 HMCSArrowhead | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Arrowhead |
| Namesake | Sagittaria |
| Ordered | 22 January 1940 |
| Builder | Marine Industries Ltd.,Sorel |
| Laid down | 11 April 1940 |
| Launched | 8 August 1940 |
| Commissioned | 22 November 1940 |
| Out of service | 15 May 1941 – loaned to Canada |
| Identification | Pennant number: K145 |
| Fate | Loaned toCanada 1941; returned 1945; sold 1947 |
| Canada | |
| Name | Arrowhead |
| Acquired | Loaned from United Kingdom |
| Commissioned | 15 May 1941 |
| Out of service | paid off 27 June 1945 |
| Identification | Pennant number: K145 |
| Honours & awards | Atlantic 1941–45, Gulf of St. Lawrence 1942, 1944 |
| Fate | Returned to theUnited Kingdom 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Flower-classcorvette (original) |
| Displacement | 950long tons (970 t) |
| Length | 205 ft 1 in (62.51 m)o/a |
| Beam | 33 ft 1 in (10.08 m) |
| Draught | 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 16knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Range | 3,450 nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Complement | 47 |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
HMCSArrowhead was aFlower-classcorvette that was originallycommissioned by theRoyal Navy but served primarily with theRoyal Canadian Navy (RCN) during theSecond World War. She fought in theBattle of the Atlantic and theBattle of the St. Lawrence as aconvoy escort. The vessel was named forsagittaria, which is an aquatic water plant that is sometimes known as arrowhead. Following the war, the ship was sold for mercantile use as awhaling ship and renamedSouthern Larkspur. The vessel wasbroken up for scrap in 1959.
Flower-classcorvettes likeArrowhead serving with theRoyal Canadian Navy during theSecond World War were different from earlier and more traditional sail-driven corvettes.[1][2] The Flower-class corvettes originated from a need that arose in 1938 to expand theRoyal Navy following theMunich Crisis.[3] A design request went out for a small escort for coastalconvoys.[4] Based on a traditionalwhaler-type design, the initial Canadian ships of the Flower class had astandard displacement of 950long tons (970 t). They were 205 feet 1 inch (62.51 m)long overall with abeam of 33 feet 1 inch (10.08 m) and a maximumdraught of 13 feet 5 inches (4.09 m). The initial 1939–1940 corvettes were powered by a four-cylindervertical triple expansion engine powered by steam from twoScotch boilers turning one three-bladedpropeller rated at 2,800indicated horsepower (2,100 kW). The Scotch boilers were replaced withwater-tube boilers in later 1939–1940 and 1940–1941 Programme ships. The corvettes had a maximum speed of 16knots (30 km/h; 18 mph). This gave them a range of 3,450nautical miles (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).[5] The vessels were extremely wet.[6]
The Canadian Flower-class vessels were initially armed with aMk IX BL 4-inch (102 mm) gun forward on a CP 1 mounting and carried 100 rounds per gun. The corvettes were also armed with aQF Vickers 2-pounder (40 mm, 1.6 in) gun on a bandstand aft, two single-mounted.303 Vickers machine guns orBrowning 0.5-calibre machine guns foranti-aircraft defence and two twin-mounted.303 Lewis machine guns, usually sited on bridge wings.[3][5][7] Foranti-submarine warfare, they mounted twodepth charge throwers and initially carried 25 depth charges. The corvettes were designed with aType 123ASDIC sonar set installed. The Flower-class ships had a complement of 47 officers andratings.[3] The Royal Canadian Navy initially ordered 54 corvettes in 1940 and these were fitted with Mark II Oropesaminesweeping gear used for destroyingcontact mines.[8] Part of the depth charge rails were made portable so the minesweeping gear could be utilised.[9]
In Canadian service the vessels were altered due to experience with the design's deficiencies. Thegalley was moved further back in the ship and the mess and sleeping quarters combined. A direction-finding set was installed and enlargedbilge keels were installed to reduce rolling.[10] After the first 35–40 corvettes had been constructed, the foremast was shifted aft of thebridge and the mainmast was eliminated. Corvettes were first fitted with basicSW-1 and SW-2 CQ surface warningradar, notable for their fishbone-like antenna and reputation for failure in poor weather or in the dark. The compass house was moved further aft and the open-type bridge was situated in front of it. The ASDIC hut was moved in front and to a lower position on the bridge. The improvedType 271 radar was placed aft, with some units receivingType 291 radar for air search. The minesweeping gear, a feature of the first 54 corvettes, was removed.[11] Most Canadian Flower-class corvettes had theirforecastles extended which improved crew accommodation and seakeeping. Furthermore, the sheer and flare of thebow was increased, which led to an enlarged bridge. This allowed for the installation ofOerlikon 20 mm (0.8 in) cannon, replacing the Browning and Vickers machine guns.[12] Some of the corvettes were rearmed withHedgehog anti-submarinemortars.[13] The complements of the ships grew throughout the war rising from the initial 47 to as many as 104.[12]
At the opening of the Second World War, the Canadian shipbuilding industry was incapable of building large, sophisticated warships. However, Canada required new large, advanced escort ships for national defence and sought to acquireTribal-classdestroyers for the Royal Canadian Navy. In a deal with theRoyal Navy, Canada would construct ten Flower-class corvettes in exchange for two Tribal-class destroyers.[14] The vessel was ordered in January 1940[15] under the 1939–40 Flower class programme by the Royal Navy fromMarine Industries Ltd. inSorel, Quebec.Arrowhead waslaid down on 11 April 1940 andlaunched on 8 August 1940.[16] As the ship was ordered by the British, the ship kept its flower nameArrowhead, an aquatic water plant known by its Latin namesagittaria. The corvette was commissioned on 22 November later that year by the Royal Navy.[17]
After commissioningArrowhead sailed toSunderland in January 1941 to fully fit out which took two months.[16] There were delays in the arrival of essential equipment for the British corvettes in Canada and some of them sailed without their main armament as they departed from Canadian dockyards as soon as they were fit for the Atlantic crossing. Due to a lack of ships and a surplus of manpower, the Royal Canadian Navy offered to crew the ships until mid-1941 when enough of the Canadian corvettes would become available. Then in April 1941, theBritish Admiralty requested that Canada take over the ships permanently.[18]Arrowhead worked up atTobermory and joined EG-4 of the Royal Navy's Iceland Command taking part in theBattle of the Atlantic. The ship commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on 15 May 1941.[16]
In June 1941, after commissioning in the RCN,Arrowhead joined theNewfoundland Escort Force and spent the majority of 1941 escortingconvoys fromSt. John's to Iceland.[16] On 1 September 1941, the convoy escort groups (EG) were re-organised and the ship was made part of EG 18. In early September convoySC 43 which EG 18 was escorting was detoured south to avoid the Germanwolfpack "Markgraf". On 18 September, the convoy SC 44 came under attack by GermanU-boats. Initial German attacks sank four of the merchant vessels.Arrowhead is one of three warships sent to reinforce the convoy, which prevent further sinkings.[19]
In late December,Arrowhead was sent toCharleston for a refit. She returned toHalifax in February 1942 and did one more cross-Atlantic convoy before being reassigned toWestern Local Escort Force (WLEF). In July she joined the Gulf Escort Force and participated in theBattle of the St. Lawrence.[16] On 31 August the U-boatsU-165 andU-517 entered theSt. Lawrence River. On 6 September, the convoy QS 33, escorted byArrowhead,HMCS Truro, twomotor launches and thearmed yachtHMCS Raccoon was spotted byU-517.Arrowhead detectedU-517 and attempted to sink the submarine unsuccessfully. However, while dealing withU-517,U-165 snuck past the escort and sank three merchant ships comprising 4,729 GRT andRaccoon. On 15 SeptemberU-517 attacked a second convoy escorted byArrowhead, the minesweeperHMCS Vegreville and three motor launches.U-517 sank two ships from the convoy. The following day, the convoy came under attack byU-165 which sank two more ships for a total loss of 10,292 GRT along with another merchant vessel that was torpedoed but remained afloat.[20]
Arrowhead spent the final months of 1942 bouncing around commands, joining Halifax Force in October. While with Halifax Force,Arrowhead was one of three warships tasked with escorting NL 9. The U-boatU-69 attacked the convoy, sinking theferryCaribou.[20] The corvette returned to WLEF at the end of November and stayed with the unit until August 1944. In June 1943, when WLEF introduced dedicated escort groups,Arrowhead was first assigned to group W-7 before transferring to W-1 in December.[16]
During her period with WLEF,Arrowhead had two major refits, one in Charleston in the spring of 1943 and one inBaltimore in May 1944 where her forecastle was extended. After returning to service she was assigned to Quebec-Labrador convoys in September 1944. In December of that year,Arrowhead was reassigned toWestern Escort Force's Escort Group W-8 and used on the "Triangle Run" betweenBoston/New York, Halifax and St. John's until May 1945.[16]
Arrowhead was assigned to convoyHX 358 with three other loaned corvettes,Eyebright,Hepatica andTrillium. After arrival atMilford Haven, on 27 June 1945 she waspaid off and returned to the Royal Navy.[16] For service in the Battle of the Atlantic,Arrowhead earned thebattle honour "Atlantic 1941–45"[21] and earned the battle honour "Gulf of St. Lawrence 1942, 1944" for service in the Battle of the St. Lawrence.[22]
In 1947Arrowhead was sold for conversion to a whale-catcher with agross register tonnage of 757 tons, emerging in 1948.[23] She was renamedSouthern Larkspur. Eventually, the vessel was broken up atOdense, Denmark in December 1959 by H.I. Hansen.[16][23]
