HMCS BATTLEFORD K165

Flower Class Corvette

Built at Collingwood, Ont., she was launched on 15 Apr 1941. Commissioned at Montreal on 31 Jul 1941, she arrived at Halifax on 04 Aug 1941, remaining there for six weeks while undergoing repairs, radar installation, and workups. Briefly a member of Sydney Force, BATTLEFORD transferred to NEW and left Sydney on 28 Nov 1941 to escort convoy SC.57 to Iceland. Returning to Halifax on 07 Jan 1942, she went to Liverpool, N.S., for a refit that kept her idle until the end of Mar 1942. Arriving in the U.K. with a convoy early in May 1942, she completed further repairs at Cardiff in mid-Jun 1942, then carried out workups at Tobermory. From July 1942 to May 1943 she was a member of EG C-1.  In Dec 1942 she was escort to convoy ONS.154, which was badly mauled, losing 14 ships. On 28 Dec, BATTLEFORD, while investigating a radar contact, found 4 U-boats on the surface preparing a concentrated attack on Convoy ONS-154. Assisted by HMCS CHILLIWACK, they attacked with gunfire, forcing U-664 & U-662 to lose contact with the convoy. She participated with other RCN escorts in the destruction of U 356 on 27 Dec 1942. Arriving at Halifax on 23 Apr 1943, with her last ocean convoy, ONS.2, she commenced a two-month refit at Liverpool, N.S., joining EG W-4 of WLEF in mid-Jun 1943. Early in Apr 1944, she commenced a long refit at Sydney, including fo'c's'le extension, which was completed 31 Jul 1944, following which she proceeded to Bermuda to work up. Returning to Halifax, she was employed for the balance of the war as a local escort with EG W-3 and was paid off at Sorel 18 Jul 1945. Sold to the Venezuelan Navy in 1946 and renamed Libertad, she was wrecked 12 Apr 1949.

U-Boats Sunk:  U-356 sunk on 27 Dec 1942 by HMCS ST LAURENT H83, HMCS CHILLIWACK K131, HMCS BATTLEFORD K165 and HMCS NAPANEE K118 in position 45-30 N, 25-40 W

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos

Battle for Convoy ONS-154          Battle for Convoy ONS 154

Commanding Officers

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 Former Crew Members

Photos and Documents

(BTL001) HMCS BATTLEFORD K165 - RCN photo

(BTL002) HMCS BATTLEFORD off the U.S. east coast - 05 Oct 1943  //  Collection of Mr. Donald M. McPherson, Corte Madera, California  //  Copyright Owner: Naval History and Heritage Command. Catalog # NH 75588

(BTL003) "Gunnery Cat" - HMCS BATTLEFORD'S mascot appears to be doing cleanliness checks on the ship's gun barrel  //  From the collection of Frederick Keegan  //  Courtesy of Fritz Keegan

(BTL004) Fred Keegan manning BATTLEFORD'S gun  //  From the collection of Frederick Keegan  //  Courtesy of Fritz Keegan

(BRL005) HMCS BATTLEFORD K165  //  Source: The Flickr photo collection of Ron Bell