HMCS Eastview

Last updated

Eastview.jpg
HMCS Eastview
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgCanada
NameEastview
Namesake Eastview, Ontario
Operator Royal Canadian Navy
OrderedOctober 1941
Builder Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal
Yard number174
Laid down26 August 1943
Launched17 November 1943
Commissioned3 June 1944
Decommissioned17 January 1946
Identification Pennant number:K665
Honours and
awards		Atlantic, 1944-45. [1]
FateScuttled for an artificial breakwater at Comox, British Columbia.
General characteristics
Class and type River-class frigate
Displacement
  • 1,445 long tons (1,468 t; 1,618 short tons)
  • 2,110 long tons (2,140 t; 2,360 short tons) (deep load)
Length
  • 283 ft (86.26 m) p/p
  • 301.25 ft (91.82 m)o/a
Beam36.5 ft (11.13 m)
Draught9 ft (2.74 m); 13 ft (3.96 m) (deep load)
Propulsion2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 shafts, reciprocating vertical triple expansion, 5,500 ihp (4,100 kW)
Speed
  • 20 knots (37.0 km/h)
  • 20.5 knots (38.0 km/h) (turbine ships)
Range646 long tons (656 t; 724 short tons) oil fuel; 7,500 nautical miles (13,890 km) at 15 knots (27.8 km/h)
Complement157
Armament

HMCS Eastview was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1944-1946. She served as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named after the Ottawa suburb of Eastview (now Vanier).

Contents

Eastview was ordered in October 1941 as part of the 1942-1943 building program. [2] [3] She was laid down on 26 August 1943 by Canadian Vickers Ltd. at Montreal and launched 17 November 1943. [3] She was commissioned into the RCN at Montreal on 3 June 1944 with the pennant K665. [2]

Background

The River-class frigate was designed by William Reed of Smith's Dock Company of South Bank-on-Tees. Originally called a "twin-screw corvette", its purpose was to improve on the convoy escort classes in service with the Royal Navy at the time, including the Flower-class corvette. The first orders were placed by the Royal Navy in 1940 and the vessels were named for rivers in the United Kingdom, giving name to the class. In Canada they were named for towns and cities though they kept the same designation. [4] The name "frigate" was suggested by Vice-Admiral Percy Nelles of the Royal Canadian Navy and was adopted later that year. [5]

Improvements over the corvette design included improved accommodation which was markedly better. The twin engines gave only three more knots of speed but extended the range of the ship to nearly double that of a corvette at 7,200 nautical miles (13,300 km) at 12 knots. [5] Among other lessons applied to the design was an armament package better designed to combat U-boats including a twin 4-inch mount forward and 12-pounder aft. [4] 15 Canadian frigates were initially fitted with a single 4-inch gun forward but with the exception of HMCS Valleyfield, they were all eventually upgraded to the double mount. [5] For underwater targets, the River-class frigate was equipped with a Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar and depth charge rails aft and four side-mounted throwers. [4]

River-class frigates were the first Royal Canadian Navy warships to carry the 147B Sword horizontal fan echo sonar transmitter in addition to the irregular ASDIC. This allowed the ship to maintain contact with targets even while firing unless a target was struck. Improved radar and direction-finding equipment improved the RCN's ability to find and track enemy submarines over the previous classes. [4]

Canada originally ordered the construction of 33 frigates in October 1941. [4] [5] The design was too big for the shipyards on the Great Lakes so all the frigates built in Canada were built in dockyards along the west coast or along the St. Lawrence River. [5] In all Canada ordered the construction of 60 frigates including ten for the Royal Navy that transferred two to the United States Navy. [4]

War service

Eastview arrived at her homeport of Halifax, Nova Scotia on 26 June 1944 and undertook work up training at Bermuda for one month beginning 19 August 1944. She undertook convoy escort operations in the North Atlantic from Halifax from 18 September 1944 until 28 April 1945. She served as Senior Officer's Ship in the Mid-Ocean Escort Force (MOEF) escort group C-6. She was among the escort for the last HX convoy of the war, the fast convoys that carried supplies from North America to Europe, HX 358. [2]

With victory in Europe seemingly imminent, the RCN deployed Eastview to Esquimalt that summer in preparation for Operation Downfall, the Allied invasion of Japan. Eastview joined the RCN's Pacific Fleet only three weeks before the Surrender of Japan following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. During that period she began a tropicalization refit that was cancelled upon the surrender. She was laid up in reserve at Esquimalt following that decision. [2]

Eastview was paid off from the RCN on 17 January 1946. On 22 January the decision was made to dismantle her armaments and scuttle her with several other surplus RCN warships to form a breakwater in Royston, British Columbia later that year. The location of the wreck is located at 49°39′19.88″N124°56′48.72″W / 49.6555222°N 124.9468667°W / 49.6555222; -124.9468667 Coordinates: 49°39′19.88″N124°56′48.72″W / 49.6555222°N 124.9468667°W / 49.6555222; -124.9468667 . [6]

Ship's bell

The bell of Eastview was kept during the stripping of the warship before it was sunk. It was given to the city of Eastview in recognition of the support received from the residents. Mayor Gordon Lavergne then gave it to the Eastview Legion where it remains today. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

HMCS <i>Antigonish</i> Canadian naval vessel

HMCS Antigonish was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1944–1946 and as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1957–1966. She is named for Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Her photo is featured on the cover of the 1994 album Frigate by the band April Wine.

HMCS <i>Cap de la Madeleine</i>

HMCS Cap de la Madeleine was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1944-1945 and as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1954-1965. She saw action in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort during the Second World War. She is named for Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, which is now a part of Trois-Rivières.

HMCS <i>Kokanee</i> River-class frigate of the Royal Canadian Navy

HMCS Kokanee was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She saw action primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. After the war she was sold to India and converted into a pilot vessel.

HMCS <i>New Glasgow</i>

HMCS New Glasgow was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1955 to 1965. She was named for New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.

HMCS <i>Moncton</i> (K139) Flower-class corvette

HMCS Moncton was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served on both coasts of Canada. She is named after Moncton, New Brunswick.

HMCS <i>Charlottetown</i> (1943)

HMCS Charlottetown was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) during the Second World War. She was the second vessel of the name, HMCS Charlottetown having been a Flower-class corvette that had been sunk earlier in the war. They are unique for being the only two ships to have shared the same pennant number, K 244. She was named for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

HMCS <i>Beacon Hill</i>

HMCS Beacon Hill was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) as an ocean convoy escort during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. In 1954 she was converted to a Prestonian-class frigate and served until 1957. She was named for Victoria, British Columbia, but because HMS Victorious was in service with the Royal Navy, the RCN, in an effort to avoid confusion, chose to honour the city by choosing another name associated with it.

HMCS <i>Cape Breton</i> (K350)

HMCS Cape Breton was a River-class frigate that served the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) during the Second World War. She served primarily as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic during the war. She was named for Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. She was the first to carry her name, HMCS Cape Breton was the second.

HMCS <i>Capilano</i>

HMCS Capilano was a River-class frigate 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 is named for Capilino River in North Vancouver, British Columbia. The navy intended to name the ship after North Vancouver, however due to possible confusion with HMCS Vancouver, she was named after the lake.

HMCS <i>Chebogue</i> (K317)

HMCS Chebogue was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily as an ocean convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Chebogue, Nova Scotia. During the war she was torpedoed and declared a constructive loss.

HMCS <i>Lasalle</i>

HMCS LaSalle was a River-class frigate 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 and in the Battle of the St. Lawrence. She was named for LaSalle, Quebec.

HMCS <i>Levis</i> (K400)

HMCS Lévis was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily as a convoy escort in the Battle of the St. Lawrence and the Battle of the Atlantic. She was the second ship to bear the name of Lévis, the first being a Flower-class corvette that had been sunk earlier in the war. She was named for Lévis, Quebec.

HMCS <i>Port Colborne</i>

HMCS Port Colborne was a River-class frigate 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 named for Port Colborne, Ontario.

HMCS <i>Prince Rupert</i> (K324)

HMCS Prince Rupert was a River-class frigate 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 named for Prince Rupert, British Columbia.

HMCS <i>Runnymede</i>

HMCS Runnymede was a River-class frigate 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 named for York, Ontario, however due to possible confusion with HMCS West York, her name reflects a connection with that community.

HMCS <i>St. Catharines</i> (K325)

HMCS St. Catharines was a River-class frigate 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 named for St. Catharines, Ontario. After the war she was re-purposed as a weather ship for use by the Department of Transport of Canada.

HMCS <i>Matane</i>

HMCS Matane was a River-class frigate 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 named for Matane, Quebec.

HMCS <i>St. Stephen</i> (K454)

HMCS St. Stephen was a River-class frigate 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 named for St. Stephen, New Brunswick.

HMCS <i>Dunver</i> (K03)

HMCS Dunver was a River-class frigate 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 named for Verdun, Quebec. Her name was altered to prevent confusion with other Allied warships named Verdun.

HMCS <i>Wentworth</i> (K331)

HMCS Wentworth was a River-class frigate 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 named in honour of the town of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She could not be named HMCS Dartmouth for fear of confusion with HMS Dartmouth, and so was named after a famous early resident, Nova Scotia Lieutenant Governor Sir John Wentworth. Her name is often mistakenly associated with Wentworth County, Ontario, in honour of the city of Hamilton.

References

  1. ↑ "Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Macpherson, Ken; Burgess, John (1981). The ships of Canada's naval forces 1910-1981 : a complete pictorial history of Canadian warships. Toronto: Collins. ISBN   0-00216-856-1.
  3. 1 2 "HMCS Eastview (K 665)". uboat.net. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Fact Sheet No. 21 - Canadian River Class Frigates" . Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Macpherson, Ken (1989). Frigates of the Royal Canadian Navy 1943-1974. Lewiston, New York: Vanwell Publishing. pp. 6–7, 15. ISBN   0920277225.
  6. ↑ James, Rick (2004), The Ghost Ships of Royston, Vancouver: Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia, p. 36, ISBN   0-9695010-9-9
  7. ↑ "Eastview Legion". Museopark Vanier. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
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.