Park ship

Launch of SSAshby Parkat thePictou Shipyardin 1944
History
General characteristics Park Ship
Tonnage	2,878GRT 1,653NRT 10,000DWT
Length	440 ft 0 in (134.11 m)
Beam	57 ft 0 in (17.37 m)
Depth	22 ft 9 in (6.93 m)
Installed power	Triple expansion steam engine
Propulsion	Screw propellor
Crew	34, plus 4DEMSgunners
Armament	1 x4 inch/50 caliberdeck gunaft 1 x3 inch (76 mm)/50 caliber gun 4 x20 mm Oerlikon 2 x twin.50 cal. machine guns 20 x rail anti-aircraft rocket launcher (Pillar Box)

Park shipswere merchantsteamshipsconstructed forCanada’sMerchant Navyduring theSecond World War.Park ships andFort ships(built in Canada for operation by the British) were the Canadian equivalent of theAmericanLiberty ships.All three shared a similar design byJ.L. Thompson and SonsofSunderland,England. Fort ships had atriple expansion steam engineand a single screwpropeller.Fort ships were ships transferred to the British government and the Park ships were those employed by the Canadian government, both had the similar design. Park ships were named after local andNational Parks of Canada.A few Park ships were launched as "Camp ships", named after Canadamilitary camps,but were quickly renamed after Parks.Jasper Parkwas the first Park ship lost to enemy attack, in theIndian Oceanafter atorpedoattack fromU-177in theIndian Ocean,South ofDurban,South Africa.

Park Steamship Company

The Allied merchant fleet suffered significant losses in the early years of theBattle of the Atlanticas a result ofU-boatattacks. The Park Steamship Company was created by the Canadian government on April 8, 1942 to oversee construction of a merchant fleet to help replace the lost vessels and to administer the movement ofmateriel.This was part of a coordinated Allied effort that saw the construction of British, American and Canadian merchant ships using a common class of vessel known as theNorth Sands class(named after a beach near the J. L Thompson yard on theRiver Wear).

Vessels

Plaque commemorating the Canadian Merchant Navy.

Over the next three years, the company ordered approximately 160 bulkcargo shipsand 20tankersthat would all fly theCanadian flag.Ships at 10,000 tons deadweight were known as Park class. 43 smaller vessels,at a nominal 4,700 tons, were at first designated Grey class but were later called Park ships as well and were commonly known as the 4700 tonner Park ships. All the Park ships were powered by coal driven steam engines. All but two vessels launched were named for federal, provincial or municipal parks in Canada. Some were armed with bow guns and anti-torpedonets. Two of the Park ships were lost to natural hazards and four were lost due to enemy action. One,Avondale Park,built at thePictou ShipyardinPictou, Nova Scotiawas one of two Allied ships destroyed by enemy action in theNorth Seain the last hour of the war inEuropeon 7 May 1945.

At the same time, Canada produced 90 additional vessels for the American government which were turned over to theBritish Merchant Navyunder alend-leaseagreement.Built to the same design but designed to burn oil instead of coal, these vessels were known as Fort ships, and they took their names from forts. Notable ships of this type includedFort Cataraqui,Fort Rosalie,andFort Charlotte.Like many of the Fort ships,Fort Charlottewas launched as a Park. The hull of the Park ships were riveted, not welded.

After the war, by 1948, all the Fort ships had been sold to private companies all around the world. The new owners gave the ships new names.

Park Ship Radio Room

SSBrentwood Bay Parktanker ship in Victoria, Canada in 1945

Crew

Park ships were armed. There weremerchant seamengunners. Also many British and Canadian merchantmen naval gunners asDefensively equipped merchant ship(DEMS). The guns were operated byRoyal NavyorRoyal ArtilleryMaritime Regiment personnel with the civilian crews trained to aid in passing ammunition and loading.The American ships carriedNaval Armed Guardgunners. Merchant seamen crewed the merchant ships of the BritishMerchant Navywhich kept the United Kingdom supplied with raw materials, arms, ammunition, fuel, food and all of the necessities of a nation at war throughout World War II literally enabling the country to defend itself. In doing this they sustained a considerably greater casualty rate than almost every branch of the armed services and suffered great hardship. Seamen were aged from fourteen through to their late seventies. The lost are remembered in The Royal Canadian Naval Ships Memorial Monument in Spencer Smith Park inBurlington, Ontario.

Shipyards

Monument toSSPoint Pleasant Parkin her namesake park inHalifax, Nova Scotia.The vessel was built at the Davie Shipyard in Montreal.

The shipbuilding program was not easy to implement as Canada had only four operational shipyards with nine berths in 1940. By 1943, there were six additional shipyards and a total of 38 berths. These were all private shipyards located across Canada - on the East Coast atPictouandSaint John,inMontreal,SorelandLauzonon theSt. Lawrence River,atCollingwoodonGeorgian Bay,andVictoria,VancouverandPrince Ruperton the Pacific Coast. Only the yards at Montreal, Saint John, Victoria and Collingwood had existed before the war. By 1945, there were 57,000 men and women employed in building or repairing merchant ships in Canada and several thousand more were employed building ships for theRoyal Canadian Navy.

The table shows the name of the shipyard and city, and the number of vessels launched by each yard.Eventually thousands of Canadians and British would serve aboard these Canadian Merchant Navy ships.

Shipyard	City	Vessels Launched
Burrard Dry DockCo. Ltd.	North Vancouver (BC)	24
North Van Ship RepairLtd.	North Vancouver (BC)	18
Prince Rupert Dry Dock & Shipyard	Prince Rupert (BC)	6
Victoria Machinery DepotCo. Ltd.	Victoria (BC)	11
West Coast Shipbuilders Ltd.	Vancouver (BC)	24
Canadian VickersLtd.	Montreal (Quebec)	1
Davie Shipbuilding & Repair Co Ltd.	Lauzon (Quebec)	16
Foundation Maritime Pictou Shipyard	Pictou (NS)	24
Marine Industries Limited	Sorel (Quebec)	18
Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co. Ltd.	(Quebec)	4
Saint John Dry Dock Co. Ltd.	Saint John (NB)	8
United Shipyards Ltd.	Montreal (Quebec)	25
Collingwood Shipyards Ltd.	Collingwood (ON)	3
Total		182

Ships in class

Park-type cargo ships

• Albert Park
• Alder Park
• Alexandra Park
• Algonquin Park
• Atwater Park
• Banff Park
• Beaton Park
• Belwoods Park
• Bowness Park
• Bridgeland Park
• Buffalo Park
• Champlain Park
• Chippewa Park
• Connaught Park
• Cornish Park
• Coronation Park
• Cromwell Park
• Crystal Park
• Dentonia Park
• Dominion Park
• Dorval Park
• Dundurn Park
• Dunlop Park
• Earlscourt Park
• Eastwood Park
• Elgin Park
• Elk Island Park
• Elm Park
• Fairmount Park
• Frontenac Park
• Garden Park
• Gaspesian Park
• Gatineau Park
• Glacier Park
• Goldstream Park
• Grafton Park
• Green Gables Park
• Green Hill Park
• Hampstead Park
• Hastings Park
• High Park
• Highland Park
• Hillcrest Park
• Jasper Park
• Kawartha Park
• Kildonan Park
• Kitsilano Park
• Kootenay Park(I)
• Kootenay Park(II)
• La Salle Park
• Lafontaine Park
• Lakeside Park
• Lakeview Park
• Laurentide Park
• Leaside Park
• Louisbourg Park
• Mewata Park
• Mission Park
• Mohawk Park(I)
• Mohawk Park(II)
• Montebello Park(I)
• Montebello Park(II)
• Mount Douglas Park
• Mount Orford Park
• Mount Robson Park(I)
• Mount Robson Park(II)
• Mount Revelstoke Park
• Nemiskam Park
• Noranda Park
• Outremont Park
• Parkdale Park
• Point Pleasant Park
• Port Royal Park
• Portland Park
• Prince Albert Park
• Princeton Park
• Queens Park
• Queensborough Park
• Richmond Park
• Rideau Park
• Riding Mountain Park
• Riverdale Park
• Rocky Mountain Park
• Rondeau Park
• Rosedale Park
• Runnymede Park
• Rupert Park
• Salt Lake Park
• Sapperton Park
• Seacliff Park
• Selkirk Park
• Seven Oaks Park
• Sibley Park
• Simcoe Park
• Stanley Park
• Strathcona Park
• Sunalta Park
• Sunnyside Park
• Tecumseh Park
• Temagami Park
• Tipperary Park
• Tobiatic Park
• Tuxedo Park
• Tweedsmuir Park
• Wascana Park
• Waverley Park
• Wellington Park
• Westbank Park
• Westend Park
• Westmount Park
• Weston Park
• Westview Park
• Whiterock Park
• Whiteshell Park
• Windermere Park
• Winnipegosis Park
• Winona Park
• Withrow Park
• Yamaska Park
• Yoho Park(I)
• Yoho Park(II)

Modified Scandinavian-class cargo

• Ainslie Park
• Argyle Park
• Ashby Park
• Avondale Park
• Baldwin Park
• Bell Park
• Beresford Park
• Bloomfield Park
• Cartier Park
• Cataraqui Park
• Chignecto Park
• Confederation Park
• Crescent Park
• Dartmouth Park
• Dufferin Park
• Evangeline Park
• Fawkner Park
• Hamilton Park
• Hector Park
• Kelowna Park
• Kensington Park
• Lansdowne Park
• Liscomb Park
• Lorne Park
• Maisonneuve Park
• Manitou Park
• Mayfair Park
• Montmorency Park
• Mulgrave Park
• Oakmount Park
• Rockcliffe Park
• Rockland Park
• Rockwood Park
• Shakespeare Park
• Sunset Park
• Sutherland Park
• Taber Park
• Taronga Park
• Victoria Park
• Wentworth Park
• Westdale Park
• Willow Park
• Woodland Park

Park-type tankers

• Brentwood Bay Park
• Clearwater Park
• Cypress Hills Park
• Mount Maxwell Park
• Mount Royal Park
• Point Pelee Park

Park-type tankers, Great Lakes Trading

Tankers for World War II, converted to cargo after war:

• Arlington Beach Park
• Eglington Park
• Millican Park
• Moose Mountain Park
• Mount Bruce Park
• Nipiwan Park
• Norwood Park
• Otterburn Park
• Quetico Park
• Springbank Park
• Silver Star Park
• Wildewood Park
• Willowdale Park

Lost in action

Engraving of SS Point Pleasant Park,Canadian Merchant NavyMonument,Sackville Landing,Halifax,Nova Scotia

SSJasper Park1943

• SSJasper Parkwas the first Park ship lost to enemy action when torpedoed near Madagascar. Four of the crew were killed.HMASQuiberonandHMASQuickmatchrescued 45 crew and 6 DEMS gunners.
• SS Point Pleasant Parkwas torpedoed nearCape Town,South Africaon February 23, 1945 with nine crew lost.
• SSTaber Parksank in theNorth Seaon March 13, 1945 after German midgetU-boatattack (the two-manSeehundtype). Four gunners and 24 crew were killed out of the 32 persons on board, the crew was British. She was southeast ofGreat YarmouthinEngland.
• TheSS Avondale Parksank by U-boat on May 7, 1945 while under charter to Ministry of War Transport. Two men were killed and there were 39 survivors.Avondale Parkwas the last Allied ship lost to German submarines during the war.

WWII Navy Memorial in Spencer Smith Park in Burlington, Ontario

Notable incidents

Park Ships sank or damaged:

Engine Fireman on the deck of a Park Ship in 1945

Sign on the SS Stanley Park Merchant Ship at dock in October 1945 in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Three officer cadets Bob Pethick (left) and Doug McPherson (right). All three wear white uniforms intended for the tropics or hot summer weather. Ship boards names are hinged in the middle, kept folded while at sea and were opened when ship is at port.

• Green Hill Parkhad an explosion on March 6, 1945, two seamen lost their lives atVancouver Harbor.
• Yoho Park(I)sold and renamedDarfieldin 1950, ran aground in fog nearLos Angelesand scrapped in 1954.
• Lakeside Parksold in 1952 renamedTheodorawas wrecked in 1958 in theGulf of Kutchon a reef.
• Queens Parksold in 1964 renamedMount Othrysand wrecked in 1968 near Port Okhra,India.
• Weston Parksold in 1960 renamedSilver Valleyand was wrecked in the RiverDourobar,Oporto,Portugalin 1963.
• Lansdowne Parksold and renamedCaribbean Traderin 1958 and wrecked onScorpion Reef,Mexico in 1963.
• Dufferin Parksold in 1946 and renamedDufferin Belland was wrecked at the mouth of theFramboise RiverinCape BretonNova Scotiain 1951.
• Crescent Parksold in 1967 renamedManos Lemosand was wrecked inGulf of Kuşadası,Turkey in 1969.
• Montmorency Parksold in 1948 renamedDocteur Angierand wrecked in 1949 ofYoron, Kagoshima.
• Kensington Parksold in 1948 renamedDocteur Yersinand was wrecked in 1953 on sandbank nearDong,South Korea
• Ainslie Parksold in 1966 renamedDong Sanand was wrecked in 1972 near Mukoh,Klaten Regency,Indonesia.
• Wentworth Parksold in 1965 renamedAzarand was wrecked off WestPunta Brava,Cubain 1968.
• Taronga Parksold in 1975 renamedMerianand was wrecked offOthoni, Greecein 1977
• Silver Star Parksold in 1951 renamedIlha Grandeand was wrecked of Manoel Luiz Reef nearRio de Janeiroin 1962.
• Atwater Parksold 1953 renamedHalcyonbroke in two after collision with Japanese Gen-ei Maru in Kanmon Strait, then scrapped.
• Banff Parksold in 1961 renamed Xenophon stranded nearBrest, Franceon 26 Oct 1962 and later sank in March of 1963.
• Beresford Parksold in 1948 renamedGerda Tofton 23 Dec. 1954 sank in heavy seas in 54.20N 02.32W offIsle of MayinScotland.
• Champlain Parksold in 1959 renamed Vinkon grounded on 1 Sep.1962 in typhoon atHong Kongthen scrapped at Hong Kong.
• Cromwell Parksold in 1948 renamedAmaryllison 7 Sep. 1965 sank onRiviera Beach, Floridain hurricane.
• Earlscourt Parksold in 1954 renamedNoutsi,on 28 March 1965 ran aground in fog offConstantza,Romaniaand abandoned.
• Elm Parksold in 1962 renamedPellaon 31 July 1964 was wrecked offAmrumIsland ofGermany.
• Elk Island Parksold in 1971 renamedLighteningin 1976 damaged by mine atChalna Port,later scrapped atChittagong,Bangladesh.
• Gaspesian Parksold in 1954 renamedPolyxeniin 1965 ran aground offVitoria, Brazillater scrapped at Valencia.
• Kitsilano Parksold in 1950 renamedHarry Lundebergon 8 Feb. 1954 was wrecked offCape San Lucas,Baja California
• Mount Douglas Parkon 19 Aug. 1946 was wrecked onPreparisShoal in theBay of Bengalon voyage from Calcutta to Vancouver.
• Nipiwan Parksold in 1952 renamedIrvinglakeon Nov. of 1963 ran aground nearBathurst, New Brunswick
• Norwood Parksold in 1980 renamedWitsupply IIon Sep. of 1989 ran aground offSt. Maartenin theCaribbean,was refloated and scuttled.
• Prince Albert Parksold in 1951 renamedChamplain,on 26 June 1955 was wrecked in typhoon at Yulin,Hainan Islandon voyage from Whampoa to Yulin.
• Simcoe Parksold in 1960 renamedShun Fungon 5 Sep. 1964 was wrecked in Hong Kong after breaking from moorings in typhoon.
• Westbank Parkon 7 Oct. 1945 ran aground inMagdalena Bay,Baja California.
• Westmount Parksold in 1950 renamedNordicstaron 27 Dec. 1956 reported in location as middle of the NorthAtlantic Ocean,then went missing. Was on voyage from Philadelphia to Le Havre with load of coal.
• Winnepegosis Parksold in 1949 renamedAghia Aanastasiaon 22 June 1950 ran aground offTobagoon voyage from Baltimore to Rio de Janeiro. She was refloated but sank on 25th of June.

See also

• Allied technological cooperation during World War II
• Empire ships
• List of Liberty ships

Further reading

• Syd C. Heal,A Great Fleet of Ships: the Canadian forts & parks,Vanwell Publishing, 1999ISBN1-55125-023-3

External links

• Launch of the SSVictoria Park,Pictou, Nova Scotia(newsclipping)
• Launch of the SSAsby Park,Pictou, Nova Scotia(newsclipping)