HMCS West York (K369)
Encyclopedia
HMCS West York (K369) was a Flower-class corvette
of the Royal Canadian Navy
which took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War
. Named after Weston, Ontario, she was built by Midland Shipyards Ltd. in Midland, Ontario and commissioned on 6 October 1944 at Collingwood
.
in mid-November, 1944 and left a month later for Bermuda
to work up. In February, 1945, she joined EG C-5 at St. John's
, leaving on 16 February to rendezvous with her first transatlantic convoy, HX.338. She made three round trips across the Atlantic before the end of her career, the last one as escort to ON.305, which she joined from Londonderry
at the end of May 1945.
, she was sold into mercantile service as SS West York. As SS West York, she was towing the decommissioned HMCS Assiniboine when the towline parted and the destroyer was wrecked on 7 November 1945 off Prince Edward Island
.
By 1947, she had her steam reciprocating engine replaced by diesel power and sailed under Moroccan registry as the Moulay Bouchaib. As late as 1950, she was the Italian Espresso. She returned to Canadian registry in 1960 as Federal Express. She was moored in Montreal
on the evening of 5 May 1960, when she was struck by the Swedish Polaris. Holed and with her mooring lines carried away, the Federal Express careened in to the Danish Hilda Maersk and sank in 30 minutes. Later that year, the after part of the ship was raised and broken up for scrap.
25 July 1944 – 23 December 1944
T/Lt. Edward Graham Scott, RCNVR
23 December 1944 – 29 December 1944
T/Lt.Cdr. William Frederick Wood, RCNR
30 December 1944 – 9 July 1945
Flower class corvette
The Flower-class corvette was a class of 267 corvettes used during World War II, specifically with the Allied navies as anti-submarine convoy escorts during the Battle of the Atlantic...
of the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
which took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Named after Weston, Ontario, she was built by Midland Shipyards Ltd. in Midland, Ontario and commissioned on 6 October 1944 at Collingwood
Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it is situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern point of Georgian Bay.-History:...
.
Wartime Service
West York arrived at HalifaxCity of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
in mid-November, 1944 and left a month later for Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
to work up. In February, 1945, she joined EG C-5 at St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, leaving on 16 February to rendezvous with her first transatlantic convoy, HX.338. She made three round trips across the Atlantic before the end of her career, the last one as escort to ON.305, which she joined from Londonderry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
at the end of May 1945.
Post-War Service
Paid off on 9 July 1945 and laid up at Sorel, QuebecSorel-Tracy, Quebec
Sorel-Tracy is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada and the geographical end point of the Lake Champlain Valley at the confluence of the Richelieu River and the St. Lawrence River, on the western edge of Lac Saint-Pierre downstream and east of nearby Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006...
, she was sold into mercantile service as SS West York. As SS West York, she was towing the decommissioned HMCS Assiniboine when the towline parted and the destroyer was wrecked on 7 November 1945 off Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
.
By 1947, she had her steam reciprocating engine replaced by diesel power and sailed under Moroccan registry as the Moulay Bouchaib. As late as 1950, she was the Italian Espresso. She returned to Canadian registry in 1960 as Federal Express. She was moored in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
on the evening of 5 May 1960, when she was struck by the Swedish Polaris. Holed and with her mooring lines carried away, the Federal Express careened in to the Danish Hilda Maersk and sank in 30 minutes. Later that year, the after part of the ship was raised and broken up for scrap.
Commanding officers
T/Lt. Murdo Smith, RCNR25 July 1944 – 23 December 1944
T/Lt. Edward Graham Scott, RCNVR
23 December 1944 – 29 December 1944
T/Lt.Cdr. William Frederick Wood, RCNR
30 December 1944 – 9 July 1945