HMCS Lachine
| History | |
|---|---|
 Canada | |
| Name | Lachine |
| Namesake | Lachine, Quebec |
| Builder | Davie Shipbuilding, Lauzon |
| Laid down | 27 December 1940 |
| Launched | 14 June 1941 |
| Commissioned | 20 June 1942 |
| Decommissioned | 31 July 1945 |
| Identification | pennant number: J266 |
| Fate | Sold for conversion to a salvage tug, 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Template:Sclass- |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 162 ft (49.38 m) oa |
| Beam | 28 ft (8.53 m) |
| Draught | 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m) mean deep load |
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, diesel, 2,000 bhp (1,500 kW) |
| Speed | 16.5 knots (19 mph; 31 km/h) |
| Complement | 60 |
| Armament |
|
HMCS Lachine was a Template:Sclass- of the Royal Canadian Navy that served during the Second World War. Following the war a proposed transfer to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as Starnes was cancelled and the ship was instead sold for conversion to a salvage tug in 1945. The ship was broken up in the United Kingdom in 1955.
Design
Lachine was a diesel-powered Bangor-class minesweeper of the 1940-41 building programme. The diesel-powered Bangors were rare due to the lack of suitable diesel engines that could be provided during construction.[1] The ship displaced 590 long tons (600 t) standard and 690 long tons (700 t) at deep load. The vessel had a length overall of 162 ft (49.38 m), a beam of 28 ft (8.53 m) and a draught of 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m) at mean deep load.[2]
The minesweeper was powered by a 2,000 brake horsepower (1,500 kW)* diesel engine driving two shafts. This gave the ship a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (19 mph; 31 km/h). Lachine had a complement of 60 officers and enlisted. The ship was equipped with one QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun and two twin 0.303 in (8 mm) machine guns.[2] For anti-aircraft defense, the ship was also armed with two 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons.[3]
Construction and career
The minesweeper was ordered as part of the 1940-41 building programme. Her keel was laid down by Davie Shipbuilding at Lauzon, Quebec on 27 December 1940, and launched on 20 June 1942. Lachine was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy at Quebec City on 20 June 1942 with the pennant number J266.[4]
Following workups, the ship was assigned to Sydney Force, a local escort force operating out of Sydney, Nova Scotia in September 1942. In October, the ship was transferred to the Western Local Escort Force and in June, when the force was restructured, joined the escort group W-6. The ship transferred to Halifax Force, a local escort force operating out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, from June 1944 until the end of the war in Europe.[4]
On 31 July 1945, Lachine was paid off at Shelburne, Nova Scotia and laid up for disposal. Following the war the ship was intended to be transferred to the marine section of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as Starnes, however, the transfer was cancelled. Sources disagree on what happened to the ship after that. According to Macpherson & Barrie and Miramar state the ship was instead sold for conversion to a salvage tug in 1945.[4] The conversion was completed in 1946, the ship retaining her name and remained in service until 1955 when Lachine was broken up for scrap in 1955.[5] However, according to Colledge, the ship was converted to the tug Jacks Bay in 1952.[6] According to Macpherson & Barrie and Miramar, this was the name that HMCS Grandmère took after her conversion.[7][8]
References
Citations
- ^ Brown, p. 124
- ^ a b Chesneau, p. 64
- ^ Macpherson and Barrie, p. 185
- ^ a b c Macpherson and Barrie, p. 187
- ^ "Lachine (6113209)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
- ^ Colledge, p. 351
- ^ Macpherson and Barrie, p. 182
- ^ "Grandmere (5286099)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
Sources
- Brown, David K. (2012). Nelson to Vanguard: Warship Design and Development 1923-1945. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-149-6.
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Lenton, H.T.; Colledge, J.J. (1973). Warships of World War II (Second ed.). London: Ian Allen. ISBN 0-7110-0403-X.
- Macpherson, Ken; Barrie, Ron (2002). The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910-2002 (Third ed.). St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN 1-55125-072-1.
