HMCS Bittersweet (K182)


HMCS Bittersweet about to be taken in tow by HMCS Skeena, May 1943.
Career (Canada) Royal Canadian Navy
Namesake: Flowering vines Solanum dulcamara and Celastrus scandens
Builder: Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy, Quebec
Laid down: 17 April 1940
Launched: 12 September 1940
Identification: Pennant number: K182
Fate: Returned to the Royal Navy on 22 June 1945 and scrapped in November 1950.
General characteristics
Class and type: Flower-class corvette (original)[1]
Displacement: 925 long tons (940 t; 1,036 ST)
Length: 205 ft (62.48 m)o/a
Beam: 33 ft (10.06 m)
Draught: 11.5 ft (3.51 m)
Propulsion:
  • single shaft
  • 2 x fire tube Scotch boilers
  • 1 x 4-cycle triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
  • 2,750 ihp (2,050 kW)
Speed: 16 knots (29.6 km/h)
Range: 3,500 nautical miles (6,482 km) at 12 knots (22.2 km/h)
Complement: 85
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • 1 x SW1C or 2C radar
  • 1 x Type 123A or Type 127DV sonar
Armament:

HMCS Bittersweet was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Canadian Navy. She was ordered for the Royal Navy from Marine Industries Ltd. in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, and laid down on 17 April 1940. She was launched on 12 September 1940 and transferred to the RCN on 23 January 1941. She was named after the flowering vines Solanum dulcamara and Celastrus scandens.

Bittersweet escorted trade convoys between Halifax Harbour and Liverpool through the battle of the Atlantic. At the end of hostilities, the ship was returned to the Royal Navy and scrapped.

Trans-Atlantic convoys escorted

Convoy Escort Group Dates Notes
HX 140 22 July-2 Aug 1941[2] Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 4 11-18 Aug 1941[3] Iceland to Newfoundland
HX 148 7-10 Sept 1941[2] Newfoundland to Iceland
SC 45 21-30 Sept 1941[4] Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 21 5-11 Oct 1941[3] Iceland to Newfoundland
SC 50 19-31 Oct 1941[4] Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 32 6-14 Nov 1941[3] Iceland to Newfoundland
SC 56 24 Nov-6 Dec 1941[4] Newfoundland to Iceland
HX 178 3-6 March 1942[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 79 24 March-3 April 1942[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 185 MOEF group A3 18-26 April 1942[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 92 MOEF group A3 7-18 May 1942[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 85 MOEF group C4 31 May-2 June 1942[4] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 102 MOEF group A3 21-25 June 1942[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 196 MOEF group A3 2-10 July 1942[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 114 MOEF group A3 20-30 July 1942[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 95 MOEF group A3 8-18 Aug 1942[4] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 125 MOEF group A3 29 Aug-7 Sept 1942[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 100 MOEF group A3 16-28 Sept 1942[4] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 135 MOEF group A3 3-15 Oct 1942[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 212 MOEF group A3 5-14 Jan 1943[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 163 MOEF group C3 25 Jan-6 Feb 1943[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 226 MOEF group C3 14-23 Feb 1943[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 172 MOEF group C3 10-21 March 1943[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 124 MOEF group C3 28 March-8 April 1943[4] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 180 MOEF group C3 25 April-7 May 1943[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 238 MOEF group C3 13-21 May 1943[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 187 2-10 June 1943[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 244 20-29 June 1943[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 192 10-18 July 1943[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 249 29 July-5 Aug 1943[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ONS 16 21-29 Aug 1943[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 150 3-14 Jan 1944[4] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ONS 32 22 Jan-11 Feb 1944[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 279 17-28 Feb 1944[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 227 9-17 March 1944[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 284 26 March-5 April 1944[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 232 14-23 April 1944[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 289 3-13 May 1944[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 237 20-29 May 1944[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 294 9-19 June 1944[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 242 25 June-5 July 1944[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 299 16-23 July 1944[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 247 3-10 Aug 1944[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 304 23 Aug-1 Sept 1944[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 253 14-25 Sept 1944[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 311 3-12 Oct 1944[2] Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 262 26 Oct-7 Nov 1944[3] Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
ON 298 WLEF 3-5 May 1945[3] Newfoundland to Halifax
ON 299 WLEF 9-10 May 1945[3] Newfoundland to Halifax
ON 300 WLEF 14-15 May 1945[3] Newfoundland to Halifax

References

  1. ^ Lenton, H.T. & Colledge, J.J British and Dominion Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company pp.201&214
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "HX convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hx/index.html. Retrieved 2011-06-19. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z "ON convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/on/index.html. Retrieved 2011-06-19. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "SC convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sc/index.html. Retrieved 2011-06-19. 

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