HMCS Lévis (K115)

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Coordinates: 60°07′N 38°37′W / 60.117°N 38.617°W / 60.117; -38.617
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see HMCS Levis.

HMCS Lévis sinking after being torpedoed, 19 September 1941
History
Canada
NameLévis
Namesake
Lévis, Quebec
Ordered24 January 1940
Builder
Lauzon
Laid down11 March 1940
Launched4 September 1940
Commissioned16 May 1941
Out of service19 September 1941
IdentificationPennant number: K115
Honours and
awards		Atlantic 1941[1]
FateTorpedoed and sunk 19 September 1941 by U-74 while escorting convoy SC-44 east of Cape Farewell at 60-07N, 38-37W. 18 crew killed and 91 rescued.
General characteristics
Class and typeFlower-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 Lévis was a

Lévis, Quebec
.

Background

Main article: Flower-class corvette

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

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

Lévis was ordered on 24 January 1940 as part of the 1939-1940 Flower-class building program. She was laid down at

Lauzon on 11 March 1940 and launched on 4 September of that year.[10] She was commissioned into the RCN on 16 May 1941 at Quebec City, Quebec.[11]

War service

Upon joining the fleet, Lévis was assigned to convoy escort duty in the Northwest Atlantic. In June 1941 she joined the

Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat east of Cape Farewell at position 60°07′N 38°37′W / 60.117°N 38.617°W / 60.117; -38.617.[10]

The explosion of the torpedo on the port side killed all but 2 of the ratings on the stokers' messdeck. Compartments up to the No. 2 bulkhead were flooded. The surviving crew abandoned ship to Mayflower except for a damage control party of 10 officers and ratings. Mayflower took Lévis under tow for approximately 12 hours, however No. 2 bulkhead was buckled and not watertight and the ship sank at 1710 local time later that day. 91 crew were rescued and 18 were killed as a result of the torpedo attack.[12] Lévis was the first Canadian Flower-class corvette to be sunk.

Her first and only commanding officer was Lieutenant Charles Walter Gilding RCNR.[10]

Notes

  1. ^ "Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 11 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. ISBN 0-517-67963-9
    .
  6. ISBN 0-8117-3275-4
    .
  7. ISBN 0-87021-913-8
    .
  8. ISBN 0-87021-450-0
    .
  9. ISBN 1-55125-052-7
    .
  10. ^ a b c "HMCS Levis (i) (K115)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  11. ^
    ISBN 0-00216-856-1
    .
  12. ISBN 0-7710-3269-2
    .

References

  1. Hazegray. "Flower Class". Canadian Navy of Yesterday and Today. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  2. Ready, Aye, Ready. "HMCS Levis (1st)". Retrieved 11 August 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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