RCN Minesweepers (Bangor Class): HMCS Goderich J260, HMCS Granby J264, HMCS Grandmère J258
HMCS Goderich (J260)
(Rick Murray Photo)
HMCS Goderich (J260) (Bangor-class). Commissioned at Toronto on 23 Nov 1941, HMCS Goderich arrived at Halifax on 6 Dec 1941. She spent her whole career based at Halifax as a member, alternately, of Halifax Local Defence Force and Halifax Force. She was damaged on 18 Nov 1942, in a collision with the tanker Iocoma in Halifax harbour, which necessitated three weeks’ repairs there. HMCS Goderich saw almost continuous service service, undergoing only one major refit at Liverpool, NS, from 5 Mar to 15 May 1943. On 29 Jan 1943, she rescued survivors from the after section of the U.S. tanker Brilliant, which had broken in half during a storm. She was paid off at Halifax on 6 Nov 1945, and in 1946 placed in strategic reserve at Sorel. In 1951 she was re-acquired by the RCN and underwent modernization at Lauzon (198). Never re-commissioned, however, she lay in reserve at Sydney until sold in Feb 1959 for scrap.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Goderich (J260) (Bangor-class).
(IWM Photo, FL 13507)
HMCS Goderich (J260). Visible at top centre are two aerial depth charges and a Yagi antenna for Mk. II ASV radar.
HMCS Granby (J264)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Granby (J264) (Bangor-class). Built at Levis, Quebec, she was commissioned at Quebec City on 2 May 1942. Granby arrived at Halifax on 13 May 1942. She completed working up and was assigned first to Sydney Force and then to Western Local defence Force. In Jun 1943, when the latter was divided into escort groups, she became a member of EG W-3 until May 1944, when she returned to Sydney Force. During this period she had an extensive refit at Lunenburg from Jun to Oct 1944, afterward proceeding to Bermuda to work up. She returned in Nov 1944 and was assigned to Shelburne Force in Feb 1945. In Apr 1945 she was transferred to Halifax Force and remained under repair at Halifax until paid off on 31 Jul 1945. Although allocated to the marine section of the RCMP as Col. White, she was not actually taken over. She was re-commissioned on 23 May 1953 (180) for conversion to a deep-diving tender, and served as such until finally paid off on 15 Dec 1966, and sold.
(RCN Photo)
HMCS Granby (J264) (Bangor-class).
HMCS Grandmère (J258)
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3554190)
HMCS Grandmère (J258) (Bangor-class). Built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, Quebec. HMCS Grandmere was commissioned at Montreal on 11 Dec 1941. En route to Halifax she broke down in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on 21 Dec 1941, and was towed to Sydney by HMCS Kamsack. Later that month, while alongside at Sydney undergoing repairs, she suffered serious damage to her No.2 boiler, and was taken to Pictou for repairs, which were not completed until May 1942. She finally arrived at Halifax, her original destination, on 5 May 1942. She served for varying periods with WLEF, Sydney Force, Halifax Force, and Halifax Local Defence Force. On 14 Oct 1942, while with Sydney Force, she rescued 101 survivors of the passenger ferry Caribou, torpedoed in the Cabot Strait – 126 passengers and crew of the Caribou perished. In July 1943, she had a seven-week refit at Louisbourg and underwent a second major refit at Sydney and Halifax in Sep 1944, following which she worked up in Bermuda in Feb 1945. The ship was paid off at Sydney on 23 Oct 1945, and placed in reserve at Shelburne. Sold in 1947, she operated as the yacht Elda. In 1951, she was converted to a cargo vessel, 664 gt, and renamed Jack’s Bay. She operated under British registry out of Nassau, Bahamas ports between Florida and Cuba. In 1961 she was renamed Proton. In Oct 1968, she was broken up at Pinto Island Metals Co., Mobile, Alabama.
(Cathy Masters Photo)
HMCS Grandmère (J258), 20-mm Oerlikon AA gun, c1945.