Canadian Navy Centennial Highlighted By HMCS Algoma

ALGOMA MILLS, ONT. — A rep­re­sen­ta­tive of the Cana­di­an Navy will present a framed pic­to­r­i­al his­to­ry of HMCS Algo­ma, one of the Cana­di­an Navy’s name­sake war­ships, to the city of Algo­ma Mills on Thurs­day July 1st, 2010 at the Munic­i­pal office (1385 Hwy 17, Algo­ma Mills). Fol­low­ing the pre­sen­ta­tion will be Cana­da Day Cel­e­bra­tions at the Cause­way (1096 Hwy 538, Algo­ma Mills).

Lieu­tenant-Com­man­der Real Fortin, Sub­ma­rine Safe­ty Oper­a­tions Offi­cer with the Mar­itime Staff Risk Man­age­ment Ser­vices, will make the pre­sen­ta­tion to mark the Cana­di­an Naval Cen­ten­ni­al at 6:00 p.m. Com­mem­o­rat­ing HMCS Algo­ma, the pre­sen­ta­tion will include a framed pic­ture of the ship that includes the ships’ badge and a his­tor­i­cal write-up. 

HMCS Algo­ma was a Flower Class corvette com­mis­sioned into the Cana­di­an Navy in 1941. She escort­ed her first con­voy to Ice­land in Sep­tem­ber, and was there­after employed as an ocean escort until the end of May 1942. In July 1942, after six weeks of repairs at Liv­er­pool, Nova Sco­tia, she joined the West­ern Local Escort Force. In Octo­ber, allo­cat­ed to duties in con­nec­tion with the inva­sion of North Africa, she left for Britain with con­voy SC.107. HMCS Algo­ma served under Roy­al Navy orders the next few months, escort­ing con­voys between Britain and the Mediterranean. 

In Feb­ru­ary 1943 she was based at Bône, Alge­ria, but returned in April to St. John’s, New­found­land, via the Unit­ed King­dom. HMCS Algo­ma escort­ed Québec-Labrador con­voys until mid-Novem­ber, when she was loaned to Escort Group C‑4 for one round trip to the Unit­ed King­dom. She arrived at Liv­er­pool, Nova Sco­tia, late in Decem­ber for a major refit, which includ­ed extend­ing her fore­cas­tle, and was not com­plet­ed until mid-April 1944. In May she joined Escort Force C‑5 and arrived in Bermu­da on 1 June to work up. Return­ing to St. John’s on 27 June, she made three round trips to the Unit­ed King­dom before join­ing Escort Group 41 (Roy­al Navy), Ply­mouth Com­mand, in Sep­tem­ber. She was employed on patrol and escort duties in the Chan­nel until the end of May 1945 when she returned to Cana­da and was paid off 6 July for dis­pos­al at Syd­ney, Nova Sco­tia. In 1945 she was sold to the Venezue­lan Navy, renamed Con­sti­tu­ción, and was not dis­card­ed until 1962. 

Sim­i­lar pre­sen­ta­tions are being made across Cana­da, to bring atten­tion to the Cana­di­an Naval Cen­ten­ni­al and high­light the con­nec­tion the Navy has with com­mu­ni­ties large and small in every cor­ner of the coun­try. Since 1910 Cana­da has put over 850 war­ships to sea under the naval ensign. Over 300 ships have been named for com­mu­ni­ties from coast to coast to coast. 

Source:
Depart­ment of Nation­al Defence, Kanada