HMCS Long Branch (K487)

Career (Canada) Royal Canadian Navy
Namesake: Long Branch, Ontario
Builder: A. & J. Inglis Ltd., Glasgow
Laid down: 27 February 1943
Launched: 28 September 1943
Commissioned: 5 January 1944
Decommissioned: 17 June 1945
Honours and
awards:
Atlantic 1944-45
Fate: Sold in 1947 as mercantile Rexton Kent II. Scuttled off Canada's Atlantic coast in 1966.
General characteristics
Class and type: Flower-class corvette (modified)
Displacement: 1,015 long tons (1,031 t; 1,137 ST)
Length: 208 ft (63.40 m)o/a
Beam: 33 ft (10.06 m)
Draught: 11 ft (3.35 m)
Propulsion: single shaft, 2x oil fired water tube boilers, 1 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: 90
Sensors and
processing systems:
One Type 271 SW2C radar, one Type 144 sonar
Armament:
  • 1 x 4-inch (100 mm) BL Mk.IX single gun
  • 1 x 2-pounder Mk.VIII single "pom-pom"
  • 2 x 20 mm Oerlikon single
  • 1 x Hedgehog A/S mortar
  • 4 x Mk.II depth charge throwers
  • 2 depth charge rails with 70 depth charges

HMCS Long Branch (K487) was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Canadian Navy.

She was formerly HMS Candytuft (K484) and was transferred to the RCN on 5 January 1944.

Wartime service

Upon commissioning to the RCN she was tasked to join escort group C-5 at Londonderry Port in April 1944 following a 1 month work up period at Tobermory, Mull. C-5 sailed with the convoy ONS 233. Long Branch developed mechanical problems during the crossing and underwent a 6-week repair at the Newfoundland Drydock upon her arrival at St. John's.

She departed St. John's on 14 June to resume duties but returned for further repairs with the assistance of HM Tug Tenacity. Once repaired, she left St. John's a week later to join convoy HXS 300, the largest convoy of the war.

She continued as an ocean escort until her final departure from Londonderry on 27 January 1945. She arrived at Halifax under the command of A/Lt.Cdr. J.B. O'Brien, RCNVR on 11 February and commenced a refit. In April she was assigned to Halifax for local duties.

She was paid off and decommissioned from the RCN on 17 June 1945 at Sorel, Quebec.

Civilian service

Long Branch was sold for commercial use in 1947 and renamed Rexton Kent II. She was later renamed Rexton Kent. She was scuttled off Nova Scotia in 1966.

References