HMCS Comox (J64)

HMCS Comox was a Fundy-class minesweeper that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1938–1945. She served during the Second World War as a local patrol craft for Esquimalt, British Columbia before transferring to Halifax, Nova Scotia performing general minesweeping duties. After the war she sold for mercantile service and converted to a tugboat named Sung Ming. The ship's registry was deleted in 1993.

For other ships with the same name, see HMCS Comox.

Comox underway
History
Canada
NameComox
NamesakeComox Harbour
Ordered23 August 1937
BuilderBurrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd., North Vancouver
Yard number117
Laid down5 February 1938
Launched9 August 1938
Commissioned23 November 1938
Decommissioned27 July 1945
IdentificationPennant number: J64
Honours and
awards		Atlantic 1940-45[1]
FateSold for mercantile service 1946.
RenamedSung Ming
OwnerMing Sung Industrial Co Ltd
Acquired1946
IdentificationIMO number: 5344841
FateDeleted 1993
General characteristics
Class and typeFundy-class minesweeper
Displacement460 long tons (470 t; 520 short tons)
Length163 ft (49.7 m)
Beam27.5 ft (8.4 m)
Draught14.5 ft (4.4 m)
Speed12 knots (22.2 km/h)
Complement38
Armament1 × QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk IV gun[2]

Design and description

In 1936, new minesweepers were ordered for the Royal Canadian Navy.[3] Based on the British Basset class,[4][5] those built on the west coast would cost $403,000 per vessel.[6] At the outbreak of the Second World War, the Royal Canadian Navy considered constructing more, but chose to build Bangor-class minesweepers instead upon learning of that design due to their oil-burning engines.[4][7][8]

The Fundy class, named after the lead ship, displaced 460 long tons (470 t; 520 short tons). They were 163 ft (49.7 m) long, with a beam of 27.5 ft (8.4 m) and a draught of 14.5 ft (4.4 m). They had a complement of 3 officers and 35 ratings.[9]

The Fundy class was propelled by one shaft driven by vertical triple expansion engine powered by steam from a one-cylinder boiler.[5] This created between 850–950 indicated horsepower (630–710 kW) and gave the minesweepers a top speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).[5][9] The ships were capable of carrying between 180–196 long tons (183–199 t) of coal.[5]

The ships were armed with one QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk IV gun mounted forward on a raised platform.[2][5][note 1][note 2] The minesweepers were armed with two 20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannons.[2] They were later equipped with 25 depth charges.[5]

Service history

Comox was ordered on 23 August 1937.[10] The ship was laid down on 5 February 1938 by Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd. at Vancouver, British Columbia with the yard number 117 and launched on 9 August later that year.[11] She was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on 23 November 1938.[9]

Comox was initially assigned to the west coast.[12] At the onset of the Second World War, she remained at Esquimalt carrying out local patrol duties. In March 1940, she and her sister ship Nootka were reassigned to the east coast. Arriving in April 1940 Comox spent the rest of the war performing minesweeping duties for Halifax Harbour.[9] Along with her sister ship, Fundy, she rescued survivors of the torpedoed Liberty ship SS Martin Van Buren on 15 January 1945.[9][10]

Comox was paid off on 27 July 1945. The vessel was sold in 1946 for commercial service to Ming Sung Industrial Co Ltd and converted to the tugboat Sung Ming.[9][11] The ship was deleted in 1993.[11]

References

Notes
  1. Macpherson and Barrie state that the ships were equipped with one QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun.
  2. Mark IV = Mark 4. Britain used Roman numerals to denote Marks (models) of ordnance until after World War II.

Citations
  1. "HMCS Comox". Ship's histories. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  2. Macpherson, p. 14
  3. Johnston et al., p. 979
  4. Macpherson and Barrie, p. 167
  5. Chesneau, p. 65
  6. Johnston et al., p. 1075
  7. Pritchard, pp. 21–2
  8. Tucker, p. 29
  9. Macpherson and Barrie, p. 32
  10. "HMCS Comox (J64)". uboat.net. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  11. "Comox (5344841)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  12. "Minesweepers". Canadian Naval Heritage. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011.

Sources
  • Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  • Johnston, William; Rawling, William G.P.; Gimblett, Richard H.; MacFarlane, John (2010). The Seabound Coast: The Official History of the Royal Canadian Navy, 1867–1939. Vol. 1. Toronto: Dundurn Press. ISBN 978-1-55488-908-2.
  • Macpherson, Ken (1990). Minesweepers of the Royal Canadian Navy 1938–45. St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-920277-55-1.
  • Macpherson, Ken; Barrie, Ron (2002). The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910–2002 (Third ed.). St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN 1-55125-072-1.
  • Pritchard, James (2011). A Bridge of Ships: Canadian Shipbuilding during the Second World War. Montreal, Quebec and Kingston, Ontario: McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN 978-0-7735-3824-5.
  • Tucker, Gilbert Norman (1952). The Naval Service of Canada, Its Official History – Volume 2: Activities on Shore During the Second World War. Ottawa: King's Printer. OCLC 4346983.
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