HMCS Dauphin

Last updated

HMCS Dauphin CN-2334.jpg
HMCS Dauphin at Pictou, Nova Scotia.
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgCanada
NameDauphin
Namesake Dauphin, Manitoba
Operator Royal Canadian Navy
Ordered20 January 1940
Builder Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal
Laid down6 July 1940
Launched24 October 1940
Commissioned17 May 1941
Decommissioned20 June 1945
Identification Pennant number: K157
Honours and
awards		Atlantic 1941-45 [1]
FateSold for civilian use as Cortes in 1949 and renamed San Antonio in 1955.
General characteristics
Class and type Flower-class corvette (original) [2]
Displacement925 long tons (940 t; 1,036 short tons)
Length205 ft (62.48 m)o/a
Beam33 ft (10.06 m)
Draught11.5 ft (3.51 m)
Propulsion
  • single shaft
  • 2 × fire tube Scotch boilers
  • 1 × 4-cycle triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
  • 2,750 ihp (2,050 kW)
Speed16 knots (29.6 km/h)
Range3,500 nautical miles (6,482 km) at 12 knots (22.2 km/h)
Complement85
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 × SW1C or 2C radar
  • 1 × Type 123A or Type 127DV sonar
Armament

HMCS Dauphin was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Dauphin, Manitoba.

Contents

Background

Flower-class corvettes like Dauphin serving with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were different from earlier and more traditional sail-driven corvettes. [3] [4] [5] The "corvette" designation was created by the French as a class of small warships; the Royal Navy borrowed the term for a period but discontinued its use in 1877. [6] During the hurried preparations for war in the late 1930s, Winston Churchill reactivated the corvette class, needing a name for smaller ships used in an escort capacity, in this case based on a whaling ship design. [7] The generic name "flower" was used to designate the class of these ships, which – in the Royal Navy – were named after flowering plants. [8]

Corvettes commissioned by the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were named after communities for the most part, to better represent the people who took part in building them. This idea was put forth by Admiral Percy W. Nelles. Sponsors were commonly associated with the community for which the ship was named. Royal Navy corvettes were designed as open sea escorts, while Canadian corvettes were developed for coastal auxiliary roles which was exemplified by their minesweeping gear. Eventually the Canadian corvettes would be modified to allow them to perform better on the open seas. [9]

Construction

Dauphin was ordered 20 January 1940 as part of the 1939-1940 Flower-class shipbuilding program. She was laid down 6 July 1940 by Canadian Vickers Ltd. at Montreal, Quebec and launched on 24 October later that year. She was commissioned on 17 May 1941 at Montreal. [10] From April to September 1943, Dauphin was refitted at Pictou. During this time her fo'c'sle was extended. [10] [11] In August 1944 she underwent another refit at Liverpool, Nova Scotia. [11]

Wartime service

In late June 1941 Dauphin joined Sydney Force. In September of that year she transferred to Newfoundland Command. However she was sent for further workups at Tobermory and returned to service as an ocean escort in mid-October. [11]

From October 1941 to August 1944 she was an ocean escort. After December 1942 she was assigned to escort group EG A-3, which was re-designated C-5 in June 1943. Dauphin was involved in three major convoy battles during that time; SC 100 in September 1942, ON 166 in February 1943 and SC 121 in March 1943.

U-boats repeatedly attacked SC 121 from 6 to 10 March. On the night of 9–10 March U-229 torpedoed the tramp steamers Nailsea Court, which sank, and Colmore, which was damaged and abandoned. Dauphin tried to reach a lifeboat containing 37 men from the two ships. She got within 250 yards of the boat when her steering gear failed, forcing her to stop. It took Dauphin four hours to repair her steering gear and return to the boat. By then it had capsized and she rescued only three survivors who were clinging to the keel. [12]

Daulhin was removed from convoy duty from April to September 1943 for a refit. In January 1945 she was reassigned to the Western Local Escort Force escort group W-7. She remained with the group until the end of the war. [11]

Trans-Atlantic convoys escorted

ConvoyEscort GroupDatesNotes
SC 36 1–4 July 1941 [13] Newfoundland to Iceland
HX 138 13 July 1941 [14] Newfoundland to Iceland
HX 139 17–18 July 1941 [14] Newfoundland to Iceland
SC 38 22–25 July 1941 [13] Newfoundland to Iceland
HX 143 6-7 Aug 1941 [14] Newfoundland to Iceland
HX 142 8 Aug 1941 [14] Newfoundland to Iceland
HX 144 11-12 Aug 1941 [14] Newfoundland to Iceland
SC 43 5-20 Sept 1941 [13] Newfoundland to Iceland
SC 53 6-20 Nov 1941 [13] Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 38 26-30 Nov 1941 [15] Iceland to Newfoundland
SC 60 18-24 Dec 1941 [13] Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 53 3-9 Jan 1942 [15] Iceland to Newfoundland
SC 67 2-12 Feb 1942 [13] Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 66 18-26 Feb 1942 [15] Iceland to Newfoundland
SC 73 10–23 March 1942 [13] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 80 28 March – 10 April 1942 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 89 MOEF group C2 28 June – 9 July 1942 [13] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 113 MOEF group C218–26 July 1942 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 201 MOEF group C25-9 Aug 1942 [14] Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 119 MOEF group C210-15 Aug 1942 [15] Iceland to Newfoundland
SC 97 MOEF group C226 Aug – 6 Sept 1942 [13] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 129 MOEF group C211-20 Sept 1942 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 210 MOEF group C3 4-7 Oct 1942 [14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
HX 211 MOEF group C1 13-20 Oct 1942 [14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 147 MOEF group C4 18-28 Nov 1942 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 111 MOEF group A3 1-14 Dec 1942 [13] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 156 MOEF group A324 Dec 1942 – 8 Jan 1943 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 223 MOEF group A319-28 Jan 1943 [14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
SC 117 MOEF group B3 29 Jan – 2 Feb 1943 [13] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
Convoy ON 166 MOEF group A3 12-21 Feb 1943 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
Convoy SC 121 MOEF group A33–12 March 1943 [13] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 175 MOEF group A325 March – 8 April 1943 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 262 24 Oct – 2 Nov 1943 [14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 211 14-24 Nov 1943 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 268 1-10 Dec 1943 [14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 217 25 Dec 1943 – 5 Jan 1944 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 274 11-21 Jan 1944 [14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 222 31 Jan – 10 Feb 1944 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
ONS 31 14–25 March 1944 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 285 2–11 April 1944 [14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 233 20 April – 3 May 1944 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 290 10–19 May 1944 [14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 238 27 May – 3 June 1944 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 295 15–23 June 1944 [14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 243 3–12 July 1944 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 300 MOEF group C5 24 July – 2 Aug 1944 [14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland; largest HX convoy of the war
ON 248S 11-21 Aug 1944 [15] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 165 Western Local Escort Force (WLEF)16-20 Jan 1945 [13] Halifax to Newfoundland
ON 278 WLEF24-31 Jan 1945 [15] Newfoundland to Halifax
HX 336 WLEF2-5 Feb 1945 [14] Halifax to Newfoundland
ON 280 WLEF6-7 Feb 1945 [15] Newfoundland to Halifax
SC 167 WLEF2-16 Feb 1945 [13] Halifax to Newfoundland
ONS 42 WLEF28 Feb – 4 March 1945 [15] Newfoundland to Halifax
SC 170 WLEF17–20 March 1945 [13] Halifax to Newfoundland
ON 290 WLEF24–29 March March 1945 [15] Newfoundland to Halifax
HX 348 WLEF3–6 April 1945 [14] Halifax to Newfoundland
HX 350 WLEF15–18 April 1945 [14] Halifax to Newfoundland
ON 296 WLEF24–30 April 1945 [15] Newfoundland to Halifax
HX 354 WLEF3–6 May 1945 [14] Halifax to Newfoundland
SC 176 WLEF16–20 May 1945 [13] Halifax to Newfoundland
ONS 50 WLEF25–29 May 1945 [15] Newfoundland to Halifax

Post-war service

Following the end of hostilities, Dauphin was paid off on 20 June 1945 at Sorel, Quebec. She was sold for conversion to a merchant ship and in 1949 entered service as Cortes under a Honduran flag. In 1955 she was renamed San Antonio and was registered under an Ecuadorean flag. [11] The ship was deleted in 1992. [16]

Related Research Articles

HMCS <i>Pictou</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Pictou was a Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette which took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War. She fought mainly in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Pictou, Nova Scotia.

HMCS <i>Kitchener</i> (K225) Flower-class corvette

HMCS Kitchener was a Royal Canadian Navy revised Flower-class corvette which took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Kitchener, Ontario. The vessel was originally named HMCS Vancouver but was renamed in November 1941 before the ship was launched.

HMCS <i>Regina</i> (K234) Flower-class corvette

HMCS Regina was a Royal Canadian Navy revised Flower-class corvette which took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Regina, Saskatchewan.

HMCS <i>Mayflower</i> Canadian World War II Flower-class corvette

HMCS Mayflower was a Flower-class corvette that served mainly in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War but began her service with the Royal Navy. She saw action primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as an ocean escort. She was named after the flowering plant Maianthemum canadense.

HMCS <i>Trillium</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Trillium was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served mainly as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was one of ten corvettes loaned to the Canadian navy by the Royal Navy and the only one which remained an ocean escort throughout the war. She was named after the flowering plant genus Trillium, which includes wakerobin, tri flower, and birthroot.

HMCS <i>Bittersweet</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Bittersweet was a Flower-class corvette that was commissioned in the Royal Navy but served primarily in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She was used mainly in the Battle of the Atlantic as an ocean escort. She was named for flowering vines Solanum dulcamara and Celastrus scandens.

HMCS <i>Rosthern</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Rosthern was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. She is named for Rosthern, Saskatchewan.

HMCS <i>Wetaskiwin</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Wetaskiwin was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Canadian Navy that served during the Second World War. She served primarily as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named after the city of Wetaskiwin, Alberta. Wetaskiwin was the first Pacific coast built corvette to enter service with the Royal Canadian Navy.

HMCS <i>Galt</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Galt was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Canadian Navy that served during the Second World War. She saw action primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named after the city of Galt, Ontario.

HMCS <i>Eyebright</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Eyebright was a Flower-class corvette that served mainly with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named after the medicinal flowering plant genus Euphrasia.

HMCS <i>Battleford</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Battleford was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. After the war she was sold to the Venezuelan Navy and renamed Libertad.

HMCS <i>Chilliwack</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Chilliwack was a Flower-class corvette who served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She saw action primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. She was named for Chilliwack, British Columbia.

HMCS <i>Napanee</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Napanee was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She saw service primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. She is named after Napanee, Ontario.

HMCS <i>Shediac</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Shediac was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. She was named after the town of Shediac, New Brunswick.

HMCS <i>Arvida</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Arvida was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. She was named for Arvida, Quebec.

HMCS <i>Dunvegan</i> WWII Canadian Navy vessel

HMCS Dunvegan was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. After the war she was sold to the Venezuelan Navy. She was named for Dunvegan, Inverness County, Nova Scotia.

HMCS <i>Louisburg</i> (K143) Flower-class corvette

HMCS Louisburg was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She fought mainly as an ocean escort during the Battle of the Atlantic. She was sunk in 1943. She was named for Louisburg, Nova Scotia.

HMCS <i>Lunenburg</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Lunenburg was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as an ocean escort. She was named for Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

HMCS <i>Morden</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Morden was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as an ocean escort.

HMCS <i>Forest Hill</i> Royal Canadian Navy modified Flower-class corvette

HMCS Forest Hill was a modified Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was originally laid down by the Royal Navy as HMS Ceanothos but was never commissioned into the RN, being transferred to the RCN before completion. She is named for Forest Hill, Ontario, a town that was eventually amalgamated into the larger city Toronto, Ontario.

References

  1. ↑ "Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  2. ↑ Lenton, H.T.; Colledge, J.J (1968). British and Dominion Warships of World War II. Doubleday & Company. pp. 201, 212.
  3. ↑ Ossian, Robert. "Complete List of Sailing Vessels". The Pirate King. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  4. ↑ Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. (1978). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare. Vol. 11. London: Phoebus. pp. 1137–1142.
  5. ↑ Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II . New Jersey: Random House. 1996. p.  68. ISBN   0-517-67963-9.
  6. ↑ Blake, Nicholas; Lawrence, Richard (2005). The Illustrated Companion to Nelson's Navy. Stackpole Books. pp. 39–63. ISBN   0-8117-3275-4.
  7. ↑ Chesneau, Roger; Gardiner, Robert (June 1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. Naval Institute Press. p. 62. ISBN   0-87021-913-8.
  8. ↑ Milner, Marc (1985). North Atlantic Run. Naval Institute Press. pp. 117–119, 142–145, 158, 175–176, 226, 235, 285–291. ISBN   0-87021-450-0.
  9. ↑ Macpherson, Ken; Milner, Marc (1993). Corvettes of the Royal Canadian Navy 1939-1945. St. Catharines: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN   1-55125-052-7.
  10. 1 2 "HMCS Dauphin (K157)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Macpherson, Ken; Burgess, John (1981). The ships of Canada's naval forces 1910-1981 : a complete pictorial history of Canadian warships. Toronto: Collins. p. 74. ISBN   0-00216-856-1.
  12. ↑ Shipping Casualties Section – Trade Division (23 March 1943). "Report of an Interview with the 2nd Engineer, Mr HCC Bette; SS "Nailsea Court" – 4946 gt". Ministry of War Transport. Retrieved 3 November 2020– via ss Nailsea Court.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "SC convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "HX convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "ON convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  16. ↑ "Dauphin (5309401)" . Miramar Ship Index . Retrieved 13 July 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.