List of Royal Canadian Navy ships of the Cold War

As the Second World War drew to a close, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) stopped its rapid expansion and dramatically reduced military expenditures. This resulted in a significant reduction in personnel and ships by 1947. With the emergence of the Cold War and the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, followed by the outbreak of the Korean War, the Canadian government increased military spending. The RCN recommissioned and modified Second World War ships held in reserve, launched new classes of ships, and upgraded its aviation capabilities. The List of Royal Canadian Navy ships of the Cold War lists the surface warships, submarines and auxiliary vessels in service from the Korean War through to 1991. It includes all commissioned, non-commissioned, loaned or hired ships. and all ships crewed by RCN personnel under the command of the RCN.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Surface vessels

Aircraft carriers

Light cruisers

HMCS Uganda (C66) (Crown Colony class, later renamed HMCS Quebec (C66))
HMCS Ontario (C53) (Minotaur class)

Destroyers

HMCS Iroquois (DDG 280) (Iroquois class)
HMCS Huron (DDG 281) (Iroquois class)
HMCS Athabaskan (DDG 282) (Iroquois class)
HMCS Algonquin (DDG 283) (Iroquois class)
HMCS Crescent (R16) (Cr class)
HMCS Crusader (R20) (Cr class)
HMCS Gatineau (H61) (E class)
HMCS Huron (G24) (Tribal class)
HMCS Haida (G63) (Tribal class)
HMCS Iroquois (G89) (Tribal class)
HMCS Athabaskan (R79) (Tribal class)
HMCS Cayuga (R04) (Tribal class)
HMCS Micmac (R10) (Tribal class)
HMCS Nootka (R96) (Tribal class)
HMCS Algonquin (R17) (V class)
HMCS Sioux (R64) (V class)

Destroyer escorts

Frigates

Minesweepers

HMCS Chaleur (MCB 144) (I) (Bay class)
HMCS Chaleur (MCB 164) (II)
HMCS Chignecto (MCB 156) (II)
HMCS Chignecto (MCB 160) (III)
HMCS Comox (MCB 146) (II)
HMCS Cowichan (MCB 147) (II)
HMCS Cowichan (MCB 162) (III)
HMCS Fortune (MCB 151)
HMCS Fundy (MCB 145) (II)
HMCS Fundy (MCB 159) (III)
HMCS Gaspé (MCB 143) (II)
HMCS James Bay (MCB 152)
HMCS Miramichi (MCB 150) (II)
HMCS Miramichi (MCB 163) (III)
HMCS Quinte (MCB 149) (II)
HMCS Resolute (MCB 154)
HMCS Thunder (MCB 153) (II)
HMCS Thunder (MCB 161) (III)
HMCS Trinity (MCB 157)
HMCS Ungava (MCB 148) (II)
HMCS Kapuskasing (J326) (Algerine class)
HMCS New Liskeard (J397) (Algerine class)
HMCS Oshawa (J330) (Algerine class)
HMCS Portage (J331) (Algerine class)
HMCS Rockcliffe (J335) (Algerine class)
HMCS Sault Ste. Marie (J334) (Algerine class)
HMCS Wallaceburg (J336) (Algerine class)
HMCS Brockville (Bangor class)
HMCS Digby (Bangor class)
HMCS Kentville (Bangor class)
HMCS Minas (Bangor class)

Patrol vessels

HMCS Acadian (Detachment class)^[1]
HMCS Adversus (PB 191) (II)
HMCS Captor (II)
HMCS Arctic Tern (PCS 784) (Bird class)
HMCS Blue Heron (PCS 782) (Bird)
HMCS Cormorant (PCS 781) (I) (Bird)
HMCS Herring Gull (PCS 786) (Bird)
HMCS Kingfisher (PCS 787) (Bird)
HMCS Loon (PCS 780) (Bird)
HMCS Mallard (PCS 783) (Bird)
HMCS Sandpiper (PCS 785) (Bird)
HMCS Rally (PB 141) (Racer class)
HMCS Rapid (PB 142) (Racer)
HMCS Sidney

Submarines

HMCS Grilse (SS 71) (II) (Balao class)
HMCS Ojibwa (S72) (Oberon class)
HMCS Okanagan (S74)
HMCS Onondaga (S73)
HMCS Rainbow (SS 75) (II) (Tench class)

Auxiliaries

Auxiliary minesweeping

HMCS Anticosti (MSA 110) (II) (Anticosti class)
HMCS Moresby (MSA 112) (III)
HMCS Cordova (MCA 158) (YMS-1 class)

Diving support ship

HMCS Cormorant (ASL 20) (II)

Escort maintenance ships

Fireboats

CFAV Firebird (YTR 561)
CFAV Firebrand (YTR 562)

Gate vessels

High Speed Launch vessels

HSL-208 (ex-RCMP M208)
HSL-231 (ex-RCMP M231)
HSL-232 (ex-RCMP M232)
HSL-233 (ex-RCMP M233)
HSL-234 (ex-RCMP M234)
HSL-235 (ex-RCMP M235)

Research vessel

CNAV Laymore (ex-HMCS Laymore)
CNAV Whitethroat (ex-HMCS Whitethroat)

Survey ships

CFAV Bluethroat (AGOR 114)
HMCS Cedarwood (AGSC 539)
HMCS Endeavour (AGOR 171) (Endeavour class)
CFAV Quest (AGOR 172)
HMCS Vancouver (IV)

Training vessels

HMCS Beaver (PTC 706, ex-ML Q106) (II)
CFAV Fort Steele
HMCS Oriole

Tugboats

Utility and other boats

CFAV Albatross (YAG 661)
CFAV Badger (YAG 319)
CFAV Blackduck (YAG 660)
CFAV Caribou (YAG 314)
CFAV Gemini (YAG 650)
CFAV Grizzly (YAG 306)
CFAV Lynx (YAG 320)
CFAV Pegasus (YAG 651)
CFAV Pelican (YAG 4)
CFAV Otter (YAG 312)
CFAV Wolf (YAG 308)

Yard diving tenders

CFAV Granby (YDT 12)^{[note 1]}
CFAV Raccoon (YDT 10)
Unnamed (YDT 11)

Submarine non-operational

ex-HMS Olympus – training ship
ex-HMS Osiris – stripped for parts in UK

References

Notes

^ The vessel was later replaced by HMCS Victoriaville, which took the Granby name as well as the hull number

Citations

^ ^a ^b "Guide to Sources Relating to Canadian Naval Vessels (1909–1983)" (PDF). Library and Archives Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
^ Thorgrimsson, Thor; Russell, E.C. (1965). "Canadian Naval Operations in Korean Waters, 1950-1955". Ottawa: Queen's Printer. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
^ Milner, Marc (1999). Canada's Navy: The First Century. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. pp. 207–209. ISBN 0-8020-4281-3.

Bibliography and further reading

Blatherwick, F.J. (1992). Royal Canadian Navy honours, decorations, medals, 1910-1968. FJB Air Publications, New Westminster.
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.
Dittmar, F.J.; College, J.J. (1972). British Warships, 1914-1919. Alan, London.
Douglas, W.A.B.; et al. (2004). No Higher Purpose: The Official Operational History of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War, 1939-1943. Volume II, Part I. Vanwell, St. Catharines.
Douglas, W.A.B.; et al. (2007). A Blue Water Navy: The Official Operational History of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War – 1943-1945, Volume II, Part 2. Vanwell, St. Catharines.
Gimblett, Richard H., ed. (2009). The Naval Service of Canada 1910-2010: The Centennial Story. Toronto: Dundurn Press. ISBN 978-1-4597-1322-2.
Gimblett, Richard H.; Hadley, Michael L., eds. (2010). Citizen Sailors: Chronicles of Canada's Naval Reserve. Toronto: Dundurn Press. ISBN 978-1-55488-867-2.
Johnston, William; Rawling, William G.P.; Gimblett, Richard H.; MacFarlane, John (2010). The Seabound Coast: The Official History of the Royal Canadian Navy, 1867-1939. Vol. 1. Toronto: Dundurn Press. ISBN 978-1-55488-908-2.
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.
Milner, Marc (2010). Canada's Navy: The First Century (Second ed.). Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-0-8020-9604-3.
Office of Naval Intelligence (1944). Index to Warships of the British Commonwealth (PDF). US Government Printing Office.
Tucker, Gilbert (1952). The Naval Service of Canada : Its Official History Vol 2, Activities on Shore During the Second World War. King's Printer, Ottawa.

[4] The vessel was later replaced by HMCS Victoriaville, which took the Granby name as well as the hull number

[:7-1] "Guide to Sources Relating to Canadian Naval Vessels (1909–1983)" (PDF). Library and Archives Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved 10 March 2016.

[2] Thorgrimsson, Thor; Russell, E.C. (1965). "Canadian Naval Operations in Korean Waters, 1950-1955". Ottawa: Queen's Printer. Retrieved 9 May 2010.

[3] Milner, Marc (1999). Canada's Navy: The First Century. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. pp. 207–209. ISBN 0-8020-4281-3.

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