HMCS KELOWNA

HMCS KELOWNA, one of the Bangor minesweepers built under the 1940-41 programme, was laid down at the shipyard of the Prince Rupert Dry Dock and Shipyards Company on 27 December 1940.  At the time of her launching, on 28 May 1941, the ship was christened by Mrs. D. J. Matheson, the wife of the acting city commissioner of Prince Rupert.  Nine months later, on 5 February, HMCS KELOWNA was commissioned at Prince Rupert.

The new ship was named for the city of Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia.  From the time of her commissioning the men aboard the ship were well looked after by the citizens of this city who were organized as the “HMCS KELOWNA Committee”.

The KELOWNA spent the three years of her war service carrying out anti-submarine patrols off the west coast.  There were many of these patrol vessels operating up and down the Pacific seaboard guarding the miles of broken coast-line.  Fishing vessels and other craft had to be investigated even when there was no likelihood of enemy submarine activity.  For the greater part of this time HMCS KELOWNA was based at Esquimalt, although she operated out of Prince Rupert for several long periods.  From Esquimalt most of her patrols were carried out in the Juan de Fuca Strait, while the majority of those from Prince Rupert were in the Chatham Sound or Dixon Entrance areas.

The KELOWNA returned to Esquimalt from her last patrol on 22 August 1945, and underwent certain repairs.  Then on 1 October she landed her stores and ammunition in preparation for paying off on 22 October 1945.  A few days thereafter thirty-two Bangor minesweepers, which were held at Bedwell Bay, B.C., and Shelburne, N.S., were declared surplus and turned over to War Assets Corporation.  Among these ships was HMCS KELOWNA.  The following year, on 27 August, she was sold to the Chung Yuan Steam Navigation Company, Montreal.  

The ship’s bell had been removed from the KELOWNA when she paid off in order that it might be presented to the city of Kelowna in appreciation for the sponsoring of the ship.  This presentation took place on 13 January 1947 at the annual Mayor’s Dinner, the mayor accepting the bell on behalf of the city and the KELOWNA Committee, which had by this time disbanded.