HMCS Chaleur (MCB 144)

HMCS Chaleur was a Bay-class minesweeper that served in the Royal Canadian Navy for three and a half months in 1954 before being sold to the French Navy to become La Dieppoise. The ship was named for Chaleur Bay, located between Quebec and New Brunswick. Her name was given to her replacement, Chaleur (MCB 164). As La Dieppoise, the vessel served as a coastal patrol vessel in the France's Pacific Ocean territories. The ship was taken out of service in 1987.

History
Canada
Name:	Chaleur
Namesake:	Chaleur Bay
Laid down:	8 June 1951
Launched:	21 June 1952
Commissioned:	18 June 1954
Decommissioned:	30 September 1954
Identification:	MCB 144
Fate:	Sold to France as La Dieppoise
Badge:	A field pile or and gules above a barry wavy azure and argent, and in the center an equilateral triangle azure bearing a fern leaf or.[1]
France
Name:	La Dieppoise
Acquired:	9 October 1954
Commissioned:	13 November 1954
Decommissioned:	9 July 1987
Stricken:	1987
Identification:	P 655
General characteristics
Class and type:	Bay-class minesweeper
Displacement:	390 long tons (400 t) 412 long tons (419 t) (deep load)
Length:	152 ft (46 m)
Beam:	28 ft (8.5 m)
Draught:	8 ft (2.4 m)
Propulsion:	2 shafts, 2 GM 12-cylinder diesels, 2,400 bhp (1,800 kW)
Speed:	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement:	38
Armament:	1 × Bofors 40 mm gun

Design

The Bay class were designed and ordered as replacements for the Second World War-era minesweepers that the Royal Canadian Navy operated at the time. Similar to the Ton-class minesweeper, they were constructed of wood planking and aluminum framing.[2][3]

Displacing 390 long tons (400 t) and 412 long tons (419 t) at deep load, the minesweepers were 152 ft (46 m) long with a beam of 28 ft (8.5 m) and a draught of 8 ft (2.4 m).[2][3] They had a complement of 38 officers and ratings.[note 1][2]

The Bay-class minesweepers were powered by two GM 12-cylinder diesel engines driving two shafts creating 2,400 brake horsepower (1,800 kW). This gave the ships a maximum speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).[3] The ships were armed with one Bofors 40 mm gun and were equipped with minesweeping gear.[2][3]

Service history

Chaleur was laid down on 8 June 1951 by Port Arthur Shipbuilding at Port Arthur, Ontario with the yard number 107 and launched 21 June 1952.[4][2] The vessel was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on 18 June 1954 with the hull identification number 144.[2]

Following commissioning, Chaleur spent three months in service with the Royal Canadian Navy. The minesweeper was paid off on 30 September 1954. She was transferred to France on 9 October 1954. The minesweeper was commissioned on 13 November 1954 and renamed La Dieppoise.[2][5] She served as a minesweeper until 1973 when the minesweeping gear was removed and she transferred to the Pacific for duty as an overseas territories patrol vessel.[5] She was paid off 9 July 1987 and stricken later that year.[6]

References

Notes

1. Gardiner and Chumbley claim the complement was 40.

Citations

1. Arbuckle, p. 24
2. Macpherson and Barrie, p. 271.
3. Gardiner and Chumbley, p. 49.
4. "Chaleur (6123270)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
5. Moore, p. 171.
6. Colledge, p. 130.

Sources

• Arbuckle, J. Graeme (1987). Badges of the Canadian Navy. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Nimbus Publishing. ISBN 0-920852-49-1.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen; Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
• Macpherson, Ken; Barrie, Ron (2002). The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910–2002 (Third ed.). St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN 1-55125-072-1.
• Moore, John, ed. (1981). Jane's Fighting Ships, 1981–1982. New York: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-531-03977-3.