Royal Canadian Navy Cruisers HMCS Uganda (C66), renamed HMCS Québec (C31), and HMCS Ontario (C32), 1944-1958

Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) 1944-1958,

Cruisers (Crown Colony Class), and (Minotaur Class)

Light Cruisers

HMCS Uganda (C66) (Crown Colony-class Light Cruiser), later renamed HMCS Québec (C31); HMCS Ontario (C32) (Minotaur-class)

HMS Uganda (C66)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Uganda (C66), 1946.

HMS Uganda (C66), was a Second World War-era Crown Colony-class light cruiser launched in 1941.  She served in the Royal Navy during 1943 and 1944, including operations in the Mediterranean, and was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy as HMCS Uganda (C66) in October 1944.  She served in the Pacific theatre in 1945 and was put into reserve in 1947.  When she was reactivated for the Korean War in 1952 she was renamed HMCS Québec.  She was decommissioned for the last time in 1956 and scrapped in Japan in 1961.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Uganda (C66), overhead view showing her 3 triple BL 6-inch Mk XXIII guns.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Uganda (C66), at anchor in Magdalena Bay, Mexico.

(Naval Museum of Halifax Photo)

HMCS Uganda (C66.)

(Naval Museum of Halifax Photo)

HMCS Uganda (C66).

(Naval Museum of Halifax Photo)

HMCS Uganda (C66).

(Naval Museum of Halifax Photo)

HMCS Uganda (C66).

(Naval Museum of Halifax Photo)

HMCS Uganda (C66).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3524731)

HMCS Uganda, Esquimalt, BC, 15 Feb. 1946.

(Rodney Carson Photo)

HMCS Uganda, 1945.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Uganda (C66), 1946.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Uganda (C66), San Francisco, California.

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(John Gabel Photo)

HMCS Uganda (C66).

(CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Photo)

The gundeck of HMCS Uganda after shelling Miyakojima in May, 1945.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Uganda (C66), 1946.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3524549)

Guard of Honour and Band at the recommissioning of HMCS Quebec, Esquimalt, British Columbia, 14 January 1952.

(DND Photo via Monty Mills)

HMCS Uganda (C66), Villefranche-sur-Mer, ca early 1950's.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3624562)

Sailors setting shell fuses on board HMCS Uganda (C66), 23 Jun 1945.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3191651)

HMCS Uganda (C66) bombarding Sukuma Airfield on Miyako Jima, 4 May 1945.

(RCN and IWM Photo, ABS 698)

HMCS Uganda (C66), while serving with the British Pacific Fleet, 1945.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4821077)

HMCS Uganda (C66), ca 1947.

HMCS Québec (C31)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Uganda, having been renamed HMCS Québec on 14 January 1952, spent the rest of her career as a training ship. HMCS Québec was one of the vessels representing Canada at the naval review for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation in June 1953. In that vein she conducted several Pacific cruises “showing the flag”.

After transiting from Esquimalt to Halifax in 1952, HMCS Québec sailed for Newfoundland where she took Lieutenant Governor Sir Leonard Outerbridge CBE - DSO, on an official tour of isolated Newfoundland out ports.  This was a RCN service guaranteed under the terms of union with Canada.  Upon returning to Halifax, HMCS Québec was selected as the flagship of Rear Admiral Bidwell, and tasked to lead Canada's Coronation Squadron to the Queen's Review of all Royal Naval and USN Vessels at Spit head.  In 1955 HMCS Québec was tied up at the RCSCC Training Camp [Protector] at Point Edward Naval Station, Cape Breton NS.  She was finally paid off on 13 Jun 1956.  On 6 Feb 1961 she arrived at Osaka, Japan to be broken up.

Armament: (Post war) nine 6-inch (152-mm) guns (3 x III), eight 4-inch (102-mm) guns (4 x II), fourteen 40-mm guns (3 x IV, 2 x I), and six 21-inch (533-mm) torpedo tubes (2 x III).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3524551)

HMCS Quebec heeling in rough seas during exercises. 18 Sept 1952.

(DND Photo via Monty Mills)

HMCS Quebec, at Saint Lucia in the Windward Islands, c1956.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951392)

HMCS Québec (C31), ca 1956.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4821173)

HMCS Québec (C31), Copenhagen, Denmark, 1954.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951382)

HMCS Québec (C31), receiving supplies from HMCS Magnificent, 1952.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951384)

HMCS Québec (C31), jackstay transfer of pers to HMCS Magnificent, 1952.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Québec (C31).(USN Naval History and Heritage Photos)

HMCS Ontario (C32)

(Maritme Museum of Halifax Photo)

HMCS Ontario (C32).

(Maritme Museum of Halifax Photo)

HMCS Ontario (C32).

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ontario (C32), c1949.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ontario (C32) manoeuvers to come alongside in Esquimalt.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ontario (C32) steaming into Belfast Harbour.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ontario (C32).

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ontario (C32) at San Diego, California in 1949.

(Terry Gunn Photo)

HMCS Ontario (C32) at Malta enroute to the Pacific.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950944)

HMCS Ontario (C32) in 1945.  She was a Minotaur-class light cruiser built for the Royal Navy as HMS Minotaur (53), but transferred to the RCN on completion and renamed HMCS Ontario.  HMS Minotaur was laid down on 20 November 1941 by Harland & Wolff of Belfast and was launched on 29 July 1943 and transferred to the RCN in July 1944.  She was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in July 1944, and completed and commissioned as HMCS Ontario on 25 May 1945 at Belfast.  She sailed to join the 4th Cruiser Squadron in the Pacific Theatre, but was too late to see active service, although she was employed in the operations at Hong Kong, Manila and in Japan.  She returned home for refit, arriving at Esquimalt, BC, on 27 Nov 1945.  In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.  She was used for training duties postwar until paid off on 15 October 1958.  She arrived at Osaka for breaking up on 19 November 1960.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4821379)

HMCS Ontario (C32), passing Duntz head, Esquimalt.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951249)

HMCS Ontario (C32), passing Duntz head, Esquimalt.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4821380)

HMCS Ontario (C32), 7 Feb 1958.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4821179)

HMCS Ontario (C32), docked at Esquimalt.

(State Library of Victoria, Australia Photo)

HMCS Ontario (C32), ca Feb 1951.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951128)

HMCS Ontario (C32), Midshipman B.A. Rogers in front of the warship's main guns, 1957

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3205099)

Ship's company, HMCS Ontario (C32), Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 21 November 1945.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ontario returning to Esquimalt, 1949.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ontario.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ontario transiting the Panama Canal.

(Roy Dunbar Photo)

HMCS Ontario in Milford Sound, New Zealand, 1953.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ontario firing from A and B turrets, August 1950.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ontario in drydock in 1950. Esquimalt, Yarrows Dry Dock, at that time one of the largest dry docks in the world.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ontario.

(RCN Photo via Linda Hebbert)

HMCS Ontario (C32) transiting the Kiel Canal, June 1955.

(Naval Museum of Halifax Photo)

HMCS Ontario (C32).

(State Library, Victoria, Australia Photo)

HMCS Ontario (C32).

(Ed Chadwick Photo)

HMCS Ontario returning from Alaskan cruise.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Ontario, last port visit, Vancouver, BC, Aug 1958.

(RCN Photo)

Admiral's inspection of HMCS Ontario, Esquimalt, BC, 7 July 1949.