HMCS New Glasgow (K320)
Encyclopedia
HMCS New Glasgow (K320) was a River class frigate
that served in the Royal Canadian Navy
from 1943 to 1945 and as a Prestonian class frigate
from 1955-1965.
Built by Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt
, she was commissioned into the RCN at the Esquimalt naval base
on 23 December 1943 with the pennant K320.
New Glasgow transited from Esquimalt to Halifax, Nova Scotia
via the Panama Canal
, arriving at HMC Dockyard
, Halifax on 17 February 1944 under command of Lt. Cdr. G.S. Hall, RCNR. She was transferred to the RCN's Atlantic Fleet and undertook convoy escort operations in the Battle of the Atlantic for the next 12 months.
On 20 March 1945, New Glasgow was responsible for the loss of the last U-boat by an RCN warship during World War II. On that day she was operating off Londonderry Port
, Northern Ireland
when the snorkel of a U-boat was observed near the ship's bow. Before depth charges could be dropped, the vessels collided, with each side claiming to have rammed the other.
Both vessels were badly damaged. The U-boat, later revealed to be U-1003 quickly dived while New Glasgow limped to Londonderry Port
with a broken propeller and other hull damage. Meanwhile, the Allies tasked a 14-ship naval task force comprising Escort Groups C-4, 25 and 26 to find the U-boat, without success. Two days later, on 23 March 1945, the U-boat was scuttled in the Northern Channel a few miles north of Inistrahull Beacon (Malin Head
), Ireland. The commander and 16 crew members died as a result of the incident. The 31 surviving crew members were rescued by Escort Group 25. The wreck of U-1003 was discovered by nautical archaeologist Innes McCartney in 2001. Interestingly the attack periscope was found to have been extended, along with the schnorchel. The mast had broken off and the periscope was bent over so are that it actually pointed downwards.
New Glasgow was decommissioned by the RCN and placed in reserve on 4 November 1945. She underwent conversion to a Prestonian class frigate
in 1953–1955 and was recommissioned with pennant FFE 315 on 2 September 1955. It was in this livery that the New Glasgow stood in for a Royal Navy vessel, HMS Rockhampton, in the 1955 Hollywood film The Sea Chase
, starring John Wayne.
She was paid off by the RCN on 7 June 1965.
River class frigate
The River class frigate was a class of 151 frigates launched between 1941 and 1944 for use as anti-submarine convoy escorts in the North Atlantic....
that served in 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...
from 1943 to 1945 and as a Prestonian class frigate
Prestonian class frigate
The Prestonian-class ocean escort frigate was a class of 21 frigates that served with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1953-1967.They were converted from mothballed s that had been placed in reserve following the end of World War II. The first vessel to be reactivated and undergo refit was which was...
from 1955-1965.
Built by Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt
Esquimalt, British Columbia
The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered to the east by the provincial capital, Victoria, to the south by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, to the west by Esquimalt Harbour and Royal Roads, to the northwest by the...
, she was commissioned into the RCN at the Esquimalt naval base
CFB Esquimalt
Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters....
on 23 December 1943 with the pennant K320.
City 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...
via the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
, arriving at HMC Dockyard
CFB Halifax
Canadian Forces Base Halifax is Canada's east coast navy base and home port to the Atlantic fleet, known as Maritime Forces Atlantic....
, Halifax on 17 February 1944 under command of Lt. Cdr. G.S. Hall, RCNR. She was transferred to the RCN's Atlantic Fleet and undertook convoy escort operations in the Battle of the Atlantic for the next 12 months.
On 20 March 1945, New Glasgow was responsible for the loss of the last U-boat by an RCN warship during World War II. On that day she was operating off Londonderry Port
Londonderry Port
Londonderry Port at Lisahally is a port near Derry, Northern Ireland. It is the United Kingdom’s most westerly port, has capacity for 30,000 ton vessels and accepts cruise ships. The current port is on the east bank of the River Foyle at the southern end of Lough Foyle, by the small village of...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
when the snorkel of a U-boat was observed near the ship's bow. Before depth charges could be dropped, the vessels collided, with each side claiming to have rammed the other.
Both vessels were badly damaged. The U-boat, later revealed to be U-1003 quickly dived while New Glasgow limped to Londonderry Port
Londonderry Port
Londonderry Port at Lisahally is a port near Derry, Northern Ireland. It is the United Kingdom’s most westerly port, has capacity for 30,000 ton vessels and accepts cruise ships. The current port is on the east bank of the River Foyle at the southern end of Lough Foyle, by the small village of...
with a broken propeller and other hull damage. Meanwhile, the Allies tasked a 14-ship naval task force comprising Escort Groups C-4, 25 and 26 to find the U-boat, without success. Two days later, on 23 March 1945, the U-boat was scuttled in the Northern Channel a few miles north of Inistrahull Beacon (Malin Head
Malin Head
Malin Head , on the Inishowen Peninsula, County Donegal, is usually given as the most northerly headland of the mainland of Ireland . In fact, the most northerly point is actually a headland named Banba's Crown on the Inishowen Peninsula about 2 km to the northeast...
), Ireland. The commander and 16 crew members died as a result of the incident. The 31 surviving crew members were rescued by Escort Group 25. The wreck of U-1003 was discovered by nautical archaeologist Innes McCartney in 2001. Interestingly the attack periscope was found to have been extended, along with the schnorchel. The mast had broken off and the periscope was bent over so are that it actually pointed downwards.
New Glasgow was decommissioned by the RCN and placed in reserve on 4 November 1945. She underwent conversion to a Prestonian class frigate
Prestonian class frigate
The Prestonian-class ocean escort frigate was a class of 21 frigates that served with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1953-1967.They were converted from mothballed s that had been placed in reserve following the end of World War II. The first vessel to be reactivated and undergo refit was which was...
in 1953–1955 and was recommissioned with pennant FFE 315 on 2 September 1955. It was in this livery that the New Glasgow stood in for a Royal Navy vessel, HMS Rockhampton, in the 1955 Hollywood film The Sea Chase
The Sea Chase
The Sea Chase is a 1955 World War II drama film starring John Wayne and Lana Turner. It was directed by John Farrow and written by James Warner Bellah. The plot is basically a nautical cat and mouse game, with Wayne determined to get his German freighter home during the first few months of the war,...
, starring John Wayne.
She was paid off by the RCN on 7 June 1965.