HMCS Bayfield

There has been only 1 vessel named Bayfield in the Royal Canadian Navy.

HMCS Bayfield (J08)

Named for the village of Bayfield, Nova Scotia, the Bangor class minesweeper HMCS Bayfield was built at Vancouver, British Columbia for the Royal Navy, but transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy for manning before commissioning on February 26, 1942.

After working up, HMCS Bayfield joined Esquimalt Force in May, but was transferred to Prince Rupert Force in November, returning to Esquimalt, British Columbia in March 1943 for reassignment to the east coast. She left Esquimalt on March18, arriving at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on April 30 and, after a major refit at Baltimore, Maryland, joined Halifax Force until ordered to the United Kingdom for invasion duties.

On February 18, 1944, with HMCS Georgian, HMCS Mulgrave and HMCS Thunder, she left Halifax for Plymouth, England, via the Azores, arriving on March 7. Allocated to the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla, she was present on D-Day, and she remained with Plymouth Command until paid off on September 22, 1945. Returned to the Royal Navy, she was placed in reserve at Sheerness until 1948, when she was broken up at Gateshead.

• Builder: North Van Ship Repairs Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia
• Laid down: December 30, 1940
• Launched: May 26, 1941
• Date commissioned: February 26, 1942
• Paying off date: September 24, 1945
• Displacement: 672 tons
• Dimensions: 54.9 m x 8.7 m x 2.5 m
• Speed: 16 knots
• Crew: 83
• Armament: one 12-pounder (5.45 kg) gun, two 20-mm guns and depth charges.

Battle honours

• Atlantic 1943-44
• Normandy 1944