A Brief History of

HMCS MALPEQUE

Naval Historical Section, Naval Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario,
with special thanks to CPO2 Chris Fraser for retyping these official histories.

During the pleasant summer days of 1940 the life-and-death struggle being waged by the Allied navies in the Atlantic Ocean and European waters must have seemed very remote to many people living in British Columbia. To the local shipwrights, however, working long hours of overtime, these far-distant events had real significance; every minute counted in the desperate race to get new vessels to sea and thwart the enemy in his destructive course. For this reason, unlike the procedure at a peace-time launching, there was little interruption in the working tempo at one West Coast shipyard on 5 September when yet another small warship slid down the ways into the waters of Vancouver harbour. She had been named HMCS MALPEQUE by Mrs. G. L. Stephens, wife of the Engineer Captain, RCN, in charge of naval construction on the Pacific Coast.

The “Bangor” Class, to which MALPEQUE belonged, had been designed in the United Kingdom for wartime sweeping duty as a smaller, quickly-built version of the “Halcyon” Class of fleet minesweepers, retaining as many of the latter’s qualities as possible. As the design was most suitable for construction by the small, but rapidly expanding, home industry, the Canadian Government had placed orders for eighteen steam Bangors in the early months of 1940 as part of its 1939-40 emergency shipbuilding programme. Out of this total a contract for six ships had been awarded to North Vancouver Ship Repairs Ltd., and one of the first of the minesweeper keels, Job Number M/S 2, was laid down by the firm on 24 April. Subsequently it was decided that this vessel would be named after Malpeque, a settlement situated on an indentation of the same name on the north-west coast of Prince Edward Island. The word, Malpeque or Macpec, was originally a rendition by early French settlers of the Micmac Indian “makpaak”, meaning “large bay” and the area was so called by the first Scottish immigrants in 1770. In modern times, as well as having the honour of being one of the oldest settlements in the province, Malpeque had become renowned for the excellence of its oysters.

Having been successfully launched, MALPEQUE was towed to her fitting-out berth but her final completion date was still a long way away. During the next eleven months a number of changes were made in the “Bangor” design making it necessary to stop work on the minesweeper from time to time to await the arrival of details from the United Kingdom. Probably the most important of these alterations was the decision to equip the class with an asdic set in connection with which a hole had to be cut in the hull, the stowage for anti-submarine depth-charges increased, a gyro compass and low-power electrical system installed, and the general lay-out revised to accommodate the new equipment and the extra hands required to man it. MALPEQUE was finally ready by mid-summer for active duty with the Fleet and on 4 August, 1941, she was commissioned under the command of Lieutenant W. R. Stacey, RCNR.

MALPEQUE, pennants J-148, as her new company of six officers and 64 ratings saw her on that day was a small, sturdy minesweeper with the following specifications:-

Displacement672 tons

Length Overall180’

Breadth28’ 6”

Draught Forward9’ 10” (full load)

Draught Aft10’ 2” (full load)

ArmamentOne 4-inch Q.F. Mark IV;

two 0.5” Twin-Colts and

two Lewis guns;

depth-charges for anti-submarine

attacks.

A twin-screw vessel with steam reciprocating engines, which were capable of giving her a full speed of 16.5 knots, she had an endurance of 2,950 miles at 11.5 knots and a fuel capacity of 1003 barrels of oil. At this time MALPEQUE was fitted with a winch aft and the necessary gear to enable her to clear standard moored mines by means of a single or double Oropesa sweep.

On 16 August, 1941, MALPEQUE was officially accepted from her builders and immediately began a busy working-up programme, her first voyage of any distance being to Prince Rupert at the end of the month. Returning to base via Hecate Strait early in September the minesweeper was hit by a south-east gale, which shifted to the south-west with a high confused sea. For the next few hours the new ship was given a thorough testing by the elements and as a result developed a number of leaks, mostly through her decks, whilst a high percentage of her crew suffered from the horrors of seasickness. Having been made seaworthy again and completed her exercises at Esquimalt MALPEQUE finally sailed for the East Coast on 13 September in company with a sister-ship, HMCS MINAS.

As the United States had not yet entered the war special permission had to be obtained from the Neutrality Officer at San Pedro, California, the first port of call, for the minesweepers to remain in territorial waters four hours over the statutory twenty-four so that work could be done on MINAS’ main engine bearings. The pair slipped in the evening of 18 September but MALPEQUE had to report that she was short two hands, who had failed to return from shore leave. Fuel was embarked at Manzanillo, Mexico, and the ships continued to the southward without incident until the last dog watch on 26 September when MALPEQUE had to stop as her steam steering engine had jammed. For the next three hours, while repairs were made, the ship followed an erratic track as the sweating helmsmen in the after hand-steering compartment, where the temperature was 120°F., endeavoured to keep her on course with the inadequate assistance of a small boat’s compass, there being no permanent compass fitted in the after position.

The British Vice-Consul and a representative of the Nicaraguan Government were on the wharf as MALPEQUE and MINAS came alongside at Corinto for supplies. Within twenty-four hours they were at sea again steaming steadily towards Panama, where American guards were placed on board for the passage of the canal. The ships entered almost at once and all went well until MALPEQUE’s steering engine jammed again as she was approaching the Gatun Locks. After being held up for three hours the minesweepers reached Christobal on 4 October whence they sailed out into the Caribbean Sea. Three days were spent at Kingston, Jamaica, after which MALPEQUE and MINAS bucked strong winds and a high sea on the next leg to Bermuda. Arriving off the islands at midnight on 14 October they found that the port was closed during dark hours and had to stand off and on the land until daybreak. Oil fuel, only, was taken on board as Bermuda was suffering from a prolonged drought and no fresh fruit, vegetables or water could be supplied. On 16 October course was shaped for Halifax, where the ships secured in HMC Dockyard three days later after a voyage of nearly 7,000 miles.

New-construction vessels arriving at the East Coast base were quickly fitted into the organization and in November MALPEQUE, by now a unit of the Halifax Local Defence Force, was frequently at sea either on anti-submarine patrols or sweeping the convoy channels with her Oropesa gear for a distance of up to twenty-five miles from the harbour entrance. On the 17^th she was taken in hand at Dartmouth for alterations to her superstructure but by early December the current refit had ended.

By mid-winter 1941-42 every warship suitable for convoy work in the North Atlantic was urgently required and, as the danger of extensive enemy minelaying activity off the North American coast had receded, the Canadian Bangors were diverted to the higher priority task. MALPEQUE and MINAS were transferred to the Sydney Sub-Command and had their first experience of convoy work when they took station on the 43 merchantmen of HX 164 on 8 December. Two days out the ocean escort, consisting of six US destroyers, was sighted on the horizon and, having turned over their charges, the minesweepers headed back to Cape Breton. During her stay at Sydney MALPEQUE accompanied four Sydney-United Kingdom Slow Convoys (SC) from the base to a rendezvous with their respective ocean escorts. Most of the time the weather was bad being particularly unpleasant when SC 61 was preparing to sail during a north-west gale, with heavy snow squalls, four days before Christmas. Owing to nil visibility five ships failed to clear the harbour at all whilst the remaining seventeen took nearly four days to get into station on one another as a formed convoy. Conditions were little better in January, 1942, when MALPEQUE gave protection to SC 63 and SC 64 on the first leg of their long journeys across the Atlantic. She had just detached from the latter on 14 January to return to Sydney when a signal was received putting her under the command of the Flag Officer Newfoundland Force.

On 16 January, 1942, MALPEQUE identified herself to the Port War Signal Station and steamed through the narrow entrance into St. John’s harbour, which was to be her home base for the next two years. The first introduction was brief as she was immediately ordered out again, there being no tug available, to stand by the 8,627-ton British tanker, Toorak, which had been torpedoed ten miles to seaward. Three destroyers, HM Ships Lightning, Highlander, and Harvester, who had been inward bound, and two aircraft began a search for the submarine as Toorak tried to make emergency repairs. Subsequently she entered St. John’s under her own steam at 4 knots and MALPEQUE’s help was not required.

Having cleaned her boilers MALPEQUE started a long, hard-driving career with the Newfoundland Force, during which she was to escort, without loss, hundreds of merchant ships as they moved between Canadian and Newfoundland ports or started on their voyages overseas. Most of the work was unspectacular as on no occasion was she definitely in contact with the enemy although a number of depth-charge attacks were made following asdic detection of suspicious underwater contacts. However, ceaseless vigilance was required particularly as in 1942 German U-boats were very active in the St. Lawrence River and its approaches, causing the destruction by torpedoing of twenty-one vessels between May and October of that year. Apart from the ever-present possibility of attack MALPEQUE also had to contend with the elements in the form of gales and snowstorms. Having to keep station on a small convoy in thick fog and avoid floating icebergs were other problems with which MALPEQUE was liable to be beset; the fitting of radar in September, 1942, considerably reduced the chances of collision but in its early form could not always be relied upon. An extract from FONF’s report for July, 1942, illustrates the pressure under which the minesweeper operated during her years with the NEF:-

“Escorts for local convoys were, for the early part of the month, difficult to find owing to the large proportion of local escorts refitting and the loss of GEORGIAN for repairs necessitated by her ramming of P-514. As a result MALPEQUE and COWICHAN have done a very high percentage of seatime and it has again been impossible, except on exceptional occasions, to provide protection for shipping at Wabana which at one time reached a total of 35,000 tons.”

With the approach of winter storms, which would put more strain on her, MALPEQUE could no longer delay having “a spell alongside the wall”. On 25 October she arrived at Liverpool, NS, where she was taken in hand for repairs, which lasted until the middle of December. A day’s post-refit trials were conducted at sea on the 19^th and the next day MALPEQUE was secured outside HMCS MIDLAND, a corvette, and the minesweeper, HMCS DRUMMONDVILLE, at Thompson’s Wharf, preparing to sail again. As she was facing upstream all wires except one stern line were slipped so that the ship could swing around to starboard and head downstream. Berthed astern were three other warships and, having begun to turn MALPEQUE had to let go her after line to avoid crashing into them. Unfortunately, instead of continuing to swing she was held in stays by the current and a strong W by N breeze and, although both engines were put to full astern, the minesweeper could not stop herself from grounding on a mud-bank on the opposite side of the 300-foot channel. There she sat for eight hours until the rising tide floated her off in the evening. A thorough examination of the hull revealed that MALPEQUE had been saved from any damage by the soft nature of the muddy bottom and she was able to continue her voyage to Halifax for the next phase of the refit.

All outstanding defects had been completed by early February, 1943, and MALPEQUE was again ready for active duty. Two important changes had been made in her capability to destroy enemy mines. Firstly, in accordance with a directive issued to all minesweepers employed primarily on escort work, she had landed her sweeping equipment and winch for their better preservation ashore. Secondly the ship was now fitted with SA Gear, Type “C”, Mark I, permitting her to sweep for acoustic ground mines, which were detonated by the sound waves of a passing vessel.

MALPEQUE embarked the last-minute stores and sailed with her first convoy, HJ 32, on 5 February. She and another Bangor, HMCS STRATFORD, shepherded the six merchant ships into station but off the Gut of Canso the party was hit by a southerly gale and became scattered over a large area of ocean. As the weather moderated a general rendezvous was made and MALPEQUE finally arrived at her base, St. John’s, on the 7^th. She immediately began another busy period of almost continuous seatime as one of the unsung heroes of the Newfoundland Force.

The beginning of the defeat of the U-boat campaign in the North Atlantic can be dated from April, 1943, and the following month, by a combination of improved tactics and new equipment, the Allies sent forty-one submarines to the bottom. The enemy was forced to ease the pressure, temporarily, but the convoy escorts still had the natural hazards to combat while remaining ever vigilant in case of a resumption of the attack. By the end of September MALPEQUE had logged thousands more miles and become well acquainted with the sea lanes between St. John’s, Louisburg, Sydney, Wabana, and Argentia. On 1 October she made a somewhat faster passage than her usual slow convoy progress when she zigzagged ahead of a submarine, HMS L-27, at 14 knots from St. John’s to Sydney. Having seen her charge safely through the boom-gate MALPEQUE shaped course for Corner Brook, Newfoundland, to begin the first part of her annual refit.

The encrusted dirt of six weeks in dockyard hands was washed from MALPEQUE’s upper deck when she put to sea from Corner Brook in November. Gun trials were carried out at Sydney, followed by work-up drills at Halifax and Pictou before the minesweeper was ordered to Saint John, NB, on 29 December. Arriving off the harbour fairway buoy she received from the Examination vessel her sailing orders, which were to take the two vessels of FH 94 to Halifax. This job done she headed back to Newfoundland to resume her normal escort duties.

MALPEQUE’s third tour with the Newfoundland Force was to be of short duration. Planning for the Allied re-entry into enemy-occupied Europe had reached the stage where specific units were being earmarked for their roles in the assault. One of the most important naval preliminaries would be the clearing of mines in the approach channels and on 19 January, 1944, the Admiralty made a formal request for the loan of 16 Canadian Bangors, with their sweeping gear, to be trained as part of the large force required for this task; it was later agreed by the British that although the ships would be administered and operated by the Royal Navy they would be formed into two Canadian flotillas. In Canada 16 minesweepers, including MALPEQUE, were chosen and, after the necessary adjustments had been made to the escort organization, they were released to make preparations for their new assignment.

Starting on 20 January MALPEQUE lay for a month at Halifax while changes were made to her armament and equipment. As the sweepers would probably come under heavy attack off the beach-heads from aircraft, her 4” gun was replaced by a 12-pounder HA/LA gun; the 0.5” weapons on either side of the bridge were exchanged for Oerlikons and a twin-Oerlikon mounting was fitted aft in place of her single pom-pom. MALPEQUE’s minesweeping gear and winch were re-installed and the extra depth-charges, embarked when she was acting in the anti-submarine role, were returned to the armament depot. The rating complement had been increased to 80 when she left Halifax on 19 February with three other Bangors, HMC Ships CARAQUET, VEGREVILLE, and COWICHAN bound for Newfoundland.

Owing to their limited fuel supply, which gave them a safety limit of only 7 days at sea, the Bangors could not take a direct route across the Atlantic but had to break the journey at the Azores. For the voyage they were organized into four divisions of four ships each and the Third Division, which consisted of the party mentioned above, steamed away from St. John’s on 23 February. A few miles off the land MALPEQUE had to heave to and transfer two naval stowaways, who had been found hiding below, to HMCS TROIS RIVIERES. After this the division tracked to the eastward but the North Atlantic very soon lived up to its reputation for bad weather in February. Head winds of gale force and heavy seas slowed up progress and in the course of the next week VEGREVILLE had to be taken in tow, owing to fuel shortage, by COWICHAN and later by CARAQUET. Aboard MALPEQUE the gyro compass failed; the W/T cabinet was flooded, putting all sets out of action and salt water leaked into No.1 oil fuel tank. The battered ships finally entered Horta harbour on 3 March and remained at the island for five days. Patched up, the group, augmented by HMCS THUNDER from one of the other divisions, continued to Plymouth on 8 March.

On arrival in the United Kingdom the Bangors were immediately started on a rigorous training programme although individual ships had to be taken out from time to time for repairs to bring them up to operational efficiency; one particular defect from which all the Bangors suffered was the poor design of their winches, which were very prone to break-down. At first the crews of the minesweepers had to do a considerable amount of re-adjusting as pointed out by the Training Commander:-

“It was found when they arrived that the majority of Commanding Officers, Officers and Ship’s Companies had little or no experience of minesweeping. In addition they were not minesweeping minded as they had been employed solely on escort work.” Within a few weeks the Training Commander was able to report a great improvement and at the end of March the available Canadian Bangors were able to take part in their first major exercise, the sweeping of a dummy field off Torquay. It became apparent at this time that, with the number of ships fit for service, it would be possible to form only one all-Canadian flotilla and that the remaining RCN Bangors would have to be fitted into under-strength RN groups.

The first big “mock-up” for the forthcoming invasion, Exercise “Trousers”, took place on 11-12 April when two flotillas of minesweepers swept ahead of landing craft from the Solent to the vicinity of Slapton Sands. The Canadian contribution consisted of HMC Ships FORT WILLIAM, COWICHAN, WASAGA, MINAS, BLAIRMORE, MILLTOWN and MALPEQUE, with BAYFIELD as danlayer. These ships were to be the nucleus of the new Canadian 31^st Minesweeping Flotilla.

For the rest of April and through May invasion minesweeping exercises conducted from Tor Bay, Babbacombe Bay and Weymouth Bay were the order of the day. On 20 May MALPEQUE and her flotilla were lying at anchor in Jenny Cliff Bay, Plymouth Sound, when the group was ordered to carry out a clearance-sweep south of Start Point, where it was suspected German “E” boats had sown mines the night before. On the third day the flotilla had its “baptism of fire”, eight mines being cut, one as a result of MALPEQUE’s efforts. Encouraged by their success the Bangors returned to Jenny Cliff Bay but twenty-four hours later they steamed across Lyme Bay to the anchorage off Weymouth. During the night all hands had to close up at action stations when enemy aircraft came over, presumably on a minelaying sortie. MALPEQUE opened fire with her small arms but without any visible success. On the morrow FORT WILLIAM, MULGRAVE, MILLTOWN, and MALPEQUE had the opportunity of using their SA gear in an anti-acoustic sweep of the approach channel to Weymouth Bay.

In harbours, rivers, and bays of the assembly area in the south of England the great armada was now making final preparations for the assault on Hitler’s citadel of Europe. Under the master plan for Operation “Overlord” the Allied armies were to be landed along the beaches of the Baie de la Seine, Normandy, on a five-divisional front by five naval forces, three of which were to be British and the other two American. The naval contribution was further grouped into a British Eastern Task Force, responsible for the divisional sectors of “Sword”, “Juno”, and “Gold” and an American Western Task Force for sectors “Omaha” and “Utah”. As arranged by the planners of Operation “Neptune” some six thousand vessels were to reach the focal area, “Piccadilly Circus”, off the Isle of Wight, at their own specified times and then cross the English Channel on a twenty-mile wide front until they reached the first obstacle, a German minefield forming a barrier in depth, from Cap de la Hague to Boulogne. For passage through the mined belt and final approaches to the landing sectors the ships would be confined to ten channels, each of which had been previously swept and buoyed by a fleet minesweeping flotilla. Channels 1 and 2, leading to “Utah”, and Channels 3 and 4, leading to “Omaha” were the responsibility of the Western Task Force while the Eastern Task Force had to clear Channels 5 and 6 to “Gold”, Channels 7 and 8 to “Juno” and 9 and 10 to “Sword”. Early in June, 1944, the Canadian 31^st Minesweeping Flotilla, under the command of CARAQUET as Senior Officer, became part of Western Task Force “O” and was informed that it would be responsible for No.3 assault channel.

MALPEQUE calibrated her spare minesweeping gear, fuelled, and then returned to the Weymouth anchorage on 3 June. All shore contact with the Bangors was forbidden and Radio Counter Measure (RCM) was installed. This highly-secret equipment was capable of jamming enemy shore-based radar and confusing him as to the number and exact location of ships carrying the unit or operating near such vessels. Previously some of the minesweepers had been fitted with another device, “QH”, which permitted extremely accurate navigation; a cross-bearing fix was obtained from correlated VHF shore-based radar transmissions and applied with the help of a simple code to a lattice chart. Both of these technical aids were to be of inestimable assistance in the carrying out of their mission.

Everyone aboard the sweepers of the 31^st MF was keyed up in anticipation when they weighed anchor in the early hours of 4 June having been given the order “Go” for Operation “Neptune”. Once clear of the lee of Portland Bill they quickly found that the wind of a summer gale was whipping up the waters of the Channel and no doubt driving big waves up the distant Normandy beaches. Off Poole word was received of a twenty-four hour postponement and the flotilla made its way back to Weymouth. By 0300 the next morning the weather had improved slightly and cable parties shortened in again. Whilst weighing, WASAGA backed into BAYFIELD holding her in the bows but with temporary repairs BAYFIELD was able to sail with the others. A rough sea still made station-keeping difficult but by 1735 the 31^st MF had passed “Piccadilly Circus” and altered course for approach Channel 3.

Steady on its track for France the flotilla was now in formation to start sweeping. Leading the cavalcade was a motor launch, HMML 454 with a single sweep to catch any shallow mines and protect CARAQUET, who was directly astern of her; broad on the Senior Officer’s starboard bow was HMML 465 ready to take over if anything should happen to ML 454. Disposed to port from CARAQUET in “G” formation, or quarter-line, followed FORT WILLIAM, WASAGA, COWICHAN, MINAS, and MALPEQUE, each ship steaming in cleared water eight hundred yards astern and about two hundred yards to port of the next ahead. Directly astern of CARAQUET, and abreast FORT WILLIAM, were HMML’s 345 and 473 in line ahead; astern of FORT WILLIAM was a danlayer, HMS Gunner, astern of COWICHAN came BAYFIELD, acting as a danlayer, and behind her BLAIRMORE, MILLTOWN, and MULGRAVE, the last three mentioned having their sweeps at short stay ready to fill any sudden gaps in the line or prolong it as requisite. “Tail-end Charlie” of the party was the third danlayer, HMS Green Howard, who followed in MALPEQUE’s wake. When the order “Out Sweeps” was passed down the line the flotilla began to clear a passage of between six and seven cables in width but this was reduced to a six-cable side channel (1200 yards) as the danlayers dropped their markers 150 yards inside the swept channel.

Five miles from the mine barrier a sonic buoy had been placed previously to mark the beginning of the approach channel and, after the flotilla had checked its position, Green Howard dropped a green flashing dan. The last ship had entered the channel by 1900 and course was altered to 166° to navigate the eight-mile width of the mined section. The work of the danlayers now began in earnest and for the next few hours the small parties actually working with the buoy equipment aboard these vessels had to keep their wits about them or the assault forces following behind would be thrown into disarray. The quarter-deck of each danlayer was piled high with an assortment of lengths of wire, shackles, weights, anchors, dans and floats. At one-mile intervals, or approximately every seven and a half minutes a dan buoy with 75 fathoms of wire shackled to it and weighted with two 175-lb. blocks, had to be heaved over the side. These dans flew a small flag and displayed a light; at turning points in the channel special dans, weighted with 500-lb. blocks and fitted with lights, had to be laid.

The eighth dan was dropped shortly after 2000 and, having safely passed through the barrier, the 31^st MF altered to 192° and began to sweep the eighteen miles to the terminal point of the channel. An hour and a half later the RCM unit was switched on and a change in tidal direction made it necessary to alter to “G” formation to starboard. When this manoeuvre had been completed by 2300 there still had been no re-action from the enemy although the sweepers were well inside the range of his radar. In the distance ahead, however, brilliant flashes of exploding shells lit up the sky as Allied aircraft, bombing shore targets, were engaged with anti-aircraft fire.

At midnight the steady progress of the 31^st MF was temporarily interrupted when BLAIRMORE parted her sweep and had to be replaced in the line by MILLTOWN. Reaching the terminal point of Channel 3 shortly afterwards the ships changed direction to 119° to sweep the south western lap of the transport area. The four and a half miles were covered in forty minutes and by 0100 on 6 June MALPEQUE and her flotilla had reached position “L”, where they started to come round 270° in 30 steps to head south-south-west for a sweep of Fire Support Channel 34; the beaches and rising ground behind were visible at 0200 when the squadron began its third task. Passing position “L” again they swept on down getting closer to the land all the time until 0300 when helms were put over to take the 31^st MF away from the beaches. As it slowly swung to port the flotilla came within one and a half miles of the hostile shore just as the moon made a brief appearance from behind the clouds and bathed them in light for about half a minute. Even this brought no re-action from the enemy batteries, which had probably decided that it was better not to reveal their positions and thereby invite massive air attacks until larger targets presented themselves. Apart from this short period of natural illumination the watchers could hardly have failed to see the minesweepers, which were showing dimmed station-keeping and stern lights in addition to dimmed green lights on all floats, the latter as a check on whether their sweeps had parted.

The 31^st MF steadied on a north-westerly course and at position “E” shortened in sweeps prior to altering to due north. In line ahead they were now ploughing through a new lap adjacent to the inward one recently covered; during the entire sweep of the fire support channel the fleet minesweepers were being followed up by specially-equipped vessels to take care of any acoustic or magnetic mines. As the Canadian ships were completing their assignment the support battleships and cruisers of Force “O” were passing them close on the port hand so much so that MINAS had to go hard-a-starboard to avoid being cut in two by the French cruiser Georges Leygues.

Having reached the top of the fire support channel, in the vicinity of position “L”, the 31^st MF swept parallel to the transport area for about half its length which put them in position for the next task. An area free of moored mines had been created for the big transports but there still remained the possibility of assault landing craft (LCA’s) striking such obstacles on their final run-in to the landing sectors. To cover this contingency the 31^st MF altered 90° to port together and in “H” formation, line abreast, steamed through the waters from the transport area to the beaches of “Omaha” between St. Laurent and Port-en-Bessin, as far as the ten-fathom line. Dawn was almost breaking as the sweep was completed a scant two miles off shore. Fortunately the enemy still chose to ignore the sweepers and their only troubles were navigational, CARAQUET losing her gear when it fouled the bottom and FORT WILLIAM getting hers hopelessly entangled in the buoy marking the entrance to Port-en-Bessin. It was now 0515, seventy-five minutes to go before the infantry were due to start pouring ashore from landing craft on to the beaches of Baie de la Seine. For the minesweepers, who had had the honour of leading the vast host of Normandy on this historic day the moment had come to withdraw, temporarily, to the wings and watch the drama unfold.

While the ships of the flotilla were proceeding independently to the neighbourhood of position “L” to await orders, the guns of the bombardment warships were blasting away at shore objectives. Fire was quickly returned and as the sweepers were in the direct line of bearing, shells began to fall uncomfortably close. MALPEQUE was caught in the middle of the tricky business of recovering her sweep and the incident is commented upon by her Commanding Officer, Lieutenant D. Davis, RCNVR, in his Report of Proceedings:-

“Behaviour of ship’s company and especially the minesweeping party was most encouraging, observing that this was the first time under fire while handling minesweeping gear”.

Once the beach-heads had been established after H-hour, the second phase of the minesweeping plan had to be undertaken. This consisted of slow, careful sweeping of the entire assault area and eventually of the whole of Baie de la Seine. Not only had the existing invasion channels to be widened but as enemy aircraft persistently laid mines at night, all convoy routes from England to the Normandy beaches had to be frequently checked. For weeks to come the problem of mines was to be one of the most serious threats to the build-up on the beaches and, after a comparatively easy start Allied minesweepers were to be taxed to the limit in their efforts to keep the lanes clear.

The 31^st MF remained in the Transport Area until 1400 on 6 June when orders, which had been delayed six hours owing to the communication congestion, were at last received to complete the sweep of areas “Oregon”, “Kansas”, and “Ohio”. By this time vessels of all types were arriving off the beaches and the sweepers had to shorten their wires as they frequently altered course to dodge convoys and individual ships. In the First Watch the task was finished and at 0045 the 31^st MF, including MALPEQUE, anchored near Port-en-Bessin. After a brief respite the sweep of the coastal channels continued until the afternoon of the 7^th.

Between 8 and 11 June the Flotilla carried out a dawn-to-dusk clearance of area “Elder” in “G” formation, during which period they had the satisfaction of accounting for 78 mines; MALPEQUE’s score was eleven cut and detonated. After a final double Oropesa re-sweep in “K” formation, or two rows of sweepers in line abreast, of the specific section, which had produced mines, the 31^st MF spent the night of 11-12 June in Baie de la Seine. In the small hours the anchored sweepers had an unwanted thrill when a torpedo from an “E” boat battle being conducted to seaward raced amongst them before expending itself harmlessly on the beach.

Having fuelled at Portland the 31^st MF returned to the fray on 15 June for another five days of hard sweeping in the approach channels to the bay. As before, practically every ship lost gear or had it damaged by others passing too close to floats and sweep wires. Another strong gale blew up in the English Channel on 20 June and with sweeping a hopeless proposition the 31^st MF was forced to anchor in Baie de la Seine; the weather showed no signs of improving and the group was later ordered to leave the area. Terrific strain came on MALPEQUE’s port cable as the capstan engine began to heave in and shortly afterwards the Cable Officer had to report to the bridge that it had parted at the third shackle. Minus one anchor MALPEQUE joined the flotilla on a choppy voyage to Plymouth.

During the Bangors sojourn in Devonport the US army, after breaking through the enemy’s lines at Isigny, had mounted a massive assault on Cherbourg, which the Germans were claiming was impregnable. To the Allied navy fell the task of silencing the heavy coastal guns, which prevented ships from approaching the port, and once again the minesweepers had the honour of being in the van of the attacking forces. The 14^th Minesweeping Flotilla, which included HMCS THUNDER, swept ahead of the bombarding warships on 24 and 25 June. On the latter date the 31^st MF finished its lay-over and sailed without MALPEQUE, who overtook some hours later, for Portland. Within forty-eight hours, the sweepers were leaving Portsmouth in company with, and under the orders of, the 16^th MF to start clearing a new channel, “H”, from the Needles Light to Cherbourg. Every five minutes a dan was dropped as a mark for a proper ocean buoy to be placed at a future date. The ten ships swept twenty-five miles before being sent back to the Isle of Wight because, although Cherbourg had officially been captured on 26 June, nobody had told the outlying forts, which kept up a brisk fire making it impossible for the combined flotillas to complete their task. The last vestige of stubborn resistance was finally overcome and on 1 July the 16^th MF, with the 31^st MF in station astern, arrived in “G” formation to a spot about 2½ miles off the city. Sweeps were taken in and the flotillas departed as trained parties began the tremendous job of re-opening the wrecked port to shipping.

With the establishment of Channel “H” a routine was started for the 31^st MF under which it kept the triangle of channels, Solent-assault area-Cherbourg, and back to the Solent, constantly swept on a sweeping schedule of approximately five days. Half-way through the first circuit CARAQUET developed a main engine defect and had to be towed back to the assault area by MALPEQUE. The former had to be left in the anchorage the next day to make good repairs when the flotilla continued to Cherbourg and thence back to the Isle of Wight. MALPEQUE continued on sweeping sorties until 24 July when she and COWICHAN were detached from the 31^st MF at Portsmouth to go to Devonport for boiler-cleaning and repairs. Both ships rejoined on 17 August and were with the flotilla the next day for a sweep of “H” channel to Cherbourg, returning via Baie de la Seine on the 21^st.

In the third week of August, 1944, the Allies were closing in on Brest from the east and the 31^st MF’s next assignment was the sweeping and danning of a passage to the vicinity of Roscoff on the Brittany peninsula. In company was the 157^th BYMS Flotilla, which followed the Bangors in to the terminal point and then split into two groups, one to sweep the approaches to Morlaix, the other to clear the Roscoff anchorage. After two more days in the area the 31^st MF took in its sweeping gear and left for Cherbourg detaching MINAS on the way to recover three British airmen, who had been reported floating in a dinghy by a Liberator aircraft patrolling in the vicinity.

Another big sea bombardment of a German strong point was now being planned with the island of Cézambre off St. Malo, one of the few places still held in Brittany by the enemy, as its main target. Leaving Cherbourg on 29 August the 31^st MF made its way past Alderney and early next morning the sweepers took up “K” formation at the start of the run. The end position of the sweep, some ten miles from Cézambre, was reached at 1440 but to make doubly sure that all was clear for the bombardment ships the last five miles was re-swept prior to dans being laid at the terminal point and at the corner of the channel, where it skirted the shallower waters of the Plateau de Barnouic. At first light on the 31^st the flotilla arrived back at Cherbourg and MALPEQUE secured alongside the anchored MULGRAVE. This was a short spell in harbour as eight mines had been reported between “H.8” and “H.10” buoys and during a sweep from the French side of the Channel to England the 31^st MF had to give the section special attention the following day. No mines bobbed to the surface and having reached Portsmouth the flotilla lay at anchor until almost the end of the month awaiting news of possible seaborne operations to the west of Cherbourg.

For its next duty the 31^st MF was out in the Channel sweeping across to Normandy and back between 26 September and 4 October. On the 5^th they got their sweeps out at “Piccadilly Circus” and swept Channel 58 to Arromanches. Once again a howling gale was blowing off the Seine beaches and the flotilla had to shift anchor billets three times in the next seventy-two hours. Sailing orders were finally received and on 8 October the flotilla formed line ahead in the order FORT WILLIAM, acting Senior Officer, COWICHAN, MULGRAVE, MALPEQUE, and BLAIRMORE to steam to the starting point of Operation “Pilgrim”, a sweep from Le Havre to Dieppe. Enemy shipping had all scrambled out of the former port by the end of August but the garrison had held out until 12 September. Dieppe, most appropriately, had been recaptured by the Canadian Army on 1 September.

By 0749Z on 8 October the 31^st, MF, its sweeps inboard, was in a position approximately eleven miles due west of Le Havre, when observers aboard MALPEQUE saw the next astern, MULGRAVE, deluged with water following a violent explosion on her starboard quarter. The stricken minesweeper quickly began to list to starboard and settle by the stern but speedy shoring of bulkheads by her Damage Control Party prevented the water from spreading throughout the ship. BLAIRMORE, who had been three cables astern, hauled out of line and came alongside starboard side to and took off the majority of MULGRAVE’s company; fortunately no one had been killed or seriously injured. A tow-line was then passed and at an agonizing five knots BLAIRMORE managed to drag MULGRAVE, whose quarter-deck, by now, was totally awash, into Le Havre. Seeing MULGRAVE in trouble MALPEQUE had also closed to give assistance but, as BLAIRMORE was dealing very capably with the situation, she was ordered to rejoin the flotilla.

Its plans somewhat upset by recent events the 31^st MF was unable to resume Operation “Pilgrim” until the morning of the 9^th. The new coastal channel was cleared by 13 October and MALPEQUE, whose turn it was for boiler-cleaning at Plymouth, left the flotilla when it arrived in the Solent on the 18^th.

The establishment of another swept channel, Operation “Progress” from Dieppe to Le Havre, was occupying the flotilla when MALPEQUE and GUYSBOROUGH rejoined it in Dieppe. From 4 to 11 November there was no sweeping while the ships lay at anchor on the English side but on the 12^th a new combined, four-mile-wide channel, from “Piccadilly Circus” to the crossroads of the channels leading to the eastern and western assault areas, was started. Sweeping was completed in one day but the next task took considerably longer. The latter operation, code name “Link”, was to provide a 24-mile mine-free path from Cap d’Antifer to the main Portsmouth-Baie de la Seine channel. For the first lap, GUYSBOROUGH, who was unable to sweep owing to defective gear, was sent to the extremity as a beacon whilst MALPEQUE was posted at the starting point as a guide for MILLTOWN, GEORGIAN, and BLAIRMORE to run out on. At the time the flotilla’s danlayers were refitting and as a last minute substitute an ex-whaler, HMS Spina, had to be borrowed. Although faster than the danlayer trawlers the little ship could only carry 15 dans and had to be sent back to Portsmouth for a refill on 14 November. Winds of gale force, which made it impossible to sweep three days later, rose to a crescendo on 20 November and struck the Bangors as they were at anchor, causing four of them to part their cables. As a grand finale to the operation, Channel “Link” was given a double Oropesa sweep before the 31^st MF returned to Plymouth.

Early in December, 1944, the flotilla, now consisting of THUNDER, COWICHAN, BAYFIELD, FORT WILLIAM, and MALPEQUE was back in the familiar waters of Channel “H”. The sweep completed, they anchored overnight in Weymouth Bay. To the Cable Party’s complete disgust MALPEQUE’s starboard cable carried away fifteen minutes before weighing time, presumably due to a weak link as there was little wind. The rest of the flotilla got under way without mishap and the party set course for Plymouth, where it was being sent for an extended layover.

As the moored mine situation in the English Channel was becoming more manageable the Bangors of the 31^st MF were taken off sweeping duty after Christmas, 1944, and were utilized, temporarily, in the role of convoy escorts. During the first two months of the New Year MALPEQUE made numerous trips, by herself or in company with other warships, between English ports (usually Portland) and Cherbourg or Le Havre, escorting single ships or small convoys. This was part of the continuous shuttle-service across the Channel as the Allied Armies built up their strength on the Continent. By the third week of February the minesweeper had provided protection for fourteen such convoys and had arrived at Plymouth for the usual periodical boiler-cleaning spell.

In accordance with the cyclical repair programme for Bangors in European waters both MALPEQUE and MILLTOWN were now ready for a long refit in Canada and on 27 February they sailed for home via the Azores. Unlike the outward passage this one proved to be uneventful and on 10 March, 1945, the cliffs at the entrance to St. John’s were eagerly spotted. A small convoy, JHF 53, was ready to leave and MALPEQUE continued her journey as one of its escorts on the 11^th. After two more interminable days at sea she berthed amidst the familiar surroundings of Halifax, back from the wars for a well-earned rest.

The hard-fought battle with the German forces swept on to its triumphant conclusion as MALPEQUE lay, a dead ship, at Liverpool, NS. Some two weeks after VE Day, the official ending of the war in Europe, she completed her refit and sea trials. On 18 June MALPEQUE and COWICHAN steamed away from St. John’s to rejoin the 31^st MF as, although most Allied warships were being re-deployed, there still remained a gigantic minesweeping task in the European theatre, for which the Admiralty had asked for any help that could be spared.

The Azores were raised on 23 June and the sweepers obtained fuel and supplies at Ponta Delgada. In the evening they moved to Angra do Heroismo on the island of Terceira to collect some passengers and more stores. Arriving at Plymouth on the 28^th MALPEQUE made final preparations before again becoming an active unit of the 31^st MF.

During MALPEQUE’s absence in Canada the flotilla had not been idle having played an important part in the attack on the German-held port of Bordeaux in April and also captured a German armed trawler while operating in the Bay of Biscay. Since the end of the war it had been employed on the urgent task of sweeping the North America-United Kingdom sea-lanes adjacent to the British Isles and Eire to permit the safe passage of troopships returning personnel to Canada and the United States. The latest project had been the clearing of the Little Sole minefield some 210 miles south-west of the Scilly Isles. To speed up the process of repatriation it was next decided to clear the way for the two Cunard White Star liners, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, to return to their pre-war home port of Southampton; in the middle of July the 31^st MF, including MALPEQUE, sailed around from Plymouth to Portsmouth to start work on the deep British minefields along the route to be taken by the big ships.

For the next few weeks the flotilla worked a steady routine of five days sweeping followed by three days in harbour, when forty-eight hours’ leave was given to one watch. During the actual operations MALPEQUE did the danlaying and on completion of each day’s sweeping the group anchored either in St. Helen’s or Yarmouth Roads, both off the Isle of Wight. By mid-August MALPEQUE had need of repairs to her main engine-room fan and from the 17^th to the 31^st she was berthed at North Railway Jetty, Portsmouth prior to becoming active again on the latter date.

Stationed in “G” formation the 31^st MF started a clearance sweep of QZX 1678, a deep British anti-submarine minefield south of Newhaven, early in September, 1945. To reach the mines, which were a mere 30 feet from their ground moorings, meant sweeping very close to the bottom with the result that progress was slow. The minesweepers’ wires were continually parting either on sea-bed obstructions or as a result of the high proportion of detonations. Only half the area had been covered for a bag of 87 mines when the Bangors were ordered to return to Portsmouth. At 1910 on 11 September MILLTOWN detonated the last mine for the flotilla bringing its score to a grand total of 390 German, French, and British mines destroyed since the formation of the 31^st Canadian Minesweeping Flotilla in April 1944.

Morale had been sinking somewhat amongst the Ships’ Companies of the 31^st MF as they found themselves plugging away at the old routine while their friends had long since gone back to Canada. The news of the imminent return home was received with general rejoicing and final preparations for the transatlantic voyage were carried out with extra zest. COWICHAN and MALPEQUE, with extra officers and Army personnel embarked as passengers, steamed down Plymouth Sound on 17 September; four days later MILLTOWN, FORT WILLIAM, BLAIRMORE, and GEORGIAN also passed the Eddystone Light outward bound. The usual fuelling call was made at Ponta Delgada by COWICHAN and MALPEQUE and on 27 September they were in sight of Cape Spear, Newfoundland. One day was spent at St. John’s after which the sweepers headed for Sydney, NS. At the naval dockyard, stores were off-loaded and they headed for their final destination, Shelburne, NS. On 9 October, 1945, MALPEQUE was paid off and with the hauling down of the White Ensign for the last time she ended her active career with the famous “Thirty-First” and the Royal Canadian Navy.

Having been “winterized” the minesweeper was turned over to the War Assets Corporation local representative on 29 November and throughout the next eighteen months she was one of a large ghost fleet awaiting purchasers at Shelburne. On 27 May, 1947, she was bought by Marine Industries Limited and towed with other such vessels to the company’s shipyard at Sorel, PQ. By November, 1948, the former cordial war-time relations between the Allies had sadly deteriorated and in view of the new international climate the Royal Canadian Navy had become dangerously short of escorts and minesweepers which could be brought forward in case of emergency. Fortunately, Marine Industries had not disposed of a large number of such vessels and, for a start they were “frozen” at Sorel by the naval authorities. Subsequently an agreement was reached with the firm under which it would retain, and keep in preservation, eighteen frigates and nineteen Bangors at an annual price of $277,500 for a minimum of five years as a strategic reserve for the RCN.

The maintenance arrangement with Marine Industries continued in force until early in 1951 when Canada’s commitments under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization made it necessary to re-acquire the ships. On 7 June, the Privy Council agreed to the purchase of sixteen “River” Class frigates and eighteen “Bangor” Class minesweepers, including MALPEQUE, for $65,000 and $50,000 apiece respectively. The United Nations action in Korea had been going on for almost a year when MALPEQUE was towed for a million-dollar modernization refit by Bruce Stewart and Company Ltd., at Charlottetown, PEI. On completion in November, 1952, she joined her sister-ships in the reserve Fleet at Point Edward Naval Base, Sydney. In succeeding years the reserve force of sweepers was slowly dispersed. With more modern ships available, the RCN had no more use for the old steam Bangors, which, in any case, had outlived their economical life. The last six, GANANOQUE, GODERICH, MALPEQUE, MILLTOWN, PORT HOPE, and RED DEER were sold back to Marine Industries Ltd., by Crown Assets Disposal Corporation on 11 February, 1959.

In size MALPEQUE was not a great warship but in service to the Allied cause during the Second World War her record stands second to none. Not only an active participant in the Battle of the Atlantic when the situation was most critical, she also led the way for the historic liberation of Europe in 1944-45. All future bearers of the name will be entitled to display two proud battle honours recalling these historic events:-

ATLANTIC 1941-42

NORMANDY 1944.

Naval Historical Section,

Naval Headquarters,

Ottawa, Ontario.

15 January, 1964.

APPENDIX “A”

Details of Convoys escorted by HMCS MALPEQUE, 1941-45

DATE CONVOY ROUTE REMARKS

NUMBER

1941

December HX 164 Halifax – United Kingdom Local escort only

SC 60Halifax – United KingdomLocal escort from

Sydney only

SC 61Halifax – United KingdomLocal escort from

Sydney only

1942

January SC 63 Halifax – United Kingdom Local escort from

Sydney only

SC 64Halifax – United KingdomLocal escort from

Sydney only

February CH 1 Halifax Coastal

March CL 12 St. John’s – Sydney, NS

LC 1Sydney – St. John’s

April CL 20 St. John’s – Sydney, NS

LC 6Sydney – St. John’s

CL 18St. John’s – Sydney, NS

May LC 17 Sydney – St. John’s

June LC 21 Sydney – St. John’s

JN 1 St. John’s – North Newfoundland

& Labrador ports

NJ 1North Newfoundland & Labrador

ports to St. John’s

WHX 193Halifax – United KingdomLocal escort only

(Newfoundland portion)

JH 6St. John’s – Halifax

HJ 4Halifax – St. John’s

WSC 88Halifax – United KingdomLocal escort only

(Newfoundland portion)

July CL 44 St. John’s – Sydney, NS

LC 27Sydney – St. John’s

CL 45St. John’s – Sydney, NS

LC 29Sydney – St. John’s

JN 7 St. John’s – North Newfoundland

& Labrador ports

NJ 5North Newfoundland & Labrador

ports to St. John’s

CL 48St. John’s – Sydney, NS

August LC 34 Sydney – St. John’s

JN 9 St. John’s – North Newfoundland

& Labrador ports

NJ 8North Newfoundland & Labrador

ports to St. John’s

CL 50St. John’s – Sydney, NS

LC 37Sydney – St. John’s

JN 10 St. John’s – North Newfoundland

& Labrador ports

NJ 9North Newfoundland & Labrador

ports to St. John’s

JN 11 St. John’s – North Newfoundland

& Labrador ports

NJ 10North Newfoundland & Labrador

ports to St. John’s

CL 55St. John’s – Sydney, NS

September LC 42 Sydney – St. John’s

JH 17St. John’s – Halifax

October HJ 13 Halifax – St. John’s

WSC 104Halifax – United KingdomLocal escort only

(Newfoundland portion)

WB 7Wabana – Sydney

SH 54Sydney – Halifax

1943

February HJ 32 Halifax – St. John’s

JH 37St. John’s – Halifax

HJ 36Halifax – St. John’s

March JH 39 St. John’s – Halifax

HJ 38Halifax – St. John’s

JH 43St. John’s – Halifax

HJ 42Halifax – St. John’s

April JH 46A St. John’s – Halifax

HJ 45Halifax – St. John’s

JH 50St. John’s – Halifax

May HJ 49A Halifax – St. John’s

JH 52ASt. John’s – Halifax

XB 52Halifax – BostonLocal escort only

HJ 51Halifax – St. John’s

CL 66St. John’s – Sydney, NS

June BW 26 Sydney – Wabana

CL 69St. John’s – Sydney, NS

BW 30Sydney – Wabana

WB 25Wabana – Sydney

BW 34Sydney – Wabana

July WB 28 Wabana – Sydney

WB 32Wabana – Sydney

BW 42Sydney – WabanaReturned to Sydney

en route

BW 43Sydney – Wabana

WB 36Wabana – Sydney

BW 45Sydney – Wabana

August WB 40 Wabana – Sydney

BW 49Sydney – Wabana

WB 42Wabana – Sydney

BW 53Sydney – Wabana

BW 55Sydney – Wabana

September WB 49 Wabana – Sydney

BW 58Sydney – Wabana

WB 51Wabana – Sydney

BW 62Sydney – Wabana

WB 56Wabana – Sydney

BW 65Sydney – Wabana

SH 114ASydney – Halifax

December FH 94 Saint John, NB, & Bay of

Fundy ports – Halifax

1944

January HJ 75 Halifax – St. John’s

WHX 275Halifax – United KingdomLocal escort only

(Newfoundland portion)

1945

February WEP 9 Isle of Wight – Cherbourg

WEL 38Cherbourg – Portsmouth

PEL 8Portland – Cherbourg

EPL 1Cherbourg – Portland

PEL 10Portland – Cherbourg

EPL 3Cherbourg – Portland

PVL 75Portland – Le Havre

PVL 77Portland – Le Havre

VWL 85Le Havre – Portland

March JHF 53 St. John’s – Halifax (Fast)

GRAND TOTAL93 Convoys

Note:

In addition to the above-mentioned convoys MALPEQUE also acted as escort for one or more merchant ships on a number of other occasions when no convoy number was allocated.

LIST OF COMMANDING OFFICERS HMCS MALPEQUE

4 August, 1941 to Lieutenant W.R. Stacey, RCNR,

5 August, 1942 (Temp.)

6 August, 1942 to Lieutenant J.G. McQuarrie, RCNR,

13 September, 1942 (Temp.)

14 September, 1942 to Lieutenant W.R. Stacey, RCNR,

31 December, 1942 (Temp.)

1 January, 1943 to Lieutenant-Commander W.R. Stacey,

12 August, 1943 RCNR, (Act.) (Temp.)

13 August, 1943 to Lieutenant J.A. Dunn, RCNVR,

13 September, 1943 (Temp.)

14 September, 1943 to Lieutenant-Commander W.R. Stacey,