HMCS Rimouski

There has been only one vessel named HMCS Rimouski in the Royal Canadian Navy.

HMCS Rimouski (K121)

Commissioned on 26 April 1941 at Québec City, the Flower Class corvette Rimouski arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 12 May and was assigned to Newfoundland Command. She shared with her sister-ship HMCS Pictou the honour of being one of the first two corvettes to escort an HX (Halifax-based) convoy (HX.131 in June 1941). On 20 January 1942, after three months’ refit at Halifax, she left St. John’s, Newfoundland, to join convoy SC.65 for Londonderry, Northern Ireland.  After three round trips, she joined Western Local Escort Force in June 1942. In the course of a five-month refit at Liverpool, Nova Scotia begun 24 March 1943, she received her extended forecastle. Upon completion she was assigned to Escort Group C-1, Mid-Ocean Escort Force, transferring to Escort Group C-3 in December.

In April 1944, while at Londonderry, she was allocated to Western Approaches Command, Greenock, for invasion for France duties. She left Oban, Scotland for Normandy on 31 May to escort blockships that were sunk as the foundations for the artificial Mulberry Harbours used to support the invasion. HMCS Rimouski was employed until August as escort to English Channel and coastal convoys, and then returned to Canada, where she served briefly as a Halifax-based training ship. A refit begun at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, early in November was completed at Liverpool, Nova Scotia, and Halifax in February 1945. After working up, she returned to the United Kingdom to be based at Milford Haven as a member of Escort Group 41, Plymouth, for the duration of the war.

Returning to Canada in June 1945, HMCS Rimouski was paid off at Sorel, Quebec, on 24 July and broken up in 1950 at Hamilton, Ontario.

• Builder: Davie Shipbuilding and Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Québec
• Date laid down: 12 July 1940
• Date launched: 3 October 1940
• Date commissioned: 26 April 1941
• Date paid off: 24 July 1945
• Displacement: 965.2 tonnes
• Dimensions: 62.5 m x 10.1 m x 3.5 m
• Speed: 16 knots
• Crew: 85
• Armament: one 4-inch (102-mm) gun, one 2-pound (0.9 kg) gun, six 20-mm guns (6 x I), one Hedgehog mortar and depth charges

Battle honours

• Atlantic 1942-1945
• Normandy 1944
• English Channel 1944-1945