HMCS Rosthern

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HMCS Rosthern, circa 1942-1944
History
Canada
NameRosthern
Namesake
Rosthern, Saskatchewan
Ordered1 February 1940
Builder
Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company, Port Arthur
Laid down18 June 1940
Launched30 November 1940
Commissioned17 June 1941
Decommissioned19 July 1945
IdentificationPennant number: K169
Honours and
awards		Atlantic 1941-45[1]
FateScrapped in June 1946.
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 Rosthern was a

Rosthern, Saskatchewan
.

Background

Main article: Flower-class corvette

Flower-class corvettes like Rosthern 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

Rosthern was ordered 1 February 1940 as part of the 1939-1940 Flower-class building program. She was laid down on 18 June 1940 at

Montreal, Quebec.[11]

Rosthern had only one significant refit during her career. After developing mechanical troubles in October 1941, she spent two months repairing on the

fo'c'sle extended.[11]

War service

After arriving at Halifax for deployment, Rosthern initially joined Newfoundland Command, escorting convoys between St. John's and Iceland. She escorted her first convoy, leaving 7 October 1941, but developed mechanical defects on the way and was sent on to the Clyde for repairs. She did not return to service until February 1942. She would remain an ocean escort until June 1944.[11]

In April 1942 she was made a member of the

Mid-Ocean Escort Force (MOEF) escort group A-3. In May 1942, it was renumbered C-5. During her service with MOEF, Rosthern fought in three significant convoy battles; SC 100 in September 1942, ON 166 in February 1943, and SC 121 in March 1943.[11] During these convoy battles, Rosthern picked up survivors from several merchants ships including on 29 October 1942 when she and HMCS Summerside together picked up survivors from the American tanker Pan New York that was damaged by U-624 in the North Atlantic about 550 nautical miles (1,020 km) west of Malin Head. The corvettes sank the wrecked tanker with gunfire and depth charges. During the battle for Convoy ON 166, she picked up survivors from the Norwegian merchant Ingria and British merchant Manchester Merchant. During the battle for Convoy SC 121, Rosthern picked up three survivors from the British merchant Egyptian, which had been sunk.[10]

In late May 1944, Rosthern returned to Canada to become a training ship for navigation and handling at Halifax. In December 1944, she was attached to the Western Local Escort Force as part of Halifax Force. She remained with this unit until the end of the war, her final significant duty was escorting HMCS Provider back to Canada.[11]

Trans-Atlantic convoys escorted

Convoy Escort Group Dates Notes
SC 48 9-21 Oct 1941[12] Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 43
 5-9 Dec 1941[13] Iceland to Newfoundland
SC 70 15-22 Feb 1942[12] Newfoundland to Iceland
HX 177 1–8 March 1942[14] Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 77
 18–26 March 1942[13] Iceland to Newfoundland
HX 184 12–19 April 1942[14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 91
 2–11 May 1942[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 190
MOEF group A3
 20–27 May 1942[14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 102
 MOEF group A3 10–21 June 1942[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
ON 122
 26-27 Aug 1942[13] battle reinforcement
SC 99
MOEF group C1
 9-16 Sept 1942[12] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
SC 100
MOEF group A3
 19-27 Sept 1942[12] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 135
 MOEF group A3 3-15 Oct 1942[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 212 MOEF group A3 23 Oct – 1 Nov 1942[14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 145
 MOEF group A3 10-20 Nov 1942[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 111 MOEF group A3 1-14 Dec 1942[12] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 156
 MOEF group A3 24 Dec 1942 – 8 Jan 1943[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 223 MOEF group A3 19 Jan – 1 Feb 1943[14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 166 MOEF group A3 12-25 Feb 1943[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 121 MOEF group A3 3–12 March 1943[12] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 175
 MOEF group A3 25 March – 8 April 1943[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 233 MOEF group A3 12–16 April 1943[14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
HX 234
MOEF group B4
 17–28 April 1943[14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 182
MOEF group C5
 7–16 May 1943[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 240 MOEF group C5 25 May – 2 June 1943[14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 188
 11–20 June 1943[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
ON 189
 WLEF 24–28 June 1943[13] Newfoundland to Halifax
HX 262 24 Oct – 2 Nov 1943[14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 211
 14-24 Nov 1943[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 268 1-10 Dec 1943[14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 217
 25 Dec 1943 – 5 Jan 1944[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 274 11-21 Jan 1944[14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 222
 31 Jan – 10 Feb 1944[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 153 18 Feb – 1 March 1944[12] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ONS 31
 14–25 March 1944[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 285 3–11 April 1944[14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 233
 20 April – 3 May 1944[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 290 10–19 May 1944[14] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 238
 27 May – 3 June 1944[13] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 300 WLEF 19–20 July 1944[14] Halifax to Newfoundland; the largest HX convoy of the war
HX 307 WLEF 8-11 Sept 1944[14] Halifax to Newfoundland
HX 318 WLEF 5-7 Nov 1944[14] Halifax to Newfoundland
ONS 40
 WLEF 29-30 Jan 1945[13] Newfoundland to Halifax
SC 166 WLEF 31 Jan – 4 Feb 1945[12] Halifax to Newfoundland
ONS 42
 WLEF 4–5 March 1945[13] Newfoundland to Halifax
SC 173 WLEF 18–24 April 1945[12] Halifax to Newfoundland
ONS 47
 WLEF 27–28 April 1945[13] Newfoundland to Halifax
ON 297
 WLEF 30 April – 2 May 1945[13] Newfoundland to Halifax
HX 356 WLEF 15–18 May 1945[14] Halifax to Newfoundland
ON 302
 WLEF 21–27 May 1945[13] Newfoundland to dispersal following end of hostilities

Post war service

Rosthern was

Sorel, Quebec. She was sold for scrap in June 1946 and broken up at Hamilton, Ontario.[11][15]

References

  1. ^ "Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 23 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 "HMCS Rosthern (K 169)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  11. ^
    ISBN 0-00216-856-1
    .
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i "SC convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "ON convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "HX convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  15. ^ "Rosthern (6112315)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
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