Royal Canadian Navy River class Frigates: HMCS Annan (K404), HMCS Antigonish (K661), HMCS Beacon Hill (K407), HMCS Buckingham (K685)
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.
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), are 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).
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
HMCS Annan (K404)
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Annan (K404).
HMCS Annan (K404), River class Frigate. 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) River class Frigate. John Stronski on watch.
(Randy Hone Photo)
HMCS Annan (K404) River class Frigate. Quarter deck and starboard depth charge throwers and rails.
(Randy Hone Photo)
HMCS Annan (K404) River class Frigate. Quarter deck and port depth charge throwers and rails.
(IWM Photo, FL624)
HMCS Annan (K404).
HMCS Antigonish (K661)
(City of Vancouver Archives Photo)
HMCS Antigonish (K661) River class Frigate. 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) River class Frigate, 15 Nov 1944.
HMCS Beacon Hill (K407)
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Beacon Hill (K407) River class Frigate 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 Frigate. 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 (K685) River class Frigate. Buckingham, Quebec.