Royal Canadian Navy Frigates (River and Loch Class), 1942–1945

Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) 1942–1945,

Frigates (River and Loch Class)

Frigates

Frigates were initially called "twin-screw corvettes" and were larger and more habitable than the standard corvettes.  They had twice the endurance rate, at 7,200 sea miles at 12 knots.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950924)

RCN Frigates in line Firth of Clyde, c1945.

River and Loch Class Frigates

The RCN frigates were named for rivers, hence the name "River class".  60 frigates were built in Canada for the RCN in 1942/1943, and another ten were built for the United Kingdom on a lend-lease agreement with the USA.  In 1944 seven RN frigates were transferred to the RCN, along with three of the Loch class (a slightly larger model designed to be built from prefabricated parts).  Most of the RCN frigates were armed with twin 4-inch guns.

Prestonian Class Frigates

A few Frigates were retained by the RCN after the end of the Second World War, and between 1953 and 1958, 21 of the River class frigates were converted to flush-deck models and the quarterdeck was enclosed to house two Squid anti-submarine mortars.  The bridge was greatly enlarged and the funnel was heightened.  These modified warships were known as Prestonian class ocean escorts.  Most had been paid off by 1968.  HMCS Victoriaville was renamed HMCS Grandby in 1968 and became a diving tender.

River Class Frigates

HMCS Annan (K404) (River-class); HMCS Antigonish (K661) (River Class); HMCS Beacon Hill (K407) (River-class); HMCS Buckingham (K685) (River-class); HMCS Cap de la Madeleine (K663) (River-class); HMCS Cape Breton (K350) (River-class); HMCS Capilano (K409) (River-class); HMCS Carlplace (K664) (River-class); HMCS Charlottetown (K244) (River-class); HMCS Chebogue (K317) (River-class); HMCS Coaticook (K410) (River-class); HMCS Dunver (K03) (River-class); HMCS Eastview (K665) (River-class); HMCS Ettrick (K254) (River-class); HMCS Fort Erie (K670) (River-class); HMCS Glace Bay (K414) (River-class); HMCS Grou (K518) (River-class); HMCS Hallowell (K666) (River-class); HMCS Inch Arran (K667) (River-class); HMCS Joliette (K418) (River-class); HMCS Jonquiere (K318) (River-class); HMCS Kirkland Lake (K337) (River-class); HMCS Kokanee (K419) (River-class); HMCS La Hulloise (K668) (River-class); HMCS Lanark (K669) (River-class); HMCS Lasalle (K519) (River-class); HMCS Lauzon (K371) (River-class); HMCS Levis (K400) (River-class); HMCS Longueuil (K672) (River-class); HMCS Magog (K673) (River-class); HMCS Matane (K444) (River-class); HMCS Meon (K269) (River-class); HMCS Monnow (K441) (River-class); HMCS Montreal (K319) (River-class); HMCS Nene (K270)(River-class); HMCS New Glasgow (K320) (River-class); HMCS New Waterford (K321) (River-class); HMCS Orkney (K448) (River-class); HMCS Outremont (K322) (River-class); HMCS Penetang (K676) (River-class); HMCS Port Colborne (K326) (River-class); HMCS Poundmaker (K675) (River-class); HMCS Prestonian (K662) (River-class); HMCS Prince Rupert (K324) (River-class); HMCS Ribble (K525) (River-class); HMCS Royal Mount (K677) (River-class); HMCS Runnymede (K678) (River-class); HMCS Sea Cliff (K344) (River-class); HMCS Springhill (K323) (River-class); HMCS St. Catharines (K325) (River-class); HMCS Saint John (K456) (River-class); HMCS St. Pierre (K680) (River-class); HMCS St. Stephen (K454) (River-class); HMCS Ste. Thérèse (K366) (River-class); HMCS Stettler (K681) (River-class); HMCS Stone Town (K531) (River-class); HMCS Stormont (K327) (River-class); HMCS Strathadam (K682) (River-class); HMCS Sussexvale (K683) (River-class); HMCS Swansea (K328) (River-class); HMCS Teme (K458) (River-class); HMCS Thetford Mines (K459) (River-class); HMCS Toronto (K538) (River-class); HMCS Valleyfield (K329) (River-class); HMCS Victoriaville (K684) (River-class); HMCS Waskesiu (K330) (River-class); HMCS Wentworth (K331) (River-class).

Loch Class Frigates

HMCS Loch Achanalt (K424) (Loch-class); HMCS Loch Alvie (K428) (Loch-class); HMCS Loch Morlich (K517) (Loch-class).

Prestonian Class Frigates (Converted River Class Frigates), data is listed on a separate page on this web site.

HMCS Antigonish (301) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Beacon Hill (303) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Buckingham (314) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Cap de la Madeleine (317) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Fort Erie (312) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Inch Arran (308) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Jonquiere (318) (Prestonian-class); HMCS La Hulloise (305) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Lanark (321) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Lauzon (322) (Prestonian-class); HMCS New Glasgow (315) (Prestonian-class); HMCS New Waterford (304) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Outremont (310) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Penetang (316) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Prestonian (307) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Ste. Thérèse (309) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Stettler (311) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Sussexvale (313) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Swansea (306) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Toronto (319) (Prestonian-class); HMCS Victoriaville (320) (Prestonian-class).

HMCS Annan (K404)

(IWM Photo, FL624)

HMCS Annan (K404), River Class.  Built by Hall Russell & Co. Ltd., Aberdeen, Scotland, she was launched on 29 Dec 1943 as HMS Annan.  Named after a river in Scotland, she was transferred newly built from the RN to the RCN at Aberdeen on 13 Jun 1944 and commissioned as HMCS Annan K404.  On completion of workups at Tobermory, she joined EG 6, Londonderry, for patrol and escort duties in UK waters.  On 16 Oct 1944, while on A/S patrol south of the Faeroes, she engaged and sank U-1006, rescuing 46 survivors.  During the action, the sub surfaced and opened fire with her deck guns.

(Randy Hone Photo)

HMCS Annan (K404).  John Stronski on watch.

(Randy Hone Photo)

HMCS Annan (K404).  Quarter deck and starboard depth charge throwers and rails.

(Randy Hone Photo)

HMCS Annan (K404).  Quarter deck and port depth charge throwers and rails.

HMCS Antigonish (K661)

(City of Vancouver Archives Photo)

HMCS Antigonish (K661).  Commissioned at Victoria on 4 Jul 1944, she arrived at Halifax on 22 Aug 1944, and, after undergoing minor repairs, sailed for Bermuda in mid-Oct 1944 to work up.  On her return to Halifax on 2 Nov 1944, she joined EG 16, transferring with the group to Londonderry in Mar, 1945.  During the next three months HMCS Antigonish was employed on patrol and support duty, including two round trips to Gibraltar.  She left Londonderry in mid-Jun 1945 and on 3 Jul 1945 began tropicalization refit at Pictou, completing 17 Nov 1945.  On 22 Dec 1945 she left for Esquimalt and there, on 5 Feb 1946, was paid off into reserve.  She re-commissioned for training on 26 Apr 1947, and was paid off on 15 Jan 1954.  The ship was converted, 1956-57, to a Prestonian class ocean escort (301), and again took up her training role until finally paid off on 30 Nov 1966.  She was broken up in Japan in 1968.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Antigonish (K661), 15 Nov 1944.

HMCS Beacon Hill (K407)

(CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Photo)

HMCS Beacon Hill (K407) (River-class) in wartime disruptive pattern camouflage, ca 1944.  HMCS Beacon Hill (K407) (River-class).  Built by Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt, BC, she was commissioned there on 16 May 1944.  HMCS Beacon Hill arrived at Halifax on 11 Jul 1944, having escorted HMS Puncher from New Orleans to New York en route, and proceeded to Bermuda to work up.  On her return to Halifax she left in Sep 1944 to join EG 26, an RCN support group based at Londonderry, but for varying periods was detached to Plymouth and Portsmouth.  She remained in UK waters for the balance of the European war, leaving Greenock for home on 28 May 1945.  Intended for Pacific service, she underwent tropicalization refit at Liverpool, NS, from Jun to Nov 1945, and sailed from Shelburne for Esquimalt on 22 Dec 1945.  She was paid off at Esquimalt on 06 Feb 1946, but re-commissioned in the summer of 1949 for cadet training.  She was again paid off in 1954 for conversion to a Prestonian class ocean escort (303), was commissioned as such on 21 Dec 1957, and served on the west coast until finally paid off on 15 Sep 1967.  She was broken up in 1968 at Sakai, Japan.

HMCS Buckingham (K685)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Buckingham (K685) (River Class).  Laid down as HMCS Royalmount, she was renamed HMCS Buckingham on 5 Apr 1944.  Commissioned on 2 Nov 1944, at Quebec City, she proceeded to the east coast and sailed from Halifax on 18 Dec 1944 for Bermuda to work up.  She returned in mid-Jan 1945, and in Feb 1945 was assigned to EG 28, as a member of which she carried out escort and patrol duty out of Halifax until VE-Day.  In May she arrived at Shelburne, escorting the surrendered U-889.  In Jun 1945 she began a tropicalization refit at Liverpool, NS, continuing it at Shelburne until 20 Aug 1945, when it was suspended.  HMCS Buckingham was paid off on 16 Nov 1945 at Sydney and placed in reserve at Shelburne until 1946, when she was sold to Marine Industries Ltd.  Re-acquired by the RCN, she was converted to a Prestonian class ocean escort (304), 1953-54, and re-commissioned for training purposes.  Further modified by the addition of a helicopter landing deck aft, she carried out, Oct-Dec 1956, trials preliminary to the design of the destroyer helicopter carriers.  On 13 Feb 1959, HMCS Fort Erie, HMCS Buckingham, HMCS Swansea and HMCS La Hulloise returned to Halifax after a 5 week exercise in southern waters that included a port visit to Kingston, Jamaica.  In Apr 1963, 12 RCN ships, HMCS Algonquin, Micmac, Cayuga, St. Croix, Terra Nova, Kootenay, Swansea, La Hulloise, Buckingham, Cape Scott, CNAV Bluethroat and CNAV St. Charles, took part in NATO Exercise New Broom Eleven, an exercise designed to test convoy protection tactics.  She was paid off for the last time on 23 Mar 1965.  On 22 Mar 1966, Buckingham left Halifax under tow and arrived at Le Spezia on 11 Apr 1966 for scrapping.  One of her 4-inch/45 QF Mk. XVI* Twin Gun turrets is preserved in the village of Buckingham, Quebec.

(Author Photo)

4-inch/45 QF Mk. XVI* Twin Guns  (Serial No. S/14556), L, left, and (Serial No. S/covered with paint), R, right, on a Mk. XIX High Angle mounting, from HMCS Buckingham.  Buckingham, Quebec.

HMCS Cap de la Madeleine (K663)

(John Vukson Photo)

HMCS Cap de la Madeleine (K663),was built at Quebec city.  She was commissioned there on 30 Sep 1944.  She arrived at Halifax 20 Oct 1944, and soon afterward sailed for Bermuda to work up.  Returning in Dec 1944, she was allocated to EG C-7, MOEF, based at St. John's.  She left that port 28 Dec 1944, to accompany convoy HX.328 eastward, but was detached on 03 Jan 1945 to the westbound convoy ONS.39, as she had to return for repairs.  These were carried out successively at St. John's, Halifax and Quebec, and completed on 07 May 1945.  She then began tropicalization refit at Lauzon, but this was cancelled in Aug 1945 owing to termination of hostilities, and the ship was paid off 25 Nov 1945 at Shelburne, NS.  She was sold to Marine Industries Ltd., but later re-acquired by the RCN and converted to a Prestonian class unit (317).  Re-commissioned on 7 Dec 1954, she served on the east coast until paid off on 15 May 1965.  She was broken up the following year at La Spezia, Italy.

HMCS Cape Breton (K350)

(RCN Photo via the CFB Esquimalt Naval Museum)

HMCS Cape Breton (K350) (River-class).  Built at Quebec City, she was commissioned there on 25 Oct 1943.  She arrived at Halifax on 28 Nov 1943 and worked up in St. Margaret's Bay in Jan 1944.  Assigned to EG 6, a support group based at Londonderry, she left Halifax for the UK on 24 Feb 1944.  She operated at various times from "Derry, Portsmouth and Plymouth and in Apr 1944 sailed to Kola Inlet as escort for convoy RA.59.  On 28 Apr 1944, HMCS Cape Breton, in company with HMCS Waskesiu K330, HMCS Grou K518 and HMCS Outremont K322 departed Kola Inlet with Convoy RA.59; arriving at Loch Ewe on 06 May 1944.  She was also on hand on D-Day.  She returned to Canada  arriving on 6 Nov 1944 at Shelburne, NS, for a major refit.  This was completed in Apr 1945 and she was then sent to Bermuda to work up.  Assigned to EG 9, she left St. John's on 9 May 1945 with convoy HX.354, and later that month sailed from "Derry direct to Vancouver.  A tropicalization refit begun on 26 Jun 1945 was cancelled before completion and the ship was paid of 26 Jan 1946, after several months in reserve at Esquimalt.  She was sold in 1947 and expended as a breakwater in 1948, reportedly at Kelsey Bay, BC.

HMCS Capilano (K409)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Capilano (K409) (River-class).  Commissioned at Victoria, BC, on 25 Aug 1944, HMCS Capilano arrived at Halifax on 20 Oct 1944.  Following workups begun in St. Margaret's Bay and completed in Bermuda in Nov 1944, she joined EG C-2 in St. John's, Newfoundland, and was continuously on North Atlantic convoy duty until VE-Day.  On 9 Apr 1945, HMCS Capilano K409 was attacked by U-1023, Oblt Wolfgang Strenger, in the North Channel, but the attack was unsuccessful.  She left Londonderry for the last time on 30 May 1945, and on 10 Jun 1045 began tropicalization refit at Shelburne.  The work was completed on 13 Oct 1945, and on 24 Nov 1945, the ship was paid off at Halifax and placed in reserve in Bedford Basin.  She was sold for mercantile use in 1947, and in 1948 she appeared under Jamaican registry as Irving Francis M.  She foundered in 1953 off the Cuban coast while en route from Jamaica to Miami in tow of Bess Barry M., the former HMCS St. Boniface.

(Naval Museum of Manitoba Photo)

HMCS Capilano (K409) (River-class).  

HMCS Carlplace (K664)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Carlplace (K664) (River-class).  She was commissioned on 13 Dec 1944, at Quebec City, the last RCN frigate to enter service.  En route to Halifax, she suffered serious ice damage to her hull, necessitating several weeks' repairs at Halifax and Philadelphia.  She then proceeded to Bermuda to work up, returning to Halifax on 24 Mar 1945.  In Apr 1945 she was allocated to EG 16, Londonderry, and sailed for the Clyde via the Azores, escorting a RN submarine homeward bound from refit in the US.  She arrived at Londonderry on 23 Apr 1945 and left on 5 May 1945 to escort convoys to and from Gibraltar.  Late that month she returned to Canada from a tropicalization refit at Saint John, NB, begun on 2 Jun 1945 and continued at Shelburne, NS, on 10 Jul 1945.  The work was called off on 20 Aug 1945, and on 13 Nov 1945, the ship was paid off at Halifax and she was laid up at Shelburne.  She was sold to the Dominican Republic in 1946 for conversion to a presidential yacht, and renamed Presidente Trujillo after the President of the Dominican Republic.  In 1962 after the family Trujillo lost their grip of power on the country, she was renamed Mella and used as a yacht-training vessel by the navy of the Dominican Republic. Armed with 1x76.2-mm, 2x40-mm and 4x20-mm guns, she was also fitted out with American radar equipment.  She was based at Santo Domingo.  In 2003 she was offered free of charge by the Dominican Republic to Carleton Place, but they had to bring the vessel on their own account to Canada.  Unfortunately, she was in a bad shape and not much was left of the original vessel.  The offer was not accepted. Her  final disposition is unknown.

HMCS Charlottetown (K244)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Charlottetown (K244) (River-class).  Commissioned at Quebec City on 28 Apr 1944, HMCS Charlottetown visited her namesake city en route to Halifax on 22 May 1944.  She arrived in Bermuda on 18 Jun 1944 for a month's working-up, and on her return to Halifax was assigned to EG 16.  She left Halifax on 07 Mar 1945, for Londonderry, the group having been transferred there, and was also briefly based at Portsmouth. In May she escorted two convoys to Gibraltar and two back, and in mid-Jun 1945 left 'Derry' for Sydney, NS.  There she commenced a tropicalization refit that was completed at Halifax on 28 Feb 1946, and on 3 Mar 1946 left for Esquimalt.  She spent the rest of the year training cadets and new entries, and on 25 Mar 1947, was paid off at Esquimalt.  She was sold the same year, and her hull expended as a breakwater at Oyster Bay, BC.

(Robert Fryer Photo)

HMCS Charlottetown (K244) (River-class).

HMCS Chebogue (K317)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3199159)

HMCS Chebogue (K317) (River-class).  She was commissioned at Esquimalt on 22 Feb 1944, and sailed for Halifax on 15 Mar 1944, arriving on 12 Apr 1944 . After working up in Bermuda in May 1944 she returned to Canada and was assigned to EG C-1.  After visiting Yarmouth, NS, from 12-14 Jun 1944 she transited to St. John's, Newfoundland.  She left St. John's on 23 Jun 1944 for Britain as part of the escort of convoy HXF.296.  On her second return trip, this time as Senior Officer's ship of EG C-1 escorting convoy ONS.33, she was torpedoed by U-1227 on 8 Oct 1944, 800 miles west of the British Isles.  She had made some 900 miles under tow, successively, of HMCS Chambly, HMS Mournsey, HMCS Ribble, and the ocean tug HMS Earner when a storm caused the tow to part.  She grounded on the rocky sand of Port Talbot.  All 42 crew who were aboard were rescued.  The Chebogue was re-floated the following day, taken to Port Talbot and placed in reserve.  In Dec 1944 she was moved to Newport, Wales, to be made ready for a transatlantic crossing under tow, but instead was taken to Milford Haven and paid off on 25 Sep 1945.  She was broken up locally in 1948.

(Cathy Masters Photo)

HMCS Chebogue (K317), 4 Aug 1944, St. John's, Newfoundland.

(Peter Davis Photo)

HMCS Chebogue (K317) (River-class).

HMCS Coaticook (K410)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3554611)

HMCS Coaticook (K410) (River-class).  Built at Lauzon by Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., she was commissioned on 25 July 1944, at Quebec City.  HMCS Coaticook proceeded to Bermuda in mid-Sep 1944 for three weeks' working up.  She was then assigned to EG 27 with which she served on A/S and support duties out of Halifax for the balance of the war.  In Jun 1945, Coaticook sailed to Esquimalt, where she was paid off into reserved on 29 Nov 1945.  In 1949 her stripped hull was sunk for a breakwater at Powell River but was re-floated in 1961.  While in tow for Victoria to be broken up, the hull was found to be structurally unsound and instead scuttled off Race Rock.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Coaticook (K410) (River-class).

HMCS Dunver (K03)

(Diana Brown Photo)

HMCS Dunver (K03) (River-class).  Laid down as HMCS Verdun, in honour of Verdun, Quebec, her name was changed to HMCS Dunver to avoid confusion with HMS Verdun, already in commission.  She was the first frigate launched for the RCN, and was commissioned at Quebec City on 11 Sep 1943.  She arrived at Halifax on 3 Oct 1943, having escorted a Sydney-Halifax convoy en route.  After working up at Pictou, NS, she was allocated to EG C-5, and served continuously on North Atlantic convoys until Oct 1944.  In July 1944 she had been the Senior Officer's ship while escorting HXS.300, the largest convoy of the war with 167 merchant ships.  In Oct 1944, she commenced refit at Pictou, completing on 27 Dec 1944, and in Apr 1945, joined EG 27, based at Halifax, for the rest of the European war.  In Jun 1945 she went to the west coast for tropicalization, but this was discontinued in Aug 1945 and she was laid up at Esquimalt.  She was paid off on 23 Jan 1946.  HMCS Dunver was sold and her hull expended as part of a breakwater at Royston, BC, in 1948.  HMCS Hespeler and HMCS Dunver were credited with the sinking of U-484.  However, post war analysis credits the sinking of U-484 to HMS Portchester Castle and HMS Helmsdale.

(Glendon Oliver Photo)

HMCS Dunver (K03) (River-class), during a light line transfer ca 1944.  

(Jim Williams Photo)

HMCS Dunver (K03) (River-class), pulling away after a light line transfer ca 1944.  

 (DND Photo)

HMCS Dunver (K03) (River-class).

HMCS Eastview (K665)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Eastview (K665), (River-class).  Commissioned at Montreal on 3 Jun 1944, HMCS Eastview arrived at Halifax on 26 Jun 1944 and proceeded to Bermuda to work up.  On her return in Aug 1944 she was attached to EG C-6 as Senior Officer's ship, and on 18 Sep 1944 left St. John's, Newfoundland, with her first convoy, HXF.308.  For the balance of the European war she was continuously on Atlantic convoy duty, and was one of the escorts of HX.358, the last HX convoy of the war, leaving St. John's 27 May 1945.  That Jul 1945 she went to the west coast and had barely commenced tropicalization refit when work was stopped and the ship laid up in reserve at Esquimalt.  She was paid off on 17 Jan 1946, and sold in 1947, and her hull made part of a breakwater at Oyster Bay, BC, the following year.

HMCS Ettrick (K254)

(IWM Photo, FL 11755)

HMCS Ettrick (K254) (River-class), as HMS Ettrick, 1944.  She was one of the only six frigates of this Class to be fitted with steam turbine main propulsion engines instead of reciprocating machinery.  Named after a river in Scotland, HMS Ettrick was commissioned  on 11 Jul 1943, as an RN ship and assigned to EG C-1, a Canadian escort group.  On 29 Jan 1944, while undergoing a refit in Halifax, she was transferred to the RCN, and on completion of the refit on 6 May 1944 she was assigned to EG C-3.  She arrived in Bermuda on 30 Sep 1944 for a month's working-up, and on her return made two round trips to Londonderry with EG C-3, before being transferred in October to EG 27, Halifax.  She was employed locally until VE-Day, and on 30 May 1945, returned to the RN at Southampton.  She was then converted to a combined operations HQ ship, though never employed as such, and in Apr 1946, was laid up at Harwich.  In 1953 she was broken up at Grays, Essex.

(Bob Hanley Photo)

HMCS Ettrick (K254) (River-class).

HMCS Fort Erie (K670)

(Chris Carnall Photo)

HMCS Fort Erie (K670) (River-class).  Built by George T. Davie & Sons Lts., at Lauzon, Quebec, she was laid down as HMCS La Tuque, but was renamed HMCS Fort Erie in Mar 1944.  Commissioned at Quebec City on 27 Oct 1944, she did not arrive at Halifax until Dec 1944.  She worked up in Bermuda in mid-Jan 1945 and, on her return to Halifax, was assigned to EG 28, an RCN support group based on Halifax, for the duration of the European war.  Tropicalization refit, begun 2 Jun 1945, at Pictou, NS, was cancelled on 20 Aug 1945 and HMCS Fort Erie was paid off on 22 Nov 1945, to be laid up at Shelburne, NS.  She was sold in 1946 to Marine Industries Ltd., but re-acquired by the RCN and rebuilt in 1954 and 1955 as a Prestonian class ocean escort (312).  Re-commissioned 17 Apr1956, she was generally in service as a training ship.  On 13 Feb 1959, HMCS Fort Erie, HMCS Buckingham, HMCS Swansea and HMCS La Hulloise returned to Halifax after a 5 week exercise in southern waters that included a port visit to Kingston, Jamaica.  HMCS Fort Erie was paid off on 26 Mar 1965 at Halifax.  She was broken up at La Spezia, Italy, in 1966.

(Rob Stevens Photo)

HMCS Fort Erie (K670) (River-class).

HMCS Glace Bay (K414)

(Gary Penelton Photo)

HMCS Glace Bay (K414) (River-class).  Built at Lauzon, Quebec, she was commissioned on 2 Sep 1944, at Levis, Quebec.  She arrived at Halifax 23 Sep 1944.  She carried out workups in Bermuda in mid-Oct 1944 and on her return was assigned to EG C-4, Londonderry.  She left St. John's, Newfoundland, for Londonderry on 17 Nov 1944, escorting a number of U.S.-built sub-chasers destined for the Russian Navy.  Glace Bay was employed continuously on convoy duty until VE-Day, and early in Jun 1945, left 'Derry for the last time to spend several months at a variety of tasks off the east coast of Canada.  In Oct 1945 she made a round trip to Bermuda, and on her return was paid off on 17 Nov 1945 at Sydney.  She lay in reserve at Shelburne until sold in 1946 to the Chilean navy and re-named Esmeralda and in 1952, Bacquedano.  She was broken up in 1968.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Glace Bay (K414) (River-class).

HMCS Grou (K518)

(Naval Museum of Manitoba Photo)

HMCS Grou (K518) (River-class).  She was named for a French martyr of 1690 in lieu of the name Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec, the latter being considered overly long.  Built at Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, she was commissioned at Montreal on 4 Dec 1943.  She arrived at Halifax later that month, worked up in St. Margaret's Bay and in Mar 1944, was assigned to EG 6, Londonderry.  In Apr 1944 she went to the Kola Inlet and returned as escort, along with HMCS Waskesiu, HMCS Outremont and HMCS Cape Breton, to convoy RA.59 from North Russia, arriving at Loch Ewe on 6 May 1944.  Based at various times at 'Derry, Portsmouth, and Plymouth, she was present on D-Day on A/S patrol.  HMCS Grou left for home with convoy ON.285 on 17 Feb 1945, and on 4 Mar 1945 began a six-month tropicalization refit at Dartmouth, NS.  In Oct 1945 she left for the west coast, where she was paid off into reserve at Esquimalt on 25 Feb 1946.  She was broken up at Victoria in 1948.

HMCS Hallowell (K666)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Hallowell (K666) (River-class).  Commissioned on 8 Aug 1944, at Montreal, HMCS Hallowell arrived at Halifax on 3 Sep 1944 and left a month later for Bermuda to work up.  Returning early in Nov 1944, she was allocated to EG C-1 and was Senior Officer's ship from Dec 1944 onward, remaining with the group until the end of the European war.  She left St. John's 28 Nov 1944 to join convoy HX.322, and was thereafter continuously employed escorting North Atlantic convoys.  Early in Jun 1945, she left Greenock for home, and in Jul and Aug 1945 was engaged in transporting troops from St. John's to Canada.  She was paid off at Sydney on 7 Nov 1945 and placed in reserve at Shelburne.  Sold to Uruguayan interests in 1946, she was re-sold to a Palestinian firm in 1949 for conversion to a short-service Mediterranean ferry and re-named Sharon.  In 1952 she was acquired by the Israeli Navy, re-converted to a warship and re-named Misnak.  In 1959, she was again sold, this time to the Sinhaliese (Sri Lanka) Navy and re-named Gajubahu.  She was discarded in 1978.

(R. Pentland Photo)

HMCS Hallowell (K666) (River-class).

(Victor Borushynski Photo)

HMCS Hallowell (K666) (River-class).

HMCS Inch Arran (K667)

(Ryan Lee Photo)

HMCS Inch Arran (K667) (River-class).  Built at Lauzon, Quebec, she was commissioned on 18 Nov 1944, at Quebec City.  HMCS Inch Arran left for Halifax on 3 Dec 1944, visiting Dalhousie en route.  In Jan 1945 she proceeded to Bermuda to work up, and on her return to Halifax on 4 Feb 1945, she was assigned to EG 28.  She served for the rest of the war on A/S and supported duties out of Halifax, and on 13 May 1945 escorted the surrendered U-889 into Shelburne, NS.  Tropicalization refit, commenced on 6 Jun 1945 at Sydney, was suspended on 20 Aug 1945, and the ship was paid off on 28 Nov 1945.  Placed in reserve at Shelburne, she was sold in 1946 to Marine Industries Ltd., but re-acquired in 1951 by the RCN for conversion to a Prestonian class ocean escort (308) at Saint John, NB.  She was re-commissioned on 23 Aug 1954, serving on the east coast as a training ship until finally paid off on 23 June 1965.  She was then acquired by the Kingston Mariners' Association for conversion to a nautical museum and youth club, but was eventually scrapped in 1970.

(Jim Silvester Photo)

HMCS Inch Arran (K667) (River-class).

HMCS Joliette (K418)

(John Newton Photo)

HMCS Joliette (K418) (River-class).  Laid down at Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City on 19 Jul 1943, she was commissioned there on 14 Jun 1944.  HMCS Joliette left Quebec City on 1 Jul 1944 for Halifax, and th3en proceeded to Bermuda to work up.  Returning to St. John's in Aug 1944, she became a member of EG C-1 but on reaching Londonderry the following month was re-assigned to EG 25.  Returning to 'Derry on 22 Nov 1944  from her first round trip to Halifax, she ran aground in Lough Foyle, receiving extensive bottom damage.  Repairs were effected at Belfast from 5 Dec 1944 to 5 Apr 1945, after which HMCS Joliette went to Tobermory to work up.  She then returned to Londonderry, but sailed for Canada in Jun 1945.  On 19 Nov 1945, she was paid off at Sydney and laid up at Shelburne.  In 1946 she was sold to the Chilean Navy, to serve as Iquique.  She led the mission to establish the Chileans first station on Antarctica.  Iquique was disposed of in 1968.

(Keith Oliver Photo)

HMCS Joliette (K418) (River-class), looking forward from the Quarterdeck

(Brian Westhouse Photo)

HMCS Joliette (K418) with German U-boat U-889, Shelburne, Nova Scotia.

HMCS Jonquiere (K318)

(Naval Museum of Manitoba Photo)

HMCS Jonquiere (K318) (River-class).  Commissioned at Quebec City on 10 May 1944, she arrived at Halifax on 5 Jun 1944 and proceeded from there to Bermuda to work up.  Returning in Aug 1944, HMCS Jonquiere was assigned to EG C-2 and after three Atlantic crossings was transferred to EG 26 at Londonderry.  She was also based from time to time at Portsmouth and Plymouth, remaining in UK waters on A/S patrol until 27 May 1945, when she sailed with ON.305, the last westbound convoy.  She was paid off 4 Dec 1945 at Shelburne, NS, and later taken to Lauzon for conversion to a Prestonian class ocean escort (318), re-commissioning 20 Sep 1954.  Paid off on 12 Sep 1966, she was purchased by Capital Iron and Metal, Victoria, BC, in 1967 to be broken up.  Shortly after purchased the price of scrap metal plummeted and she was not broken until up late 1971, early 1972.

(Randy Dawson Photo)

HMCS Jonquiere (K318) (River-class).  

HMCS Kirkland Lake (K337)

(Lloyd Bartlett Photo)

HMCS Kirkland Lake (K337) (River-class).  Laid down as HMCS St. Jerome, she was renamed in Mar 1944. Commissioned at Quebec City on 21 Aug 1944 as HMCS Kirkland Lake, she arrived at Halifax on 10 Sep 1944 and left on 20 Nov 1944 for Bermuda to work up. On her return to Halifax in Dec 1944 Kirkland Lake was assigned to EG 16, leaving on 08 Mar 1944 for Londonderry when the group was transferred there. She was based at various times at 'Derry and Portsmouth, and in May 1945, escorted two convoys to Gibraltar and two back. She returned to Canada in June for tropicalization refit at Quebec City, and when this was completed on 05 Nov 1945, returned to Halifax. She was paid off 14 Dec 1945, to maintenance reserve in Bedford Basin and broken up at Sydney, 1947-48.

HMCS Kokanee (K419)

(Len Burton Photo)

HMCS Kokanee (K419) (River-class).  Commissioned at Esquimalt on 6 Jun 1944, HMCS Kokanee arrived at Halifax on 24 Jul 1944 and left for Bermuda in Aug 1944 to work up.  On arrival at St. John's in Sep 1944 she was assigned to EG C-3 as Senior Officer's ship, and spent the rest of the European war on Atlantic convoy duty.  She left Londonderry for the last time on 24 May 1945, with convoy ON.304, and soon after arriving left for the west coast.  On 4 Oct 1945 she completed tropicalization refit, but as VJ-Day had intervened she was paid off into reserve on 21 Dec 1945.  She was sold to Capital Iron for breaking up in 1947, but re-sold in 1948 to the government of India for conversion to a pilot vessel for the Hooghly River and re-named Bengal in 1950.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Kokanee (K419) (River-class).

HMCS La Hulloise (K668)

(IWM Photo, A 28098)

HMCS La Hulloise (K668) (River-class).  Commissioned at Montreal on 20 May 1944, HMCS La Hulloise arrived at Halifax in Jun 1944.  She proceeded to Bermuda in Jul 1944 to work up, and on returning was assigned to EG 16 at Halifax.  In Oct 1944 she was re-assigned to EG 25, and transferred with it to Londonderry in Nov 1944.  She spent the remainder of the war in UK waters, based variously at 'Derry and Rosyth.  On 7 Mar 1945, with HMCS Strathadam and HMCS Thetford Mines, she took part in sinking U-1302 in St. George's Channel.  Late in May 1945 she sailed for Canada to undergo tropicalization refit at Saint John, NB.  Work was completed on 19 Oct 1945, but the Pacific war had ended and she was paid off at Halifax on 6 Dec 1945.  When she was re-commissioned for cadet and new entry training in 1949 her CO, LCdr Jette, was also SO Reserve Fleet East Coast.  On  23 Nov 1953 HMCS La Hulloise was paid off for conversion to a Prestonian class ocean escort (305). She was commissioned as such on 9 Oct 1957.  On 13 Feb 1959, HMCS Fort Erie, HMCS Buckingham, HMCS Swansea and HMCS La Hulloise returned to Halifax after a 5 week exercise in southern waters that included a port visit to Kingston, Jamaica.  In Apr 1963, 12 RCN ships, HMCS Algonquin, Micmac, Cayuga, St. Croix, Terra Nova, Kootenay, Swansea, La Hulloise, Buckingham, Cape Scott, CNAV Bluethroat and CNAV St. Charles, took part in NATO Exercise New Broom Eleven, an exercise designed to test convoy protection tactics.  La Hulloise was paid off on 16 Jul 1965 and broken up at La Spezia, Italy, in 1966.

HMCS Lanark (K669)

(John Vukson Photo)

HMCS Lanark (K669) (River-class).  Commissioned on 6 Jul 1944, at Montreal, HMCS Lanark arrived at Halifax on 28 Jul 1944.  She carried out workups in Bermuda in September and, returning to Halifax in Oct 1944, was assigned to the newly formed EG C-7, Londonderry.  She spent the balance of the European war on convoy duty, most of that time as Senior Officer's ship, and early in Jun 1945, sailed for home.  In mid-Jul 1945 she began tropicalization refit at Liverpool, NS, but that was called off on 31 Aug 1945 and the ship was paid off at Sydney on 24 Oct 1945.  She was then placed in reserve at Shelburne, but was sold to Marine Industries Ltd., in 1946.  Later repurchased by the RCN, she was converted to a Prestonian class ocean escort (321), 1954-55, and on 26 Apr 1956, commissioned for training purposed on the east coast.  She was paid off the last time on 16 Mar 1965, and broken up at La Spezia, Italy in 1966.

(John Vukson Photo)

HMCS Lanark (K669) (River-class).

(William Carey Photo)

HMCS Lanark (K669) River-class Frigate.

Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3205380)

The Tower Bridge opening for HMCS Lanark (321), 19 June 1956.

HMCS Lasalle (K519)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Lasalle (K519) (River-class).  Laid down at Lauzon, Quebec, she was built by Davie Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec.  Commissioned on 29 Jun 1944, at Quebec City, she arrived in Bermuda on 31 Aug 1944 to carry out working-up exercises.  She left on 1 Oct 1944 for Halifax, there to become a member of the newly formed EG 27, and spent the remainder of the war in that area on A/S patrol and support duty . In Jun 1945, HMCS Lasalle sailed for Esquimalt via the Panama Canal and was paid off at Esquimalt on 17 Dec 1945.  She was dismantled in 1947 and her hull expended as a breakwater in 1948 at Kelsey Bay, BC.

(John Hawley Photo)

HMCS Lasalle (K519) (River-class).

HMCS Lauzon (K371)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Lauzon (K671) (River-class), entering St. John's Harbour, Newfoundland ca 1945.  Built by George T. Davie & Sons Ltd., she was commissioned on 30 Aug 1944, at Quebec City.  HMCS Lauzon arrived at Halifax in mid-Oct 1944 and in Nov 1944 spent three weeks' working up in Bermuda.  She arrived at St. John's, Newfoundland, 30 Nov 1944 to join EG C-6, and was continuously employed as a mid-ocean escort until VE-Day.  She left Londonderry 13 Jun 1945 for the last time, and that summer was employed as a troop-carrier between St. John's and Quebec City.  Paid off on 7 Nov 1945, she was laid up in reserve at Shelburne, NS, until purchased in 1946 by Marine Industries Ltd.  The RCN re-acquired her in 1951 for conversion to a Prestonian class ocean escort (322).  She was re-commissioned on 12 Dec 1953, and assumed a training role on the east coast until finally paid off on 24 May 1963.  She was sold the following year to a Toronto buyer, presumably for scrap.

HMCS Levis (K400)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Levis (K400) (River-class).  Commissioned at Quebec City on 21 Jul 1944 she arrived in Bermuda at the end of Aug 1944 to work up, and a month later left for Halifax to join the newly formed EG 27.  She spent the balance of the war with the group, on patrol and escort duty out of Halifax, and on 4 Jun 1945 commenced tropicalization at Lunenburg, NS.  The work was completed 26 Nov 1945 and she sailed a month later for Esquimalt, arriving 30 Jan 1946.  Paid off on 15 Feb 1946 to reserve there, she was sold in 1947 and her hull expended the following year as part of a breakwater at Oyster Bay, BC.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Levis (K400) (River-class).  

HMCS Longueuil (K672)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Longueuil (K672) (River-class).  Built by Canadian Vickers, Ltd, she was commissioned on 18 May 1944, at Montreal.  HMCS Longueuil arrived 30 Jun 1944 in Bermuda to work up.  In Jul 1944 she became a member of EG C-2, and on 7 Aug 1944 left St. John's for Londonderry with convoy HXF.302.  She spent her entire wartime career on convoy duty and for varying periods was Senior Officer's ship of her group.  Returning to Canada in Jun 1945, she proceeded to Vancouver for tropicalization refit, but this was cancelled and the ship paid off 31 Dec 1945 at Esquimalt.  She was sold in 1947 and, reportedly, expended as part of a breakwater at Kelsey Bay; BC, in 1948.

HMCS Magog (K673)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Magog (K673) (River-class).  Built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, she was commissioned in Montreal on 7 Mar 1944.  HMCS Magog arrived at Halifax on 28 May 1944 and worked up briefly in St. Margaret's Bay before sailing for Bermuda to complete the process in Jul 1944.  She then returned to Montreal for repairs, subsequently completing these at Halifax in August.  There she joined EG 16, performing A/S duty in the Halifax, Gaspé, and Sydney areas.  On 14 Oct 1944, while escorting convoy GONS.33 (the Gulf section of ONS.33), she was torpedoed and badly damaged by U-1223 in the St. Lawrence River off Pointe des Monts.  Lacking 60 feet of her stern, she was towed to Quebec and there adjudged a constructive total loss.  Paid off 20 Dec 1944 to care and maintenance, she was sold in 1947 to Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel, who scrapped her in 1948.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4090376)

HMCS Magog (K673) (River-class), after being torpedoed by U-1223, 14 Oct 1944.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo)

HMCS Magog (K673) (River-class), in drydock after being torpedoed by U-1223.

(Harold (Bud) Robertson Photo)

HMCS Magog (K673) (River-class), 14 Oct 1944

HMCS Matane (K444)

(IWM Photo, FL15119)

HMCS Matane (K444) (River-class).  Launched at Montreal on 29 May 1943, she was commissioned there on 22 Oct 1943.  HMCS Matane arrived at Halifax 13 Nov 1943 and began working up in St. Margaret's Bay completing the process at Pictou.  In Apr 1944, she joined EG 9, Londonderry, as Senior Officer's ship, thereafter serving mainly on escort and patrol duty in U.K. waters.  On 22 Apr 1944 HMCS Matane sank the German U-boat U-311 in the North Atlantic south west of Iceland by depth charges, in a joint attack with HMCS Swansea.  The credit for U-311's destruciton was not confirmed until after the end of the war, when German and British intelligence attributed the kill to these two ships, as opposed to attack by aircraft, the latter having been thought to be the case prior to the post-war analyses.  She was present on D-Day.  On 20 Jul 1944 she was hit by a German glider bomb off Brest and towed, badly damaged, to Plymouth by HMCS Meon.  In Apr 1945, she completed eight and one-half months' repairs at Dunstaffnage, Scotland, working up at Tobermory and, on 12 May 1945, sailed from Greenock to escort convoy JW.67 to North Russia.  She was detached on 14 May 1945, however, to help escort 14 surrendered U-boats from Trondheim to Loch Eriboll.  In June, after one round trip to Gibraltar as convoy escort, she left Londonderry for Esquimalt via Halifax.  She arrived at Esquimalt in Jul 1945 and on 11 Feb 1946, was paid off into reserve there.  She was sold in 1947 and her hull sunk in 1948 as part of a breakwater at Oyster Bay, BC.

(Grant Bailey Photo)

HMCS Matane (K444) (River-class).

HMCS Meon (K269)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Meon (K269) (River-class).  Named after an English river, HMS Meon was commissioned on 31 Dec 1943 at Glasgow and sailed on 16 Jan 1944, with convoy ON.220 for Canada.  Transferred to the RCN, she was commissioned in the RCN at Halifax on 7 Feb 1944, and in Apr 1944 worked up in St. Margaret's Bay.  In May 1944 she was assigned to EG 9 and sailed with convoy HXM.289 to join EG 9 in Londonderry.  For the next five months she was employed in UK coastal waters, and was present on D-Day.  She was then transferred to the EG 27, Halifax, as Senior Officer's ship, arriving there on 19 Oct 1944.  Employed locally until 31 Mar 1945, she then left Halifax to join convoy HX.347 on passage to Britain, and was returned to the RN at Southampton on 23 Apr 1945 . In 1946 HMS Meon joined the reserve fleet and remained at Harwich until 1952.  She then saw active service in the Suez campaign of 1956, and with the Amphibious Warfare Squadron in the Persian Gulf, before being paid off in 1965.  On 14 May 1966 HMS Meon (L369) arrived at Hughes Bolckow, Blyth for breaking up.

HMCS Monnow (K441)

(IWM Photo, A 22680)

HMCS Monnow (K441) (River-class), as HMS Monnow.  Laid down as HMS Monnow, named after an English river, she was transferred newly built to the RCN at Bristol on 8 Mar 1944.  Following workups at Tobermory in Apr 1944, HMCS Monnow joined EG C-2 in May and served with that group until Aug 1944, when she was re-assigned to EG 9, Londonderry.  She served throughout her career in UK waters except for a round trip to Gibraltar in Oct 1944, and to Kola Inlet with convoys JW.62 and RA.62 in Nov and Dec 1944.  On 13 May 1945, she left Greenock to pick up JW.67 for North Russia but was detached the next day to escort surrendered U-boats en route from Trondheim to Loch Eriboll.  She left Londonderry on 25 May 1945 for Sheerness, where on 11 Jun 1945 she was paid off and returned to the RN.  In Oct 1945 she was sold to the Danish Navy and re-named Holger Danske.  Holger Danske is a Danish symbol of the resistance, will, and fighting spirit when Denmark is in danger.  She was used as a cadet training ship.  As some of the cadets during the (German) occupation were connected to the resistance group "Holger Danske", there were additional reasons to include the freedom fighters' symbol on this ship's badge.  She was broken up at Odense, Denmark in 1959.  HMCS Monnow was one of two among the larger RCN warships that never saw a Canadian port.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Monnow (K441) (River-class)

HMCS Montreal (K319)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Montreal (K319) (River-class).  Launched at Montreal on 12 Jun 1943, she was commissioned there 12 Nov 1943.  She arrived at Halifax on 29 Nov 1943, worked up locally and on 25 Feb 1944 left St. John's for Londonderry to join EG C-4.  She was employed continuously on convoy duty until late Sep 1944, when she joined EG 26, then forming at 'Derry.  On 17 Dec 1944, she rescued survivors of U-1209, wrecked on Wolf Rock southwest of Land's End.  HMCS Montreal remained in UK waters, and for short periods early in 1945 was based at Portsmouth and at Plymouth.  She left 'Derry for the last time on 12 Mar 1945 as escort to convoy ON.290.  Arriving at Shelburne, NS on 31 Mar 1945, she completed tropicalization refit there at the end of Aug 1945 then performed odd jobs out of Halifax until paid off 15 Oct 1945 to reserve in Bedford Basin.  Sold in 1947, she was broken up at Sydney.

(James Jenson Photo)

HMCS Montreal (K319) (River-class).

HMCS Nene (K270)

(IWM Photo, FL16727)

HMCS Nene (K270) (River-class).  Built at South Bank-on-Tees, UK, HMS Nene was named for an English river. Commissioned  as HMS Nene, she was assigned to Canadian EG 5 based at St. John's, the group was re-numbered EG 6 in Nov 1943, to avoid confusion with EG C-5.  On 20 Nov 1943 HMS Nene, with HMCS Calgary and HMCS Snowberry, sank U-536 north of the Azores while escorting the combined convoys MKS.30 and SL.139.  From Feb 1944, onward HMS Nene was Senior Officer's ship of EG 6.  She was transferred to the RCN at Halifax on 6 Apr 1944, immediately prior to a refit at Dartmouth, NS, which was not completed until mid-Jul 1944.  She then proceeded to Bermuda to work up, and in Aug 1944 joined EG C-5.  After escorting three transatlantic convoys she was transferred in Oct 1944, to EG 9, Londonderry.  Except for a trip to North Russia with convoy JW.62, HMCS Nene served in UK waters until the end of the war, based at various times at Londonderry, Plymouth, Rosyth, and Portsmouth.  She left Greenock 12 May 1945, to join JW.67 for North Russia but was detached on 16 May 1945 to escort 14 surrendered U-Boats bound from Trondheim to Loch Eriboll.  She arrived at Sheerness on 27 May 1945 and was handed back on 11 Jun 1945 to the RN, which placed her in reserve at Southampton.  She was broken up at Briton Ferry, Wales, in 1955.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Nene (K270) (River-class).

HMCS New Glasgow (K320)

(DND Photo)

HMCS New Glasgow (K320) (River-class).  Commissioned on 23 Dec 1943, Yarrows Ltd., at Esquimalt, New Glasgow arrived at Halifax on 17 Feb 1944, and then proceeded to Bermuda to work up.  On her return late in Apr 1944 she joined EG C-1.  She left St. John's with her first convoy, HXS.291, on 15 May 1944, and for the next five months was steadily employed on convoy duty.  Late in Sep 1944 she was allocated to EG 26, then forming at Londonderry, and for the remainder oft he European war served in UK waters, based for short periods at Portsmouth and at Plymouth early in 1945.  On 21 Mar 1945, she rammed the fatally damaged U-1003 off Lough Foyle, and was herself laid up for repairs at Rosyth until 5 Jun 1945.  She then proceeded via Londonderry to Halifax and thence to Shelburne, NS, where she was paid off to reserve on 5 Nov 1945.  Rebuilt in the long interval as a Prestonian class ocean escort (315), she was re-commissioned on 30 Jan 1954, and served in a training capacity until 30 Jan 1967, when she was paid off at Esquimalt.  She was broken up in Japan that year.

(Brian Hayes Photo)

HMCS New Glasgow (K320) (River-class).

HMCS New Waterford (K321)

(IWM Photo, A 26130)

HMCS New Waterford (K321) (River-class).  Built at Esquimalt, she was commissioned on 21 Jan 1944, at Victoria, BC.  She arrived at Halifax on 9 Mar 1944 and in Bermuda on 22 Apr 1944 to work up.  Returning to Halifax, she was assigned to EG 6 as a replacement for the damaged HMCS Teme.  On 16 Oct 1944, while EG 6 was on A/S patrol south of the Faeroes, HMCS Annan engaged and sank U-1006.

The following is from New Waterford's Radar Operator, Lawrence Restall.  "After depth charges were dropped, the sub surfaced and opened fire.  Now evening.  We fired star shells and 20-mm guns with red tracers.  The sub used green tracers.  Eight men injured on HMCS Annan.  46 survivors picked up from sub, many injured including the U-boat's commanding officer who was brought to our ship for medical treatment.  I had  the opportunity to speak with the CO of the U-boat.  He told me that he had the ship in the crosshairs, just aft of the pendant number and was about to fire a torpedo when another ship (HMCS Annan) came out of the fog and forced him to dive.  I replied that I was glad he didn't fire as I was in my bunk at the time and it was in that area."

HMCS New Waterford remained with EG 6 until the end of the European war, detached for short periods to Portsmouth and Plymouth, and in Apr 1945, returned home for tropicalization refit at Liverpool, NS.  This was completed in Nov 1945, and HMCS New Waterford left in Jan 1946, for the west coast, where she was paid off to reserve at Esquimalt on 7 Mar 1946.  Briefly re-commissioned in 1953, she later underwent conversion to a Prestonian class ocean escort (304), commissioning as such on 31 Jan 1958.  In late 1959/early 1960, she left Esquimalt for a coast transfer to Halifax.  During this coast transfer, she had an unusual cargo, a totem pole carved by BC First Nations destined for England.  When she arrived in Halifax it was transferred to the gunnery school where it was stored till summer, then transferred to HMCS Kootenay for the voyage to England.  During the year 1962 HMCS New Waterford steamed 24,218.3 miles and spent a total of 114 days at sea.  It was a full year for one ship, a cruise to Africa, three months in refit at Sydney, Nova Scotia, five weeks of WUPs, anti-submarine exercises off the Nova Scotia coast and a two-week cruise to Bermuda and Boston.  With Christmas and the New Year festivities over, the New Waterford put to sea for a further week of exercises and on January 28 sailed from Halifax as part of the Seventh Escort Squadron, destination Bermuda and Exercise Maple Spring '63.  She was paid off for the last time on 22 Dec 1966, and broken up the following year at Savona, Italy.

HMCS Orkney (K448)

(Dennis Cardy Photo)

HMCS Orkney (K448) (River-class).  Originally to be named HMCS Yorkton tcommemorate Yorkton, Saskatchewan., she was named HMCS Orkney to avoid confusion with the USS Yorktown what was already in commission.  Laid down in Esquimalt, she was built by Yarrows Ltd.  Commissioned on 14 Apr 1944, at Victoria, Orkney arrived at Halifax 8 Jun 1944.  After working up in Bermuda she returned to Halifax in Aug 1944 to join EG 16, but was transferred as Senior Officer's ship to EG 25 at Londonderry, sailing late in Oct 1944 with eastbound convoy HX.317.  She remained on duty in UK waters until 13 Feb 1945 when she collided with SS Blairnevis which sank with no loss of life.  HMCS Orkney proceeded to Dunstaffnage, Scotland, for repairs.  At the time of the accident, HMCS Orkney was part of Escort Group 25, which was engaged in escorting merchant shipping into Liverpool.  The weather at the time of the accident was foul with heavy rain that further reduced visibility.  SS Blairnevis was a new merchant ship, loaded with valuable bauxite.  She had to be grounded to avoid her sinking and blocking the swept channel in the Mersey River estuary.  Following the collision, HMCS Orkney's repairs lasted until Apr 1945.  Following a week's workups at Tobermory, HMCS Orkney returned briefly to 'Derry, then sailed late in May 1945 for home and tropicalization refit at Louisbourg, NS.  This was completed on 20 Oct 1945, after which she served locally until paid off 22 Jan 1946, to reserve in Bedford Basin.  Following her service in the war, Orkney was disarmed and laid up in Bedford Basin.  She was purchased in early 1947, and moved to a ship breaker's yard in Brooklyn, NY, where she was stripped down to the upper deck.  Refitted to carry as many  passengers as possible and remamed Violette, she joined the sixty-two other vessels operated by "Haganah" to smuggle illegal Jewish immigrants to Palestine.  With the creation of the state of Israel on 14 May 1948, Violette was was laid up.  In 1952, she was re-acquired by the Israeli Navy, and re-armed as a warship.  She was then re-commissioned as the Mitvach K28, and for some time afterward, with former HMCS Hallowell (Misnak) and HMCS Strathadam (Misgav), were the largest ships in the Israeli Navy.  In 1959, Mitvach was sold to the then- Royal Ceylon Navy and served as Mahasena until 1964 when she was paid off and sold to a Hong Kong ship breaker on 31 May 64.

(Robert Chasse Photo)

HMCS Orkney (K448) (River-class), depth charge, training on the West Coast of Canada ca May 1944.

(USN Naval History and Heritage Photos)

HMCS Orkney (K448)

(Robert Chasse Photo)

...and the reason it was necessary to hunt down and sink U-boats before they got to the convoys.  Torpedoed British freighter sinking south of Newfoundland.

HMCS Outremont (K322)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Outremont (K322) (River-class).  Built at Quebec City, she was commissioned there on 27 Nov 1943.  HMCS Outremont K322 arrived at Halifax on 13 Dec 1943 and carried out working-up exercises in St. Margaret's Bay.  She left St. John's, Newfoundland, on 17 Feb 1944, to join EG 6, Londonderry, and served mainly on escort and patrol duties in UK waters. On 28 Apr 1944, HMCS Outremont, in company with HMCS Waskesiu K330, HMCS Grou K518 and HMCS Cape Breton K350 departed Kola Inlet with Convoy RA.59; arriving at Loch Ewe on 6 May 1944.  HMCS Outremont was present off Normandy on D-Day.  She left the UK on 30 Nov 1944 for tropicalization refit at Sydney, which kept her idle until 20 Aug 1945, only to be paid off on 5 Nov 1945 and sold to Marine Industries Ltd.  Later re-acquired by the RCN and converted to a Prestonian class ocean escort (310), she was re-commissioned 2 Sep 1955, and served in a training role until finally paid off 7 Jun 1965, and arrived at La Spezia on 11 Apr 1966 for breaking up.

HMCS Penetang (K676)

‍

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3198954)

HMCS Penetang (K676) (River-class), 1945.  Laid down as HMCS Rouyn K676, she was renamed prior to being commissioned on 19 Oct 1944, at Quebec City.  She left on 6 Nov 1944 for Halifax and in Dec 1944 proceeded to Bermuda to work up.  Returning northward in Jan 1945, HMCS Penetang joined convoy HX.331 at New York as local escort.  She was allocated in February to EG C-9, and made the crossing to the group's Londonderry base as an escort to SC.168.  She spent the rest of the war as a mid-ocean escort, returning to Canada in Jun 1945, to be employed as a troop carrier between St. John's, Newfoundland, and Quebec City.  One of the few frigates not taken in hand for tropicalization, she was paid off on 10 Nov 1945 and laid up at Shelburne, NS.  She was sold in Dec 1945 to Marine Industries Ltd., but later re-acquired and converted to a Prestonian class ocean escort (316), and re-commissioned on 1 Jun 1954 . Again paid off on 2 Sep 1955, she was lent to the Norwegian navy on 10 Mar 1956 and re-named Draug.  Transferred outright three years later, she served until 1966 and was then broken up at Oslo, Norway.

(Bill Robinson Photo)

HMCS Penetang (K676) (River-class).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3204730)

HMCS Penetang (K676) River class Frigate in the North Atlantic, March 1945.

HMCS Port Colborne (K326)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Port Colborne (K326) (River-class).  Built at Esquimalt, BC, she was commissioned at Victoria on 15 Nov 1943.  On 12 Dec 1943, HMCS Port Colborne arrived at Halifax; departing Halifax on 8 Feb 1944 for Bermuda to work up.  Late in Apr 1944 she was assigned to EG 9 based out of Londonderry.  On 27 Apr 1944 she departed Halifax for Londonderry via St. John's, Newfoundland.  On 1 May 1944, HMCS Port Colborne sailed from St. John's to search for a sub reported off the Newfoundland coast.  She was detached from the search on 3 May 1944 and joined C-3, for her transit to Derry, as escort to HX 289, joining EG 9 or her arrival on 12 May 1944.  She remained on patrol and escort duty in UK waters, including participation on D-Day, except for a round trip to North Russia in Dec 1944, with convoys JW.62 and RA.62.  She left 'Derry for Halifax 21 Feb 1945, and on 24 Sep 1945 completed tropicalization refit at Liverpool, NS.  On 7 Nov 1945 she was paid off at Halifax and laid up in reserve in Bedford Basin, and in 1947 was broken up at Sydney.

HMCS Poundmaker (K675)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3554608)

HMCS Poundmaker (K675) (River-class).  Built at Montreal, she was commissioned there on 17 Sep 1944.  She arrived at Halifax in Oct 1944 and worked up in Bermuda in Nov 1944.  In mid-Dec 1944 she arrived at St. John's to join EG C-8, serving as a mid-ocean escort for the rest of the war.  She left Londonderry for the last time on 11 May 1945 to escort convoy ONS.50 westward, and on 31 May 1945 began tropicalization refit at Lunenburg.  Work was completed on 20 Aug 1945, and on 25 Nov 1945 she was paid off at Sydney and taken to Shelburne for disposal.  She was sold to the Peruvian Navy in 1947 and re-named Teniente Ferre and, in 1963, Ferre.  She was broken up in 1966.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3554609)

HMCS Poundmaker (K675).

HMCS Prestonian (K662)

(Margaret & Duane Drouillard Photo)

HMCS Prestonian (K662) (River-class).  Named to commemorate Preston, Ontario, she was named HMCS Prestonian K662, as there was an RN ship, HMS Preston already in commission.  Commissioned 13 Sep 1944 at Quebec City, HMCS Prestonian arrived at Halifax the following month in need of repairs, and it was early Jan 1945, before she could go to Bermuda to work up.  On her return to Canada she was assigned to EG 28, based at Halifax, and employed locally until VE-Day.  She then underwent tropicalization at Halifax, completing 20 Aug 1945, and on 9 Nov 1945 was paid off and sold to Marine Industries Ltd.  Later re-acquired by the RCN, she was rebuilt to become the name-ship of the Prestonian ocean escort class (307).  She was re-commissioned on 22 Aug 1953, and finally paid off on 24 Apr 1956, having been lent to the Norwegian navy.  Re-named Troll, she was transferred outright in 1959, and in 1965 reclassified as a submarine depot ship and re-named Horten.  She was discarded in 1972 and broken up same year.

(Margaret & Duane Drouillard Photo)

HMCS Prestonian (K662) (River-class).

HMCS Prince Rupert (K324)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Prince Rupert (K324) (River-class).  Commissioned at Esquimalt on 30 Aug 1943, she arrived at Halifax 21 Oct 1943, worked up at Pictou and, in Jan 1944, joined EG C-3 as Senior Officer's ship.  HMCS Prince Rupert left St. John's on 3 Jan 1944 to join her maiden convoy, SC.150, and was thereafter continuously employed as an ocean escort until late that year.  On 13 Mar 1944, with US naval units and US and British aircraft, she assisted in sinking U-575 in the North Atlantic.  In Nov 1944, she began a refit at Liverpool, NS, and on its completion in Mar 1945, joined EG 27, Halifax.  In Jun 1945, HMCS Prince Rupert sailed for Esquimalt, where she was paid off 15 Jan 1946.  She was sold in 1947, and her hull expended as a breakwater at Royston, BC, the following year.

(Jim Pierce Photo)

HMCS Prince Rupert (K324) (River-class).

HMCS Ribble (K525)

(John Smythe Photo)

HMCS Ribble (K525) (River-class).  Named for an English river, she was laid down as HMS Duddon.  Renamed HMS Ribble in Jun 1943, she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned on 24 Jul 1944 as HMCS Ribble at Blyth, UK.  After workups at Tobermory she arrived at Londonderry on 4 Sep 1944 to join the newly formed EG 26 the following month.  She spent her whole career with this group, based much of the time at Portsmouth and Plymouth, and from 07-09 Oct 1944, towed the damaged HMCS Chebogue toward Swansea, Wales.  On 18 Dec 1944 HMCS Ribble and HMCS Montreal rescued 44 of 53 crewmembers of U-1209 ( OLtzS Ewald Hülsenbeck CO) in the Channel off Scilly Isles, after hitting Wolf Rock.  Both frigates claimed their attacks were cause, but this was dismissed by Admiralty findings.  HMCS Montreal and HMCS Ribble were members of Escort Group 26.  They had attacked several asdic contacts but these produced no results and the contacts were classified as wrecks, of which there were many in the area.  When the survivors were found and recovered a short time later the two ships were quick to claim that their attacks were the cause of a sinking.  U-1209 had been scuttled after hitting Wolf Rock after her successful efforts to evade her pursuers.  OLtzS Hülsenbeck was among those lost.  HMCS Ribble was paid off at Sheerness on 11 Jun 1945, and returned to the RN.  After 12 years in reserve at Harwich, she arrived at Hughes Bolckow, Blyth on 9 Jul 1957 and was broken up that year.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Ribble (K525) (River-class).

(DND Photo)

HMCS Ribble (K525) (River-class).

HMCS Royalmount (K677)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Royalmount (K677) (River-class).  Laid down as HMCS Alwington K677 at Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, she was named after a historic house in Kingston, Ontario.  In Apr 1944 she was renamed HMCS Royalmount K677, to commemorate Mount Royal, PQ.  HMCS Royalmount was commissioned at Montreal on 25 Aug 1944, arrived at Halifax on 8 Sep 1944 and carried out working-up exercises in Bermuda later that month.  She arrived at St. John's on 15 Nov 1944 to join EG C-1, and spent the remainder of the war with the group as a mid-ocean.  She left Liverpool 21 Apr 1945 and escorted convoy ONS.48 on her homeward passage to refit, from 26 May to 5 Oct 1845, at Sydney.  She was paid off at Halifax on 17 Nov 1945, and placed in reserve in Bedford Basin until 1947, when a New York buyer purchased her for scrap.

(Brian Dobing Photo)

HMCS Royalmount (K677) (River-class), before receiving her armament.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Royalmount (K677) (River-class).

(DND Photo)

HMCS Royalmount (K677) (River-class).

HMCS Runnymede (K678)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Runnymede (K678) (River-class).  She was commissioned on 14 June 1944 at Montreal and arrived in Bermuda for workups toward the end of Jul 1944.  On 21 Aug 1944 she returned to Halifax to become Senior Officer's ship of EG C-5, and was to wear its barber pole stripes the rest of her wartime career.  She left Londonderry toward the end of May 1945, and made her passage home as escort to convoy ON.305.  She left Halifax on 20 Jun 1945 for Esquimalt, arriving 18 Jul 1945 and early in Aug 1945 commenced tropicalization refit at North Vancouver.  Work was soon suspended and she sailed for Esquimalt 20 Jun 1945 to be placed in reserve, though not paid off until 19 Jan 1946.  Sold in 1947, she is reported to have been expended as part of a breakwater at Kelsey Bay, BC, in 1948.

HMCS Sea Cliff (K344)

(David Ross Photo)

HMCS Sea Cliff (K344) (River-class), 31 March 1945.  Originally laid down as HMCS Megantic, she was re-named HMCS Sea Cliff in honour of the town of Leamington, Ontario and it's citizens.  She was built at Lauzon, Quebec, and was commissioned at Quebec City on 26 Sep 1944.  She arrived at Halifax 20 Oct 1944, proceeding to Bermuda in Nov 1944 to work up.  On completion she sailed to St. John's to become a member of EG C-3, and left 23 Dec 1944 to join her first convoy, HX.237.  On 27 Dec 1944, HMCS Sea Cliff made contact with a possible U-boat.  She radioed HMCS St Thomas who went to investigate.  HMCS St Thomas immediately made contact and did a hedgehog and then a depth charge run.  When U-877 surfaced, HMCS Sea Cliff's crew fired on her with small arms fire.  HMCS Sea Cliff rescued 21survivors from U-877.  She spent the remainder of the war on North Atlantic convoy duty, and on 21 May 1945, left Londonderry for the last time, to join ON.304 on her passage to Canada.  She began tropicalization refit at Liverpool, NS, on 10 Jun 1945, but work was halted 28 Aug 1945 and the ship was paid off 28 Nov 1945 at Halifax.  She was placed in reserve at Shelburne until 1946, when she was sold to the Chilean navy and renamed Covadonga.  She was broken up in 1968.

(Collin Hazell Photo)

HMCS Sea Cliff (K344) in rough seas.

(David Ross Photo)

HMCS Sea Cliff (K344) in rough seas.

HMCS Springhill (K323)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Springhill (K323) (River-class).  Built at the Yarrows Shipyard in BC, she was commissioned on 21 Mar 1944, at Victoria; arrived at Halifax on 12 May 1944; and left in mid-Jun 1944 for three weeks' working up in Bermuda.  In Aug 1944 HMCS Springhill joined EG 16, Halifax, as Senior Officer's ship.  She left on 7 Mar 1945, for Londonderry, the group having been transferred there, but returned in Apr 1945 for tropicalization refit at Pictou.  This occupied her from May to Oct 1945, and on Dec 1945 she was paid off at Halifax and laid up in reserve in Bedford Basin.  She was broken up in 1947 at Sydney, NS.

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.

‍

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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).

HMCS Swansea (K328)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3194362)

HMCS Swansea (K328) (River-class), in rough seas off Bermuda, Jan 1944.  Built by Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt, she was commissioned at Victoria on 4 Oct 1943, HMCS Swansea arrived at Halifax on 16 Nov 1943 and worked up off Pictou and in St. Margaret's Bay, NS.  Assigned to EG 9, Londonderry, she made her passage there with convoy SC.154, taking part in the sinking of U-845 on 10 Mar 1944.  On 14 Apr 1944 she repeated the process in company with HMS Pelican, the victim this time being U-448.  Eight days later, on 22 April 1944, this time with HMCS Matane, HMCS Swansea sank U-311 southwest of Iceland.  This kill was only awarded long after the war once the records of German and British intelligence became available.  She was present on D-Day, and for the next four months patrolled the Channel in support of the ships supplying the invasion forces.  While thus employed, she and HMCS Saint John sank U-247 off Land's End on 1 Sep 1944.  She left Londonderry on 5 Nov 1944 for a major refit at Liverpool, NS, from Dec 1944 to Jul 1945.  She received the first tropicalization of a frigate for Pacific service, and on VJ-Day HMCS Swansea was assessing the results in the Caribbean.  She was paid off 2 Nov 1945 to reserve in Bedford Basin, but was twice re-commissioned for training cadets and new entries between Apr 1948, and Nov 1953.  In early June, 1949, while the Maingay Commission was still hearing testimony, a group of junior hands on the HMCS Swansea, incensed at poor treatment by their commanding officer, locked themselves in their mess.  The response was a forceful entry by armed troops, a rapid court-martial of the senior hands, and their sentencing to 90 days' hard labour and dishonorable discharge from the navy.  In Jun 1953 HMCS Swansea was part of the Canadian Squadron that attended the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II Fleet Review at Spithead.  HMCS Swansea was rebuilt from 1956 to 1957, as a Prestonian class ocean escort (306).  On 13 Feb 1959, HMCS Fort Erie, HMCS Buckingham, HMCS Swansea and HMCS La Hulloise returned to Halifax after a 5 week exercise in southern waters that included a port visit to Kingston, Jamaica.  In Apr 1963, 12 RCN ships, HMCS Algonquin, Micmac, Cayuga, St. Croix, Terra Nova, Kootenay, Swansea, La Hulloise, Buckingham, Cape Scott, CNAV Bluethroat and CNAV St. Charles, took part in NATO Exercise New Broom Eleven, an exercise designed to test convoy protection tactics.  She was paid off 14 Oct 1966 and broken up in 1967 at Savona, Italy.

(Naval Museum of Manitoba Photo)

HMCS Swansea (K328) (River-class).

(DND Photo)

HMCS Swansea (K328) (River-class).

(DND Photo)

HMCS Swansea (K328) (River-class).

(US Naval History and Heritage Photos)

HMCS Swansea (K328).

HMCS Teme (K458)

(Dave Chamberlain Photo)

HMCS Teme (K458) (River-class).  Laid down as HMS Teme at South Bank-on-Tees, she was named after a river on the English-Welsh boarder.  Transferred to the RCN, she was commissioned in the RCN at Middlesbrough on 28 Feb 1944.  After working up, HMCS Teme was assigned in May to EG 6, Londonderry, and spent her whole career with this group.  She was present on D-Day, and on 10 Jun 1944 was rammed in the Channel by the escort carrier HMS Tracker, and cut almost in half abaft the bridge.   She was towed by HMCS Outremont 200 miles to Cardiff, where she remained under repair until Christmas.  In 19 Jan 1945, she went to Tobermory to work up, returning to Londonderry on 9 Feb 1945 to rejoin her group.  At 0822 on 29 Mar 1945, U-315 fired a Gnat at HMCS Teme who was escorting the convoy BTC-111 off Lands End and hit her stern.  She lost 60 feet of her stern, was towed to Falmouth where she was declared a total loss.  On 4 May 1945, she was returned to the Royal Navy and sold for scrap on 8 Dec 1945.  She was broken up at Llanelly, Wales, in 1946.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Teme (K458) (River-class).

(Ron Bell Photo)

HMCS Teme (K458) (River-class).

HMCS Thetford Mines (K459)

(John Lyon Photo)

HMCS Thetford Mines (K459) (River-class).  Built by Morton Engineering & Dry Dock, Co., Quebec City, she was commissioned on 24 May 1944, at Quebec City.  HMCS Thetford Mines arrived in Bermuda on 12 Jul 1944 to work up, returning to Halifax on 16 Aug 1944.  Soon afterward she was assigned to EG 25.  She was transferred with the group to Londonderry in November, and served in UK waters from then until VE-Day, working out of 'Derry, and for a time out of Rosyth.  On 7 Mar 1945, she helped sink U-1302 in St. George's Channel, and on 23 Mar 1945, HMCS Thetford Mines rescued 33 of the 47 crewmembers of U-1003 (sunk by HMCS New Glasgow), 16 miles northwest of Innistrahull.  Two of the rescued men later died.  On 11 May 1945 she arrived in Lough Foyle as escort to eight surrendered U-Boats.  She returned home late in May 1945, was paid off 18 Nov 1945 at Sydney and laid up at Shelburne.  In 1947 she was sold to a Honduran buyer who proposed converting her into a refrigerated fruit carrier.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950808)

HMCS Thetford Mines (K459) (River-class),  twin 20-mm Oerlikon AA Guns on a powered mount, ca 1945.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950915)

HMCS Thetford Mines (K459) (River-class), escorting surrendered U-boats, May 1945.

(John Lyon Photo)

HMCS Thetford Mines arrived in Lough Foyle as escort to eight surrendered U-Boats, including this one, on 11 May 1945.

(John Lyon Photo)

HMCS Thetford Mines arrived in Lough Foyle as escort to eight surrendered U-Boats, including these two, on 11 May 1945.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950917)

HMCS Thetford Mines (K459) (River-class), bridge.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950916)

HMCS Thetford Mines (K459) (River-class), bridge, ca 1944.

HMCS Toronto (K538)

(Thomas J. Simpson Photo)

HMCS Toronto (K538) (River-class).  Laid down as HMCS Giffard (K538), she was renamed and commissioned on 6 May 1944, at Lévis as HMCS Toronto (K538).  She arrived at Halifax on 28 May 1944 leaving on 18 Jun 1944 for a month's working-up in Bermuda.  In Aug 1944, HMCS Toronto was allocated to EG 16, Halifax, but for the next few weeks operated principally from Sydney.  Following repairs in Nov 1944 she joined Halifax Force and was employed locally until May 1945, when she began five months' training duty at HMCS Cornwallis.  Paid off on 27 Nov 1945, she was placed in reserve at Shelburne, but was re-commissioned on 26 Mar 1953, after conversion to a Prestonian class ocean escort (319).  She was paid off for the last time on 14 Apr 1956, having been lent to the Norwegian Navy, which renamed her HNoMS Garm.  She was permanently transferred in 1959, and re-classed in 1965 as a torpedo boat depot ship - simultaneously renamed HNoMS Valkyrien, she served a further 13 years before being disposed of.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Toronto (K538) (River-class).

HMCS Valleyfield (K329)

(Bob Fenton Photo)

HMCS Valleyfield (K329) (River-class).  Built at Quebec City, she was commissioned there 7 Dec 1943.  She arrived at Halifax on 20 Dec 1943 and commenced working up in St. Margaret's Bay, completing the process in Bermuda.  She left Halifax at the end of Feb 1944, to join EG C-1 and sailed for the UK with convoy SC.154, but was detached to Horta en route, escorting a tug and its tow, the rescue ship Dundee.  Her next assignment was to escort the damaged HMCS Mulgrave, in tow from Horta for the Clyde.  The three left the Azores on 14 Mar 1944 and joined convoy SL.151 (from Sierra Leone) three days later.  HMCS Valleyfield made one return trip to Canada, and on her next trip left Londonderry on 27 Apr 1944 with convoy ON.234.  On 7 May 1944, HMCS Valleyfield was sunk by a single acoustic torpedo by U-548 (Kptlt Eberhard Zimmermann) 0435hrs, 50 miles SE of Cape Race, 46-03N 52-24W.  At the time, HMCS Valleyfield was part of escort group C1, performing a search for the U-boat.  HMCS Valleyfield sank so quickly that other ships in the group did not immediately realize what had happened.  A combination of the ship's quick sinking, the delay in rescue efforts, and the cold water resulted in only 38 survivors with 125 crew members including LCdr English lost.  Survivors were rescued by HMCS Giffard (K402).  She was the only RCN ship of her class to be lost.

(Bob Fenton Photo)

HMCS Valleyfield (K329) (River-class).

HMCS Victoriaville (K684)

(Bob Macklem Photo)

HMCS Victoriaville (K684) (River-class).  Commissioned on 11 Nov 1944, at Quebec City, she arrived at Halifax on 03 Dec 1944 and late that month proceeded to Bermuda to work up.  In Feb 1945, she was assigned to EG C-9, leaving Halifax on 27 Feb 1945 to join convoy SC.168 for her passage to Londonderry, where the group was based.  HMCS Victoriaville (K684) spent the balance of the war on North Atlantic convoy duty.  She left Barry, Wales, on 02 May 1945 to pick up convoy ON.300 on her way home to Canada, and on 12 May 1945 escorted the surrendered U-190 into Bay Bulls, Newfoundland.  She began tropicalization refit at Saint John, NB, on 24 May 1945, but work was stopped on 20 Aug 1945, and on 17 Nov 1945 the ship was paid off at Sydney and laid up at Shelburne.  Subsequently sold to Marine Industries Ltd., she was re-acquired by the RCN and re-commissioned on 25 Sep 1959, following conversion to a Prestonian class ocean escort (320).  On 21 Dec 1966, she assumed the name and duties of the retiring diving tender HMCS Granby, but was paid off 31 Dec 1973, and sold for scrap the following year.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Victoriaville (K684) (River-class).

HMCS Waskesiu (K330)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4821046)

HMCS Waskesiu (K330) (River-class), 1944.  The first frigate completed on the west coast, HMCS Waskesiu was commissioned at Victoria on 16 Jun 1943, and left for Halifax on 8 Jul.  She worked up in Bermuda the following month, returning to Halifax on 11 Sep 1943, and late in Oct 1943 left for Londonderry to join EG 5, re-numbered EG 6 on 21 Nov 1943.  HMCS Waskesiu served chiefly in UK waters, but early in 1944 supported Gibraltar and Sierra Leone convoys.  On 24 Feb 1944, while escort to SC.153, she sank U-257, and in Apr 1944 made a trip to North Russia to bring back convoy RA.59.  On 28 Apr 1944, HMCS Waskesiu, HMCS Grou K518, HMCS Outremont K322 and HMCS Cape Breton K350 departed Kola Inlet with Convoy RA.59; arriving at Loch Ewe on 6 May 1944.  She was present on D-Day.  On 14 Sep 1944 she left 'Derry with ONF.253 for Canada, and soon after arriving began an extensive refit at Shelburne.  On its completion in Mar 1945, she proceeded to Bermuda to work up, following which she sailed for Londonderry via Horta.  She left 'Derry for Canada late in May 1945, proceeding to Esquimalt in Jun 1945 to commence tropicalization refit, but work suspended in Aug 1945 and she was paid off into reserve on 29 Jan 1946.  She was sold to the Indian government in 1947 for conversion to a pilot vessel, and re-named Hooghly in 1950.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3560512)

HMCS Waskesiu (K330) (River-class), Signalman Ken Worsencroft, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR), Halifax, Nova Scotia, April 1944.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Waskesiu (K330) (River-class).

(Ron Bell Photo)

HMCS Waskesiu (K330) (River-class).

(Ron Bell Photo)

HMCS Waskesiu (K330) (River-class).

(Ron Bell Photo)

HMCS Waskesiu (K330) (River-class).

HMCS Wentworth (K331)

(Gary Metford Photo)

HMCS Wentworth (K331) (River-class).  HMCS Wentworth was commissioned on 7 Dec 1943, at Victoria and arrived at Halifax 24 Jan 1944.  She left for Bermuda to work up, but defects forced her to return and the working-up exercises were carried out in St. Margaret's Bay.  In Jun 1944 she joined EG C-4, becoming Senior Officer's ship in Aug 1944, and remained continuously on convoy duty until Feb 1945, when she commenced a major refit at Shelburne, from 7 Mar to 9 Aug 1945.  She was paid off on 10 Oct 1945, to reserve in Bedford Basin, and broken up in 1947 at Sydney.

(Gary Medford Photo)

HMCS Wentworth (K331).

(DND Photo, Maritime Museum of British Columbia)

HMCS Wentworth (K331).

Loch Class Frigates

HMCS Loch Achanalt (K424) (Loch-class); HMCS Loch Alvie (K428) (Loch-class); HMCS Loch Morlich (K517) (Loch-class).

HMCS Loch Achanalt (K424)

(IWM Photo, FL 14690)

HMCS Loch Achanalt (K424) (Loch-class), as HMS Loch Achanalt.  Built at Leith, Scotland, she was commissioned  on 31 Jul 1944.  She worked up at Tobermory and joined EG 6 in Sep 1944 at Londonderry.  HMCS Loch Achanalt served with the group until VE-Day on A/S patrol and support duty in UK waters, based for brief periods at Portsmouth and Plymouth.  When the group was transferred to Halifax in Apr 1945, she accompanied it, but left Halifax on 29 May 1945 for Sheerness and there was paid off on 20 Jun 1945 and returned to the RN.  She remained in reserve at Sheerness until 1948, when she was sold to the Royal New Zealand navy and renamed Pukaki.  She was broken up at Hong Kong in 1966.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Loch Achanalt (K424) (Loch-class).

HMCS Loch Alvie (K428)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Loch Alvie (K428).  Built for the RN at Whiteinch, Glasgow, she was launched as HMS Loch Alvie.  Transferred to the RCN, she was commissioned on 10 August 1944, at Dalmuir, Scotland as HMCS Loch Alvie.  She carried out workups at Tobermory and joined EG 9, Londonderry, in Sep 1944.  Briefly based at Portsmouth and Plymouth, HMCS Loch Alvie served in UK waters for the duration of the war, except for a trip to Gibraltar in Oct 1944 and to Iceland in May 1945, to escort convoy JW.67 to North Russia.  On 12 May 1945, HMCS Loch Alvie K428, HMCS Nene K270, HMCS Matane K444 and HMCS St Pierre K680 departed Clyde with convoy JW.67 bound for Russia.  On 16 May 1945, HMCS Loch Alvie and HMCS Nene were detached to escort 14 surrendered U-boats from Trondheim to Loch Eribol.  Like HMCS Monnow, she never saw a Canadian port.  She was paid off at Sheerness on 11 Jun 1945 and returned to the RN, which laid her up in reserve there.  She was later re-commissioned as HMS Loch Alvie F428 for service in Far Eastern waters, following, which she was laid up at Singapore.  After being cannibalized for parts, she was broken up there in 1965.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950920)

HMCS Loch Alvie (K428) (Loch-class), with captured German U-boat, May 1945.

(Don Gorham Photo)

HMCS Loch Alvie (K428) (Loch-class).

HMCS Loch Morlich (K517)

(IWM Photo, FL 6042)

HMCS Loch Morlich (K517) (Loch-class), as HMS Loch Morlich.  Built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd., at Wallsend-on-Tyne for the RN, she was commissioned there as HMCS Loch Morlich (K517) on 17 Jul 1944.  She joined EG 6 at Londonderry in Sep 1944 after working up at Tobermory, HMS Loch Morlich remained with the group in UK waters until the end of the war, based for short periods at Portsmouth and Plymouth.  In Apr 1945, the group was transferred to Halifax and HMCS Loch Morlich went along, but left on 29 May 1945 for Sheerness where, with Loch Achanalt, she was paid off on 20 Jun 1945 and returned to the RN.  She lay in reserve at Sheerness until 1949, when she was sold to the Royal New Zealand Navy and commissioned as HMNZS Tutira F517.  Paid off in 1951, she was broken up at Hong Kong in 1966.

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