HMCS Chedabucto (J168)

Career (Canada)
Name: Chedabucto
Namesake: Chedabucto, Acadia
Operator: Royal Canadian Navy
Ordered: 23 February 1940
Builder: Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd. Vancouver, British Columbia
Laid down: 24 January 1941
Launched: 14 April 1941
Commissioned: 27 September 1941
Out of service: 31 October 1943
Identification: Pennant number: J168
Honours and
awards:		 Atlantic 1942-43,;[1] Gulf of St. Lawrence 1942[2]
Fate: sunk in collision 1943
General characteristics
Class and type:Bangor-class minesweeper
Displacement:673 long tons (684 t; 754 short tons)
Length:180 ft (54.9 m)
Beam:28.5 ft (8.7 m)
Draught:8.3 ft (2.5 m)
Propulsion:Twin shaft; 2 H&W diesel engines, 2,400 bhp;
Speed:16 knots (30 km/h)
Crew:70
Armament:
  • 1 x QF 4 in (101.6 mm)gun
  • 1 x QF 2 pdr Mark VIII
  • 2 x twin 0.303 in (7.70 mm) machine guns

HMCS Chedabucto was a Bangor-class minesweeper that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. Chedabucto was sunk in 1943.

Construction

Chedabucto was ordered on 23 February 1940 and laid down 24 January 1941 by Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd. in Vancouver, British Columbia. She was launched on 14 April 1941 and was commissioned later that year on 27 September in Vancouver.[3][4]

Atlantic Service

Chedabucto left Esquimalt, British Columbia on 11 November 1941 after working up and arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 17 December. On 10 April 1942 the SS Trongate caught fire in Halifax harbour. Among the contents of her cargo were explosives. Chedabucto sank the Trongate to prevent a recurrence of the Halifax Explosion.[3]

Assigned to the Western Local Escort Force (WLEF) briefly, she was transferred to the Gulf Escort Force in June 1942. Later that year in September she was re-assigned to Sydney Force before returning to the WLEF in January 1943. Chedabucto then went for a refit at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia which were completed in June 1943. She was then assigned to the Gaspé Force.[3]

Sinking

On 31 October 1943, Chedabucto had a night collision with the cable ship Lord Kelvin while escorting her near Rimouski, Quebec. There was one casualty when the Chedabucto sank.[3]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  2. ↑ "Royal Canadian Warships - The Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence - Second World War". Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Macpherson, Ken (1981). The ships of Canada's naval forces 1910-1981 : a complete pictorial history of Canadian warships. Toronto: Collins. p. 113. ISBN 0-00216-856-1.
  4. ↑ "HMCS Chedabucto (J 174)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 28 July 2013.

References

Coordinates: 48°14′N 69°16′W / 48.233°N 69.267°W