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Canadian Flower Class Corvettes World Naval Ships Forums Archive

Canadian Flower Class Corvettes

Posts 1 to 50

The HMCS Sackville is the last Corvette in Canada. She is [URL="http://www.hmcssackville-cnmt.ns.ca/history.html"]one of more than 120 corvettes built in Canada during the Second World War[/URL]. My father served on Corvettes during WWII on Atlantic convoy duty. He told me the mess decks were always awash with sea water from the day they left port until they tied up at the end of their run. I've attached a number of exterior photos taken on a [URL="http://www.hmcssackville-cnmt.ns.ca/tour.html#"]tour of the Sackville [/URL].
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HMCS Sackville - below decks.
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Found this great picture on the net the other day for those who haven`t seen it. HMCS Kenogami.
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That's a great profile shot Terry. You don't appreciate how small these ships really were until you see a photo like this with the crew standing on the decks.

Thanks John - I couldn`t agree more. The figures do as you say provide an excellent scale.

Excellent photos John! I've seen quite a few sets of HMCS Sackville over the years but these are some of the best for interior photos. Mark

This is an interesting video of the Flower Class Corvette [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO-t2rMaXjc&feature=related[/url]

Hi JohnS Terrific pictures. Thanks for sharing them with us. Mel

Here's a couple of HMCS Agassiz taken from HMS Forester around September 1943 while both were in Escort Group C1. [ATTACH]81541[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]81542[/ATTACH]
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JohnS, Excellent photo's! Nice to see a Corvette in such good shape. As for the size of these ships you correct in your comments. I know I spent plenty time on ships that were even smaller in length in the Pacific. Regards Charles

Iv'e aquired a few photo's of flower class corvette's as I'm in the process of building a radio controlled model of HMS Bryony, I then started to take an interest in the history of these small but important ship's which played such a vital role in the Battle of the Atlantic. The Cuel Sea is one of my favourite films. RichyB
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Here are a few more Canadian Flowers, including an early photo of Sackville, and two more recent ones at her home in Halifax. RichyB
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Hi RichyB Photo 2 - could you ask the Chief Stoker to make less smoke, and looking at her bowwave and wake poses the question "What was she using - Rocketfuel" Dave H

There are a couple of nice small books on the Flower Class.
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Hi Jaymeejoy, Very useful from a modelmakers view, a good selection of camouflage patterns to choose from. Seeing a collection of pictures of RN and RCN Flowers together, reminds me of a question that has been in my mind for some time. I notice the 2 pdr Bandstand on RN Flowers is forward of the Engine Room skylights, on the Canadian Flowers it is Aft of the Skylight. Is there any reason for this, was there a tactical advantage either way. Regards RichyB

Just been scanning some photos out of the 1941 reprint of "The Navy of Today" by Lt Commander K.Edwards RN which has a photo titled the first Canadian Corvette
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HMCS Dawson, Christmas Day, Esquimalt, 1941. Also some shots of the quarter-deck, cluttered with army types and the Ensign and depth-charge racks, not sure exactly when or where but probably Nov. '41
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[QUOTE=Davie Tait;168143]Just been scanning some photos out of the 1941 reprint of "The Navy of Today" by Lt Commander K.Edwards RN which has a photo titled the first Canadian Corvette[/QUOTE] Now that one looks to be on Rocketfuel. There is a signal quoted in 'Make Another Signal' by Capt. Jack Broome which says (from memory) "One corvette to another during some particularly dirty weather in mid - Atlantic, 'Just seen down your funnel - fires burning brightly'" Steve

HMCS Edmundston, near Esquimalt, Oct. 1941.
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Chief: These are great pictures of an early short focsle Corvette with minesweeping gear. Brian

Steve: Your memorable quote has been mentioned in other books as well. Brian

[QUOTE=Brian Wentzell;10029252]Chief: These are great pictures of an early short focsle Corvette with minesweeping gear. Brian[/QUOTE] I have another shot from astern just out of the bath and will post it as soon as it dries.

[quote=the Chief;10029228]HMCS Dawson, Christmas Day, Esquimalt, 1941. Also some shots of the quarter-deck, cluttered with army types and the Ensign and depth-charge racks, not sure exactly when or where but probably Nov. '41[/quote] Great photographs my friend. I wonder what ship 37 is in your third shot??

[QUOTE=RichyB;158439]Hi Jaymeejoy, Very useful from a modelmakers view, a good selection of camouflage patterns to choose from. Seeing a collection of pictures of RN and RCN Flowers together, reminds me of a question that has been in my mind for some time. I notice the 2 pdr Bandstand on RN Flowers is forward of the Engine Room skylights, on the Canadian Flowers it is Aft of the Skylight. Is there any reason for this, was there a tactical advantage either way. Regards RichyB[/QUOTE] The first Canadian flowers also had the bandstand forward but moving it to the rear gave a better field of fire, the stern was also squared off at the same time.

As promised, some more pics, first the stern pic showing all that gear and the twin MG mounts in the bandstand. I do not know which ships these are but my best info would be Dawson and Edmundston. One shot of one of them at the dock. The pics at sea are I believe of Dawson after her focs'l extension, 1944 in the atlantic (but this is only a guess). A related item,the last pic is of the bows of HMCS Malaspina and sweeper Chignecto, Dec 1941, looks like someone just tossed the garbage over the side, it was a simpler time!
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[QUOTE=astraltrader;10029257]Great photographs my friend. I wonder what ship 37 is in your third shot??[/QUOTE] #37 looks to me like one of the fishing boats that the RCN impressed into service as patrol craft, they were called the 'Gumboot Navy'. The black and white number makes her look like a US boat and the sailors almost look like they are wearing 'gob hats' but hard to be sure.

These guys found a home in the navy! And finaly a shot of what looks like mail-call.
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[QUOTE]The first Canadian flowers also had the bandstand forward but moving it to the rear gave a better field of fire, the stern was also squared off at the same time. [/QUOTE] At the same time the galley was moved from aft to amidships, nearer the messdeck, eliminating the need to bring meals forward over open decks after which they often became cold and wet.

HMCS Quesnel bringing in a target, Esquimalt. A close-up along the deck aft.
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Chief: The Corvettes were certainly jacks-of-all-trades. You have a most interesting collection of photographs. Brian

HMCS Teme 1944 Regards John
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HMCS Moose Jaw 1941 Regards John
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John: HMCS Teme was actually a British built "River" Class frigate. When they were designed they were referred to as "twin screw corvettes" because they had two shafts and propellers, whereas the "Flower" Class had only one. Brian

Maybe not a rule but, generally speaking, a British built Rother class frigate can be distinguished from a Canadian built River class frigate by the outboard davit supports in the former. These are quite visible in the photo of Teme but not at all in typical Canadian built frigate (HMCS Valleyfield?) below;
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Monty: The frigate depicted might have been HMCS Valleyfield, K329, however, her life was exactly 5 months. She was built by Morton Engineering & Drydock Co. at Quebec City and commissioned there on December 7, 1943. She was torpedoed by U 548 southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland on May 7, 1944 with the loss of 125 lives. The camouflage paint job of December 1943, see page 52 of Ken MacPherson's "Frigates of the Royal Canadian Navy 1943-1974", appears to have been blue and white whereas the ship in your picture is painted with a very different pattern. The armament of the ship in the photo was typical, 2 single 4 inch mounts, of 15 of those built in the 1942-43 programme. Due to her loss, she never received the twin 4 inch mount forward, all the others were so altered. In sum, I am not sure your photo is of HMCS Valleyfield. Brian

Re: posts 34 & 35: Agreed Brian. When I first saw this photo on another board a few years ago, there was considerable speculation and disagreement regarding the frigate's true identity. The guy who posted it assured us that "HMCS Valleyfield" and a date was written on the back and since we could not come up with an alternate identification, it was accepted by most. Yet, I remain unconvinced - hence my "?".:confused: Nevertheless, I am fairly certain she is Canadian and my main reason for posting was to show how davits were mounted on the deck in Canadian-built frigates - as opposed to the hull sides in British-built units.

Monty: One wonders why the Brits would have rigged the davits that way. Maintenance must have been a problem due to their exposure to the elements. Regards, Brian

[QUOTE=Brian Wentzell;10030029]Monty: One wonders why the Brits would have rigged the davits that way. Maintenance must have been a problem due to their exposure to the elements. Regards, Brian[/QUOTE] Alternatively, rigged like that they would be very susceptible to 'persuasion' using a large hammer. Steve

Steve: True, but Mother Nature has a larger hammer! Brian

HMCS Vancouver Regards John
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HMCS Mayflower Regards John
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HMCS Cobalt Regards John
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Re: HMCS Mayflower, A friend of mine, John Charleton, said he remembered when this picture was taken, he remembers the gun's crew training the gun at the photographer, he pointed to one of the guys on the bridge as himself but I don't remember which one he pointed to, alas, he is beyond reach of any confirmation.

Re: HMCS 'Valleyfield', the ship pictured has the lower row of scuttles common to RN, UK built frigates transferred to RCN; a picture of K329, HMCS Valleyfield, Quebec built, has no lower row of scuttles. She also seems to be mssing the cross bracing aft pictured on K329. After looking at numerous photos of Canadian built frigates I would have to agree that whatever ship is pictured above it is not the 'Valleyfield' and is UK built and maybe even a picture of an RN ship.

Quite right Chief. The identity of the frigate in post #34 remains up in the air. It was the deck-mounted rather than hull-mounted boat davits that caused me to think she was Canadian-built. I hadn't noticed that our frigates did not have the lower row of scuttles. Thank you for pointing it out.

Re:'Valleyfield', I think I have seen that camo scheme somewhere as well, will try to do some more digging.

Re the "Valleyfield" photo see my posts 2529 and 2530 on the Unidentified Ships photos thread.

HMCS Dauphin Regards John
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HMCS Agassiz Regards John
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HMCS Owen Sound Regards John
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