HMCS St. Boniface (J332)
| City | Port Arthur |
Narrative
On October 9, 1943, HMCS St. Boniface (J332) was commissioned.
She was an Algerine Class Minesweeper, built by Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Port Arthur,
In 1942, HMCS St. Boniface (J332) was launched.
Capacity: 950 - 990 tons
Length: 225
Top speed: 15 knots
Compliment: 8 Officers and 99 Crew
She was fitted out as a convoy escort, armed with one 4 inch dual-purpose gun; four 20 mm Oerlikon guns; one hedgehog anti-ship mortar, depth charges on the rails right aft, and a depth charge thrower at the forward end of the quarterdeck.
Narrative
In late October, 1943, HMCS St. Boniface arrived at Halifax,
From November to December, she worked up at Pictou.
Narrative
Until mid-April, 1944, HMCS St. Boniface was assigned as Senior Officer's ship to EG W-5 of Western Escort Force.
She then transferred to W-4, again as S.O., until early December when, following minor repairs at Halifax, she proceeded to Bermuda to work up.
In June, 1945, she returned to Canada, and rejoined W-4 until the group was disbanded.
On April 18, 1945, HMCS St. Boniface was in collision with SS Empire Chamois in the Halifax approaches, as the freighter's convoy, SC. 173, was forming up for passage to the U.K.
HMCS St. Boniface suffered extensive damage to her bows, but made Halifax under her own power and was under repair there for three months.
Narrative
In August, 1945, HMCS St. Boniface became a training ship at HMCS Cornwallis until January, 1946, when she was placed in reserve at Halifax.
In September 25, 1946, she was paid off, and sold for mercantile use.
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On September 25, 1946, HMCS St. Boniface was decommissioned.
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In 1946. HMCS St. Boniface was sold to Panama as Bess Berry M., and served untill 1954.
Narrative
The Algerine class was a class of minesweepers of the Royal Navy and the Commonwealth, designed as an improvement on the BANGOR class minesweepers, they were small vessels that could serve in several roles, not just as minesweepers.
They were built with more sheer at the bows, these ships performed better in heavy seas.
With a desperate shortage of convoy escorts in the Second Battle of the Atlantic, they served mainly in that role.
Twelve Algerines of the Royal Canadian Navy never had minesweeping gear fitted.