Английская Википедия:HMCS Agassiz

Содержание

Текст

Текст

Текст

Текст

Текст

Текст

Текст

Текст

Текст

Шаблон:Infobox ship imageШаблон:Infobox ship careerШаблон:Infobox ship characteristics

HMCS Agassiz was a Шаблон:Sclass2 of the Royal Canadian Navy. Named after the community of Agassiz, British Columbia, the ship was constructed by Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd. in North Vancouver, British Columbia and was launched on 15 August 1940. The corvette was commissioned on 23 January 1941 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Flower class were initially designed for coastal service during the Second World War, but due to the demands of the Battle of the Atlantic, Agassiz was used primarily as an ocean escort for convoys crossing the Atlantic Ocean in engagements with German submarines. Following the war, the corvette was sold for scrap.

Design and description

Шаблон:Main Flower-class corvettes like Agassiz serving with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were different from earlier and more traditional sail-driven corvettes.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The Flower-class corvettes originated from a need that arose in 1938 to expand the Royal Navy following the Munich Crisis.Шаблон:Sfn A design request went out for a small escort for coastal convoys.Шаблон:Sfn Based on a traditional whaler-type design, the initial Canadian ships of the Flower class had a standard displacement of Шаблон:Convert. They were Шаблон:Convert long overall with a beam of Шаблон:Convert and a maximum draught of Шаблон:Convert. The initial 1939–1940 corvettes were powered by a four-cylinder vertical triple expansion engine powered by steam from two Scotch boilers turning one three-bladed propeller rated at Шаблон:Convert. The Scotch boilers were replaced with water-tube boilers in later 1939–1940 and 1940–1941 Programme ships. The corvettes had a maximum speed of Шаблон:Convert. This gave them a range of Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn The vessels were extremely wet.Шаблон:Sfn

The Canadian Flower-class vessels were initially armed with a [[BL 4-inch Mk IX naval gun|Mk IX BL Шаблон:Convert gun]] forward on a CP 1 mounting and carried 100 rounds per gun. The corvettes were also armed with a [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|QF Vickers 2-pounder (Шаблон:Convert) gun]] on a bandstand aft, two single-mounted .303 Vickers machine guns or Browning 0.5-calibre machine guns for anti-aircraft defence and two twin-mounted .303 Lewis machine guns, usually sited on bridge wings.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn For anti-submarine warfare, they mounted two depth charge throwers and initially carried 25 depth charges. The corvettes were designed with a Type 123 ASDIC sonar set installed. The Flower-class ships had a complement of 47 officers and ratings.Шаблон:Sfn The Royal Canadian Navy initially ordered 54 corvettes in 1940 and these were fitted with Mark II Oropesa minesweeping gear used for destroying contact mines.Шаблон:Sfn Part of the depth charge rails were made portable so the minesweeping gear could be utilised.Шаблон:Sfn

Modifications

In Canadian service the vessels were altered due to experience with the design's deficiencies. The galley was moved further back in the ship and the mess and sleeping quarters combined. A direction-finding set was installed and enlarged bilge keels were installed to reduce rolling.Шаблон:Sfn After the first 35–40 corvettes had been constructed, the foremast was shifted aft of the bridge and the mainmast was eliminated. Corvettes were first fitted with basic SW-1 and SW-2 CQ surface warning radar, notable for their fishbone-like antenna and reputation for failure in poor weather or in the dark. The compass house was moved further aft and the open-type bridge was situated in front of it. The ASDIC hut was moved in front and to a lower position on the bridge. The improved Type 271 radar was placed aft, with some units receiving Type 291 radar for air search. The minesweeping gear, a feature of the first 54 corvettes, was removed.Шаблон:Sfn Most Canadian Flower-class corvettes had their forecastles extended which improved crew accommodation and seakeeping. Furthermore, the sheer and flare of the bow was increased, which led to an enlarged bridge. This allowed for the installation of [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|Oerlikon Шаблон:Convert cannon]], replacing the Browning and Vickers machine guns.Шаблон:Sfn Some of the corvettes were rearmed with Hedgehog anti-submarine mortars.Шаблон:Sfn The complements of the ships grew throughout the war rising from the initial 47 to as many as 104.Шаблон:Sfn

Construction and career

The vessel was ordered as part of the 1939–1940 Progamme in January 1940,Шаблон:Sfn and laid down on 29 April 1940 by Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd. in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Corvettes commissioned by the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were not named after flowers, as the class name might suggest, but after communities for the most part, to better represent the people who took part in building them. This idea was put forth by Admiral Percy W. Nelles. Sponsors were commonly associated with the community for which the ship was named. Agassiz, named for the town in British Columbia, was launched on 15 August 1940 and commissioned on 23 January 1941 in Vancouver, British Columbia with the pennant number K129.Шаблон:Sfn

After completion Agassiz was sent to Halifax, Nova Scotia, with sister ships Шаблон:HMCS and Шаблон:HMCS via the Panama Canal arriving on 13 April 1941.Шаблон:Sfn In May 1941 she was assigned to the Newfoundland Escort Force. She served continuously as an ocean escort until the end of 1943.Шаблон:Sfn In August 1941, Agassiz was part of the escort 57-ship HX 143 convoy, which was guided around a German U-boat concentration in the North Atlantic.Шаблон:Sfn On 1 September 1941, the escort groups were reformed and Agassiz joined Escort Group 19.Шаблон:Sfn

On 18 September 1941, the German submarine Шаблон:GS sighted the convoy SC 44 in the North Atlantic. The convoy was guarded by the destroyer Шаблон:HMS and the corvettes Agassiz, Шаблон:HMCS, Шаблон:HMCS and Шаблон:HMS. Only four U-boats moved to engage and during the first night of battle, Lévis was sunk.Шаблон:Sfn Agassiz recovered her survivors.Шаблон:Sfn Four merchant vessels were sunk as well on 18/19 September. In response to the sinkings, the convoy protection was enhanced with the arrival of three more corvettes.Шаблон:Sfn

Agassiz participated in the battle for convoy ON 102 with Mid-Ocean Escort Force (MOEF) group A3 in July 1942. She also fought the battles for convoy SC 97 with MOEF group C2 and the battles for convoy ON 115 and convoy SC 109 with MOEF group C3.Шаблон:Sfn During the battle for ON 115, Agassiz opened fire on a surfaced U-boat, then aided in the recovery of the crew of the sunken Шаблон:RMS. The corvette then took the tanker G. S. Waldron under tow after the ship had been torpedoed and crippled and brought it to safety. The crew received salvage money for the effort.Шаблон:Sfn In August 1942, Agassiz was re-assigned to the Caribbean Sea, escorting convoys of oil tankers between Caribbean ports. The corvette was part of the escort of the convoy TAW 12, travelling between Trinidad, Aruba and Key West that lost several ships.Шаблон:Sfn

The ship's first major refit took place at Liverpool, Nova Scotia from early January 1943 until mid-March. Following her workups after her first major refit in early 1943, Agassiz was assigned to MOEF group C1 and escorted 12 trans-Atlantic convoys without loss before another major yard overhaul. The second took place at New York, beginning in December 1943 and taking until March 1944 to complete. During her second refit, her forecastle was extended. After that overhaul, Agassiz escorted North American coastal convoys with the Western Local Escort Force from March 1944 until February 1945. In April 1944, she was assigned to escort group W-2 and in August of that year to W-7. She remained with that group until the end of the war.Шаблон:Sfn

Following the end of hostilities Agassiz was paid off 14 June 1945 at Sydney, Nova Scotia.Шаблон:Sfn For service in during the Second World War, Agassiz was awarded the battle honours "Atlantic 1941–45"Шаблон:Sfn and "Gulf of St. Lawrence 1944." She was sold for scrap November 1945 and broken up at Moncton, New Brunswick in 1946.Шаблон:Sfn

Trans-Atlantic convoys escorted

Convoy	Escort Group	Dates	Notes
OB 347		22–31 July 1941	64 ships escorted without loss from Iceland to dispersal
HX 143		8–17 August 1941	73 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 8		21–25 August 1941	46 ships escorted without loss from Iceland to Newfoundland
SC 44		12–22 September 1941	Newfoundland to Iceland; 4 ships torpedoed & sunk
ON 19A		22 September-4 October 1941	Iceland shuttle
SC 50		19–31 October 1941	41 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 32		6–14 November 1941	49 ships escorted without loss from Iceland to Newfoundland
SC 56		24 November-5 December 1941	45 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Iceland
HX 184		12–19 April 1942	30 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 91		2–11 May 1942	31 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 190	MOEF group A3	20–27 May 1942	18 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 102	MOEF group A3	10–21 June 1942	Northern Ireland to Newfoundland; 1 ship torpedoed & sunk
HX 196	MOEF group A3	2–10 July 1942	42 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 114	MOEF group A3	20–30 July 1942	32 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
ON 115	MOEF group C3	31 July-3 August 1942	battle reinforcement
SC 97	MOEF group C2	22–26 August 1942	Newfoundland to Northern Ireland: 2 ships torpedoed & sunk
SC 98	MOEF group C3	2–8 September 1942	69 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 131	MOEF group C3	19–28 September 1942	54 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 210	MOEF group C3	7–14 October 1942	36 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 141	MOEF group C3	26 October-3 November 1942	59 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 109	MOEF group C3	16–27 November 1942	Newfoundland to Northern Ireland; 2 ships torpedoed (1 sank)
ON 152	MOEF group C3	10–28 December 1942	15 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 127	MOEF group C1	20 April-2 May 1943	55 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 184	MOEF group C1	16–25 May 1943	39 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 242		6–14 June 1943	61 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 190		25 June-3 July 1943	87 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 247		14–21 July 1943	71 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 195		1–8 August 1943	51 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 252		20–27 August 1943	52 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 201		10–18 September 1943	70 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 258		28 September-5 October 1943	59 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 207		19–28 October 1943	52 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 264		5–16 November 1943	65 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 213		27 November–7 December 1943	60 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland

Sources

• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book