HMCS Thorlock

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

HMCS Thorlock
History
Canada
NameHMCS Thorlock
NamesakeThorold, Ontario
OrderedJune 1942
BuilderMidland Shipyards Ltd., Midland
Laid down25 September 1943
Launched15 May 1944
Commissioned13 November 1944
Decommissioned15 July 1945
IdentificationPennant number: K394
Honours and
awards
Atlantic 1945[1]
FateSold to Chilean navy
Chile
NamePapudo
Acquired18 March 1946
Commissioned12 April 1946
Decommissioned6 April 1965
FateScrapped 1967
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 Thorlock was a modified Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. She was named for Thorold, Ontario. Her name was changed due to local preference.[2] After the war she was sold to the Chilean Navy.

Background

Flower-class corvettes like Thorlock 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 and career

Thorlock was ordered in June 1942 as part of the 1943–44 Increased Endurance Flower-class building program, which followed the main layout of the 1942–43 program. The only significant difference is that the majority of the 43–44 program replaced the 2-pounder Mk.VIII single "pom-pom"

anti-aircraft gun with 2 twin 20-mm and 2 single 20-mm anti-aircraft guns.[9] Thorlock was laid down by Midland Shipyards Ltd. at Midland, Ontario 25 September 1943 and launched 15 May 1944.[10][11] She was commissioned into the RCN 13 November 1944 at Midland.[2]

After working up in

ON 300 she was diverted along with HMCS Victoriaville to accept the surrender of U-190 and escort her to Bay Bulls, Newfoundland and Labrador.[2]

Thorlock was

Sorel, Quebec and placed in reserve. She was transferred to the War Assets Corporation and sold to the Chilean Navy in 1946.[2]

Chilean Navy

She arrived in Chile 12 April 1946 and was renamed Papudo. She served in the Chilean Navy until 6 April 1965 when she was struck.[12] She was sold for scrap and broken up in 1967.[10][11]

Notes

  1. ^ "Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  2. ^ .
  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. .
  6. .
  7. .
  8. .
  9. ^ .
  10. ^ a b "HMCS Thorlock (K 394)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  11. ^ .
  12. ^ "Papudo, corbeta". Armada de Chile (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2013.

External links