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HMCSPrescott

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HMCSPrescottunder way.
History
Canada
NamePrescott
NamesakePrescott, Ontario
Ordered7 February 1940
BuilderKingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.,Kingston
Laid down31 August 1940
Launched7 January 1941
Commissioned26 June 1941
Decommissioned20 July 1945
IdentificationPennant number:K161
Honours and
awards		Atlantic 1941-45, North Africa 1942-43, Normandy 1944, English Channel 1944-45,[1]Gulf of St. Lawrence 1942[2]
FateSold for scrapping.
General characteristics
Class and typeFlower-classcorvette(original)[3]
Displacement950long tons(970 t; 1,060 short tons)
Length205 ft (62.48 m)
Beam33 ft (10.06 m)
Draught11.5 ft (3.51 m)
PropulsionSingle shaft;

2 water tube boilers;

1 4-cyl. triple expansion steam engine, 2,750 hp (2,050 kW)
Speed16 knots (29.6 km/h)
Range3,450 nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement6 officers, 79 enlistend
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar – SW1C or 2C (later)
  • Sonar – Type 123A, later Type 127DV
Armament

HMCSPrescottwas aFlower-classcorvetteof theRoyal Canadian Navyduring theSecond World War.She served primarily in theBattle of the Atlanticas a convoy escort. She was named forPrescott, Ontario.

Background[edit]

Main article:Flower-class corvette

Flower-class corvettes likePrescottserving with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were different from earlier and more traditional sail-driven corvettes.[4][5][6]The "corvette" designation was created by the French for classes of small warships; the Royal Navy borrowed the term for a period but discontinued its use in 1877.[7]During the hurried preparations for war in the late 1930s,Winston Churchillreactivated the corvette class, needing a name for smaller ships used in an escort capacity, in this case based on awhaling shipdesign.[8]The generic name "flower" was used to designate the class of these ships, which – in the Royal Navy – were named after flowering plants.[9]

Corvettes commissioned by the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were named after communities, for the most part, to better represent the people who took part in building them. This idea was put forth by AdmiralPercy W. Nelles.Sponsors were commonly associated with the community for which the ship was named. Royal Navy corvettes were designed as open sea escorts, while Canadian corvettes were developed for coastal auxiliary roles which were exemplified by their minesweeping gear. Eventually, the Canadian corvettes would be modified to allow them to perform better on the open seas.[10]

Construction[edit]

Prescottwas ordered on 7 February 1940 as part of the 1939–1940 Flower-class program. She was laid down byKingston Shipbuilding Co.atKingston, Ontarioon 31 August 1940 and launched 7 January 1941.[11]She was commissioned atMontreal,Quebec on 26 June 1941.[12]

During her career, she had four significant refits. The first took place in early 1942 after developing mechanical problems. She required two months of repairs atLiverpool, Nova Scotiato fix them. The second refit took place in theUnited Kingdomafter she was assigned toOperation Torch.There she received additionalAAarmament. After completing her Torch duties, she returned toCanadain April 1943 and late in that month she began a six-month refit at Liverpool. During this refit, she had herfo'c'sleextended.Prescott's final refit began in September 1944 at Liverpool.[12]

Service history[edit]

After working upPrescottjoined theNewfoundland Escort Force(NEF) on 31 August 1941. She remained with that force until early 1942 when she was sent back to port with mechanical problems. She returned to service on 21 April 1942 and stayed with the NEF until being transferred to theWestern Local Escort Force(WLEF) in July.[12]

After a short period with the WLEF she was assigned to operations in connection withOperation Torch.On 13 March 1943 during convoy escort offCape Finisterre,Prescottencountered and sank the U-boatGerman submarineU-163.[13]She returned from her Torch duties to Atlantic convoy service on 4 April 1943. She departed for a major refit later that month.[12]

After returning from a six-month refit she was worked up atPictouand sent to join Escort Group 6 underRoyal Navycommand. She served with the group until April 1944 when the corvettes were replaced with frigates.[12]

Prescottthen joined theWestern Approaches Commandas part ofOperation Neptune.After the invasion, she returned to Liverpool for another refit. After working up she served withNore Commanduntil the end of the war.[12]

Prescottwas paid off on 20 July 1945 atSorel, Quebec.She was sold for scrap on 30 August 1946[14]andbroken upin 1951 atHamilton, Ontario.[12][note 1]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Miramar Ship Index has the ship broken up inMontreal,Quebec.

Citations[edit]

  1. ^"Battle Honours".Britain's Navy.Retrieved23 August2013.
  2. ^"Royal Canadian Warships – The Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence – Second World War".Veterans Affairs Canada.Archived fromthe originalon 27 September 2013.Retrieved23 August2013.
  3. ^Lenton, H.T.; Colledge, J.J (1968).British and Dominion Warships of World War II.Doubleday & Company. pp. 201, 212.
  4. ^Ossian, Robert."Complete List of Sailing Vessels".The Pirate King.Retrieved13 April2011.
  5. ^Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. (1978).The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare.Vol. 11. London: Phoebus. pp. 1137–1142.
  6. ^Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II.New Jersey: Random House. 1996. p.68.ISBN0-517-67963-9.
  7. ^Blake, Nicholas; Lawrence, Richard (2005).The Illustrated Companion to Nelson's Navy.Stackpole Books. pp. 39–63.ISBN0-8117-3275-4.
  8. ^Chesneau, Roger; Gardiner, Robert (June 1980).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946.Naval Institute Press. p. 62.ISBN0-87021-913-8.
  9. ^Milner, Marc (1985).North Atlantic Run.Naval Institute Press. pp. 117–119, 142–145, 158, 175–176, 226, 235, 285–291.ISBN0-87021-450-0.
  10. ^Macpherson, Ken; Milner, Marc (1993).Corvettes of the Royal Canadian Navy 1939–1945.St. Catharines: Vanwell Publishing.ISBN1-55125-052-7.
  11. ^"HMCSPrescott(K 161) ".Uboat.net.Retrieved23 August2013.
  12. ^abcdefgMacpherson, Ken; Burgess, John (1981).The ships of Canada's naval forces 1910–1981: a complete pictorial history of Canadian warships.Toronto: Collins. pp. 83, 231–232.ISBN0-00216-856-1.
  13. ^German, Tony (1990).The Sea is at our Gates: The History of the Canadian Navy.Toronto: McClelland and Stewart Inc. pp.136.ISBN0-7710-3269-2.
  14. ^"Prescott(6112231) ".Miramar Ship Index.Retrieved14 July2016.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMCS_Prescott&oldid=1231756931"