Cape class maintenance ship

The Cape class were two maintenance ships of the Canadian Navy. The ships were modified Fort class cargo ships (similar to the US Liberty ship) launched in Vancouver in 1944 for the British Royal Navy as part of the Beachy Head class of repair ships. They were bought by Canada in 1952.^[1]

Ships

• HMCS Cape Scott (ARE 101), originally HMS Beachy Head. She was loaned to the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1947 and served until 1950 as the Vulkaan, before returning to the RN. In 1952, she was sold to Canada, who renamed her Cape Scott. She was used on the East Coast until 1970, and was used alongside for several years for the Fleet Maintenance Facility until that organization moved ashore in 1975. Although Cape Scott was towed to Texas for scrapping in 1978, the Fleet Maintenance Facility in Halifax still bears her name.^[1]

• HMCS Cape Breton (ARE 100), originally HMS Flamborough Head, was also purchased by Canada in 1952, and sent to the West Coast. She served until 1964, but from 1972 until at least 1993, she was used as a towed mobile support facility and accommodation vessel at Esquimalt. She was sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of British Columbia in 2001. Although Cape Breton was sunk in 2001, the Fleet Maintenance Facility in Esquimalt still bears her name.^[1]

References