HMCS CALGARY K231

Flower Class Corvette

HMCS CALGARY K231, May 1944

Credit: Ken Macpherson / Naval Museum of Alberta

Battle honours and awards: Atlantic 1942-45, Biscay 1943, Normandy 1944, English Channel 1944-45, North Sea 1945

Laid down: 22 Mar 1941

Launched: 23 Aug 1941

Commissioned: 16 Dec 1941

Paid off: 19 Jun 1945

Fate: Sold in 1946. Broken up in 1951

Built at Sorel, Que, she was commissioned there on 16 Dec 1941; arriving at Halifax on 28 Dec 1941. On 29 Jul 1942 HMCS CALGARY attacked U-132 off Sable Island after the U-boat torpedoed MB Pacific Pioneer. U-132, already damaged from attached by HMCS DRUMMONDVILLE in the St. Lawrence, was fordec to return to base. 71 sailors were rescued by CALGARY. CALGARY served with WLEF until Nov 1942, when she was assigned to duties in connection with Operation "Torch." She arrived at Londonderry on 03 Nov 1942 but proved to have mechanical defects that precluded her intended use on U.K.-Mediterranean convoys. Instead, she had to undergo three months' repairs at Cardiff, completing at the end of Mar 1943. In Apr 1943 she returned to Canada, arriving at St. John's, NFLD on 30 Apr 1943 with HMCS Algoma K127 as escorts for convoy ON.179, then rejoined WLEF. In Jun 1943, she was transferred to EG-5, Western Support Force, and sailed for the U.K. with convoy SC.133. For the next few months she was employed in support of Atlantic convoys and, on 20 Nov 1943, shared in sinking U-536 north of the Azores. Calgary returned to Canada early in 1944 for refit at Liverpool, N.S., completing on 17 Mar 1944. After working up at Halifax, she left on 02 May 1944 for the U.K. to join Western Approaches Command, Greenock, for invasion duties. Initially based at Sheerness, she was moved to Nore Command in September for the duration of the war. Returning home late in May 1945, she was paid off at Sorel on 19 Jun 1945 and sold in 1946 to Victory Transport & Salvage Co. She was broken up at Hamilton in 1951.

U-Boats Sunk: U-536 sunk on 20 Nov 1943 by HMCS Nene K270, HMCS Snowberry K166 and HMCS Calgary K231 in position 43-50 N, 19-39 W

Photos and Documents Ship's company photos

1942-1945 wartime film footage aboard HMCS CALGARY K231 (youtube video)

Commanding Officers

Lt Gerald Lancaster, RCNR - 16 Dec 1941 - 19 Jun 1942

A/LCdr Henry Knox Hill, RCNVR - 20 Jun 1942 - 17 Mar 1944

Lt Aubrey Alvin Randle Dykes, RCNR - 18 Mar 1944 - 15 Sep 1944

Lt L.D.M. Saunders, RCNVR - 16 Sep 1944 - 25 May 1945

Lt George McCraney Orr, RCNVR - 26 May 1945 - 19 June 1945

In memory of those who have crossed the bar