HMCS Shawinigan

There have been 2 vessels named HMCS Shawinigan in the Royal Canadian Navy.

HMCS Shawinigan (1st of name) (K136)

Commissioned on September 19, 1941, at Québec City, Quebec, the Flower Class corvette HMCS Shawinigan arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on October 27. She joined Sydney Force in November, but on January 13, 1942, arrived at St. John’s, Newfoundland, to join Newfoundland Command. She left January 25 to escort convoy SC.66 to Londonderry, Northern Ireland, her first of 3 round trips. In mid-May she left Londonderry for the last time, and was assigned to Halifax Force as escort to Quebec-Labrador convoys. She joined Western Local Escort Force that November, commencing a refit at Liverpool, Nova Scotia. In June 1943, HMCS Shawinigan joined the recently established Escort Group W-3. In April 1944, while undergoing another refit at Liverpool, she was transferred to W-2 and, on completion of the refit in mid-June, proceeded to Bermuda to work up. On November 25, while on independent anti-submarine patrol out of Sydney, Nova Scotia, she was torpedoed in the Cabot Strait by the submarine U-1228 and lost with all hands.

HMCS Shawinigan (2nd of name) (704)

In May 1992, a contract was let to Halifax Shipyards Ltd, Halifax, Nova Scotia, to build 12 Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDV) of the Kingston class. They were designed to commercial standards and intended to conduct coastal patrols, minesweeping, law enforcement, pollution surveillance and response as well as search and rescue duties. The ships can be fitted with modular payloads to carry out the assigned duties.

HMCS Shawinigan was commissioned at Trois-Rivières, Quebec, on June 14, 1997. On June 28, 1998, she celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Naval Reserve by participating in a sail past in Halifax Harbour and was featured on a commemorative postage stamp. She is crewed almost entirely by naval reservists. In 2003, she successfully conducted fisheries patrols off the south coast of Newfoundland. The year 2004 saw her work alongside the submarine HMCS Windsor in support of diving exercises, participate in Acadia’s 400th Anniversary celebrations and carry out further fisheries patrols. In 2005, she participated in an international mine warfare exercise as well as being the first MCDV to transit to the Canadian North. In 2006, HMCS Shawinigan conducted escort duty for sailing vessels and operated as a platform for race officials during the “Route Halifax Saint-Pierre 2006” race involving more than 45 international and Canadian yachts. She is stationed in Halifax and continues to conduct exercises and operations in support of Canada’s domestic and international policies.

Motto: “Fais bien ce que tu fais” (Do Well What You Are Doing)