Allied Warships

HMCS Rimouski (K 121)

Corvette of the Flower class

NavyThe Royal Canadian Navy
TypeCorvette
ClassFlower 
PennantK 121 
Built byDavie Shipbuilding and Repairing Co. Ltd. (Lauzon, Quebec, Canada) 
Ordered22 Jan 1940 
Laid down12 Jul 1940 
Launched3 Oct 1940 
Commissioned26 Apr 1941 
End service24 Jul 1945 
History

Fo'c's'le extention at Liverpool (Nova Scotia, Canada) completed on 28 August 1943.

Decommissioned on 24 June 1945.
Scrapped in Canada in December 1950.

 

Commands listed for HMCS Rimouski (K 121)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1T/Lt. John Willard Bonner, RCNR27 Apr 194111 Nov 1941
2A/Lt.Cdr. Angus George Boulton, RCNVR12 Nov 19411 Dec 1942
3T/Lt. Reginald John Pickford, RCNVR2 Dec 19429 Sep 1944
4T/Lt. Cyril Douglas Chivers, RCNVR10 Sep 194417 Dec 1944
5T/A/Lt.Cdr. Douglas Mitchell MacDonald, RCNVR18 Dec 194412 Jun 1945
6T/Lt. Thomas Stephenson Cook, RCNVR13 Jun 194524 Jul 1945

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Notable events involving Rimouski include:


20 May 1941

Convoy HX 128.

This convoy departed Halifax on 20 May 1941.

It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Alaska (Norwegian, 5681 GRT, built 1918), Alhama (British, 1352 GRT, built 1938), Aymeric (British, 5196 GRT, built 1919), Baron Haig (British, 3391 GRT, built 1926), Barrwhin (British, 4998 GRT, built 1929), British Colony (British (tanker), 6917 GRT, built 1927), Cape Clear (British, 5085 GRT, built 1939), Dorcasia (British (tanker), 8053 GRT, built 1938), Empire Kittyhawk (British, 5675 GRT, built 1918), Empire Mahseer (British, 5087 GRT, built 1920), Empire Storm (British, 7290 GRT, built 1941), Empire Sunbeam (British, 6711 GRT, built 1941), Gloucester City (British, 3071 GRT, built 1919), Harperley (British, 4586 GRT, built 1930), Hjelmaren (Swedish, 2467 GRT, built 1922), Inger Lise (Norwegian, 1582 GRT, built 1939), La Paz (British, 6548 GRT, built 1920), Lancaster Castle (British, 5172 GRT, built 1937), Leiv Eiriksson (Norwegian (tanker), 9952 GRT, built 1936), Llanover (British, 4959 GRT, built 1928), Montreal City (British, 3066 GRT, built 1920), Oltenia (British (tanker), 6394 GRT, built 1928), Pilar de Larringaga (British, 7046 GRT, built 1918), Silvercedar (British, 4354 GRT, built 1924), Skaraas (Norwegian (tanker), 9826 GRT, built 1936), Swiftpool (British, 5205 GRT, built 1929), Thorshavet (Norwegian (tanker), 11015 GRT, built 1938), Thorshavn (Norwegian (tanker), 6869 GRT, built 1930), Tilapa (British, 5392 GRT, built 1928), Torborg (Norwegian (tanker), 6042 GRT, built 1921) and Treminnard (British, 4964 GRT, built 1922).

On departure from Halifax the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS California (Capt. C.J. Pope, RAN) and the corvettes HMCS Alberni (Lt. G.O. Baugh, RCNR) and HMCS Rimouski (T/Lt. J.W. Bonner, RCNR). The corvettes soon returned to Halifax though.

Three recently transferred US Coast Guard Cutters were also with the convoy, though these had not been re-armed and worked up. These were the HMS Sennen (Lt.Cdr. D.C. Kinloch, RN), HMS Totland (Lt.Cdr.(Emgy.) S.G.C. Rawson, RN) and HMS Walney (?).

On 24 May 1941, after the news was received that German warships were trying to break out into the Atlantic, the battleship HMS Revenge (Capt. E.R. Archer, RN) departed Halifax to join the convoy. She overtook and joined the convoy around 1345O/28.

In the morning of May 27th, Convoy BHX 128, merged with convoy HX 128. This was a few days later then had been intended. Convoy BHX 128 was made up of the following merchant vessels; Amsterdam (Dutch (tanker), 7329 GRT, built 1922), British Chivalry (British (tanker), 7118 GRT, built 1929), British Diligence (British (tanker), 8408 GRT, built 1937), British Fusilier (British, 6943 GRT, built 1923), Cardita (British (tanker), 8237 GRT, built 1931), Charles Racine (Norwegian (tanker), 9957 GRT, built 1937), Clavella (British (tanker), 8097 GRT, built 1939), Designer (British, 5495 GRT, built 1928), Drammensfjord (Norwegian, 5339 GRT, built 1920), Eulima (British (tanker), 6207 GRT, built 1937), San Cirilo (British (tanker), 8012 GRT, built 1937) and Thistlegorm (British, 4898 GRT, built 1940). They had departed Bermuda on 18 May escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Montclare (Capt.(Retd.) H.M. Spreckley, RN) which parted company after the convoys had merged.

Around 1900O/29, Convoy HX 128 was temporary joined by Convoy SC 32 and her escort, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Laconia (Capt.(Retd.) G.G.P. Hewett, RN). Convoy SC 32 took station astern of convoy HX 128.

Around 2200Z/31, HMS Revenge and HMS Laconia parted company with the convoys to return to Halifax or to proceed to Reykjavik respectively.

HMS California eventually went with the convoy to the U.K. although it had originally been intended for her to detach and proceed to Reykjavik.

A/S escorts commenced to join the convoy as from 30 or 31 May but sources vary on their composition. [this will have to be researched further in the future.]

The convoy arrived in U.K. waters on 6 June 1941.

15 Dec 1943
HMS H 32 (Lt. K.S. Renshaw, DSC, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Rimouski (T/Lt. R.J. Pickford, RCNVR), HMCS Eyebright (T/Lt. H.L. Quinn, RCNVR), HMCS Saskatchewan (Cdr. R.C. Medley, DSO, RN) and HMCS Pictou (T/A/Lt.Cdr. G.K. Fox, RCNVR). (1)

7 Mar 1944
HrMs O 9 (Lt. J.B.M.J. Maas, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Louis (A/Lt.Cdr. R. Johnston, RNR), HMCS Waskesiu (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Fraser, RCNR), HMCS Rimouski (T/Lt. R.J. Pickford, RCNVR) and HMCS Snowberry (T/Lt. J.A. Dunn, RCNVR). (2)

Media links


Corvettes of the Royal Canadian Navy, 1939-1945

MacPherson, Ken and Milner, Marc

Sources

  1. ADM 173/17777
  2. File 2.12.03.6372 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


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