Flower-class corvettes like Hawkesbury serving with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were different from earlier and more traditional sail-driven corvettes.[2][3][4] The "corvette" designation was created by the French as a class of small warships; the Royal Navy borrowed the term for a period but discontinued its use in 1877.[5] During the hurried preparations for war in the late 1930s, Winston Churchill reactivated the corvette class, needing a name for smaller ships used in an escort capacity, in this case based on a whaling ship design.[6] The generic name "flower" was used to designate the class of these ships, which – in the Royal Navy – were named after flowering plants.[7]
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.[8]
Constructionedit
Hawkesbury was ordered April 1942 as part of the 1942-43 modified Flower-class building programme. This programme was known as the Increased Endurance (IE). Many changes were made, all from lessons that had been learned in previous versions of the Flower-class. The bridge was made a full deck higher and built to naval standards instead of the more civilian-like bridges of previous versions. The platform for the 4-inch main gun was raised to minimize the amount of spray over it and to provide a better field of fire. It was also connected to the wheelhouse by a wide platform that was now the base for the Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar that this version was armed with. Along with the new Hedgehog, this version got the new QF 4-inch Mk XIX main gun, which was semi-automatic, used fixed ammunition and had the ability to elevate higher giving it an anti-aircraft ability.[8]
Other superficial changes to this version include an upright funnel and pressurized boiler rooms which eliminated the need for hooded ventilators around the base of the funnel. This changes the silhouette of the corvette and made it more difficult for submariners to tell which way the corvette was laying.[8]
Hawkesbury was laid down by Morton Engineering and Dry Dock Co. at Quebec City, Quebec 20 July 1943 and was launched 16 November 1943. She was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy 14 June 1944 at Quebec.[9] Due to her late arrival into the war Hawkesbury never had a refit.[10]
Service historyedit
After workups Hawkesbury joined the Mid-Ocean Escort Force as a trans-Atlantic convoy escort. She was assigned to escort group C-7 in September 1944. She served with the group for the rest of the war. She returned to Canada in June 1945.[10]
Hawkesbury was paid off at Sydney, Nova Scotia 10 July 1945. She was transferred to the War Assets Corporation and laid up at Sorel, Quebec. She was sold for mercantile conversion and reappeared in 1950 as Campuchea under a Cambodian flag. In December 1956 she was broken up at Hong Kong by Hong Kong Chiap Hua Manufactory Co.[10][11] The ship's bell that was used during her service with the Royal Canadian Navy was donated to her namesake town of Hawkesbury as part of the Canadian Naval Centennial.[12]
Notesedit
^"Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
^Ossian, Robert. "Complete List of Sailing Vessels". The Pirate King. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
^Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. (1978). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare. Vol. 11. London: Phoebus. pp. 1137–1142.
^Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II. New Jersey: Random House. 1996. p. 68. ISBN0-517-67963-9.
^Blake, Nicholas; Lawrence, Richard (2005). The Illustrated Companion to Nelson's Navy. Stackpole Books. pp. 39–63. ISBN0-8117-3275-4.
^Chesneau, Roger; Gardiner, Robert (June 1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. Naval Institute Press. p. 62. ISBN0-87021-913-8.
^Milner, Marc (1985). North Atlantic Run. Naval Institute Press. pp. 117–119, 142–145, 158, 175–176, 226, 235, 285–291. ISBN0-87021-450-0.
^ abcMacpherson, Ken; Milner, Marc (1993). Corvettes of the Royal Canadian Navy 1939–1945. St. Catharines: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN1-55125-052-7.
^"HMCS Hawkesbury (K 415)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
^ abcMacpherson, Ken; Burgess, John (1981). The ships of Canada's naval forces 1910–1981 : a complete pictorial history of Canadian warships. Toronto: Collins. p. 96. ISBN0-00216-856-1.
^Lahaie, Lianne (9 April 2010). "War ship named in honour of Hawkesbury". The Review. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
External linksedit
Hazegray. "Revised Flower Class". Canadian Navy of Yesterday and Today. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
Ready, Aye, Ready. "HMCS Hawkesbury". Retrieved 14 September 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
December 15, 2023
hmcs, hawkesbury, confused, with, hmas, hawkesbury, modified, flower, class, corvette, that, served, with, royal, canadian, navy, during, second, world, fought, primarily, battle, atlantic, convoy, escort, named, hawkesbury, ontario, historycanadanamenamesakeh. Not to be confused with HMAS Hawkesbury HMCS Hawkesbury was a modified Flower class corvette that served with 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 Hawkesbury Ontario HMCS HawkesburyHistoryCanadaNameHMCS HawkesburyNamesakeHawkesbury OntarioOrderedApril 1942BuilderMorton Engineering and Dry Dock Co Quebec CityLaid down20 July 1943Launched16 November 1943Commissioned14 June 1944Decommissioned10 June 1945IdentificationPennant number K415Honours andawardsAtlantic 1944 45 1 FateSold for mercantile use 1950 scrapped 1956General characteristicsClass and typeFlower class corvette modified Displacement1 015 long tons 1 031 t 1 137 short tons Length208 ft 63 40 m o aBeam33 ft 10 06 m Draught11 ft 3 35 m Propulsionsingle shaft 2 oil fired water tube boilers 1 triple expansion reciprocating steam engine 2 750 ihp 2 050 kW Speed16 knots 29 6 km h Range7 400 nautical miles 13 705 km at 10 knots 18 5 km h Complement90Sensors and processing systems1 Type 271 SW2C radar 1 Type 144 sonarArmament1 4 in 102 mm QF Mk XIX naval gun 1 2 pounder Mk VIII single pom pom 2 20 mm Oerlikon single 1 Hedgehog A S mortar 4 Mk II depth charge throwers 2 depth charge rails with 70 depth charges Contents 1 Background 2 Construction 3 Service history 4 Notes 5 External linksBackground editMain article Flower class corvette Flower class corvettes like Hawkesbury serving with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were different from earlier and more traditional sail driven corvettes 2 3 4 The corvette designation was created by the French as a class of small warships the Royal Navy borrowed the term for a period but discontinued its use in 1877 5 During the hurried preparations for war in the late 1930s Winston Churchill reactivated the corvette class needing a name for smaller ships used in an escort capacity in this case based on a whaling ship design 6 The generic name flower was used to designate the class of these ships which in the Royal Navy were named after flowering plants 7 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 8 Construction editHawkesbury was ordered April 1942 as part of the 1942 43 modified Flower class building programme This programme was known as the Increased Endurance IE Many changes were made all from lessons that had been learned in previous versions of the Flower class The bridge was made a full deck higher and built to naval standards instead of the more civilian like bridges of previous versions The platform for the 4 inch main gun was raised to minimize the amount of spray over it and to provide a better field of fire It was also connected to the wheelhouse by a wide platform that was now the base for the Hedgehog anti submarine mortar that this version was armed with Along with the new Hedgehog this version got the new QF 4 inch Mk XIX main gun which was semi automatic used fixed ammunition and had the ability to elevate higher giving it an anti aircraft ability 8 Other superficial changes to this version include an upright funnel and pressurized boiler rooms which eliminated the need for hooded ventilators around the base of the funnel This changes the silhouette of the corvette and made it more difficult for submariners to tell which way the corvette was laying 8 Hawkesbury was laid down by Morton Engineering and Dry Dock Co at Quebec City Quebec 20 July 1943 and was launched 16 November 1943 She was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy 14 June 1944 at Quebec 9 Due to her late arrival into the war Hawkesbury never had a refit 10 Service history editAfter workups Hawkesbury joined the Mid Ocean Escort Force as a trans Atlantic convoy escort She was assigned to escort group C 7 in September 1944 She served with the group for the rest of the war She returned to Canada in June 1945 10 Hawkesbury was paid off at Sydney Nova Scotia 10 July 1945 She was transferred to the War Assets Corporation and laid up at Sorel Quebec She was sold for mercantile conversion and reappeared in 1950 as Campuchea under a Cambodian flag In December 1956 she was broken up at Hong Kong by Hong Kong Chiap Hua Manufactory Co 10 11 The ship s bell that was used during her service with the Royal Canadian Navy was donated to her namesake town of Hawkesbury as part of the Canadian Naval Centennial 12 Notes edit Battle Honours Britain s Navy Retrieved 14 September 2013 Ossian Robert Complete List of Sailing Vessels The Pirate King Retrieved 13 April 2011 Fitzsimons Bernard ed 1978 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons amp Warfare Vol 11 London Phoebus pp 1137 1142 Jane s Fighting Ships of World War II New Jersey Random House 1996 p 68 ISBN 0 517 67963 9 Blake Nicholas Lawrence Richard 2005 The Illustrated Companion to Nelson s Navy Stackpole Books pp 39 63 ISBN 0 8117 3275 4 Chesneau Roger Gardiner Robert June 1980 Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 1946 Naval Institute Press p 62 ISBN 0 87021 913 8 Milner Marc 1985 North Atlantic Run Naval Institute Press pp 117 119 142 145 158 175 176 226 235 285 291 ISBN 0 87021 450 0 a b c Macpherson Ken Milner Marc 1993 Corvettes of the Royal Canadian Navy 1939 1945 St Catharines Vanwell Publishing ISBN 1 55125 052 7 HMCS Hawkesbury K 415 Uboat net Retrieved 14 September 2013 a b c Macpherson Ken Burgess John 1981 The ships of Canada s naval forces 1910 1981 a complete pictorial history of Canadian warships Toronto Collins p 96 ISBN 0 00216 856 1 Hawkesbury 6118184 Miramar Ship Index Retrieved 15 July 2016 Lahaie Lianne 9 April 2010 War ship named in honour of Hawkesbury The Review Archived from the original on 14 September 2013 Retrieved 14 September 2013 External links editHazegray Revised Flower Class Canadian Navy of Yesterday and Today Retrieved 14 September 2013 Ready Aye Ready HMCS Hawkesbury Retrieved 14 September 2013 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMCS Hawkesbury amp oldid 1158129000, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
