HMCS INCH ARRAN

HMCS INCH ARRAN, then known as CN-585, was laid down on 25 October, 1943, at the “big Davie” yards of the Davie Shipbuilding and Repairing Co., Ltd, Lauzon, P.Q., the firm which produced twelve of the twenty-seven frigates completed under the 1943-44 Canadian shipbuilding programme. In spite of the manpower and material shortages of the time, work proceeded rapidly, and by 18 November, 1944, less than a year after the laying down of her keel, she was ready to sail. On that day Lieutenant-Commander J. W. E. Hastings, RCNR, read the commission which brought INCH ARRAN, the fifty-eighth of the sixty frigates built in Canada, into active service with the Royal Canadian Navy.

Her name, Inch Arran, had been chosen out of several suggested by the town council of Dalhousie, New Brunswick. It had been decided to honour that town by giving its name to one of the new frigates, but as there was already a ship in the Royal Indian Navy called Dalhousie, another appropriate name had to be found. Inch Arran is a point of land, now called Bon Ami Point, jutting out into Chaleur Bay a short distance east of the town of Dalhousie. It was, until recently, the site of a large and well known resort hotel also called Inch Arran. The name of the point originated with the Scottish settlers of the early nineteenth century, and is obviously derived from that of an island on the west coast of Scotland long associated by tradition with the national hero Robert Bruce.

The badge designed for the ship is derived chiefly from the history and legend of the original Inch Arran. Its central device is a golden disc which represents an island and is surrounded by wavy bars of silver and blue representing the sea. On the disc is placed a red saltire or cross, derived from the arms of Bruce. In the centre of the cross is a lymphad, a one-masted ship with one bank of oars, which appears both in the arms of the province of New Brunswick and in those of the Hamilton Earls of Arran. The ship’s colours, derived from the badge, are gold and scarlet.

INCH ARRAN was a “River” Class frigate with the standard specifications of her class:

• Displacement 1445 tons
• Length Overall 301’ 6”
• Extreme breadth 36’ 7”
• Mean draught 12’ 11”
• Fuel capacity 646 tons
• Endurance at 12 knots 7200 miles
• Endurance at full speed 4500 miles.

Her twin screws were driven by two triple-expansion, four-cylinder engines developing 2750 horse-power each. Her main anti-submarine armament consisted of a hedgehog. This was a spigot type, ahead-throwing weapon with which a total of twenty-four bomb-like projectiles could be showered on a suspected submarine while the ship’s asdic detection device still held contact. Her depth-charges, on the other hand, which were dropped from two rails over the stern and projected at right angles to the ship from four throwers, could not be used on the run-in but had to be dropped on the estimated target position after contact had been lost. [1] Against enemies on the surface and in the air, the ship possessed one twin four-inch gun and one twelve-pounder, mounted forward and aft respectively, and a secondary armament of four twin Oerlikons and two Bren machine-guns.

Although INCH ARRAN had been commissioned, there still remained a few deficiencies to be made up, particularly in the secondary armament and in radio equipment, before the ship could sail to her allotted base. Within two weeks, however, she was ready, and on 3 December, flying her new pennants, K-667, she steamed down the St. Lawrence for Dalhousie.

The town of Dalhousie had taken a great interest in the new frigate even before she was launched, and urgent representations were made to have the ship call there upon completion in order to hold official adoption ceremonies and extend a cordial civic welcome to those who were to sail her. In spite of the lateness of the season and the danger of the ship being ice-bound in Chaleur Bay, permission was finally granted. It was, however, left to the Commanding Officer’s discretion to cancel the visit should weather conditions be unfavourable, and he was firmly enjoined to stay no longer than twenty-four hours in port.

INCH ARRAN arrived at Dalhousie on the 4th, and seldom have a ship and her company received a warmer welcome. The adoption ceremonies were duly carried out; there were civic receptions and parades, dinners and dances, and everyone joined in the merry making. The festivities continued, indeed, well beyond the twenty-four hour limit set on the ship’s stay, as certain defects had developed during passage down the St. Lawrence and these had to be remedied. Consequently it was not until late on the night of the 6th that INCH ARRAN left Dalhousie for Halifax.

On 2 December, just before she left Quebec, INCH ARRAN had been allocated to the Canadian Northwest Atlantic Command. But before she could join her consorts on active service there she had to complete the usual pre-operational programme. First there was a preliminary refit at Halifax which lasted approximately two weeks. Then came the initial harbour and sea “work-ups” which preceded the full scale “work-ups” and training exercises carried out at the Canadian training base, HMCS SOMERS ISLES, at Bermuda. INCH ARRAN completed this programme successfully, hindered perhaps a little more than was usual by the mechanical and technical defects which always plagued new construction ships in war-time, and was back in Halifax by 4 February, 1945, ready for operations.

The U-boat situation at this time – only three months before the end of the European war – was not unfavourable, particularly in the Canadian coastal zone. The underwater enemy, of course, was far from being beaten; indeed the U-boat service had not been defeated when the military situation in Germany brought about its surrender on 8 May. But by February, 1945, when INCH ARRAN first joined an operational group, there was no immediate prospect of the U-boats regaining the initiative. The chief danger, so far as the Canadian Navy was concerned, lay in the possibility of new, more formidable U-boats, such as the MK XXI, [2] coming into service in large numbers. Should this happen, and the Admiralty was convinced that it would, [3] the Allied escort and support ships might be in for another grim battle reminiscent of the early days of 1943. Sinkings in Canadian waters in early 1945 were still frequent enough to be disconcerting. Early in January two ships of SH-194 were torpedoed south-east of Halifax, and a few days later three from BX-141 were lost off Chebucto Head. [4] It was estimated that two U-boats had been involved in these attacks, and neither one was successfully counter-attacked. What might happen if only a few of the ninety new MK XXI boats believed ready for operations should be sent to the Canadian area could easily be visualized.

This was the situation when on 6 February, 1945, INCH ARRAN was allocated, along with STE. THERESE (Senior Officer), PRESTONIAN, BUCKINGHAM, and FORT ERIE, to EG-28. At that time there were two other such groups, EG-16 and EG-27, operating out of Halifax. However, in view of the threatened increase in U-boat activity, the impending shortening of the ONS-SC [5] convoy cycle from fifteen to ten days, and the increase in shipping which would follow the spring opening of the navigational season, at least three frigate support groups would be required. The primary purpose of the support group, unlike the escort group, was to hunt down submarines. It was used to patrol threatened areas and, since a U-boat was most likely to be found near its quarry, a good deal of its time was spent in “supporting”, that is, in patrolling in the immediate vicinity of convoys in the hope of sinking enemy submarines or at least forcing them to forgo an attack by submerging. That the Halifax support groups made no kills in 1945 does not necessarily mean that they were not fulfilling their function. The true measure of their success lies in the relationship between the number of U-boat hours spent in the area and the number of ships torpedoed.

Before the ships assigned to EG-28 could be brought together as a group, unforeseen difficulties began to crop up. Both HMC Ships MEON and LEVIS of EG-27 developed defects and had to leave their group. INCH ARRAN and PRESTONIAN were available for sea duty and consequently were drafted to fill the vacancies.

Thus it came about that HMCS INCH ARRAN sailed on her first operational assignment as a member of EG-27. [6]  The group left Halifax on 12 February and late that same day took over close escort duties from HMC Ships UNGAVA and SARNIA escorting BX-145. This was not the usual work of a support group, but due to the shortage of escort vessels in Halifax at this time such situations occasionally did arise.

After the safe arrival of BX-145, EG-27 reverted to its normal role and began to patrol off Halifax and support incoming and outgoing convoys. It was while on patrol on 14 February that INCH ARRAN first became acquainted with one of the more common annoyances of a support frigate’s life. The ships of EG-27 were sweeping in the Halifax approaches when PRESTONIAN picked up an asdic echo. She immediately attacked with hedgehog, following it up with a full pattern of depth-charges. ETTRICK forged in to help her and dropped more depth-charges while the remaining ships began to search the surrounding area. When the turbulence caused by the explosions subsided and the ships closed on the contact to search for the “debris of German origin” so coveted by an attacker, the only identifiable object recovered was a sign saying “No Passengers Allowed”. The wreck marked as #56 on the Halifax charts had been rediscovered.

Such false alarms were one of the outstanding features of the support frigate’s operational life. Time after time an asdic contact was gained, sometimes a very firm and promising contact, but almost invariably it turned out to be “non-sub”, caused by a wreck, a school of fish, or perhaps only an unevenness of the ocean bed. Many were the hours spent and many the tons of explosives wasted on the harmless mackerel and cod or the forgotten wreck. Much the same was true of the radar as of the asdic contact, only the former could less often be traced to a specific cause. Still, though almost certain that a particular contact was “non-sub”, no commanding officer dare neglect it entirely for fear of duplicating the experience of one of his colleagues. This particular officer’s ship picked up a very feeble and unlikely contact, very similar to those which had been plaguing her for hours. It had just been classified “non-sub” when the Commanding Officer was most surprised to see a periscope and schnorkel appear on the contact bearing about two hundred yards from the ship. [7]

INCH ARRAN’s tour of duty with EG-27 was short. After disposing of PRESTONIAN’s wreck the group set off to escort another convoy. PRESTONIAN caused another delay by reporting a radar contact three miles astern, but late on the 16th the group relieved W-5 as close escort to ONS-41. The weather was foul, and soon a gale was blowing. The convoy hove to but became badly scattered, and not till next day could progress be made. Early on the 19th HMCS LEVIS joined the group and INCH ARRAN and PRESTONIAN were detached to Halifax to make preparations for joining EG-28. On 20 February the two ships secured at Halifax. February is never a pleasant month on the Canadian east coast and February, 1945, was no exception. INCH ARRAN arrived in port in a rather battered state, with her asdic and radar out of order and her whaler stove in.

INCH ARRAN and PRESTONIAN had been recalled to complete the organization of EG-28. The few days remaining before the new group was to begin operations were to be utilized to effect repairs and undertake such combined training as was possible. As it happened, little more could be done than make most of the ships seaworthy and fit for operations. INCH ARRAN and PRESTONIAN had just completed radar trials when they were sent to join STE. THERESE and thus form EG-28.

On the morning of the 27th, in rain and strong southerly winds, the two frigates met their new Senior Officer (STE. THERESE). BUCKINGHAM, who was to have been with STE. THERESE, had remained in Halifax for repairs, and the fifth member of the group, FORT ERIE was not yet ready for sea duty. The weather was unsuitable for exercises, so EG-28 set out on patrol for the first time without any of the group training so necessary for the efficient operation of a support group. BUCKINGHAM joined later that evening and the following day, 28 February, BX-147 was supported to Chebucto Head without incident.

After the safe arrival of BX-147, EG-28 was able to take one day for group exercises, but for the following week it was busy patrolling off Halifax and supporting convoys in and out of the harbour approaches. As usual there was little excitement, though PRESTONIAN, on 2 March, made radar contact on a fast moving object which she classified as a U-boat’s conning tower. Later investigation ruled out this possibility, but at least the search provided a break in the routine patrolling. PRESTONIAN soon gained a certain notoriety in her group for reporting radar contacts, as her new SU set was a good deal more efficient than INCH ARRAN’s 271Q radar and infinitely superior to the RXC type carried by STE. THERESE.

EG-28 was back in Halifax on 8 March for a week of rest and repairs and was out again on patrol on the 16th. FORT ERIE joined the group for this patrol, but STE. THERESE was delayed at Halifax and the Senior Officer and his staff were embarked in PRESTONIAN until the former rejoined on 18 March. On that day EG-28 operated at full strength for the first time. This tour of duty lasted until 1 April, except for a break of one day in Halifax, and was as uneventful as the rest. But as it is typical of the patrols made by EG-28, it may be well to describe it in some detail.

When the group passed the Halifax gate it proceeded directly to the Sambro Light and took up extended screening positions on HHX-344. [8] Two hours later PRESTONIAN picked up an asdic contact and attacked with hedgehog. Almost immediately the contact was classified as fish. Early on the 17th the group detached from HHX-344 and began to patrol. PRESTONIAN soon made another contact, but again it was fish. Nothing untoward happened during the next two days, and then on the morning of the 20th INCH ARRAN obtained a contact. It was not a promising one, but the group conducted an investigation. Just as EG-28 was reforming after breaking off the search, INCH ARRAN again obtained an echo, this time firm and clear, which was classified first as a possible and then as a probable U-boat. She immediately fired a hedgehog pattern. STE. THERESE closed, and the remaining ships instituted a four-mile square search [9] around the point of contact. STE. THERESE was unable to pick up the contact or the HE [10] heard by INCH ARRAN, but the latter still held her target and attacked again with hedgehog, following up with two full depth-charge patterns. Running in for the fifth attack, INCH ARRAN lost contact and it was believed the submarine had gone deep. After searching for almost four hours without result, STE. THERESE, INCH ARRAN, and PRESTONIAN carried out a barrage attack, dumping thirty depth-charges on the last known position of the target. No results were observed, but the search continued until just before midnight when the group was diverted to join another search. Fifty depth-charges and forty-eight hedgehog bombs had been expended, and five ships had spent almost eleven hours investigating this contact, but a definite classification of “non-sub” was the result of the Senior Officer’s examination of INCH ARRAN’s asdic recorder traces and attack reports. Yet such experiences were very common. The abundance of fish, the presence of wrecks and other underwater obstructions, fresh water conditions resulting in false asdic echoes and in the picking up of one’s own HE, all contributed to make life difficult for the harassed commanding officers of the escort and hunting ships.

The search for INCH ARRAN’s contact was abandoned in order to investigate a sighting made by HMCS CAPE BRETON while sailing independently to Halifax after refitting in Shelburne. There is little doubt that CAPE BRETON’s contact was a U-boat, but unfortunately the ship’s anti-submarine equipment was all but inoperative and her ammunition stocks very low. EG-27 was in the vicinity and was sent to her aid but could not regain firm contact. By the time EG-28 arrived the scent was cold, but a search was carried out for twenty-four hours before being abandoned.

EG-28 now returned to her interrupted patrol. The weather had deteriorated, with high winds, hail, and sleet which caused ice to form on the superstructure and the aerials. After one day of working under such conditions, the group was recalled to Halifax for a short respite, entering port on 23 March.

On the 25th, EG-28 was out again. The Senior Officer was in INCH ARRAN for this patrol, STE. THERESE having been left in Halifax to repair her steering gear. It was a singularly uneventful mission. Patrols and supporting activities continued day after day with not even a fish contact to break the monotony. BUCKINGHAM did sight smoke one evening, and PRESTONIAN thought she detected a schnorkel swirl near the same spot, but the recovery of a water logged aircraft smoke float put a speedy end to the resulting search. The weather, as usual, was abysmal, with much fog, occasional strong winds, and one moderate gale. The group was no doubt happy to be recalled to Halifax on April Fool’s Day.

After a two-day lay-over the group was returned to duty on 3 April. This time its work was not all patrolling and supporting, for on the 9th it joined the close escort with BX-155 for a few hours, and on the following day performed the same duty for the transports SS Britannic and Franconia. Only one contact was made, this one by STE. THERESE on 10 April just as the group was about to re-enter Halifax harbour for refuelling and minor repairs.

The next patrol, from 12 to 19 April, was somewhat more exciting, for on the 16th the minesweeper HMCS ESQUIMALT was sunk in the Halifax approaches, and the group took part in the hunt for her assailant. It was an intensive hunt; besides the ships of EG-28 the US Destroyers Buckley, Jack W. Wilke, Reuben James, and Scroggins and HMC Ships SARNIA, ST. BONIFACE, BURLINGTON, DRUMMONDVILLE, and KENTVILLE all took part. Their quarry, U-190, was very fortunate. It bottomed almost immediately after attacking and remained there until the search was abandoned.

The remainder of the patrol was relatively quiet. FORT ERIE and PRESTONIAN both attacked “non-sub” contacts, and the dense fog produced some collision casualties in a convoy supported by EG-28, but the Senior Officer could report an uneventful patrol when, on 19 April, the group returned to Halifax.

After a week in harbour EG-28 set out again on 27 April on its last war-time patrol. It was, if anything, duller than any that had gone before, and ended fortuitously, in time for the ships to spend VE-Day in harbour. Once again STE. THERESE made a contact just before entering port, thereby delaying the group’s return for several hours. The ship’s companies had no doubt little sympathy for the huge numbers of fish killed by the resulting depth-charge attacks.

Undoubtedly there were many aboard who had not fully recovered from VE-Day celebrations when, on 9 May, the group was ordered out on patrol. On that day EG-28 steamed at full strength for the last time. The defeat of the German land forces had brought an end to the U-boat war, and on the 8th Grand Admiral Donitz broadcast an order to all boats to surface, reveal their positions, and sail for various designated surrender ports. Among the first to obey in the Canadian zone was U-889 which, surfaced and flying the black surrender flag, was spotted by an RCAF Liberator on the evening of 10 May. A Canadian group, W-6, [12] escorting a convoy to St. John’s, was in the vicinity and immediately intercepted the boat and detached DUNVEGAN and ROCKCLIFFE to escort her to port. These ships had escort commitments, however, and BUCKINGHAM (Senior Officer) and INCH ARRAN were ordered to relieve them.

The two frigates detached from their group late on the 10th and took over from DUNVEGAN and ROCKCLIFFE next day. Weather conditions made it impracticable to board, and U-889 was still under control of its German crew when, flanked by BUCKINGHAM and INCH ARRAN, it was met off Shelburne on 13 May by a Royal Canadian Navy party under Captain G. R. Miles.

The following day BUCKINGHAM and INCH ARRAN sailed for Halifax, but while en route their destination was changed to St. John’s where STE. THERESE and FORT ERIE were waiting for them. When the former arrived on 16 May, however, STE. THERESE and FORT ERIE [13] had already sailed on their unsuccessful attempt to intercept U-234. [14] On 21 May, BUCKINGHAM and INCH ARRAN were patrolling off Bay Bulls when they were ordered to relieve their Senior Officer and FORT ERIE off Flemish Cap. They remained in that area, searching for an unidentified ship which had sent out an SOS, until ordered to Halifax, where they arrived on 30 May. One more assignment awaited the INCH ARRAN at Halifax; from 31 May to 2 June she was engaged in escorting the SS Britannic to her rendezvous with CU-73. [15]

This was INCH ARRAN’s last war-time task. She had seen a good deal of service since joining EG-27 on 12 February, 1945. In the period January to May, INCH ARRAN had spent an average of twenty-one days out of every month at sea. Her work had not been spectacular; indeed it is doubtful whether any U-boat ever was aware of her presence except perhaps as an asdic “ping” on its hull. Still she had performed an essential if unenviable task. No one can know how many ships may have owed their safety to her and her consorts. The incessant patrolling of the support frigates and their lightning-quick attacks on even the most unpromising contact were a potent deterrent to any submarine which might be trying to waylay a convoy. That the submarines were there is certain. In January, six ships were torpedoed in the Halifax approaches. In February, although three were sunk in the Atlantic, none were attacked in the Canadian coastal zone, in spite of the fact that a U-boat operated off Halifax all month. In April, as mentioned before, HMCS ESQUIMALT was sunk, and five ships were torpedoed just south of the Canadian zone in the vicinity of Cape Hatteras. That losses were not heavier is probably due in large measure to such ships as INCH ARRAN. It was Grand Admiral Donitz’s policy to send his U-boats where they could do the most damage for the least cost, and where escort and hunting ships were numerous and efficient such conditions did not exist.

When INCH ARRAN returned to Halifax on 2 June the decision had already been made to employ her in the Pacific war, and within two days she was on her way to Sydney for refit and tropicalization. Work on the INCH ARRAN did not progress very rapidly; there were many ships to be attended to and, even at this date, there were equipment shortages, particularly in radar equipment. Tropicalization had not been completed when, on 20 August, a stop work order arrived.

The Japanese surrender on 14 August left the future of INCH ARRAN, among many others, very uncertain; and until a decision had been reached about her final disposition, she was employed on various tasks – mainly ammunition dumping – out of Sydney. By November, 1945, it had been decided that, whatever her ultimate fate, INCH ARRAN would not be remaining in the active fleet; and on 6 November she left Sydney to have her armament and technical equipment removed at Halifax. On completion of this work, she was sent to Liverpool for winterization and from there to Shelburne for disposal. On 28 November, 1945, Commander L. P. Denny, DSC, RCNR, paid off INCH ARRAN into dockyard hands and relinquished his command.

The Navy had no immediate need of the INCH ARRAN and consequently she was turned over to the War Assets Corporation, which sold her to Marine Industries, Limited, to be broken up for scrap. This was not to be her fate, however, at least not so soon, for on 15 November, 1948, all the frigates and minesweepers held by Marine Industries, Limited, were “frozen”. Later an agreement was made with that firm to maintain the ships in a “state of partial preservation” until they were either bought back by the Government or declared surplus.

For five years INCH ARRAN remained at Sorel, and then on 24 June, 1951, the first step was taken to bring her back into service. On that date she left Sorel in tow of the tug Foundation Josephine en route to Saint John, NB, for refit and conversion into a “Prestonian” Class frigate. On 9 July, 1951, she was formally repurchased by the Government from Marine Industries, Limited, for $65,000.

The refitting and modernizing of INCH ARRAN was a lengthy process. The “Prestonian” is a flush deck ship, and this necessitates the clearing of the “River” Class frigate’s quarter-deck and rebuilding it to the level of the original forecastle deck. The bridge, too, has to be removed and rebuilt on a level one deck above its original position. The entire upper works have to be rebuilt in aluminum alloy in order to reduce the top-weight. Between decks the changes are equally drastic. As to the armament, the hedgehog and depth-charges are replaced by the vastly more efficient ahead-throwing weapon, the squid, and the after twelve-pounder and the Oerlikons are replaced by Bofors. The twin four-inch gun alone remains in its original site. The radar, asdic, and radio sets are, of course, more modern and efficient than their war-time counterparts.

For over two and a half years INCH ARRAN remained at Saint John undergoing conversion, but finally 23 August, 1954, she was completed and turned over to the Royal Canadian Navy. Two days later she was towed to Sydney to join the Reserve Fleet, and there she remains to this day. Eventually she will sail again the waters she so diligently searched during her war-time career. Undoubtedly when she returns she will add to the reputation for industry and efficiency she earned in those far off days.

Naval Historical Section,
Naval Headquarters,
Ottawa, Ontario
1 October, 1957.