HMCS Charlottetown (1941)

Coordinates: 49°10′N 66°50′W / 49.167°N 66.833°W / 49.167; -66.833
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the K244 launched in 1943, see HMCS Charlottetown (1943).
For other ships with the same name, see HMCS Charlottetown.

History
Canada
NameCharlottetown
NamesakeCharlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Builder
Kingston Shipbuilding Ltd., Kingston
Laid down7 June 1941
Launched10 September 1941
Commissioned13 December 1941
HomeportHalifax, Nova Scotia
IdentificationPennant number: K244
Honours and
awards		Atlantic, 1942;[1] Gulf of St. Lawrence, 1942.
FateTorpedoed and sunk on 11 September 1942 by
Cap Chat
at 49-10N, 66-50W. 9 crew killed.
General characteristics
Class and typeModified Flower-class corvette
Displacement1,015 long tons (1,031 t; 1,137 short tons)
Length208 ft (63.4 m)o/a
Beam33 ft (10.1 m)
Draught11 ft (3.35 m)
Propulsion
  • single shaft
  • 2 × water tube boilers
  • 1 × 4-cylinder 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)
Complement90
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 × Type 271 SW2C radar
  • 1 × Type 144 sonar
Armament

HMCS Charlottetown was a Flower-class corvette that served the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. Charlottetown's pennant number K244 is unique in that it was also used for HMCS Charlottetown, a River-class frigate.

Background

Main article: Flower-class corvette

Flower-class corvettes like Charlottetown serving with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were different from earlier and more traditional sail-driven corvettes.

whaling ship design.[6] The generic name "flower" was used to designate the class of these ships, which – in the Royal Navy – were named after flowering plants.[7]

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 for better performance on open seas.[8]

Construction

Charlottetown was laid down at

Halifax, Nova Scotia on 18 December 1941.[10]

Atlantic service

Charlottetown served with the Western Local Escort Force (WLEF) until mid-July 1942 when she was transferred to the Gulf Escort Force (GEF), serving in what is now referred to as the Battle of the St. Lawrence. She escorted Quebec City - Sydney convoys until her sinking.[10]

Sinking

Charlottetown was torpedoed and sunk on 11 September 1942 by the

Cap Chat in the St. Lawrence River along the northern shore of the Gaspé Peninsula. She had been returning to base with the minesweeper HMCS Clayoquot after escorting convoy SQ-35 and was not zigzagging. She was struck aft by two torpedoes. She went down fast and though most of her crew got off the ship, some died in the water when her depth charges went off as she sank.[11] Her captain, Lieutenant Commander John W. Bonner, RCNR and 8 other crew were killed out of her crew of 64. The survivors were picked up by Clayoquot.[10]

Notes

  1. ^ "Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  2. ^ Ossian, Robert. "Complete List of Sailing Vessels". The Pirate King. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  3. ^ Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. (1978). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare. Vol. 11. London: Phoebus. pp. 1137–1142.
  4. ISBN 0-517-67963-9
    .
  5. ISBN 0-8117-3275-4
    .
  6. ISBN 0-87021-913-8
    .
  7. ISBN 0-87021-450-0
    .
  8. ISBN 1-55125-052-7
    .
  9. ^ "HMCS Charlottetown (i) (K 244)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  10. ^
    ISBN 0-00216-856-1
    .
  11. ISBN 0-7710-3269-2
    .

References

External links

49°10′N 66°50′W / 49.167°N 66.833°W / 49.167; -66.833

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