Flower-class corvettes like Whitby 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
Whitby was ordered April 1942 as part of the 1942–43 modified Flower-class building programme. This programme was known as the Increased Endurance. 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]
Whitby was laid down by Midland Shipyards Ltd. at Midland, Ontario 1 April 1943 and was launched 18 September 1943. She was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy 6 June 1944 at Midland.[9]Whitby had no major refits during her war service due to her late arrival into the conflict, however en route to Halifax for deployment, Whitby had a layover at Shelburne, Nova Scotia for repairs.[10]
Service historyedit
After working up, Whitby joined the Mid-Ocean Escort Force. She was assigned to escort group C-4 as a trans-Atlantic convoy escort. She served the rest of the war with the group.[10]
Whitby was paid off at Sorel, Quebec 16 July 1945 and laid up. She was transferred to the War Assets Corporation and sold 30 August 1946 for mercantile conversion. She emerged in 1946 as the 1,275 GRT[11]Bengo.[9][10] She was sold to the Portuguese Navy who commissioned her in April 1948. In October 1948 she was converted to a pilot tender for use in Portuguese East Africa at Maputo, in what became known as Mozambique. Bengo was still in use as a pilot vessel at Maputo as late as August 1977.[11]
Notesedit
^"Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 22 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.
^ ab"HMCS Whitby (K 346)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
^ abcMacpherson, Ken (1981). The ships of Canada's naval forces 1910–1981 : a complete pictorial history of Canadian warships. Toronto: Collins. p. 99. ISBN0-00216-856-1.
Hazegray. "Revised Flower Class". Canadian Navy of Yesterday and Today. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
Ready, Aye, Ready. "HMCS Whitby". Retrieved 22 September 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Photo of Bengo at Maputo in 1977
April 14, 2024
hmcs, whitby, modified, flower, class, corvette, that, served, with, royal, canadian, navy, during, second, world, fought, primarily, battle, atlantic, convoy, escort, named, whitby, ontario, historycanadanamewhitbynamesakewhitby, ontarioorderedapril, 1942buil. HMCS Whitby 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 Whitby Ontario HMCS WhitbyHistoryCanadaNameWhitbyNamesakeWhitby OntarioOrderedApril 1942BuilderMidland Shipyards Ltd MidlandLaid down1 April 1943Launched18 September 1943Commissioned6 June 1944Decommissioned16 July 1945IdentificationPennant number K346Honours andawardsAtlantic 1944 45 1 FateSold for mercantile use 1946General 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 Whitby 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 editWhitby was ordered April 1942 as part of the 1942 43 modified Flower class building programme This programme was known as the Increased Endurance 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 Whitby was laid down by Midland Shipyards Ltd at Midland Ontario 1 April 1943 and was launched 18 September 1943 She was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy 6 June 1944 at Midland 9 Whitby had no major refits during her war service due to her late arrival into the conflict however en route to Halifax for deployment Whitby had a layover at Shelburne Nova Scotia for repairs 10 Service history editAfter working up Whitby joined the Mid Ocean Escort Force She was assigned to escort group C 4 as a trans Atlantic convoy escort She served the rest of the war with the group 10 Whitby was paid off at Sorel Quebec 16 July 1945 and laid up She was transferred to the War Assets Corporation and sold 30 August 1946 for mercantile conversion She emerged in 1946 as the 1 275 GRT 11 Bengo 9 10 She was sold to the Portuguese Navy who commissioned her in April 1948 In October 1948 she was converted to a pilot tender for use in Portuguese East Africa at Maputo in what became known as Mozambique Bengo was still in use as a pilot vessel at Maputo as late as August 1977 11 Notes edit Battle Honours Britain s Navy Retrieved 22 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 a b HMCS Whitby K 346 Uboat net Retrieved 22 September 2013 a b c Macpherson Ken 1981 The ships of Canada s naval forces 1910 1981 a complete pictorial history of Canadian warships Toronto Collins p 99 ISBN 0 00216 856 1 a b Whitby 6120658 Miramar Ship Index Retrieved 16 July 2016 External links editHazegray Revised Flower Class Canadian Navy of Yesterday and Today Retrieved 22 September 2013 Ready Aye Ready HMCS Whitby Retrieved 22 September 2013 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Photo of Bengo at Maputo in 1977 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMCS Whitby amp oldid 1190419123, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
