Prestonian-class frigate

Last updated
Class overview
Operators
Preceded by River class
Succeeded by
In commission28 August 1953 – 15 September 1967
Planned21
Completed21
Retired21
General characteristics
Type Frigate
Displacement2,360 t (2,360.0 t) (full load)
Length301.25 ft (91.82 m)o/a
Beam36.5 ft (11.13 m)
Draught12 ft (3.66 m)
Propulsion2 x Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 shafts, reciprocating vertical triple expansion, 5,500 ihp (4,100 kW)
Speed19 knots (35.2 km/h)
Complement140
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 × USN SU Type radar (4-inch gunnery spotting)
  • 1 × Sperry Mk.2 navigation radar
  • 1 × Type 147 target depth finding sonar
  • 1 × Type 164B search sonar
  • 1 × SQS 501 (Type 162) bottom profiler sonar
  • 1 × Optical fire control director for twin 40mm
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • 1 × DAU hf/df
  • 1 × AN/UPD 501 d/f
Armament
Aviation facilities HMCS Buckingham fitted with flight deck for helicopter tests.

The Prestonian-class ocean anti-submarine escort frigate was a class of 21 frigates that served with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1953 to 1967 and with the Royal Norwegian Navy from 1956 to 1977.

Contents

They were converted from mothballed River-class frigates of British design that had been placed in reserve following the end of the Second World War. The first vessel to be reactivated and undergo refit was Prestonian which was recommissioned on 28 August 1953. The class did not use sequential pennant numbers.

History

During the Korean War, Canada committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It was believed at the time that there was a strategic threat to the shipping lanes supplying the European continent by the Soviet Union. This belief originated due to Soviet submarines becoming increasingly difficult to detect and identify, as a result of their updated technology. [1]

Vice-Admiral H.T.W. Grant, Chief of the Naval Staff of Canada, promised that Canada would contribute anti-submarine escort forces to combat the threat. Originally that meant updating only the existing fleet, however this policy was expanded when 21 decommissioned River-class frigates were converted to ocean escorts and recommissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy. [1]

The concept of anti-submarine warfare performed from a helicopter operating from the decks of escorts had been first proposed during the Second World War. Canada was the first nation to test a fully capable anti-submarine warfare helicopter flying from an escort. [1] HMCS Buckingham had a helicopter flight deck attached to her stern and performed sea trials from October to December 1956. These trials preceded the design of the destroyer helicopter carriers of the Royal Canadian Navy. [2]

In 1956, three frigates, HMCS Prestonian, HMCS Penetang and HMCS Toronto were loaned to the Royal Norwegian Navy and renamed Troll, Draug and Garm respectively. [3] They were purchased outright in 1959 and were the only export of the class. [2]

Three further River-class frigates, HMCS Stone Town, HMCS St. Catharines and HMCS St. Stephen, were disarmed and transferred to the Department of Transport of Canada for use as weather ships, but were given Royal Canadian Navy pennant numbers and were subsequently considered as part of the class. [4]

Modifications

HMCS Toronto prior to modification - note the lower deck aft Toronto k538.jpg
HMCS Toronto prior to modification – note the lower deck aft

The River-class frigate was a successful Canadian-built escort design from the Second World War, However, there was a requirement to update this design to meet the needs of the post-war Canadian Navy and to match the threat of the Soviet submarine force.

The fo'c'sle deck was extended aft and was wall-sided. This extra space was primarily devoted to improved habitability. [2] All accommodation throughout the ship was improved. [3] Each crew member was given their own bunk. [5] The space was also used for generating machinery required by for anti-submarine warfare. This machinery was changed from three steam and one diesel to two steam and two diesel generators. [3] The quarterdeck was enclosed to house two Squid anti-submarine mortars. [2]

A much larger bridge structure was installed that was almost entirely enclosed. [3] The upper works were constructed of aluminum instead of steel to save weight. [5] This necessitated a heightened funnel to clear the new structure, which in turn required a larger mast. This mast remained a tripod. [3] The propelling machinery was overhauled and the hull forward was strengthened forward to protect against ice. [2] [3]

One ship, Buckingham, had a flight deck attached aft for helicopter landing and takeoff sea trials, but the structure was removed once the trials were completed.

Ships

Related Research Articles

HMCS <i>Toronto</i> (K538) Royal Canadian naval vessel

HMCS Toronto was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1953-1956. She was named for Toronto, Ontario. She was later acquired by the Royal Norwegian Navy and renamed Garm and then again in 1965 as HNoMS Valkyrien.

<i>St. Laurent</i>-class destroyer Destroyer escort class of the Royal Canadian Navy

The St. Laurent-class destroyer was a class of destroyer escorts that served the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces from the mid-1950s to the mid-1990s.

HMCS <i>Antigonish</i> Canadian naval vessel

HMCS Antigonish, named for Antigonish, Nova Scotia, was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1944–1946 and as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1957–1966. Her photo is featured on the cover of the 1994 album Frigate by the band April Wine.

HMCS <i>Cap de la Madeleine</i>

HMCS Cap de la Madeleine was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1944-1945 and as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1954-1965. She saw action in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort during the Second World War. She is named for Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, which is now a part of Trois-Rivières.

HMCS Fort Erie was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1956-1965. She was named for Fort Erie, Ontario.

HMCS <i>Penetang</i>

HMCS Penetang was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1944 to 1945 during the Second World War. She fought in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. She was recommissioned and served as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1954 to 1956. She was named for Penetanguishene, Ontario.

HMCS <i>New Glasgow</i>

HMCS New Glasgow was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1955 to 1965. She was named for New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.

HMCS Lauzon was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and again as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1953-1963. During the war she served primarily as an ocean escort for convoys. She was named for Lauzon, Quebec.

HMCS <i>Inch Arran</i>

HMCS Inch Arran was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and again from 1954 to 1965, when she was converted into a Prestonian-class frigate. She was named after Inch Arran Point in Dalhousie, New Brunswick, Canada. This was due to the inability of two Allied warships to bear the same name. The RCN would then use landmarks or significant areas that were associated with the community instead.

HMCS <i>Swansea</i> Canadian River-class frigate

HMCS Swansea was a Canadian River-class frigate that was the most successful U-boat hunter in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War, having a hand in the destruction of four of them. She saw service in the Battle of the Atlantic from 1943 to 1945. Following the war she was refit as a Prestonian-class frigate. She is named for Swansea, Ontario.

HMCS <i>La Hulloise</i>

HMCS La Hulloise was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and again as a training ship and Prestonian-class frigate from 1957–1965. She was named for Hull, Quebec, but due to possible confusion with USS Hull, her name was altered.

HMCS <i>Prestonian</i>

HMCS Prestonian was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1953–1956. She saw action primarily as a convoy escort. She was named for Preston, Ontario, however due to possible confusion with HMS Preston, her name was altered. In 1956 she began service with the Royal Norwegian Navy as Troll.

HMCS Buckingham was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1954–1965. She was named for Buckingham, Quebec. She is considered a significant part of Canadian naval history as used for some early trials of helicopter landings on smaller escort vessels. This led to the development of the future helicopter carrying destroyers.

HMCS <i>Jonquiere</i> River-class frigate

HMCS Jonquière was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and again from 1954–1966 as a Prestonian-class frigate. She was named for Jonquière, Quebec.

HMCS <i>New Waterford</i>

HMCS New Waterford was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and then again from 1958–1966 as a Prestonian-class frigate. She served primarily in the waters around the United Kingdom as a convoy support escort. She was named for New Waterford, Nova Scotia.

HMCS <i>Outremont</i>

HMCS Outremont was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and again from 1955–1965 as a Prestonian-class frigate. During the war she served primarily as a convoy escort. She was named for Outremont, Quebec.

HMCS Stettler was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Stettler, Alberta. After the war she was converted to a Prestonian-class frigate and served until 1966.

HMCS <i>Ste. Therese</i>

HMCS Ste. Therese was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Sainte-Thérèse-de-Gaspé, Quebec. After the war she was converted to a Prestonian-class frigate and served until 1967.

HMCS <i>Sussexvale</i> WWII-era Canadian frigate

HMCS Sussexvale was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Sussex, New Brunswick. Her name was altered to prevent confusion with other Allied warships named Sussex. After the war she was converted to a Prestonian-class frigate and served until 1966. She was the last frigate launched by the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War.

HMCS <i>Victoriaville</i>

HMCS Victoriaville was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Victoriaville, Quebec. After the war she was converted to a Prestonian-class frigate in 1959. In 1966 she was converted to a diving tender and renamed Granby, serving as such until 1973 when she was decommissioned for the final time.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 German, Tony (1990). The Sea is at Our Gates: A History of the Canadian Navy . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Limited. p.  233. ISBN   0771032692.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Macpherson, Ken; Burgess, John (1981). The ships of Canada's naval forces 1910–1981 : a complete pictorial history of Canadian warships. Toronto: Collins. ISBN   0-00216-856-1.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Raymond V.B. Blackman, ed. (1958). Jane's Fighting Ships 1958–59. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. p. 77.
  4. ↑ R.v.b. Blackman, ed. (1963). Jane's Fighting Ships, 1963–1964. London: Sampson Low. p. 37. ISBN   0-070-32161-2.
  5. 1 2 "First Converted Frigate Ready". The Crowsnest. Vol. 5, no. 11. Queen's Printer. September 1953. p. 2.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.