Royal Canadian Navy Minesweepers (Bangor Class): HMCS Mahone (J159) to HMCS Westmount (J318)

Royal Canadian Navy Minesweepers (Bangor Class)

HMCS Mahone (J159) (Bangor-class); HMCS Malpeque (J148) (Bangor-class); HMCS Medicine Hat (J256) (Bangor-class); HMCS Melville (J263) (Bangor-class); HMCS Milltown (J317) (Bangor-class); HMCS Minas (J165) (Bangor-class); HMCS Miramichi (J169) (Bangor-class); HMCS Mulgrave (J313) (Bangor-class); HMCS Nipigon (J154) (Bangor-class); HMCS Noranda (J265) (Bangor-class); HMCS Outarde (J161) (Bangor-class); HMCS Port Hope (J280) (Bangor-class); HMCS Quatsino (J152) (Bangor-class); HMCS Quinte (J166) (Bangor-class); HMCS Red Deer (J255) (Bangor-class); HMCS Sarnia (J309) (Bangor-class); HMCS Stratford (J310) (Bangor-class); HMCS Swift Current (J254) (Bangor-class); HMCS Thunder (J156) (Bangor-class); HMCS Transcona (J271) (Bangor-class); HMCS Trois-Rivières (J269) (Bangor-class); HMCS Truro (J268) (Bangor-class); HMCS Ungava (J149) (Bangor-class); HMCS Vegreville (J257) (Bangor-class); HMCS Wasaga (J162) (Bangor-class); HMCS Westmount (J318) (Bangor-class).  

HMCS Mahone (J159)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Mahone (J159) (Bangor-class).  Commissioned at Vancouver on 29 Sep 1941, she left Esquimalt on 11 Nov 1941 for Halifax, when upon her arrival on 17 Dec 1941, she was assigned to WLEF.  Between May 1942 and Jan 1943, she served with Halifax Force, then underwent a major refit at Liverpool, NS, from 19 Jan to 3 Apr 1943.  She was then transferred to Gaspé Force because of U-boat activity in the St. Lawrence, but returned to Halifax Force in Nov 1943, and soon afterward went to Sydney Force.  On 28 Jan 1944, she was rammed by SS Fort Townshend off Louisbourg, NS, and after temporary repairs was sent to Halifax for further repair work which lasted 4 months.  Early in Jul 1945 she proceeded to Bermuda to work up, returning to Halifax a month later.  HMCS Mahone was paid off at Halifax on 6 Nov 1945, and laid up at Shelburne.  In 1946 she was placed in strategic reserve at Sorel until 1951, when she was re-acquired by the RCN, which kept her in reserve (192) at Sydney until 29 Mar 1958.  That day marked her transfer to the Turkish Navy as Beylerbeyi, and she remained in service until discarded in 1972.

(Robert Chasse Photo)

HMCS Malpeque (J148)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Malpeque (J148) (Bangor-class).  Built at North Vancouver Ship Repairs Ltd., she was commissioned at Vancouver on 4 Aug 1941.  HMCS Malpeque left for Halifax on 13 Sep 1941, arriving on 19 Oct 1941.  She was briefly assigned to Sydney Force, then to Newfoundland Force, with which she served until 19 Feb 1944, when, with HMCS Caraquet, HMCS Cowichan and HMCS Vegreville, sailed for the UK via the Azores for invasion duties.  Arriving at Plymouth on 13 Mar 1944, she was assigned to the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla, and was present on D-Day.  She proceeded to Canada in Apr 1945, for refit at Liverpool, NS, but returned to the UK in June and remained there until Sep 1945. She then returned home and was paid off on 9 Oct 1945, to reserve at Shelburne.  Taken to Sorel in 1946 and placed in strategic reserve, she was re-acquired by the RCN in 1952 (186) and laid up at Sydney.  Never re-commissioned, she was sold for scrap in Feb 1959.

(Don Smith Photo)

HMCS Malpeque (J148) (Bangor-class).

(DND Photo)

HMCS Malpeque (J148) (Bangor-class).

HMCS Medicine Hat (J256)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Medicine Hat (J256) (Bangor-class).

(Sean Cox Photo)

HMCS Medicine Hat (J256) (Bangor-class).

(Roger Heward Photo)

HMCS Medicine Hat (J256) (Bangor-class).

(John P. Orr Photo)

HMCS Medicine Hat (J256) (Bangor-class).

HMCS Melville (J263)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Melville (J263) (Bangor-class).  Built at Levis, Quebec, the first of the diesel-engined Bangors, HMCS Melville was commissioned at Quebec City on 4 Dec 1941.  She arrived at Halifax on 13 Dec 1941, worked up, and was assigned to WLEF.  In May 1942, she was transferred to Shelburne Force, returning to WLEF that September.  On 3 Feb 1943, she arrived at Lunenburg for refit and proceeded to Halifax to continue it.  She did not resume service until 8 Jul 1943, when she joined WLEF's recently created EG W-5.  In Mar 1944, she underwent further repairs at Lunenburg, following which, on 6 Jun 1944, she sailed for Bermuda to work up.  Returning to Halifax 02 Jul 1944, she was assigned to Sydney Force until Jun 1945. Melville was paid off at Sydney on 18 Aug 1945, and handed over to the Dept. of Fisheries.  She was renamed Lamna in 1959. Lamna was sold to Marine Industries 25 Apr 1960 to be broken up.  Her registry was cancelled 29 Dec 1961 - Vessel dismantled.

HMCS Milltown (J317)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Milltown (J317) (Bangor-class).  Commissioned on 18 Sep 1942 at Port Arthur, HMCS Milltown arrived at Halifax on 27 Oct 1942 and, after working up, joined Halifax Force in Dec 1942.  In March 1943, she transferred to WLEF and in Jun 1943, to Gaspé Force.  In Nov 1943, she returned to Halifax Force until 20 Feb 1944, when, with HMCS Blairmore, HMCS Fort William and HMCS Minas, she sailed via the Azores for Plymouth, arriving on 8 Mar 1944.  She was present on D-Day with the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla.  She returned to Canada to refit at Saint John, NB, from Mar to Jun 1945, leaving Halifax 23 Jun 1945 for Plymouth via the Azores.  She left Plymouth for home on 21 Sep 1945 and was paid off on 16 Oct 1945 at Sydney and laid up at Shelburne.  HMCS Milltown was placed in strategic reserve at Sorel in 1946, but re-acquired by the RCN in 1952 (194) and kept in reserve at Sydney until Feb 1959, when she was sold for scrap.

HMCS Minas (J165)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Minas (J165) (Bangor-class).  Named for Minas Basin in the Bay of Fundy, she was built at Vancouver and commissioned there on 2 Aug 1941.  She sailed for Halifax on 13 Sep 1941, arriving on 19 Oct 1941.  After brief service with Sydney Force, she was assigned in Jan 1942, to Newfoundland Force.  In Nov 1942 she transferred to WLEF, and when WLEF was divided into escort groups in Jun 1943, she became a member of EG W-7.  That December she was re-assigned to W-4.  On 1 Feb 1943, she collided with HMS Liscomb outside Halifax, necessitating a month's repairs.  HMCS Minas left Halifax for the UK on 20 Feb 1944, with HMCS Blairmore, HMCS Fort William and HMCS Milltown, via the Azores. On arrival in the UK on 8 Mar 1944, she was assigned to the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla for invasion duties, and was on hand on D-Day.  In Sep 1944 she proceeded to Canada to refit at Dartmouth, NS, returning to Plymouth in Jan 1945.  There she rejoined the 31st Flotilla until she sailed again for Canada on 4 Sep 1945.  She was paid off into reserve at Shelburne on 6 Oct 1945, and later moved to Sorel, but was re-acquired by the RCN in 1952 and re-commissioned (189) on 15 Mar 1955 for training on the west coast.  Paid off on 7 Nov 1955, she was sold in Aug 1958, and broken up at Seattle in 1959.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3205375)

HMCS Minas (J165) (Bangor-class), March 1944.

HMCS Miramichi (J169)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Miramichi (J169) (Bangor-class).  Commissioned at Vancouver on 26 Nov 1941, HMCS Miramichi spent her entire service career on the west coast, alternating between Esquimalt Force and Prince Rupert Force.  In the summer and fall of 1943, while serving with Esquimalt Force, she was used occasionally for training purposes.  She was paid off at Esquimalt on 24 Oct 1945, and is thought to have been broken up at Vancouver in 1949, having been purchased in 1946 by the Union Steamship Co. for conversion that was never proceeded with.

HMCS Mulgrave (J313)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Mulgrave (J313) (Bangor-class).  Built at Port Arthur, Ont., she was commissioned there on 4 Nov 1942.  She arrived at Halifax on 30 Nov 1942 and was assigned to Halifax Force for the first quarter of 1943.  She then transferred to WLEF, becoming a member of newly created EG W-2 in Jun 1943.  On 18 Feb 1944, with HMCS Bayfield, HMCS Georgian and HMCS Thunder, she left Halifax for Plymouth via the Azores . On 29 Feb 1944, when entering Horta, HMCS Mulgrave suffered grounding damage and had to be towed to Greenock, Scotland.  After repairs at Ardrossan she finally made Plymouth on 24 Apr 1944 to commence training and exercises.  She was temporarily assigned to the 32nd Minesweeping Flotilla, then in Jun 1944 to the 31st, with which she was present on D-Day.  On 8 Oct 1944, the unlucky HMCS Mulgrave was damaged by a ground mine near le Havre and had to be beached.  On 3 Nov 1944 she left Le Havre in tow for Portsmouth, where she was declared a constructive total loss.  Placed in reserve at Falmouth in Jan 1945, with a reduced complement, she was formally paid off on 7 Jun 1945 and scrapped at Llanelly, Wales, two years later.

HMCS Nipigon (J154)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Nipigon (J154) (Bangor-class).  Built by Dufferin Shipbuilding Co., Toronto, Ontario, she was commissioned at Toronto on 11 Aug 1941.  She arrived at Halifax on 05 Sep 1941 and was the first of the Bangor class to join Sydney Force, on 3 Oct 1941, and remained with it until her return to Halifax on 17 Jan 1942.  She was then assigned for varying periods to WLEF, Halifax Force, and Newfoundland Force.  She was again attached to WLEF when, in Jun 1943, that force was divided into escort groups, and she commenced a major refit at Lunenburg and Liverpool, NS, on completion of which she sailed in May 1944 to work up in Bermuda.  Returning in mid-Jun 1944, she was assigned to Halifax Force until it was disbanded a year later, afterward performing various duties on the Atlantic coast.  HMCS Nipigon was paid off at Sydney on 13 Oct 1945, and laid up at Shelburne.  She was placed in strategic reserve at Sorel in 1946 but was re-acquired and refitted in 1952, though not re-commissioned.  She was transferred to the Turkish Navy on 29 Nov 1957 and served as Bafra until 1972.

(Jason Slater Photo)

HMCS Nipigon (J154) (Bangor-class).

(USN Naval History and Heritage Photo)

HMCS Nipigon (J154)

HMCS Noranda (J265)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Noranda (J265) (Bangor-class).  Built at Levis, Quebec, she was commissioned at Quebec City on 15 May 1942. Noranda arrived at Halifax on 30 May 1942, and after working up at Pictou was assigned to Halifax Force.  In Feb 1943, she was transferred to WLEF and, when it was divided into escort groups in Jun 1943, became a member of EG W-9.  HMCS Noranda went to Sydney Force in May 1944.  After a major refit at Lunenburg from Sep to Dec 1944, she proceeded to Bermuda to work up.  After returning to Halifax on 2 Feb 1945, she served briefly with Halifax Force before re-joining Sydney Force.  She was paid off at Halifax on 28 Aug 1945, and transferred to the marine section of the RCMP as Irvine.  Sold in 1962 for use as a yacht and re-named Miriana, she sank at Montego Bay, Jamaica, in May 1971.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Noranda (J265) (Bangor-class).

HMCS Outarde (J161)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Outarde (J161) (Bangor-class).  Named for Outarde Bay, Quebec, she was commissioned at Vancouver on 4 Dec 1941.  HMCS Outarde spent her whole career on the west coast, alternately serving with the Prince Rupert and Esquimalt Forces.  She was paid off 24 Nov 1945, at Esquimalt, sold in 1946 for conversion to a merchant ship, and re-named Ping Hsin by her Shanghai owners.  She vanished from Lloyd's Register after 1950.

HMCS Port Hope (J280)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Port Hope (J280) (Bangor-class).  Commissioned at Toronto on 30 Jul 1942, HMCS Port Hope arrived at Halifax on 29 Aug 1942 and on completion of workshops, joined Halifax Force.  In May 1943, owing to U-boat activity in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, she was transferred to Gaspé Force, but returned to Halifax Force in Nov 1943.  In Jan 1944, she was transferred to Newfoundland Force.  In Oct 1944 she underwent an extensive refit at Saint John and Halifax, on completion of which she went to Bermuda to work up.  Returning, HMCS Port Hope served a short further stint with Halifax Force from Apr to Jun 1945, then performed miscellaneous duties on the east coast until paid off at Sydney on 13 Oct 1945.  She lay in strategic reserve at Sorel until 1952, when the RCN re-acquired her (183).  She was was not re-commissioned, and was sold in February, 1959, for breaking up at Sorel.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Port Hope (J280) (Bangor-class).

HMCS Quatsino (J152)

(Linda Carleton Photo)

HMCS Quatsino (J152) (Bangor-class).  Named for Quatsino Sound, Vancouver Island, she was built by Prince Rupert Dry Dock & Shipyards Co., Prince Rupert, BC and commissioned on 3 Nov 1941.  HMCS Quatsino spent her entire service life on the west coast, alternately a member of the Prince Rupert and Esquimalt Force.  She was paid off at Esquimalt on 26 Nov 1945, and converted for commercial purposes in 1947, to be re-named Chen Hsin and domiciled at Shanghai.  Sold again in 1949, she was renamed Concord.  She was last listed in Lloyd's Register in 1950

HMCS Quinte (J166)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Quinte (J166) (Bangor-class).  Commissioned at Vancouver on 30 Aug 1941, HMCS Quinte left Esquimalt 10 Oct 1941 for Halifax, arriving on 14 Nov 1941.  She was assigned at first to WLEF, and then, in Jun 1942, to Halifax Force.  On 28 Nov 1942, after completing a six-week refit at Lunenburg, she grounded, causing extensive damage to her bottom and had to be beached.  In the memoirs of L/Tel George Crewe, the CO had him send a message requesting permission to enter Halifax to oil as the ship was low on oil.  Permission was denied and HMCS Quinte was ordered to proceed without stopping at Halifax.  As a result, she ran out of fuel oil, drifted and was driven ashore in a storm, grounding on 28 Nov 1942 on Horse Head Shoal and was beached near St. Peter’s, Cape Breton.  Quinte was re-floated ten days later and moved to the wall at St. Peter’s Canal to continue pumping operations.  The next day she took an unexpected list, rolling on her side and sank making her the only ship in the RCN to sink twice in 10 days.  

Salvage work continued throughout most of the winter, and on 25 Apr 1943, she arrived at Pictou in tow for repairs, which were not completed until Jun 1944.  She was then sent to HMCS Cornwallis as a training ship, arriving at Digby on 21 Aug 1944, and remained there until the end of 1945.  In 1946 she was employed with the Naval Research Establishment at Halifax until paid off on 25 Oct 1946.  In August 1947, HMCS Quinte sold to the Steel Co. of Canada, Hamilton, Ontario, and was broken up at Sydney, NS, later that year.

(Catherine Crewe Photo)

HMCS Quinte (J166) (Bangor-class).

(Catherine Crewe Photo)

HMCS Quinte (J166) (Bangor-class), twin Browning.50-calibre water-cooled AA machine guns.

(Author Photo)

Twin Browning.50-calibre water-cooled AA machine guns on display in the Army Museum in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

(Walter Gregory Photo)

HMCS Quinte (J166), being salvaged by the Foundation Maritime Ltd’s ship Foundation Aranmore in November 1942, Cape Breton, NS.

HMCS Red Deer (J255)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Red Deer (J255) (Bangor-class).  Commissioned at Montreal on 24 Nov 1941, HMCS Red Deer arrived at Halifax on 3 Dec 1941.  She was assigned to WLEF, later serving at various times with Halifax Local Defence Force, Gulf Escort Force, and Sydney Force.  On 12 Jan 1942, she rescued survivors from the British SS Cyclops, which was torpedoed 125 miles southeast of Cape Sable, the first victim of the epic U-boat campaign off the US east coast.  In May 1944, she began a refit at Liverpool, NS, and was sent to Bermuda to work up late in July.  In Feb 1944, she had been allocated to Newfoundland Force, and she continued a member of this force until VE-Day.  She was paid off at Halifax on 30 Oct 1945, and laid up at Shelburne, later being placed in strategic reserve at Sorel.  Re-acquired by the RCN in 1952 (196), she was never re-commissioned, and was sold in Feb 1959, for breaking up at Sorel.

(Red Deer Digital Archives, P7540)

HMCS Red Deer (J255) (Bangor-class).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3203178)

HMCS Red Deer (J255) (Bangor-class).

HMCS Sarnia (J309)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Sarnia (J309) (Bangor-class).  Commissioned at Toronto on 13 Aug 1942, HMCS Sarnia arrived at Halifax on 22 Sep 1942, having escorted a Quebec-Sydney convoy en route, and was assigned to Newfoundland Force.  In Sep 1944, she underwent a major refit at Lunenburg, and on completion went to Bermuda in Nov 1944 to work up.  On her return to Canada she was assigned to Halifax Force and, later, to Halifax Local Defence Force until Jun 1945.  On 16 Apr 1945, she rescued survivors of HMCS Esquimalt, torpedoed outside Halifax.  She then performed miscellaneous duties until paid off on 28 Oct 1945, at Sydney and laid up at Shelburne.  In 1946 she was placed in strategic reserve at Sorel and in 1951 re-acquired by the RCN and extensively refitted (190).  She did not re-commission, however, and on 29 Mar 1958 was transferred to the Turkish navy to serve until 1972 as Buyukdere.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Sarnia (J309) (Bangor-class).

(DND Photo)

HMCS Sarnia (J309) (Bangor-class).  

HMCS Stratford (J310)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Stratford (J310) (Bangor-class).  Commissioned at Toronto on 29 Aug 1942, HMCS Stratford and arrived at Halifax on 22 Sep 1942, where she was assigned to Newfoundland Force.  She remained with this force as a convoy escort throughout her wartime career, and saw continuous service.  She did not require a major refit until Dec 1944, when this was done at Dartmouth, NS.  On its completion she carried out workups in Bermuda from 15 Feb to 08 Mar 1945.  Returning from Bermuda, she was involved in a collision with HMCS Ottawa in the Halifax approaches on 11 Mar 1945, receiving extensive damage to her fo'c's'le.  Though inactive thereafter, she was not paid off until 4 Jan 1946, and was then sold for scrap.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Stratford (J310)

HMCS Swift Current (J254)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Swift Current (J254) (Bangor-class).  Built at Montreal, she was commissioned there on  11 Nov 1941. She arrived at Halifax on 24 Nov 1941 and was based there for A/S training.  In May 1942, HMCS Swift Current was moved to Pictou in the same capacity, and continued in this role until Feb 1943, when she was transferred to Halifax Force.  She went to Gaspé Force in Jun 1943, but returned to Halifax Force in Nov 1943.  In Feb 1944, following a major refit at Lunenburg, she was transferred to Newfoundland Force, remaining there until Jun 1945.  Miscellaneous duties occupied her until she was paid off at Sydney on 23 Oct 1945, and laid up at Shelburne.  HMCS Swift Current was placed in strategic reserve at Sorel the following year, but re-acquired by the RCN in 1951 (185), owing to the Korean emergency.  However, she was not re-commissioned and was handed over to the Turkish Navy on 29 Mar 1958.  Re-named Bozcaada, she remained in Turkish service until 1971.

HMCS Thunder (J156)

(Fred Ambrose Photo)

HMCS Thunder (J156) (Bangor-class).  Built at Toronto, she was commissioned there on 14 Oct 1941.  HMCS Thunder arrived at Halifax 30 Oct 1941.  After working up, she joined Sydney Force, but in Jan 1942, was transferred to WLEF and subsequently to Halifax Local Defence Force, Shelburne Force, Halifax Force, and back to Sydney Force.  She sailed with HMCS Bayfield, HMCS Georgian and HMCS Mulgrave from Halifax on 18 Feb 1944, for Plymouth via the Azores.  Arriving on 13 Mar 1944, she was allocated to the 32nd Minesweeping Flotilla as Senior Officer's ship but was later transferred to the 4th Flotilla, and was present on D-Day.  HMCS Thunder returned to Canada in Aug 1944, to refit at Sydney but was back at Plymouth in late November, assigned to the 31st Flotilla.  In May 1945, in the Bay of Biscay, she accepted the surrender of the German auxiliary minesweeper FGi07.  She sailed for Canada in Sep 1945, to be paid off on 4 Oct 1945 at Halifax, and was broken up at Sorel in 1947.

HMCS Transcona (J271)

(Ryan Lee Photo)

HMCS Transcona (J271) (Bangor-class).  Built at Sorel and commissioned there on 25 Nov 1942, HMCS Transcona was the last Bangor class minesweeper to join the RCN.  She arrived at Halifax on 19 Dec 1942, having escorted HMCS Provider en route, and remained in shipyard hands there from 22 Dec 1942 to 6 Mar 1943, owing to engine defects.  Following workups at Halifax, she was assigned in Apr 1943, to WLEF and, in June, to newly created EG W-2.  In May 1944, she joined Halifax Force, remaining until Jun 1945, after which she performed various local tasks until she was paid off at Sydney on 12 Jun 1945.  On 1 Sep 1945, HMCS Transcona was transferred to the marine section of the RCMP and renamed French.  She was sold for scrap at La Have, NS, in 1961.

(US Naval History and Heritage Photo)

HMCS Transcona (J271).

HMCS Trois-Rivières (J269)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Trois-Rivières (J269) (Bangor-class).  Built at Sorel and commissioned there on 12 Aug 1942, she arrived at Halifax on 29 Aug 1942 and, after working up at Pictou, was assigned to WLEF.  In Nov 1942, she was transferred to the Newfoundland Force, serving until the Command was disbanded in Jun 1945.  She was under repair at Dalhousie, NB, Halifax and Saint John between Oct 1943 and Jan 1944, and had a major refit at Lunenburg from Feb to May 1945, followed by workups in Bermuda.  HMCS Trois-Rivieres was paid off on 31 Jul 1945, and handed over later that year to serve the RCMP as MacBrien MP 92.  She was sold for scrap in 1960.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Trois-Rivières (J269) (Bangor-class)

HMCS Truro (J268)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Truro (J268) (Bangor-class).  Built at Levis, Quebec, she was commissioned at Quebec City on 27 Aug 1942 and arrived at Halifax on 15 Sep 1942.  Initially allocated to WLEF, she became a member of newly created EG W-4 in Jun 1943.  In May 1944, she was transferred to Sydney Force, and from Dec 1944 to Feb 1945, underwent a major refit at Lunenburg.  HMCS Truro was then assigned briefly to Halifax Force before returning to Sydney Force until Jun 1945.  Paid off on 31 Jul 1945 at Sydney, she was handed over to the RCMP on 3 Aug 1945 and renamed Herchmer.  She was never commissioned and was paid off on 6 Aug 1946.  She was converted to the commercial vessel Gulf Mariner in 1947.  Abandoned ashore in the Fraser River after plans to convert her to a suction dredge had fallen though, she was broken up in 1964.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3554375)

HMCS Truro, Bangor class minesweeper.  The caption indicates it belongs to Canada Steamship Lines so most likely post war, as it is flying their flag.

HMCS Ungava (J149)

(Rod Henderson Photo)

HMCS Ungava (J149) (Bangor-class).  Built by North Vancouver Ship Repairs Ltd., she was commissioned at Vancouver on 05 Sep 1941.  HMCS Ungava left Esquimalt on 10 Oct 1941 for Halifax, arriving on 14 Nov 1941.  Initially assigned to Halifax Force, she was transferred in May 1943, to Gaspé Force, then back to Halifax Force in Dec 1943.  In May 1944, she joined Sydney Force, returning again to Halifax Force in Feb 1945.  Following a refit from Apr to May 1945, at Liverpool, NS, she went to Bermuda to work up, and on her return after VE-Day she was assigned miscellaneous duties until paid off at Halifax on 3 Apr 1946.  She was sold in 1946 to T. Harris, of Barber, New Jersey to be broken up.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3205781)

HMCS Ungava (149), 20 September 1941.

HMCS Vegreville (J257)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3554189)

HMCS Vegreville (J257) (Bangor-class).  Built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, she was commissioned at Montreal on 10 Dec 1941.  HMCS Vegreville arrived at Halifax on 18 Dec 1941 and was assigned to WLEF.  She was re-assigned to Gulf Escort Force in Jun 1942, and transferred in Sep 1942 to Newfoundland Force.  In Jan 1944, she was assigned to invasion duties, and sailed on 19 Feb 1944 from Halifax for Plymouth via the Azores, in company with HMCS Caraquet, HMCS Cowichan, and HMCS Malpeque.  Arriving at Plymouth on 13 Mar 1944, HMCS Vegreville was assigned successively to the 32nd, 14th and 31st Minesweeping Flotillas, and was present on D-Day as part of the 14th.  In Sep 1944, she proceeded to Canada to refit at Sydney, returning to Plymouth on 4 Feb 1945.  On 23 Apr 1945, while operating off the French coast, she was damaged by a mine and sustained severe damage to her port engine.  Dockyard survey at Devonport indicated that she was not worth repairing at that stage of the war, and she was laid up at Falmouth in Jun 1945.  Paid off on 06 Jun 1945, she was broken up at Hayle, UK, in 1947.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Vegreville (J257) (Bangor-class).

HMCS Wasaga (J162)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Wasaga (J162) (Bangor-class).  The first of the RCN Bangors, HMCS Wasaga was commissioned at Vancouver on 30 Jun 1941.  She left Esquimalt on 06 Aug 1941 for Halifax, arriving on 10 Sep 1941.  Sent to Bermuda for working-up, she was assigned to Halifax Force on her return.  In Mar 1942, she was transferred to Newfoundland Force and, in Jan 1944, to Sydney Force.  Ordered to the UK for invasion duties, she sailed from Halifax on 21 Feb 1944, for Plymouth via the Azores, in company with HMCS Canso, HMCS Guysborough and HMCS Kenora.  Arriving at Plymouth early in Mar 1944, she was assigned at first to the 32nd and then to the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla, and was on hand on D-Day.  She sailed for Canada on 30 Sep 1944, to refit at Charlottetown, returning to Plymouth on 4 Feb 1945.  On 11 Apr 1945 HMCS Wasaga was hit by HMS Sursay.   HMS Sursay struck HMCS Wasaga in the seaman's mess.  The crew managed to shore up the ship and she made it to port for repairs.  In Sep 1945 she returned to Canada and was paid off at Halifax on 6 Oct 1945, to be laid up at Shelburne until sold for scrap in 1947.

HMCS Westmount (J318)

(DND Photo)

HMCS Westmount (J318) (Bangor-class).  Built at Lauzon, Quebec, she was commissioned at Toronto on 15 Sep 1942.  HMCS Westmount arrived at Halifax on 10 Oct 1942 and proceeded to Pictou to work up.  Following this, she underwent engine repairs at Halifax from 20 Nov 1942 to 02 Feb 1943.  She was then assigned to Halifax Local Defence Force and, later, to Halifax Force.  In May 1943, she was transferred to Sydney Force, but returned to Halifax Force in Jan 1944.  In Feb 1945, she commenced a major refit at Lunenburg and, after this completed late in Apr 1945, proceeded to Bermuda to work up.  Upon her return to Halifax on 30 May 1945 she was assigned to miscellaneous duties until paid off at Sydney on 13 Oct 1945, and laid up at Shelburne.  In 1946 she was placed in strategic reserve at Sorel until re-acquired by the RCN in 1951 (187).  On 29 Mar 1958, she was transferred to the Turkish Navy, and served as Bornova until 1972.

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