Royal Canadian Navy Fairmile Motor Launch: ML Q101 to ML Q129

RCN Fairmile Motor Launch

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950978)

Fairmile Motor Lanches, some from the 65th Canadian MTB Flotilla, Great Yarmouth, UK ca. 1945.

ML Q101.  Built by Mac-Craft Ltd., Sarnia, Ontario, she was delivered to the RCN on 7 Nov 1942.  In Jan & Feb 1945, Q101 was listed as part of the 78th ML Flotilla, Bermuda.  She was sold in 1945 to Great Lakes Lumber and Shipping Company, Fort William, Ontario and was renamed Edmar and later Nellie D.

ML Q102

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q102.  Built by Mac-Craft Ltd., Sarnia, Ontario, she was delivered to the RCN on 18 Nov 1942.  In Jul 1944 and Jan 1945, Q102 was part of the 77th ML Flotilla, St. Johns, Newfoundland.  Sold in 1945 to Francis Farwell, Hamilton, Ontario she was renamed Quetzal, later Curlew, Salissa M, Moondance, and Enterprise II.

ML Q103

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q103.  Built by Mac-Craft Ltd., Sarnia, Ontario, she was delivered to the RCN on 18 Nov 1942.  In Jan and Jul 1944, Q103 was part of the 78th Ml Flotilla, Bermuda.  She was sold in 1947 to C.M. Weegar, Penetang, Ontario, and renamed One-O-Three, later Lady Simone.  She was eventually scrapped.

ML Q104

(Kevin Joynt Photo)

ML Q104 was delivered to the RCN on 4 Aug 1943.  While she flew the White Ensign, she was not commissioned into the RCN but instead was listed as a tender to HMCS Sambro, the depot ship for escorts (tenders were not commissioned vessels).   In Feb 1944 and Feb 1945, Q104 was listed as part of the 70th ML Flotilla, Bermuda.  In Apr 1944, her CO, Lt McLaughlin, was the SO of the 70th ML Flotilla.  In Feb 1945, her CO, Lt Galway, was the SO of the 70th ML Flotilla.  Q 104 was removed from service in 1945.  On 15 Sep 1945, three Fairmiles (Q104, Q105 and Q107) were towed by the ships Glencove and Glenora to Rimouski for the Arts and Trades School.  Q104 was then loaned to Quebec Provincial Government.  Re-acquired by the navy she became HMCS Cougar in 1954, international call sign CYXC, pendant 704 and radiotelephone  “Disband Z".  In Jan 1956 she was transferred to HMCS Star, Hamilton, Ontario as a “tender” and paid off on 4 Nov 1956. Ca. 1957, she was moved by land to the Dundas Branch of the Navy League for their Sea Cadets as “club house” (at the Desjardins Canal, north side of Hamilton Harbour), RCSCC Dundas Sea Cadets.  She was scrapped there in the late 70s.

(J.A. Mark Emmerson, le Gers, France, Photos)

Launch of ML Q104 at Collingwood, Ontario, Aug 1943.

(J.A. Mark Emmerson, le Gers, France, Photo)

Five of the six ML’s of the 40th Flotilla, Q104, Q105, Q106, Q107, Q108, Q109 and HMCS Provider, Hamilton Harbour, Bermuda 1943/44.

Photograph taken from Harbour Road, Paget, with the Princess Hotel in the background.

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(J.A. Mark Emmerson, le Gers, France, Photo)

1944 Summer. Bermuda, Sunday Division on HMCS 'Provider, L. Gordon Emmerson, 3rd from left.

ML Q105

(DND Photo)

ML Q105 was built by Mac-Craft Ltd., Sarnia, Ontario, and delivered to the RCN on 5 Sep 1943.  While she flew the White Ensign, she was not commissioned into the RCN but instead was listed as a tender to HMCS Sambro, the depot ship for escorts (tenders were not commissioned vessels).  Q105 was listed as part of the 70th ML Flotilla, Bermuda.  After the war Q105 was loaned to Quebec Provincial Government, then sold privately and renamed Duc d'Orleans.  Duc D'Orleans was reportedly in Sarnia, Ontario, undergoing conversion to her former wartime configuration as ML Q105.

ML Q106

(Claude Décarie Photo)

ML Q106.  Built by Grew Boats Ltd., Penetanguishene, Ontario, she was delivered to the RCN on 28 Aug 1943.  While she flew the White Ensign, she was not commissioned into the RCN but instead was listed as a tender to HMCS Sambro, the depot ship for escorts (tenders were not commissioned vessels).  In Jun 1944 and Jan 1945, she served with the 70th Flotilla in Bermuda during the war.  Sold in 1945, she was re-acquired by the RCN and re-entered service as PTC 706.  On 28 June 1948, she was assigned to HMCS Star but suffered a serious fire in July of 1949 that required costly repairs.  On 18 May 1954, PTC 706 was commissioned as HMCS Beaver and she remained in service until b May of 1956, she was transferred to HMCS York but was declared surplus on 13 Nov 1957 as a result of dry rot.  She was laid up at the Hamilton Harbour Commission and by 1961 was reported to be in ruins.

(Claude Décarie Photo)

ML Q106.

(Claude Décarie Photo)

ML Q106.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3524493)

ML 106, HMCS Beaver (PTC706), 19 August 1950.

ML Q107

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q107 was built by Grew Boats Ltd., Penetanguishene, Ontario and delivered to the RCN on 11 Sep 1943.  While she flew the White Ensign, she was not commissioned into the RCN but instead was listed as a tender to HMCS Sambro, the depot ship for escorts (tenders were not commissioned vessels).  Q107 was listed as part of the 70th ML Flotilla, Bermuda.  On 15 Sep 1945, three Fairmiles (Q 104, Q 105 and Q 107) were towed by the ships Glencove and Glenora to Rimouski for the Arts and Trades School.  Q107 was later sold and renamed Miss Chevrolet, later Lady Latour.  She was destroyed by fire in 1951.

ML Q108

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q108.  Built by Midland Boat Works, Midland, Ontario, she was delivered to the RCN on 13 Aug 1943. While she flew the White Ensign, she was not commissioned into the RCN but instead was listed as a tender to HMCS Sambro, the depot ship for escorts (tenders were not commissioned vessels).  In Feb 1945, Q108 was listed as part of the 70th ML Flotilla in Bermuda.  Sold in 1945 to Radium Chemical Company Limited, Vancouver, and was renamed Machigonne II.  This was the third Fairmile to terminate her war service.  Her CO left on 19 Dec 1944.

ML Q109

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q109.  Built by Hunter Boats, Orillia, Ontario, she was delivered to the RCN on 23 Aug 1943.  While she flew the White Ensign, she was not commissioned into the RCN but instead was listed as a tender to HMCS Sambro, the depot ship for escorts (tenders were not commissioned vessels).  Q109 was listed as part of the 70th ML Flotilla, Bermuda.  Sold in 1948 to Francis Farwell, Hamilton, Ontario, she was re-named Quetzal II, Arara and Aruba.

ML Q110

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q110.  Built by Minett-Shields, Bracebridge, Ontario, she was delivered to the RCN on 8 Jul 1943.  In Jun 1944 and Feb 1945, Q110 was listed as part of the 78th ML Flotilla, Bermuda.  She was sold in 1949 to Louis Levin, Montreal and renamed Roseline, Miss Kingston, Saint-Louis IV and La Santa Maria IV.

ML Q111

(André Guévremont Photo)

ML Q111.  Built by LeBlanc Ship Building Co., J.H., Weymouth, NS, she was delivered to the RCN on 9 Sep1943.  In Apr 1944 and Feb 1945, Q111 was listed a part of the 78th ML Flotilla, Bermuda.  She was sold in 1945 to Gibson Mills Ltd, Vancouver.  She was re-acquired by the RCN and renamed PTC 711, later HMCS Moose in 1954.  She was sold in 1956.

ML Q112

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q112.  Built by Taylor and Sons, J.J., Toronto, Ontario, she was delivered to the RCN on 25 Oct 1943. While she flew the White Ensign, she was not commissioned into the RCN but instead was listed as a tender to HMCS Sambro, the depot ship for escorts (tenders were not commissioned vessels).  In Feb 1944 and Jan 1945, Q112 was listed as part of the 82nd ML Flotilla, Shelburne, NS.  Q112 is believed to have rescued some of the survivors from the British tanker Athel Viking, a part of Convoy BX-141 January 1945.  After the war Q112 became RCMP vessel Fort Walsh.  International call sign CGMR and pendant MP33.  In Sep 1958, the Fort Walsh was caught in a hurricane off Nova Scotia.   The Captain ran her aground on the shore of Scatterie Island rather than have her sink.  His crew were able to get ashore and shelter in the light house till the storm passed.  Fort Walsh remained on the rocks, and was slowly broken down by the sea.

(Don Gorham Photo)

RCMP Vessel Fort Walsh MP33 (former ML Q112).

ML Q113.  Built by Taylor and Sons, J.J., Toronto, Ont., she was delivered to the RCN on 20 Nov 1943.  While she flew the White Ensign, she was not commissioned into the RCN but instead was listed as a tender to HMCS Sambro, the depot ship for escorts (tenders were not commissioned vessels).  In Mar 1944 and 1945, Q113 was listed as part of the 82 ML Flotilla, Shelburne, Nova Scotia.  She was sold after the war to La Co-operative Transport, Isle de la Madeleine, Quebec  and renamed Laverniere.  She sank in 1947.

ML Q114

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q114.  Built by Greavette Boats Ltd., Gravenhurst, Ont., she was delivered to the RCN on 20 Nov 1943.  In Mar 1944 and Jan 1945, Q114 was listed as part of the 82nd ML Flotilla, Shelburne, NS.  After the war Q114 was transferred to and became RCMP vessel Fort Selkirk but was never commissioned.  She was sold to H. P. Leask and Roy Pyke, Halifax, Nova Scotia and renamed Amy Mae.  Later purchased by George Drew in Clark’s Harbour, Nova Scotia; he used her to haul lobsters out of Western Nova Scotia over to Rockland, Maine.  The Amy May was destroyed by fire in 1955.

(Don Gorham Photo)

Former ML Q114, RCMP Vessel Fort Selkirk MP31.

ML Q115

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q115.  Built by Mac-Craft Ltd., Sarnia, Ont., she was delivered to the RCN on 16 Nov 1943.  In Feb 1944 and Mar 1945, Q115 was listed as part of the 82nd ML Flotilla, Shelburne, NS.  She was sold in 1945 to the Upper Lakes and St. Lawrence Transportation Company, Toronto, and renamed Nelvana, later Outre Mer.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3203651)

Ship deck from one of the ships in the 82nd Flotilla on its way down the St. Lawrence to Halifax, Nova Scotia, December 1943.

ML Q116

(Linda Carleton Photo)

ML Q116 was launched on 25 Sep 1943.  She caught fire during construction.  She was finished but the delivery date is unknown.  In Apr 1944 and Mar 1945 Q116 was listed as part of the 82nd ML Flotilla, Shelburne, NS.  On 4 Jan 1945, U-1232, commanded by Kapt. Kurt Dobratz, attacked convoy SH0194 off (what is today) the Egg Island bell buoy.  After torpedoing several ships, the convoy's escort, aided by ships from Halifax, including HMCS Burlington and Q116, searched for the U-boat.  During the search, HMCS Burlington and ML Q116 collided - holing the Burlington's hull and severely damaging Q116s bow.  She was paid off in June 1945.  Re-acquired by the RCN n 1949, she was recommissioned as PT716.  In 1954 she was renamed HMCS Reindeer 716.  She burned in 1957.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4938638)

ML Q116 as HMCS Reindeer 716, Hamilton, Ontario, 23 April 1953.

ML Q117

(RCN Photo)

ML Q117.  Built by Grew Boats Ltd., Penetanguishene, Ontario, she was delivered to the RCN on 16 Nov 1943.In Jan 1944, Q117 was listed as part of the 82nd ML Flotilla,  Shelburne, NS.  Transferred to the RCMP in 1946, she was renamed Fort Steele.  Never commissioned, she was sold in 1946 and renamed Nakomis, later Supertrader, Polar Clipper.

(Gary Penelton Photo)

ML Q117.  Looking aft.

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q117.

ML Q118

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q118.  Built by Midland Boat Works, Midland, Ontario, she was delivered to the RCN on 6 Nov 1943 . In Jan 1944, Q118 was listed a part of the 82nd ML Flotilla, Shelburne, NS.  She was sold in 1945 to Frances Farwell, Hamilton, Ontario, and renamed Franliss III.

ML Q119

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q119.  Built by Minett-Shields Ltd., Bracebridge, Ont., she was delivered to the RCN on 16 Nov 1943. In Mar 1944 & 1945, Q119 was listed as part of the 82 ML Flotilla, Shelburne, NS.  After the war Q119 was transferred to the RCMP and became Fort Pitt MP 30, RCMP Ottawa.  International call sign CGMM until 1959.  Paid off and sold in 1959 she was renamed Sondra II.  As of 2012 she was still is use.

ML Q120

(DND Photo)

ML Q120.  Built by LeBlanc Shipbuilding History, J.H., Weymouth, NS, she was delivered to the RCN on 27 Jan 1944.  Q120 was a "B" Type ML. In Jan 1944, Q120 was part of the 82nd ML Flotilla, Shelburne, NS.  In Jan 1945, her CO, A/LCdr John Maxwell Todd was SO of the 82nd ML Flotilla.  Sold in 1945 to Upper Lakes and St. Lawrence Transportation Company, Toronto, she was renamed Nelvana II, later Osceola, The Lady Galadriel, and Independence.  In 1986 the state of Maryland bought her and renamed her Maryland Independence.  While owned by the state, she was powered by twin 260 HP Volvo diesel engines and had a cruising speed of twelve knots.  She was operated and maintained by three full-time and one part-time personnel.  She had a carrying capacity of 35 passengers and could accommodate 70 passengers while dockside.  The vessel also had 3 guest staterooms, main and dining salons, 2 guest heads, galley, crew quarters, sundeck and flybridge.  She was the sailing ambassador for the state of Maryland.  On 11 Dec 2003, the State of Maryland sold her on E-Bay for $275,000 to Paul W. Davies of Hagerstown, Maryland, who purchased her for recreation use.  He owned her until October 2006, when John Mabry III and Timothy Dauses purchased her.

(Bruce McCullogh Photo)

ML Q120.

ML Q121

(The Crowsnest Magazine Photo)

ML Q121 escorting U-889 into Shelburne, NS.  Built by LeBlanc Shipbuilding Co. J.H., Weymouth, NS, ML Q121 was delivered to the RCN on 17 Apr 1944.  She was a "B" Type ML.  In Apr 1944 Q121 was listed as part of the 82 ML Flotilla, Shelburne, NS.  Retained after the war she was renamed PTC 721 in Jun 1948.  She was intended to be transferred to HMCS Cataraqui, but was removed from service in 1950 and sold in 1953 becoming Inshore Fisherman and later Denis D.  She was scrapped in 1972 or soon there after.

(Kevin Joynt Photo)

ML Q121.

(Sam Seright Photo)

ML Q121, 5 Sep 1945.

(The Maritime Museum of the Great Lakes Photo)

ML Q121 as PTC 721, Brockville, Ontario, ca 1948-50.

ML Q122.  Built by Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd., Vancouver, B.C., she was delivered to the RCN on 17 May 1944.  Q091 was a "B" Type ML.  Sold in 1945 to Hamiltair Limited, Vancouver she was renamed Malibu Tyee, later Nancy N. Seymour, and Sogno d'Oro.

ML Q123.  Built by Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd., Vancouver, B.C., she was delivered to the RCN on 5 Jun 1944.  Q123 was a Type "B" ML.  Sold in 1945 to Hamiltair Limited, Vancouver, she was renamed Malibou Marlin and later Toluca.

ML Q124

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q124.  Built by Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd., Vancouver, B.C., she was delivered to the RCN on 30 June 1944. W  Q124 was a Type "B" ML.  Paid off in 1945, she was re-acquired by the RCN and in 1954 renamed HMCS Elk.  On 8 June 1948 she became HMC ML124, call sign CZDL. She became HMCS Elk in 1954, based on the West Coast with international call sign CZDL, pendant 724 and radiotelephone “Catapult A”.  HMCS Elk was discarded in 1956.  She was the only post Second World War Fairmile ML to serve on the West Coast.  Removed from service and sold in 1956, she became Teirrah in 1962, and later Pacific Gold in 1965.  In 1997 she was sold to Greek owned "Zeus Cruises" and renamed Zeus II.   Zeus Cruises, later renamed "Variety Cruises" has confirmed that the Zeus II was broken up several years ago.  Zeus II was last noted on a travel website in 2012.

(Joseph Robert Photo)

ML Q124 as PTC724.

(Brian Dobing Photo)

ML Q124 as PTC724.

(Brian Dobing Photo)

ML Q124 as PTC724.

(Brian Dobing Photo)

ML Q124 as PTC724.

(Brian Dobing Photo)

ML Q124 as HMCS Elk at Pender Harbour, Dec 1954.

ML Q125

(Ron Gorham Photo)

ML Q125.  Built by Star Shipyards (Mercer's) Ltd., New Westminster, BC, she was delivered to the RCN on 22 Jul 1944.  Q125 was a "B" Type ML.  She was sold in 1945 to Hamiltair Ltd., Vancouver, and renamed Malibu Tillikum, later Yorkeen, Campana, Jornholm, and Gulf Stream II.  In October of 2016, Gulf Stream II was in danger of sinking in Porpoise Bay, BC.  She was pumped out and saved..  In November of 2017, she is once again in danger of sinking and had to be rescued.

ML Q126

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q126.  Built by Star Shipyards (Mercer's) Ltd., New Westminster, BC, she was delivered to the RCN on 8 Jul 1944.  She was sold in 1945 to Hamiltair Ltd., Vancouver, and renamed Princess Malibou.

ML Q127

(Kathy Cullen Photo)

ML Q127.  Built by Star Shipyards (Mercer's) Ltd., New Westminster, BC, she was delivered to the RCN on 27 Sep 1944.  She was sold in 1945 to Hamiltair Ltd., Vancouver, and renamed Chief Malibu.  The Chief Malibu sank at Princess Louisa Inlet, British Columbia in 1952.

ML Q128

(Don Gorham Photo)

ML Q128.  Built by A.C. Benson Shipyard, Vancouver, BC, she was delivered to the RN on 4 Jul 1944.  While she flew the White Ensign, she was not commissioned into the RCN but instead was listed as a tender to HMCS Sambro, the depot ship for escorts (tenders were not commissioned vessels).  She was a "B" Type ML, Displacement: 79 tons, Length: 112 ft, Beam: 17 ft, Draught: 4.9 ft, Speed: 22 kts, Complement: 3 officers, 14 men, Armament: three 20-mm AA guns.  She was sold in 1945 to Hamiltair Ltd., Vancouver and renamed Princess Louise Inlet.  She burned and sank in Pendreel Sound, BC on 18 Dec 1955.

ML Q129.  Built by A.C. Benson Shipyard, Vancouver, BC, she was delivered to the RCN on 16 Oct 1944.  While she flew the White Ensign, she was not commissioned into the RCN but instead was listed as a tender to HMCS Sambro, the depot ship for escorts (tenders were not commissioned vessels).  She was sold in 1945 to Hamiltair Ltd., Vancouver, and renamed Malibu Inez, later Huntress, Viking, and Island Adventures.

(IWM Photo, A 25162)

Fairmile Motor Launch (Type D) armed with a Molins autoloader and a 6-pounder 7-cwt gun Mk. IIA in a power operated Mk. VII mounting, and crew.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4166338)

Fairmile Motor Launches, NW Europe, damaged harbour, ca 1945.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3194301)

RN ML 230 loading landing craft for the raid on Dieppe, Aug 1942.

(IWM Photo, A14910)

Motor Gun Boats of the Royal Navy engaged a Group of E Boats in the North Sea in the Early Hours of 8 March 1943.  One of the E-boats was destroyed.  The MGB crew who took part in the action came from Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand.  Lt(N) J.S. Price, RNVR, Senior Officer of the MGBs, is shown here with SLt H.W. Keenan, RNVR, and the crew of his boat, at Lowestoft in the UK.

(IWM Photo, A14908)

Officers of the Motor Gun Boats of the Royal Navy that engaged a Group of E Boats in the North Sea in the Early Hours of 8 March 1943.   Left to right: Lieutenant C A Burke, RCNVR, Sub Lieutenant H W Keenan, RNVR, Lieutenant J S Price, RNVR, Sub Lieutenant Tyrwhitt-Drake, RNVR, Lieutenant C.V. Dale, RNVR.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4233794)

RN ML 185 alongside HMS Black Prince, a Dido Class cruiser who worked with our RCN destroyers on 'beat-up's around Brest in the months following D Day. The cruiser is firing its anti-aircraft guns off the coast of Normandy on 6 June 1944.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3203675)

RCN Fairmiles, line astern, May 1943.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3203674)

RCN Fairmiles, line abreast, May 1943.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 5102276)

Five Fairmiles in St. John's harbour, Newfoundland, c1943.

The versatile 112 foot“B” class Motor Launch (M.L.) was designed in England by the Fairmile Company and the boats were accordingly known as Fairmiles. 80 were built in Canada, 59 of them in Great Lakes boat yards. 14 of the remainder were built on the west coast and 7 at Weymouth, Nova Scotia. They were numbered Q 050 to Q 129.

The Fairmiles played avital role as escorts in the St. Lawrence River and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and as escorts to convoys between Newfoundland and the mainland. They also carried out A/S patrol, port defence and rescue duties, releasing larger escort craft urgently needed elsewhere.

In 1942, two flotillas were sent for the winter to the Caribbean, where the U-boats were enjoying great success owing to a shortage of U.S. escorts.

The 72nd and 73rd Flotillas, of six boats each, left Halifax in mid-December for Trinidad via Boston and other east coast ports. Stress of weather en route forced the 73rd Flotilla to return home after reaching Savannah, Georgia, but the boats of the 73rd Flotilla operated until the following spring out of Miami and Key West under the (U.S.) Commander, Gulf Sea Frontier. Their “mother ship” HMCS Provider was stationed at Key West. She also acted as base ship for the 70th and 78th Flotillas in Bermuda during the winter of 1943-44.

Early in June, 1943, M.L. 053 distinguished herself by recovering, intact, two mines of a barrage laid by U-119 in the Halifax approaches on 1 June. M.L.s 052, 062, and 063 were transferred to the Free French Forces in February 1943, and stationed at St. Pierre and Miquelon under operational control of the Flag Officer, Newfoundland.

Most of the Fairmiles were sold at war’s end, but half a dozen remained in service as training ships on the Great Lakes in the 1960s: Beaver (M.L. 106), Cougar (M.L. 104), Moose (M.L. 111), Raccoon (M.L. 079), Reindeer (M.L. 116), and Wolf (M.L. 062). A seventh, Elk (M.L. 124) served on the west coast. The animal names recalling those of the armed yachts whose duties the Fairmiles had taken over, were bestowed in 1954.

Specifications

“B” Type M.L.s 053-111
Displacement: 79 Tons
Dimensions: 112′ X 17’10” X 4’10”
Speed: 20 Kts.
Crew: 3 Officers, 14 Men
Designed Armament: 3 -20 mm

“B” Type M.L.s 112-129
Displacement: 79 Tons
Dimensions: 112′ X 17′ X 4’10”
Speed: 22 Kts.
Crew: 3 Officers, 14 Men
Designed Armament: 3 -20 mm

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