct 1944 she began, at Halifax, refit and reconstruction to a loop-laying vessel, and work was still in progress by VE-Day. The ship was paid off on 8 Apr 1946, but re-commissioned 4 Aug 1950, as a depot ship, reserve fleet. She was refitted in 1950 but remained inactive until 1953, when, as a Canadian Naval Auxiliary Vessel (CNAV), she began a survey of the Gulf of St. Lawrence that was to last several years. She also carried out a number of cruises to the Baffin Island-Greenland area. Extensive modification in 1968 reflected HMCS Sackville's new status as a research vessel, and she was operated by the Department of National defence on behalf of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. In 1983, as the sole surviving corvette, she was transferred to the Canadian Naval Corvette Trust (now Canadian Naval Memorial Trust) and restored to her wartime appearance.
(Johnny Forget Photo)
HMCS Sackville (K181) (Flower-class), summer 1942.
(Gary Medford Photo)
HMCS Sackville (K181) (Flower-class). Photo taken from HMCS Kamloops K176 while convoy escort for ONS.18 & ON.202, Sep 1943.
(Gary Medford Photo)
HMCS Sackville (K181) (Flower-class).
(Gary Medford Photo)
HMCS Sackville (K181) (Flower-class).
(Gary Medford Photo)
HMCS Sackville (K181) as CNAV Sackville (113). As a Canadian Naval Auxiliary Vessel (CNAV) (113), she began a survey of the Gulf of St. Lawrence that was to last several years. She also carried out a number of cruises to the Baffin Island-Greenland area. Extensive modification in 1968 reflected HMCS Sackville's new status as a research vessel operated by the Department of National defence on behalf of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. In 1983, as the sole surviving corvette, she was transferred to the Canadian Naval Corvette Trust (now Canadian Naval Memorial Trust) and restored to her wartime appearance.
(Author Photo)
HMCS Sackville (K181) (Flower-class), alongside in Halifax Harbour, 2005.
(Author Photos)
HMCS Sackville (K181) (Flower-class), alongside in Halifax Harbour, 2005.
(Author Photos)
QF 4-inch/45 Gun Mk IX, mounted on the forward deck in a gun turret, HMCS Sackville.
(Author Photos)
HMCS Sackville (K181) (Flower-class), Hedgehog Anti-Submarine projector/mortars, 40-mm Bofors Light Anti-Aircraft Gun Mk. VIII on AA mount.
Author with HMCS Sackville (K181) (Flower-class), Halifax.
(USN Naval History and Heritage Photo)
HMCS Sackville (K181) (Flower-class).
HMCS Saskatoon (K158)
(Naval Museum of Manitoba Photo)
HMCS Saskatoon (K158) (Flower-class). Commissioned at Montreal on 9 Jun 1941, HMCS Saskatoon arrived at Halifax on 22 Jun 1941. She joined Halifax Force after working up and in Aug 1941 made a trip to the Bahamas, returning at the end of Sep 1941. She remained on local escort duty until Mar 1942, then joined WLEF on its formation. She served with this force on the "triangle run" until the end of the war, becoming a member of EG W-8 when it was established in Jun 1943, and transferring to W-6 in Apr 1944. During her career she had two major refits: at Halifax from 11 Aug to 17 Nov 1942; and at Pictou from mid-Dec 1943 to 01 Apr 1944. Following the latter, which included fo'c's'le extension, she worked up for three weeks at Pictou and another three in Bermuda. She was paid off on 25 June 1945 at Sorel and soon afterward sold for conversion to a merchant vessel. Renamed Tra los Montes, she served as a whaler from 1948. Renamed Olympic Fighter (1950), Otori Maru No. 6 (1956), and Kyo Maru No. 20 (1961). Last in Lloyd's Register for 1978.
(Ron Bell Photo)
HMCS Saskatoon (K158) (Flower-class).
(DND Photo)
HMCS Saskatoon (K158) (Flower-class).
HMCS Shawinigan (K136)
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Shawinigan (K136) (Flower-class). Built by George T. Davie & Sons Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec. Commissioned on 19 Sep 1941, at Quebec City, HMCS Shawinigan arrived at Halifax on 27 Oct 1941. She joined Sydney Force in November but on 13 Jan 1942, arrived at St. John's to join Newfoundland Command. She left 25 Jan 1942 to escort convoy SC.66 to Londonderry, the first of three round trips. In mid-May 1942 she left 'Derry for the last time, and in Jun 1942 was assigned to Halifax Force as escort to Quebec-Labrador convoys. She joined WLEF that November, almost immediately commencing a refit at Liverpool, NS. This refit was completed in mid-Mar 1943, and in Jun 1943 Shawinigan joined the recently established EG W-3. In Apr 1944, while undergoing another refit at Liverpool, during which she had her fo'c's'le extended, she was transferred to W-2 and, on completion of the refit on 16 Jun 1944, proceeded to Bermuda to work up. At 0230 hours on 25 Nov 1944, while on independent A/S patrol out of Sydney, she was torpedoed in the Cabot Strait by U-1228 (Oberleutnant zur See Friedrich-Wilhelm Marienfeld). She exploded and sank immediately with all hands. A memorial dedicated to the 91 lost was erected at Shawinigan, Quebec.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Shawinigan (K136) (Flower-class).
HMCS Shediac (K110)
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3554094)
HMCS Shediac (K110) (Flower-class). Built at Lauzon, Quebec, she was commissioned at Quebec City on 08 Jul 1941. HMCS Shediac arrived at Halifax on 18 Jul 1941. She served briefly with Halifax Force and Sydney Force before joining Newfoundland Command in Oct 1941, leaving Sydney 5 Oct 1941 to escort convoy SC.48 to Iceland. After three round trips there, she accompanied SC.67 to Londonderry in Jan 1942, again the first of three return trips. Following a six-week refit at Liverpool, NS, she joined WLEF in Jul 1941, returning in Oct 1941 to the "Newfie-Derry" run as a member of EG C-1. She took part in two major convoy battles: ONS.92 (May 1942); and ONS.154 (Dec 1942). On 4 Mar1943, while escorting KMS.10, a UK-Gibraltar convoy, she assisted in the destruction of U-87 west of the Azores. She left Londonderry for the last time on 28 Mar 1943, underwent refit at Liverpool, NS, from 27 Apr to 1 Jul 1943, then joined WLEF's EG W-8. Transferred to the west coast, she left Halifax 3 Apr 1944, and arrived at Esquimalt 10 May 1044. She refitted at Vancouver from mid-Jun to mid-Aug 1944, in the process receiving her extended fo'c's'le. She was paid off at Esquimalt on 28 Aug 1945 and sold in 1951 for conversion to a whale-catcher, entering service as the Dutch-flag Jooske W. Vinke in 1954. She was broken up at Santander, Spain, in 1965.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Shediac (K110) (Flower-class).
HMCS Sherbrooke (K152)
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Sherbrooke (K152) (Flower-class). Commissioned at Sorel on 05 Jun 1941, HMCS Sherbrooke arrived at Halifax on 12 Jun 1941. She joined Halifax Force later that month but transferred in Sep 1941 to Newfoundland Command and left Sydney on 29 Sep 1941 to escort convoy SC.47 as far as Iceland. After two round trips to Iceland, she left St. John's on 14 Jan 1942, to join SC.64, the first "Newfie-Derry" convoy, and was thereafter employed as an ocean escort on that run principally with EG C-4. She took part in two particularly hard-fought convoy battles: ON.127 (Aug 1942); and HX.229 (Mar 1943). Her westbound trip after the latter convoy was her last; after a major refit at Lunenburg from Apr to Jun 1943, and work-ups at Pictou, she joined EG W-2 of WLEF, transferring in Apr 1944, to W-7 and in Oct 1944, to W-1. Late in May 1944, she underwent a refit at Liverpool, NS, that included fo'c's'le extension, followed by a month's repairs at Halifax and three weeks' workups in Bermuda in Oct 1944. She was paid off at Sorel on 28 Jun 1945, and broken up at Hamilton, Ontario, in 1947.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Sherbrooke (K152) (Flower-class).
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3455882)
HMCS Sherbrooke (K152) (Flower-class), QF 4-inch gun firing, June 1945.
HMCS Smiths Falls (K345)
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Smiths Falls (K345) (Flower-class). Commissioned at Kingston on 28 Nov 1944, she was the last RCN corvette to enter service. She arrived at Halifax late in Dec 1944 and remained there fitting out until 10 Feb 1945, then proceeded to Bermuda for work-ups. On her return Smiths Falls was assigned to EG C-2, Londonderry, and made her passage there as escort to convoy SC.171 early in Apr 1945, the first of three crossing before the end of hostilities. She left Londonderry early in Jun 1945 for the last time, and was paid off 08 Jul 1945 and placed in reserve at Sorel for disposal. Sold for conversion to a whale-catcher, she entered service in 1950 as the Honduran-flag Olympic Lightning, but was sold to Japanese owners in 1956 and renamed Otori Maru No. 16 then, Kyo Maru No. 23 from 1961 until 1978.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Smiths Falls (K345) (Flower-class).
HMCS Snowberry (K166)
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Snowberry (K166) (Flower-class). Built for the RN, she was commissioned at Quebec City on 26 Nov 1940 as HMS Snowberry. She arrived at Halifax on 13 Dec 1940 for further work and sailed 09 Feb 1941, with convoy HX.108 for the UK. There she completed fitting out at Greenock, completing 3 Apr 1940, and worked up at Tobermory before joining Western Approaches Command, Greenock, in May. On 15 May 1941 she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned as HMCS Snowberry K166. She left Aultbea early in Jun 1941 to join convoy OB.332, arriving at Halifax on 23 Jun 1941 to join Newfoundland Command. From Jul to Oct 1941 she made three round trips to Iceland, and on 08 Dec 1941 arrived at Charleston, SC, for six weeks' refit. On 12 Feb 1942, she left St. John's to escort SC.69 to Londonderry. In Mar 1942 she joined the newly formed WLEF, shifting in June to Halifax Tanker Escort Force for one round trip to Trinidad and two round trips to Aruba with Tanker convoys. In Sep 1942 she was placed under US control, escorting New York-Guantanamo convoys until Mar 1943, when she arrived at Charleston, SC, for refit, including fo'c's'le extension. On completion in mid-May 1942, and after workups at Pictou, she joined the newly established EG 5 (later EG 6) and returned to UK waters in Aug 1942. While serving with this support force on 20 Nov 1943, as escort to a U.K.-Gibraltar/ Freetown convoy, she took part in the sinking of U-536 north of the Azores. When the group replaced its corvettes with frigates in Mar 1944, HMCS Snowberry proceeded to Baltimore, MD, for five weeks' refit, afterward returning to Halifax. She went to Bermuda to work up in July 1944, and on returning was briefly assigned to WLEF but left St. John's in mid-September for the UK. There she joined Portsmouth Command for the balance of the war. She was handed back to the RN at Rosyth on 8 Jun 1945, and sunk as a target vessel off Portsmouth in 1946. She was salvaged and broken up at Thornaby-on-Tees in 1947.
(Ron Bell Photo)
HMCS Snowberry (K166) (Flower-class).
(DND Photo)
HMCS Snowberry (K166) (Flower-class).
(USN Naval History and Heritage Photos)
HMCS Snowberry (K166)
HMCS Sorel (K153)
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3199119)
HMCS Sorel (K153) (Flower-class) during workups off Pictou, Nova Scotia, in July 1943.
Commissioned at Sorel on 19 Aug 1941, HMCS Sorel arrived at Halifax on 30 Aug 1941. She joined Sydney Force in Oct 1941 but transferred in Nov 1941 to Newfoundland Force, leaving St. John's on 18 Nov 1941 to escort convoy SC.55 to Iceland. On her next trip, mechanical defects forced her to go on to the UK, and she arrived at Leith, Scotland, 17 Jan 1942, for ten weeks' repairs. She left Londonderry on 23 Apr 1942 to join convoy ON.88, and in May 1942 joined WLEF. Between 19 Oct 1942, and Feb 1943, she underwent refit, including fo'c's'le extension, successively at Liverpool, NS, Pictou, and Halifax. In Feb 1943 she entered service as a training ship, first at Digby, then at St. Margaret's Bay, and at Pictou. In Sep 1943, she was temporarily allocated to EG C-3 for one round trip to Londonderry, and on her return underwent refit at Halifax and Dartmouth. This refit was completed on 31 Mar 1944, and she then proceeded to Bermuda for workups and on her return was assigned to WEF's EG W-4 for the rest of the war. Paid off on on 22 Jun 1945, she was sold to the Yugoslav Navy on 16 Nov 1945. While manned by a Yugoslav crew, she ran aground on the southern point of Henry Island on 13 Dec 1945.
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Sorel (K153) (Flower-class).
(DND Photo)
HMCS Sorel (K153) (Flower-class).
HMCS Spikenard (K198)
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MC-2975)
HMCS Spikenard (K198) (Flower-class). Built for the RN, she was commissioned on 06 Dec 1940, at Quebec City as HMS Spikenard. She arrived at Halifax five days later to complete fitting out and working up. She left Halifax on 21 Jan 1941, escorting convoy HX.104 to the UK, where she received her finishing touches at South Shields, Tyne, from 04 Feb to 21 Apr 1941. She arrived at Tobermory on 22 Apr 1941 to work up, and on 15 May 1941 she transferred to the RCN and was commissioned as HMCS Spikenard. On 10 June 1941 she left Aultbea to escort convoy OB.332. Arriving at Halifax on 25 Jun 1941, she joined Newfoundland Command, and between Jul 1941 and Jan 1942, made three round trips to Iceland as ocean escort. On 1 Feb 1942, she left St. John's for convoy SC.67 on the recently inaugurated "Newfie-Derry" run, and on 10 Feb 1942 HMCS Spikenard was torpedoed and sunk by U-136, (Type VIIC) about 465 nautical miles west of Malin Head, Ireland in position 56º10'N, 21º07'W, while escorting convoy SC-67.
Convoy SC.67 sailed early in Feb 1942 from St. John's bound for Londonderry. HMCS Spikenard K198 was the senior ship of the escort for SC.67. Other escorts included Corvettes HMCS Chilliwack K131, HMCS Shediac K110, HMCS Louisburg K143, HMCS Lethbridge K160 and HMCS Dauphin K157. Just before 2300 hrs on 10 Feb 1942, the convoy was due south of Iceland, when HMCS Chilliwack attacked a submerged contact on the port bow of the formation. Almost immediately thereafter, HMCS Louisburg at the rear of the convoy spotted the wake of a torpedo running down her port side. HMCS Spikenard had been zigzagging on the starboard wing of the convoy when another torpedo struck the nearby tanker, Heina. A few seconds later, a torpedo struck HMCS Spikenard, ripping out her forepeak and destroying the bridge and radio. HMCS Spikenard may have become aware of U-136 in the few minutes before, as action stations had been sounded and her speed increased just before she was hit. Within minutes, HMCS Spikenard sank by the fore and headed for the bottom. Only eight men survived, found by a westbound British ship the next day. HMCS Spikenard had been torpedoed at about the same time as the tanker, and sank so quickly, that the other escorts didn't realize she was gone until morning.
HMCS St. Lambert (K343)
(RCN Photo)
HMCS St. Lambert (K343) (Flower-class). Built at Quebec City, she was commissioned there on 27 May 1944. She arrived at Halifax on 19 Jun 1944 and in Jul 1944 sailed for Bermuda to work up. On her return in mid-Aug 1944, HMCS St. Lambert was assigned to EG C-6, Londonderry, and left St. John's 18 Sep 1944 to join convoy HXF.308 for her passage there. She served on North Atlantic convoys for the rest of her career, leaving St. John's on 27 May 1945, as escort to HX.358, the last HX convoy of the war. In mid-Jun 1945 she sailed for Londonderry on her final trip homeward and was paid off on 20 Jul 1945 and laid up at Sorel for disposal. Sold in 1946 for conversion to a merchant ship, she became the Panamanian Chrysi Hondroulis and, in 1955, the Greek-flag Loula, last noted in Lloyd's Register for 1957-58.
(DND Photo)
HMCS St. Lambert (K343) (Flower-class).
HMCS Stellarton (K457)
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Stellarton (K457) (Flower-class). Built at Midland, Ontario, she was commissioned at Quebec City on 29 Sep 1944, HMCS Stellarton arrived at Halifax late in Oct 1944 and sailed for Bermuda early in Nov 1944 to work up. She left Bermuda on 4 Dec 1944 for St. John's, where she joined EG C-3 and on 4 Jan 1945, sailed to pick up her first convoy, HX.329. She was employed for the rest of the war as a mid-ocean escort, and left Londonderry for the last time on 21 May 1945 to join ON.304. On 1 Jul 1945 she was paid off and placed in reserve at Sorel until 1946, when she joined the Chilean navy as Casma. She was paid off in 1967 and broken up in 1969.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Stellarton (K457) (Flower-class).
(DND Photo)
HMCS Stellarton (K457) (Flower-class).
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).
HMCS West York (K369)
(DND Photo)
HMCS West York (K369) (Flower-class). Built by Midland Shipyards, Ltd., Midland, Ontario, she was commissioned at Collingwood, Ontario, on 6 Oct 1944. HMCS West York arrived at Halifax in mid-Nov 1944 and left a month later for Bermuda to work up. In Feb 1945, she joined EG C-5 at St. John's, leaving 16 Feb 1945 to rendezvous with her maiden convoy, HX.338. She made three round trips across the Atlantic before the end of her career, the last one as escort to ON.305, which she joined from Londonderry at the end of May 1945. Paid off on 9 Jul 1945, and laid up at Sorel, she was sold later that year for commercial use. As SS West York, she was towing the decommissioned HMCS Assiniboine when the towline parted and the destroyer was wrecked on Prince Edward Island, 7 Nov 1945. The former West York sailed under a variety of names and flags, returning to Canadian registry in 1960 as Federal Express. On 5 May 1960 she was rammed by Polaris (Swedish vessel) while moored at Montreal. She broke free from her moorings and rammed into Thorshope (Norwegian vessel) and sank within 30 minutes. Later partly raised and scrapped.
(RCN Photo)
HMCS West York (K369) (Flower-class).
HMCS Wetaskiwin (K175)
(Ken Macpherson, Naval Museum of Alberta Photo)
HMCS Wetaskiwin (K175) (Flower-class). Laid down as HMCS Banff, she was renamed HMCS Wetaskiwin during construction. Commissioned at Esquimalt on 17 Dec 1940 as HMCS Wetaskiwin K175, she was the first west coast-built corvette to enter service. She patrolled out of Esquimalt until 17 Mar 1941 when HMCS Alberni, HMCS Agassiz and HMCS Wetaskiwin departed Esquimalt for Halifax. Enroute they stopped at San Pedro, California for fuel, where a party for the crew, hosted by actress Mary Pickford and her husband Douglas Fairbanks, was held for them. They arrived at Halifax on 13 Apr 1941. On 23 May 1941, HMCS Alberni, HMCS Agassiz and HMCS Wetaskiwin left Halifax for St. John's to join the recently formed NEF. In Jun 1941 she escorted her first convoy, HX.130, to Iceland, and during the next eight months made six round trips there with eastbound convoys. She returned to Halifax on 24 Jan 1942, and in Feb 1942 commenced a major refit at Liverpool, NS. After working up in May 1942 she joined EG C-3, arriving in Londonderry on 5 Jun 1942 for the first time from convoy HX.191. During this period Wetaskiwin participated in two major convoy actions: SC.42 (Sep 1941); and SC.48 (Oct 1941). On 31 July 1942, while escorting ON.115, she shared with HMCS Skeena the sinking of U-588. In mid-Jan 1943 she arrived at Liverpool, NS, for refit, which was completed on 9 Mar 1943 and followed by further repairs at Halifax. In May 1943, she joined EG C-5, and that Dec 1943 went to Galveston, Texas, for a long refit, including extension of her fo'c's'le. Following its completion on 6 Mar 1944, she returned briefly to Halifax before proceeding to Bermuda for work-ups late in Apr 1944. Returning northward, she re-joined C-5, leaving Londonderry on 23 Sep 1944 for the last time to join EG W-7, WLEF, for the remainder of the war. She was paid off at Sorel on 19 Jun 1945, and sold in 1946 to the Venezuelan Navy, which re-named her Victoria. She was discarded in 1962.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Wetaskiwin (K175) (Flower-class).
(Marlene Hill Photo)
HMCS Wetaskiwin (K175) (Flower-class).
(Marlene Hill Photo)
HMCS Wetaskiwin (K175) (Flower-class).
(Marlene Hill Photo)
HMCS Wetaskiwin (K175) (Flower-class).
(US Naval History and Heritage Photos)
HMCS Wetaskiwin (K175)
HMCS Weyburn (K173)
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950904)
HMCS Weyburn (K173) (Flower-class). Commissioned at Montreal on 26 Nov 1941, she arrived at Halifax on 06 Dec 1941 and joined Halifax Force for local escort work, but was soon in need of repairs. These were carried out at Halifax during Mar and Apr 1942, following which she joined WLEF. In Jul 1942 she transferred to Gulf Escort Force for Quebec City-Sydney convoys but in Sep 1942 was allocated to duties in connection with Operation "Torch." She arrived at Londonderry on 27 Sep 1942 from convoy SC.100, and at Liverpool on 02 Oct 1942 for fitting of Oerlikon A/A guns. The work was completed on 21 Oct 1942 and in Nov 1942, HMCS Weyburn began four months' employment as escort to UK-Mediterranean convoys. On 22 Feb 1943 HMCS Weyburn was mined off Cape Espartel east of Gibraltar in position 35º46'N, 06º02'W. Twelve members of her crew including her commanding officer were lost with the ship. The mine had been laid by U-118 on 1 Feb 1943.
(DND Photo, NP-1012)
HMCS Weyburn (K173) (Flower-class).
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No.4950903)
HMCS Weyburn (K173) (Flower-class).
(DND Photo)
HMCS Weyburn (K173) (Flower-class).
HMCS Whitby (K346)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Whitby (K346) (Flower-class). Built at Midland, Ontario, she was commissioned at there on 6 Jun 1944. She did not arrive at Halifax until 16 Aug 1944, owing to a layover en route at Shelburne for repairs. Following workups in Bermuda in Sep 1944 she sailed direct to St. John's, arriving on 30 Sep 1944, and was assigned to EG C-4. She left St. John's on 5 Oct 1944 for Londonderry to join the group, with which she was to serve for the balance of the war. HMCS Whitby left Londonderry for Canada in mid-Jun 1945, and was paid off on 16 Jul 1945 and then placed in reserve at Sorel. She was sold in 1946 for merchant service. HMCS Whitby was acquired by the Portuguese Navy from the USA, and renamed NRP Bengo on 29 Apr 1948, probably for the delivery voyage to Mozambique, and on 1 Oct 1948 converted to pilot tender and renamed Bengo. She was still in service as the pilot vessel Bengo at Lourenco Marques (now Maputo) in Mozambique in Aug 1977.
HMCS Windflower (K155)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Windflower (K155) (Flower-class), during acceptance trials in 1940, no armament fixed. Built for the RN, she was commissioned on 20 Oct 1940 as HMS Windflower, at Quebec City. She arrived at Halifax on 31 Oct 1940 and left on 6 Dec 1940 with convoy HX.94 for the UK. There, at Scotsoun, she completed fitting out on 2 Mar 1941, following which she went to Tobermory to work up. Later in Mar 1941 she was assigned to EG 4 (RN), Greenock, escorting convoys between the UK and Iceland. On 15 May 1941 she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned as HMCS Windflower. She left Aultbea on 10 Jun 1942 for St. John's with OB.332, and on arrival transferred to Newfoundland Command. After two round trips between St. John's and Iceland, she arrived at Liverpool, NS, on 29 Aug 1942 for a short refit, resuming her ocean escort duties in mid-Oct 1942. She made one more round trip to Iceland, and on 7 Dec 1941, while making her second trip, was rammed and sunk in convoy SC.58 by the Dutch freighter Zypenberg in dense fog off the Grand Banks. Twenty-three of her complement were lost.
HMCS Woodstock (K238)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Woodstock (K238) (Flower-class). Built by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario, HMCS Woodstock was commissioned on 1 May 1942, at Montreal. She arrived at Halifax on 23 May 1942 and, after working up at Pictou, joined WLEF. Assigned to Operation "Torch," she arrived on 23 Sep 1942 at Londonderry from convoy HX.207 and proceeded to the Humber for six weeks' refit, including extra A/A armament. While serving as escort to UK-Mediterranean convoys, on 10 Jan 1943, she sank MTB 105, 250 miles northwest of the Azores, after a merchant ship carrying it had been sunk. HMCS Woodstock returned to Canada arriving in Halifax on 24 Mar 1943 with convoy ON.172, and in Apr 1943, after repairs at Halifax, joined EG C-1 for one round trip to the UK. In Jun 1943 she was transferred to EG 5, Western Support Force, at St. John's but late that month was reassigned to EG C-4 at Londonderry. She escorted only one convoy as member of that group before commencing refit late in Jun 1943 at Liverpool, NS. Completed at Halifax in mid-Sep 1943, the refit was followed by three weeks' workups at Pictou, the ship then rejoining C-4. In Apr 1944, while at Londonderry, she was allocated to Western Approaches Command for invasion duties, and was so employed for the next three months. She left 'Derry for the last time on 3 Aug 1944, for two months' refit at Liverpool, NS. She left Halifax on 18 Oct 1944 for the west coast, arriving at Esquimalt a month later to join Esquimalt Force. On 27 Jan 1945, she was paid off there for conversion to a loop-layer but upon re-commissioning on 17 May 1945 was employed as a weather ship until finally paid off on 18 Mar 1946. Sold in 1948 for conversion to a whale-catcher, she entered service in 1951 as the Honduran-flag Olympic Winner. She passed into Japanese ownership in 1956, and was renamed Otori Maru No. 20, and in 1957, Akitsu Maru. She was broken up at Etajima in 1975.
(DND/RCN Photo, NP 1069)
HMCS Woodstock (K238) (Flower-class), with a depth charge exploding astern of her.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950910)
RCN Corvette in drydock.
