HMCS Nanaimo (K101)

Last updated

HMCS Nanaimo Vancouver harbour cropped.jpg
HMCS Nanaimo
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgCanada
NameNanaimo
Namesake Nanaimo, British Columbia
Ordered14 February 1940
Builder Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt, British Columbia
Laid down27 April 1940
Launched28 October 1940
Commissioned26 April 1941
Out of service28 September 1945
Identification Pennant number: K101
Honours and
awards		Atlantic 1941–44 [1] Gulf of St. Lawrence 1944 [2]
FateSold for mercantile use 1953. Scrapped 1966.
General characteristics
Class and type Flower-class corvette (original) [3]
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 Nanaimo was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served on both coasts during the war. She was named for Nanaimo, British Columbia.

Contents

Background

Flower-class corvettes like Nanaimo serving with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were different from earlier and more traditional sail-driven corvettes. [4] [5] [6] The "corvette" designation was created by the French for classes of small warships; the Royal Navy borrowed the term for a period but discontinued its use in 1877. [7] 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. [8] The generic name "flower" was used to designate the class of these ships, which – in the Royal Navy – were named after flowering plants. [9]

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. [10]

Construction

Nanaimo was ordered 14 February 1940 as part of the 1939-1940 Flower-class building program. She was laid down by Yarrows Ltd. at Esquimalt, British Columbia on 27 April 1940 and launched 28 October later that year. She was commissioned 26 April 1941 at Esquimalt. [11] [12]

Nanaimo only underwent one significant refit. From December 1944 until 21 February 1945, she was in the shipyards at Esquimalt. Nanaimo was one of the few Flower-class corvettes never to receive an upgraded fo'c'sle. [12]

Service history

After commissioning Nanaimo was sent to Halifax on the east coast, arriving on 27 June 1941. She spent the next three months carrying out local escort duties. She was reassigned to Newfoundland Command in October 1941, escorting convoys between St. John's and Iceland. [12]

In March 1942, Nanaimo was assigned to the Western Local Escort Force (WLEF). In June 1943, when the escort groups were formed, she was initially a part of group W-9. On 10 June 1942 she picked up 86 survivors from the British merchant Port Nicholson that was torpedoed and sunk by U-87 northeast of Cape Cod. [11] She was transferred to W-7 in April 1944 and remained with them for the rest of her posting with WLEF. [12]

In November 1944, Nanaimo was ordered to join Pacific Coast Command. She arrived at Esquimalt 7 December 1944. She immediately underwent a refit completing on 21 February and only returning to service in March 1945. She remained with the Pacific fleet until the end of the war. [12]

Nanaimo was paid off for disposal at Esquimalt on 28 September 1945. She was sold for mercantile conversion. She was converted to a whale-catcher at Kiel in 1953 with a gross register tonnage of 713 tons. [12] [13] She reappeared under a Dutch flag with the new name Rene W. Vinke. She was broken up at Cape Town, South Africa by South African Metal & Machinery Co Pty Ltd in 1966. [12] [13]

Related Research Articles

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

HMCS Buctouche was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. She was named for Bouctouche, New Brunswick.

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

HMCS Sudbury was a Flower-class corvette that served 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 Sudbury, Ontario.

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>Quesnel</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Quesnel was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Canadian Navy that took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War. She primarily saw service in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named after Quesnel, British Columbia.

HMCS <i>Cobalt</i> Royal Canadian Navy ship that served during the Second World War

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

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>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>Prescott</i> Canadian Navy corvette

HMCS Prescott 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 for Prescott, Ontario.

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

HMCS Arrowhead was a Flower-class corvette that was originally commissioned by the Royal Navy but served primarily with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. She was named for Sagittaria, which is an aquatic water plant that is sometimes known as Arrowhead.

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>Fennel</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Fennel was a Flower-class corvette that served primarily with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. Originally commissioned into the Royal Navy, she served as an ocean escort in the Battle of the Atlantic.

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

HMCS Kamsack 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 an ocean escort. She was named for Kamsack, Saskatchewan.

HMCS <i>Chicoutimi</i> (K156) Flower-class corvette

HMCS Chicoutimi 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 an ocean escort. She was named for Chicoutimi, Quebec.

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

HMCS Sherbrooke 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 an ocean escort. She is named for Sherbrooke, Quebec.

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

HMCS Trail 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 Trail, British Columbia.

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

HMCS Dundas was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She saw action in both Atlantic and Pacific theatres of the war. She was named for Dundas, Ontario.

HMCS <i>New Westminster</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS New Westminster was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She saw action primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for New Westminster, British Columbia.

HMCS <i>Vancouver</i> (K240) Flower-class corvette

HMCS Vancouver was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She saw action primarily in both Atlantic and Pacific theatres. She was named for Vancouver, British Columbia. She was the second commissioned ship and the third overall to bear the name Vancouver.

HMCS <i>Port Arthur</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Port Arthur 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 Port Arthur, Ontario.

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

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

References

  1. ↑ "Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "Royal Canadian Warships – The Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence – Second World War". Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  3. ↑ Lenton, H.T.; Colledge, J.J (1968). British and Dominion Warships of World War II. Doubleday & Company. pp. 201, 212.
  4. ↑ Ossian, Robert. "Complete List of Sailing Vessels". The Pirate King. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  5. ↑ Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. (1978). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare. Vol. 11. London: Phoebus. pp. 1137–1142.
  6. ↑ Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II . New Jersey: Random House. 1996. p.  68. ISBN   0-517-67963-9.
  7. ↑ Blake, Nicholas; Lawrence, Richard (2005). The Illustrated Companion to Nelson's Navy. Stackpole Books. pp. 39–63. ISBN   0-8117-3275-4.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ Macpherson, Ken; Milner, Marc (1993). Corvettes of the Royal Canadian Navy 1939–1945. St. Catharines: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN   1-55125-052-7.
  11. 1 2 "HMCS Nanaimo (K 101)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Macpherson, Ken; Burgess, John (1981). The ships of Canada's naval forces 1910–1981 : a complete pictorial history of Canadian warships. Toronto: Collins. pp. 81, 231–232. ISBN   0-00216-856-1.
  13. 1 2 "Nanaimo (5293078)" . Miramar Ship Index . Retrieved 14 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.