Built as a corvette by Kingston Shipbuilding Co., Kingston, Ontario, Canada for the Canadian Navy.
07 February 1940 ordered.
31 August 1940 laid down.
07 January 1941 launched under the name HMCS PRESCOTT (K161), one of the Flower Class.
Displacement 925 ton standard, 1.070 ton full load. Dim. 62.5 x 10.0 x 3.5m. (draught)
Powered by one 4-cyl triple expansion steam engine, 2.750 hp., speed 16 knots.
Range 3.500 miles by 12 knots.
Armament when built, 1 – 4 inch, 2 – 50 cal. MG, 2 - Lewis MG, two depth charge throwers, 40 depth charges.
Crew 85.
26 June 1941 commissioned.
The design of this class was that of a whale catcher, and original intended only to be used for coastal convoy protection. But most of this class was used as ocean escort for the convoys across the North Atlantic. During the war many were built.
She was under command of Lieutenant-Commander Wilfred McIsaac from 12 September 1942 till 28 December 1944.
13 March 1943 it sunk the German U-boat U-163 by depth charges in a position north west of Cape Finisterre (45 05N 15. 00W.) The submarine was lost with all hands (57).
Her armament later during the war is given as;
1 – 4 inch, 1 – 2pdr. pom-pom. 2 – 20mm Oerlikons, 1 – Hedgehog ASW mortar, 4 – depth charge throwers with 70 depth charges.
During Operation Torch used as escort. (most probably in that time she visited Gibraltar.)
In the end of the war a unit of the Western Approaches Command based at Greenock, Scotland.
Took part in the D-Day landings as escort, her crew rescued the crew of the American Fleet tug PARTRIDGE who was sunk by a torpedo fired by a German E-Boat during the invasion in France on 11 June 1944 at 02.15.
20 July 1945 decommissioned.
1951 Broken up at Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Gibraltar 1996 54p sgMS779, scott714d.
Source:
http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/835.html.
http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/canada/ww2/flower http://read-and-go.hopto.org/Ship-class ... vette.html + other web-sites. The D-Day Ships by John S de Winser.
