Canadian Flower Class Corvettes - World Naval Ships Forums Archive (Page 2)

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Canadian Flower Class Corvettes - World Naval Ships Forums Archive (Page 2)

Canadian Flower Class Corvettes (Page 2)

Posts 51 to 100

Attached is a photo I took of HMCS Sackville, the only surviving Flower Class Corvette, yesterday (July 6, 2012) at her summer berth by the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax. Brian
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HMCS Bittersweet 1943 Regards John
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HMCS Agassiz Regards John
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HMCS Nonaimo Regards John
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[QUOTE=Stokers Son;10135671]HMCS Agassiz Regards John[/QUOTE] This is a shot of her prior to her major refit (December 1943 - March 1944) during which her focsle was extended.

[QUOTE=Stokers Son;10135672]HMCS Nonaimo Regards John[/QUOTE] Small spelling correction if I may John - it's N[B]a[/B]naimo.

John, That is a fabulous photograph. Thanks for sharing. Regards Paul

Hi John , Great photos ........ it looks like Agassiz held a Mineswepping role as apposed to Anti-Submarine. Hence the absence of her after gun. Dave H

[QUOTE=Dave Hutson;10135684]Hi John , Great photos ........ it looks like Agassiz held a Mineswepping role as apposed to Anti-Submarine. Hence the absence of her after gun. Dave H[/QUOTE] Dave: As stated by Dr Marc Milner, a highly respected Canadian naval historian: Re minesweeping: "[I][B] The RCN completed its first 54 corvettes as auxiliary minesweepers[/B] and therefore needed wider quarterdecks to handle the equipment. Instead of the duck-tail shaped stern of British corvettes, including those first 10 built in Canada for the Royal Navy, Canadian corvettes had a broad, somewhat square stern. This allowed fairleads for minesweeping wire at the stern, while also leaving space for depth-charge rails and chutes. To make room for the large minesweeping winch, the Canadians repositioned the galley[/I]." (Most ships had their minesweeping gear removed as the new [B]Bangor[/B] Class minesweepers came into service.) Re the after gun mounting: "[I]The British mounted a two-pounder gun in the aft position and fitted .50-calibre twin machine-guns (soon upgraded to 20-mm) on the bridge wings as secondary armament.[B] Canada lacked the guns[/B] and in the early years had to settle for a mix of .50-calibre machine-guns and Lewis .303 guns in secondary positions[/I]."

Thanks for that Tim . Explains a lot Dave H

Dave: I will add one additional comment to that of Tim. The first picture of HMCS Agassiz appears to have been taken just after commissioning. She is not wearing her pennant number and is not camouflaged. The absence of the 2 pdr gun aft probably indicates that her full armament had not yet been mounted. She was one of the early Flower Class corvettes built in 1940. I suspect the picture was taken in the autumn of that year on the Pacific Coast as she was built by the Burrard shipyard in Vancouver. Brian

HMCS Baddeck Regards John
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HMCS Lethbridge Regards John
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[QUOTE=Stokers Son;10135704]HMCS Baddeck Regards John[/QUOTE] A very nice DND shot taken after her major refit/conversion in August 1943 - probably in the period January-March 1944 when she was a member of the Western Escort Force operating out of Halifax. Would appear that she is part of a convoy escort - numerous merchant ships in the background plus a couple of [B]Bangor[/B] Class minesweepers, an armed trawler ([B]Battle[/B] Class?) and a second corvette also pictured. Given that the escorts are all in close proximity, suspect the convoy might just be forming up for the long voyage to the UK.

[QUOTE=Stokers Son;10135634]HMCS Bittersweet 1943 Regards John[/QUOTE] One of the several Flower Class corvettes which were being built in Canada for the RN, but were transferred to the RCN before completion. These ships retained their "flower" names while the Canadian "Flower Class" were named after Canadian cities and towns - much to the relief of their ships' companies I suspect!

Thank you to the members who have taken the time to reply to the above posts. I really appreciate it. Regards John

HMCS Pictou Regards John
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HMCS Pictou Rough Seas Regard John
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HMCS Wetaskiwin Regards John
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HMCS Windflower Regards John
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[QUOTE=Stokers Son;10135791]HMCS Windflower Regards John[/QUOTE] Another of the corvettes built for the RN, but transferred to the RCN. This photo was taken during her acceptance trials in 1940, prior to the installation of her armament.

[QUOTE=Stokers Son;10135790]HMCS Wetaskiwin Regards John[/QUOTE] Fondly known in the RCN as the "Wet Ass Queen!" Excerpt from Wikipedia: "[I][B]Wetaskawin[/B]'s badge featured a queen of hearts sitting in a puddle of water, which was a reference to the ship's nickname: "Wet Ass Queen". The original "wet ass queen" painting from the [B]Wetaskawin[/B]'s wardroom bulkhead hangs on the wall at the Crow's Nest Officer's Club in St. John's Newfoundland.[/I]"

Great photos as usual John...many thanks...Regards Brian.

Thank you Tim for the information. It is always good to know a little about the ship's. Thank you Brian for your kind words Regards John

Question. Is there a member out there who could tell what the object circled is and what is it's job. Regards John
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HMCS Fennel Regards John
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[QUOTE=Stokers Son;10135835]Question. Is there a member out there who could tell what the object circled is and what is it's job. Regards John[/QUOTE] Looks like the radar antenna covering for a Type 271 surface warning radar, no?

[QUOTE=Stokers Son;10135835]Question. Is there a member out there who could tell what the object circled is and what is it's job. Regards John[/QUOTE] John: It would appear to be the enclosure for the Type 271 radar as was fitted in many corvettes. Link here: [url]http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/canada/systems/radar/[/url]

HMCS Chilliwack 1942 Regards John
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Thank you both for the answer. I have seen it fitted to many corvettes of the Canadian Navy. A lot different to the Australian corvettes. Regards John

Thanks for the great photos, guys. Here's something else you may enjoy:
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Hello Monty, That's a great view of the camouflage schemes, thanks for sharing. Did that come from a book or is it a poster? Regards Paul

[QUOTE=BCRenown;10135855]Thanks for the great photos, guys. Here's something else you may enjoy:[/QUOTE] What a great poster Monty! Was particularly interested to see the depiction of [B]Shediac[/B], as my father was her CO from August 1944 - June 1945.

Thanks guys. I received these via e-mail a few years ago. There are several pages of RN and RCN corvettes and may have been taken from a book, I'm not sure. I simply copied and pasted the RCN corvettes to a single page for posting here. Tim, that is fantastic to hear.

Especially for Tim, I've always loved this photo of Shediac (dated Dec, 1944):
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[QUOTE=BCRenown;10135887]Especially for Tim, I've always loved this photo of Shediac (dated Dec, 1944):[/QUOTE] A lovely shot indeed Monty - thank you. Given the date, my father is probably standing on the bridge looking stern - but I can't enlarge the photo enough to make him out!

HMCS Shediac 1944 Here is another view for you Tim hope you can see your father Regards John
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HMCS New Westminster Regards John
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[QUOTE=Stokers Son;10135893]HMCS Shediac 1944 Here is another view for you Tim hope you can see your father Regards John[/QUOTE] Thanks John - still difficult to make out individuals, but I'm sure he's there on the bridge somewhere!

HMCS Bittersweet Regards John
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HMCS Fennel Regards John
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HMCS Forest Hill Regards John
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HMCS Brandon Regards John
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Another nice shot John..thanks for sharing...Regards Brian.

Thanks to all contributors to this thread. The humble Corvette has certainly been given a good airing and new lease of interest. I must now put my "Snowberry" into maintenance and get her back on the water. At the moment she looks as if she has just completed a rough Atlantic convoy. It is surprising when you go thru' the gallery the little differences that were introduced over the years of their construction. Keep them coming. Dave H

I wholeheartedly agree with Dave's post. Those "cheap but nasties" were among the most important warships in the winning of World War Two. Before and during the frigates and destroyer escorts, the corvettes were able to escort the grub and supplies across the vast Atlantic that kept Britain alive and in fighting trim in those crucial days up to and including those of 1943. Refit your model, Dave, and remain proud of her and what she represents.

HMCS Wetaskiwin pic 1 [B]Photograph 2.[/B] Burnie Forbes standing next to his finished painting of the Wet Ass Queen - an irreverent interpretation of the ship's name, HMCS Wetaskiwin. Regards John
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HMCS Dundas Regards John
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HMCS Chambly Regards John
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Great pics as always John...Regards Brian.

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