HMCS St. Catharines

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HMCS St. Catharines was a River-class frigate of the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II. Named after St. Catharines, Ontario, she was built to escort convoys across the Atlantic and to help keep sea lanes open for the war effort.

Ordered in October 1941, she was built by Yarrows Ltd. in Esquimalt. She was laid down on 2 May 1942, launched on 5 December 1942, and commissioned on 31 July 1943.

St. Catharines joined the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. In November 1943 she became part of the Mid-Ocean Escort Force group C-2, and from February to September 1944 she served as the Senior Officer’s Ship of the group. On 6 March 1944, she took part in an extended attack on U-744, helping to sink the submarine after a long fight.

In late 1944 she went to Shelburne, Nova Scotia for a refit, then returned to service and underwent a tropicalization refit in 1945 to prepare for potential duty in the Pacific. The war ended before she saw such service, and she was paid off on 18 November 1945.

After the war, she was sold in 1947 to Marine Industries Ltd. In 1950, Canada brought her back to operate as a weather ship in the Northern Pacific, designated CGS St. Catharines, providing weather data and navigational help for long-range flights.

In 1962 she was transferred to the Canadian Coast Guard and continued weather duties until 1967, when she was replaced by CGS Vancouver. She was broken up in Japan in 1968.