HMCS Antigonish

There has been only one vessel named Antigonish in the Royal Canadian Navy.

HMCS Antigonish (K661 / 301)

Commissioned at Victoria, British Columbia, on July 4, 1944, the River class frigate HMCS Antigonish arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on August 22, and, after undergoing minor repairs, sailed for Bermuda in mid-October to work-up. Upon her return to Halifax on November 2, 1944, she joined Escort Group 16 and transferred with the group to Londonderry, Northern Ireland, in March 1945. During the next 3 months, HMCS Antigonish was employed on patrol and support duty, including 2 round trips to Gibraltar. She left Londonderry in mid-June, and on July 3, 1945, began a refit at Pictou, Nova Scotia, which was completed by November 17. On December 22, she left for Esquimalt, British Columbia, and there, on February 5, 1946, she was paid off into reserve. HMCS Antigonish re-commissioned for training on April 26, 1947, and was finally paid off January 15, 1954.

The ship was converted during 1956 to 1957 to a Prestonian class ocean escort, and again took up her training role until paid off for good on November 30, 1966. She was broken up in Japan in 1968.

  • Builder: Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt, British Columbia
  • Laid down: October 2, 1943
  • Launched: February 10, 1944
  • Commissioning date: July 4, 1944
  • Paying off date (final): November 30, 1966
  • Displacement: 1,445 tons
  • Dimensions: 91.9 m x 11.1 m x 2.7 m
  • Speed: 19 knots
  • Crew: 141
  • Armament: (as River) two 4-inch (102-m) gun (1 double mounts), one 12-pound (5.45 kg) gun, eight 20-mm guns (4 double mounts), Hedgehog, and depth charges. (as Prestonian) two 4-inch (102-mm) gun (1 double mount), six 40-mm guns (1 double mount, 4 single mounts) and two Squid Mortars.
  • Motto : “Be Worthy”

Battle honours

  • Atlantic 1944-45

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