shipstamps.co.uk

This stamp shows the crest of the coastal minesweeper Canopus of the French Navy (Dragueurs Cotiers), of the British "Sirius" class.
The vessel was launched on December 31, 1953, and is of wooden and aluminium alloy construction. She has the general characteristics of the British "Coniston" class but has a different hull construction.
She has a displacement of 365 tons standard, 424 full load, her dimensions being 144 ft. b.p., 152 ft. overall, beam 28 ft., draft 8.2 ft.
She is armed with one 40 mm. Bofors A.A. and Oerlikon A.A. guns.
Speed is 15 knots or 11.5 knots when sweeping.
Oil fuel capacity of 48 tons gives her an operating range of 3,000 miles at 15 knots.
The ship's complement is 38.

Sea Breezes June 1974

British Virgin Is SG307

Canopus FS (Minesweeper) 1956

She was a Sirius class coastel minesweeper. Hull number was M-754. Laid down as Motor Minesweeper AMS-228 by Ch. Augustin Normand, le Havre, France. In 1954. Under the off-shore procurement plan of the Military Defense Assistance Pack. Reclassified by U.S. Navy as a Coastal Minesweeper MSC-228, 07 February 1955. Launched 31 December 1955. Completed 21 February 1956 as Canopus M-754.

Displacement 440 t.; length 144' (46.30 m); beam 27' (8.50 m) ; draft 8' 3" (2.50 m) ; speed 14 kts; complement 39 (3 officers, 7 petty officers, 29 ratings); armament; 1 x 40 mm Beaufort, and 1 x 20mm Oerlikon. propulsion 880 shp General Motors diesel engines, two shafts.

She was able to sweep both mechanical and magnetic-acoustic influence mines. Maximum speed: 15 knots (transit) - 9 knots (mechanical sweeping) - 6.5 knots (magnetic-acoustic sweeping). Passible distance; 3,000 nautical miles at 10 knots.

Reclassified as a Patrol Craft in 1969 and assigned hull number P-659 in 1973.

Decommissioned in September 1986. Fate unknown.

Source: http://www.worldnavalships.com/french_minesweepers.htm