 HMCSArvida | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Canada | |
| Name | Arvida |
| Namesake | Arvida, Quebec |
| Ordered | 23 January 1940 |
| Builder | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co.,Quebec City |
| Laid down | 28 February 1940 |
| Launched | 21 September 1940 |
| Commissioned | 22 May 1941 |
| Decommissioned | 14 June 1945 |
| Identification | Pennant number: K113 |
| Honours & awards | Atlantic 1941–45 |
| Fate | Sold for mercantile use |
| History | |
| Name |
|
| In service | 1950 |
| Out of service | 1954 |
| Fate | Scrapped in Spain, 1987 |
| 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) |
| Installed power | 2,750 ihp (2,050 kW) |
| 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 |
|
HMCSArvida was aFlower-classcorvette that served with theRoyal Canadian Navy during theSecond World War. She served primarily in theBattle of the Atlantic from 1941 to 1945 as aconvoy escort. She was named forArvida, Quebec. The vessel took part in three significant convoy battlesONS 92 in May 1942,ON 127 in September 1942 andSC 107 in November 1942, the last of which saw the removal of Canadian escorts from convoy duty for retraining. Following the war, the vessel was converted into acargo ship and renamedLa Ceiba and thenRio Samo. The ship was lastregistered in 1954 and was sold for scrap in 1987 in Spain.
Flower-classcorvettes such asArvida serving with theRoyal Canadian Navy (RCN) in the Second 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 wirelessdirection 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]
Ordered on 23 January 1940 fromMorton Engineering and Dry Dock Co. as part of the 1939–1940 Flower-class building program,[14]Arvida waslaid down on 28 February. She waslaunched on 21 September 1940 and commissioned atQuebec City on 22 May 1941.[15]
Afterworking up,Arvida was assigned to Sydney Force, the local escort force forSydney, Nova Scotia in theBattle of the Atlantic in July 1941 and escorted coastalconvoys until September. In September, she was reassigned toNewfoundland Command and was used as an ocean escort continuously until the end of 1943. During this time, she took in three major convoy battles,ONS 92 in May 1942,ON 127 in September 1942 andSC 107 in November 1942. During ONS 127 she rescued survivors from the sinking CanadiandestroyerHMCS Ottawa which had been hit by twotorpedoes.[15] Convoy SC 107 was such a disaster that it contributed to Canadian warships being removed from service as ocean escorts for further training.[16] The ship underwent the first of the modifications atSaint John, New Brunswick from January to April 1942 and then the second from December 1942 to March 1943.[15]
In January 1943, the composition of the escort groups changed andArvida was assigned to escort group C1 of theMid-Ocean Escort Force.[17] On 15 April 1943,Arvida, temporarily assigned to the American escort group A3 when the convoy they were escortingHX 223 was attacked by GermanU-boats. Only one cargo ship was lost in the ensuing battle.[18] In late April 1943,Arvida was assigned to the new Canadian escort group C5, which had been created after the final American pullout of convoy escort duties. On its first mission escorting convoy ON 182, the transit was pushed further north to avoid large concentrations of U-boats.[19] While escorting convoy ON 188 in mid-June 1943,Arvida was damaged by her own detonating depth charges. She spent a week repairing inIceland.[15]
From January to April 1944,Arvida had her forecastle extended atBaltimore, Maryland. Following the ship's reactivation,Arvida was assigned to theWestern Local Escort Force as part of escort group W7. In August of that yearArvida was reassigned to group W2. December 1944 saw her transferred to group W8 with whom she would remain until the end of the war.[15] For participation in the Battle of the Atlantic,Arvida was awarded thebattle honour "Atlantic 1941–45".[20]
Arvida waspaid off on 14 June 1945 atSorel, Quebec. She was sold for mercantile purposes.[15] The ship was converted to a cargo ship in 1950 with agross register tonnage of 1,117 tons.[21] She was in service in 1950 asLa Ceiba under a Spanish flag. She was last registered onLloyd's Register in 1953–1954.[15][22] In 1957, she was renamedRio Samo andbroken up in Spain in 1987.[21]
