Background
Flower-class corvettes like Prescott 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 were exemplified by their minesweeping gear. Eventually, the Canadian corvettes would be modified to allow them to perform better on the open seas. [10]
Construction
Prescott was ordered on 7 February 1940 as part of the 1939–1940 Flower-class program. She was laid down by Kingston Shipbuilding Co. at Kingston, Ontario on 31 August 1940 and launched 7 January 1941. [11] She was commissioned at Montreal, Quebec on 26 June 1941. [12]
During her career, she had four significant refits. The first took place in early 1942 after developing mechanical problems. She required two months of repairs at Liverpool, Nova Scotia to fix them. The second refit took place in the United Kingdom after she was assigned to Operation Torch. There she received additional AA armament. After completing her Torch duties, she returned to Canada in April 1943 and late in that month she began a six-month refit at Liverpool. During this refit, she had her fo'c'sle extended. Prescott's final refit began in September 1944 at Liverpool. [12]
Service history
After working up Prescott joined the Newfoundland Escort Force (NEF) on 31 August 1941. She remained with that force until early 1942 when she was sent back to port with mechanical problems. She returned to service on 21 April 1942 and stayed with the NEF until being transferred to the Western Local Escort Force (WLEF) in July. [12]
After a short period with the WLEF she was assigned to operations in connection with Operation Torch. On 13 March 1943 during convoy escort off Cape Finisterre, Prescott encountered and sank the U-boat German submarine U-163. [13] She returned from her Torch duties to Atlantic convoy service on 4 April 1943. She departed for a major refit later that month. [12]
After returning from a six-month refit she was worked up at Pictou and sent to join Escort Group 6 under Royal Navy command. She served with the group until April 1944 when the corvettes were replaced with frigates. [12]
Prescott then joined the Western Approaches Command as part of Operation Neptune. After the invasion, she returned to Liverpool for another refit. After working up she served with Nore Command until the end of the war. [12]
Prescott was paid off on 20 July 1945 at Sorel, Quebec. She was sold for scrap on 30 August 1946 [14] and broken up in 1951 at Hamilton, Ontario. [12] [note 1]
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 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 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 Camrose was a Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette which took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War. She was named for Camrose, Alberta.
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 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 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 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 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 Barrie 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 the city of Barrie, Ontario.
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 Lethbridge 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 Lethbridge, Alberta.
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 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 Ville de Québec 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 Quebec City, Quebec. Following the war, the ship was sold to commercial interests, in service until 1952.
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 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 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 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 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.
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