Royal Canadian Navy Minesweepers (Fundy, Lake and Llewellyn Class)
RCN 1939–1945, Minesweepers (Fundy, Lake and Llewellyn Class)
Minesweepers (Fundy-class)
The Fundy-class minesweepers included four minesweepers operated by the RCN during the Second World War. All four ships entered service in 1938 and the class was discarded in 1945, sold for mercantile service. Three ended up sold to Chinese interests, while one remained active in Canada until 1987. The class derived its name from the lead ship, HMCS Fundy, and are all named after bays in Canada. The Fundy-class minesweepers were modified versions of the British Basset-class trawler mineseepers. The Canadian ships were given extra strengthening for ice conditions. Two were initially assigned to the west coast and two, including HMCS Fundy, to the east coast.
HMCS Comox (J64), HMCS Fundy (J88), HMCS Gaspé (J94), HMCS Nootka/Nanoose (J35)
HMCS Comox (J64)
(City of Vancouver Archives Photo, ca 1937)
HMCS Comox (J64) (Fundy-class). Commissioned on 23 Nov 1938, HMCS Comox was stationed at Esquimalt at the outbreak of the war, and carried out local patrol duties until Mar 1940, when, with HMCS Nootka, she was ordered to the east coast. Arriving at Halifax in Apr 1940, she spent the entire war on local minesweeping duties with Halifax Local Defence Force. On 15 Jan 1945, with HMCS Fundy, she rescued survivors from the US liberty ship Martin van Buren, torpedoed off Halifax. She was paid off 27 Jul 1945. Sold for commercial use in 1946 she was converted to a tug and re-named the Sung Ming.
(CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Photo)
HMCS Comox (J64) (Fundy-class).
(Ron Bell Photo)
HMCS Comox (J64) (Fundy-class).
HMCS Fundy (J88)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Fundy (J88) (Fundy-class). Built at Collingwood, Ontario, she was commissioned there on 1 Sep 1938. She was at Halifax when the war began, and served almost continuously as a member of Halifax Local defence Force on local minesweeping duties. In Jul 1942, her one change of occupation occurred when she escorted on convoy to Boston and another back to Halifax. On 15 Jan 1945, with HMCS Comox, she rescued survivors of the torpedoed US liberty ship Martin van Buren. HMCS Fundy was paid off at Halifax on 27 Jul 1945. She was sold in 1947 to Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel, Quebec and converted to mercantile. She became the coaster Aigle Marin and then the Anne R.D. She was broken up at La Malbaie, Quebec in 1987.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Fundy (J88) (Fundy-class).
(DND Photo)
HMCS Fundy (J88) (Fundy-class).
HMCS Gaspé (J94)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Gaspé (J94) (Fundy-class). Commissioned at Quebec on 21 Oct 1938, HMCS Gaspé was at Halifax when hostilities broke out. Throughout the war she served with Halifax Local Defence Force on local minesweeping duties. She was paid off at Halifax on 23 Jul 1945, and sold into mercantile service in 1946, becoming the Shanghai tug Sung Li.
HMCS Nootka/Nanoose (J35)
(DND Photo, HMCS Nootka)
HMCS Nanoose (J35) (Fundy-class). Commissioned on 6 Dec 1938, at Esquimalt, HMCS Nootka was based there when the war began. She performed local patrol duty until Mar 1940, when, with HMCS Comox, she was transferred to Halifax Local Defence Force with which she remained throughout the war. On 1 Apr 1943, she was renamed HMCS Nanoose so that her original name could be allotted to a Tribal class destroyer. She was paid off at Halifax on 29 Jul 1945, and, like two of her sisters, sold in 1946 to become a tug. Her Chinese owners renamed her Sung Ling.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Nanoose (J35) (Fundy-class).
Minesweepers (Lake Class)
The Lake Class Minesweepers were copies of the Admiralty type, 126-foot wooden-hulled minesweepers, of which 24 were completed in east-coast yards for the RN. Of the 16 for which orders were placed by the RCN, only 10 were completed as warships, VJ-Day having intervened, and these were transferred to the USSR. The 3 on which work was stopped were completed for civilian use. The remaining 3 were apparently never begun. (Ken Macpherson and John Burgess, The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910-1981, Collins, Toronto, 1982, p.135)
HMCS Alder Lake (J480) (Lake-class); HMCS Ash Lake (J481) (Lake-class); HMCS Beech Lake (J482) (Lake-class); HMCS Birch Lake (J483) (Lake-class); HMCS Cedar Lake (J484) (Lake-class); HMCS Cherry Lake (J485) (Lake-class); HMCS Elm Lake (J486) (Lake-class); HMCS Fir Lake (J487) (Lake-class); HMCS Hickory Lake (J488) (Lake-class); HMCS Larch Lake (J489) (Lake-class); HMCS Maple Lake (J490) (Lake-class); HMCS Oak Lake (J491) (Lake-class); HMCS Pine Lake (J492) (Lake-class); HMCS Poplar Lake (J493) (Lake-class); HMCS Spruce Lake (J494) (Lake-class); HMCS Willow Lake (J495) (Lake-class).
HMCS Alder Lake (J480) (Lake-class)
(Midland and Area-Portraits of the Past Photo)
HMCS Alder Lake (J480) (Lake-class). Transferred to USSR, 20 Sep1945 as T-196.
HMCS Ash Lake (J481) (Lake-class). Transferred to the Department of Mines as Cartier.
HMCS Beech Lake (J482) (Lake-class). Built at Vancouver Shipyards Ltd., she was launched on 31 May 1945. Transferred to USSR, 5 February 1946 as T-200. Re-named GRS-2 in 1956.
HMCS Birch Lake (J483) (Lake-class). Completed as MV Aspy III.
HMCS Cedar Lake (J484) (Lake-class). Transferred to USSR, 1 Nov 1945 as T-197.
HMCS Cherry Lake (J485) (Lake-class). Cancelled 22 Oct 1945.
HMCS Elm Lake (J486) (Lake Class). Transferred to USSR as T-193.
HMCS Fir Lake (J487) (Lake-class). Completed as mission ship Regina Polaris.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Hickory Lake (J488) (Lake-class). Transferred to USSR, 15 Aug 1945 as T-194.
HMCS Larch Lake (J489) (Lake-class). Transferred to USSR, 1 Nov 1945 as T-198.
HMCS Maple Lake (J490) (Lake-class). Ordered 4 May 1944, cancelled 18 Sep 1944. This vessel completed but not as a warship. It was sold to Norwegian whaling interests and eventually ended up in British Columbia. It ended up as a floating home at Maple Ridge on the Fraser River but sank at its moorings. (Brendan Coyle)
HMCS Oak Lake (J491) (Lake-class). Ordered 4 May 1944, cancelled 18 Sep 1944.
HMCS Pine Lake (J492) (Lake-class). Transferred to USSR T-195 1945.
HMCS Poplar Lake (J493) (Lake-class). Transferred to USSR T-199 1946
HMCS Spruce Lake (J494) (Lake-class). Transferred toUSSR T-202 1946.
HMCS Willow Lake (J495) (Lake-class). Transferred toUSSR T-201 1946.
HMCS Pine Lake (J491)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Pine Lake (J491) (Lake-class). Transferred to USSR, 20 Sep 1945 as T-195.
HMCS Poplar Lake (J492) (Lake-class). Launched 10 May 1945. Transferred to USSR, 9 Jan 1946 as T-199, re-named Termoskop in 1957, re-named LOTs-83 in 1957.
HMCS Spruce Lake (J493) (Lake-class). Built by Star Shipyards Lt., New Westminster, BC. Launched 10 Jul 1945. Displacement: 360 tons; Length: 140 feet; Beam 28 ft; Draught: 12.5 feet; Armament: 2-20mm. Transferred to USSR 19 March 1946 as T-201, re-named Kashalot in 1955.
HMCS Willow Lake (J495) (Lake-class). Built by Newcastle Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, Nanaimo, BC. Launched 27 Jul 1945. Transferred to USSR, 11 March 1946 as T-202, re-named SBR-125 in 1956.
Minesweepers (Llewellyn Class)
HMCS Coquitlam (J364) (Llewellyn-class); HMCS Cranbrook (J372) (Llewellyn-class); HMCS Daerwood (J357) (Llewellyn-class); HMCS Kalamalka (J395) (Llewellyn-class); HMCS Lavallee (J371) (Llewellyn-class); HMCS Llewellyn (J278) (Llewellyn-class); HMCS Lloyd George (J279) (Llewellyn-class); HMCS Revelstoke (J373) (Llewellyn-class); HMCS Rossland (J358) (Llewellyn-class); HMCS St. Joseph (J359) (Llewellyn-class)
HMCS Coquitlam (J364)
HMCS Coquitlam (J364) (Llewellyn-class). Built at Newcastle Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Nanaimo, BC, she was commission at Nanaimo on 25 Jul 1944. She was employed out of Esquimalt on Esquimalt and Prince Rupert Force until the end of the war. Coquitlam was sold for civilian use in 1946 and re-named Wilcox. She ran aground at Carleton Point, Anticosti Island in Jun 1954.
HMCS Cranbrook (J372)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Cranbrook (J372) (Llewellyn-class). Built at Star Shipyards Ltd., New Westminster, B.C., Cranbrook was commissioned at New Westminster on 12 May 1944. She served out of Esquimalt on Esquimalt and Prince Rupert Force. She was sold in 1947.
HMCS Daerwood (J357)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Daerwood (J357) (Llewellyn-class). Built at Vancouver Shipyards Ltd., HMCS Daerwood was commissioned at Vancouver on 22 Apr 1944. She served out of Esquimalt on Esquimalt and Prince Rupert Force. She was sold in 1947.
HMCS Kalamalka (J395)
(WWII in color Photo)
HMCS Kalamalka (J395) (Llewellyn-class). Built by A.C. Benson Shipyard Ltd. of Vancouver, HMCS Kalamalka was commissioned in the Canadian Navy 4 Jul 1944. She was assigned to the Local Defence Force and was continuously employed on precautionary sweeps of the approaches to Esquimalt and Prince Rupert Harbour. Initially paid off in Nov 1945, she was reactivated and sent to Halifax where she served as a guard ship for the reserve fleet. Paid off again, she was restored to service in the summer and fall of 1952 and 1953 for use as a tender at St. John’s and was finally paid off on 23 Oct 1953 and transferred to the Department of Indian Affairs. Later sold she was reported to have sank in 1968.
HMCS Lavallee (J371) (Llewellyn-class). Built at A.C. Benson Shipyard Ltd., Vancouver, she was commissioned at Vancouver on 21 Jun 1944. She served out of Esquimalt on Esquimalt and Prince Rupert Force. After the war she was sold for civilian use as Lavalee and was destroyed by fire in 1968.
HMCS Llewellyn (J278)
(Dennis Messier Photo)
HMCS Llewellyn (J278) and HMCS Suderoy V (J05) seen from the sweep deck of HMCS Lloyd George (J279)
HMCS Llewellyn (J278) (Llewellyn-class). Built at Chantier Maritime de St. Laurent, Ile d'Orleans, Quebec, she was commissioned at Quebec City on 24 Aug 1942. She was assigned to Halifax Defence Force and spent her wartime career on precautionary sweeps of the Halifax approaches. After the war she served as guard ship for the reserve fleet at Halifax until paid off on 14 Jun 1946. She was re-commissioned in 1949 for use as a tender at Saint John, and finally paid off on 31 Oct 1951. Sold in 1957 for commercial use, she foundered on 28 Oct 1960 while fishing off Cape Breton.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Llewellyn (J278)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Llewellyn (J278)
(Crowsnest Magazine Photo)
HMCS Llewellyn (J278), heading for her berth in HMC Dockyard, Halifax, after a 2,000-mile reserve training cruise around the coast of Newfoundland, 1949.
HMCS Lloyd George (J279)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Lloyd George (J279) (Llewellyn-class). Built at Chantier Maritime de St. Laurent, Ile d'Orleans, Quebec, she was commissioned at Quebec City on 24 Aug 1942. She was assigned to Halifax Local Defence Force, and spent her wartime career on precautionary sweeps of the Halifax approaches. After the war she served as guard vessel for the reserve fleet. In May 1947 she was performing Bathythermographic duties. Paid off on 16 Jul 1948, she was sold in 1949.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3393070)
Personnel handling the LL magnetic minsesweeping cable on board the minesweeper HMCS Lloyd George (J279) (Llewellyn-class), off Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1943.
HMCS Revelstoke (J373) (Llewellyn-class). Built at Star Shipyards Lt., New Westminster, BC, she was commissioned at New Westminster on 4 Jul 1944. She spent her wartime service as part of Esquimalt and Prince Rupert Force, being paid off on 2 Sep 1945. HMCS Revelstoke was re-commissioned for passage to Halifax for a time. She was re-commissioned in the summer and fall of 1952 and 1953 for use as a tender at St. John's, Newfoundland. She was finally paid off on 23 Oct 1953, for transfer to the Department of Indian Affairs. She was later sold in 1956.
HMCS Rossland (J358)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Rossland (J358) (Llewellyn-class). Built at Vancouver Shipyards Ltd., she was commissioned on 15 Jul 1944 at Vancouver. She spent her wartime career with Esquimalt and Prince Rupert Force, being paid off on 1 Nov 1945. She was sold in 1946.
HMCS St. Joseph (J359)
(DND Photo)
HMCS St. Joseph (J359) (Llewellyn-class). Built at Newcastle Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Nanaimo, BC, she was commissioned at Nanaimo on 24 May 1944. She spent her wartime career on Esquimalt and Prince Rupert Force, being paid off on 18 Jun 1945. She was sold in 1947.
