HMCS Swift Current: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:10, 7 November 2016

Revision as of 12:52, 1 February 2017

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==Operational history==

The minesweeper was ordered as part of the 1940-19411940–1941 construction programme.<ref name=mac46/> The ship's [[keel]] was laid down on 10 January 1941 by [[Canadian Vickers|Canadian Vickers Ltd]] at their yard in [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]]. Named for a [[Swift Current|community]] in [[Saskatchewan]], ''Swift Current'' was [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 29 May 1941. The ship was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 11 November 1941 at Montreal.<ref name=mac184>Macpherson and Barrie (2002), p. 184</ref>

Arriving at [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]] on 24 November, the vessel was used as an [[anti-submarine warfare]] (ASW) [[training ship]] there until May 1942. That month, ''Swift Current'' sailed to [[Pictou, Nova Scotia]] to resume ASW training duties there. In February 1943, the minesweeper was sent back to Halifax to join Halifax Force, the patrol and escort unit based there. She remained as part of that unit until June when ''Swift Current'' joined Gaspé Force as a [[convoy]] escort in the [[Battle of the St. Lawrence]].<ref name=mac184/> In September 1943, ''Swift Current'' was among the warships deployed as part of the Canadian force to break up [[Operation Kiebitz]], the German plan to breakout [[prisoner of war]] [[U-boat]] captains from a camp in Canada.<ref>Sarty, p. 251</ref> ''Swift Current'' was among those sent to intercept the U-boat {{GS|U-536||2}} as it entered [[Chaleur Bay]] to rescue the prisoners. The submarine sighted the warships before entering the harbour and broke off the attempt before it could be intercepted.<ref>Douglas et al., ''A Blue Water Navy'', p. 96</ref>

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* {{cite book |editor-last=Chesneau |editor-first=Roger |date=1980 |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922—1946 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |___location=Greenwich, UK |isbn=0-85177-146-7}}

* {{colledge}}

* {{cite book |last=Douglas |first=W.A.B. |last2=Sarty |first2=Roger |last3=Whitby |first3=Michael |title=A Blue Water Navy: The Official Operational History of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War, 1943-19451943–1945 Volume II, Part II |publisher=Vanwell Publishing |___location=St. Catharines, Ontario |date=2007 |isbn=1-55125-069-1}}

* {{cite book |last=Macpherson |first=Ken |date=1997 |title=Minesweepers of the Royal Canadian Navy 1938—1945 |publisher=Vanwell Publishing Limited |___location=St. Catharines, Ontario |isbn=0-920277-55-1}}

* {{cite book |last=Macpherson |first=Ken |last2=Barrie |first2=Ron |date=2002 |title=The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910—2002 |edition=Third |publisher=Vanwell Publishing |___location=St. Catharines, Ontario |isbn=1-55125-072-1}}