HMCS Wallaceburg
There has been only one vessel named Wallaceburg in the Royal Canadian Navy.
HMCS Wallaceburg (J336 / 172) / Algerine-class minesweeper
The Algerine class ships were designed as small vessels that could serve in several roles and not just as minesweepers. Their predecessors, the Bangor-class minesweepers, were bluff-bowed ships, very wet in a head sea, and arguably less comfortable even than corvettes in rough weather. These faults were eliminated in the Algerine class, all twelve of which were built at Port Arthur, now Thunder Bay, Ontario. Intended as convoy escorts, they were not fitted with minesweeping gear. The Algerines found particular favour as Senior Officers’ ships in Western Local groups. After the war, most found employment for many years on hydrographic survey duties or as training ships for reservists.
Commissioned at Port Arthur on 18 November 1943, she arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 13 December and was assigned to Escort Group W-8, Western Escort Force, in February 1944. HMCS Wallaceburg was transferred to Escort Group W-6 as Senior Officer’s ship in April, but returned to W-8 in December.
During July and August 1945, she was attached to HMCS Cornwallis, Nova Scotia for training, and then placed in reserve, first at Sydney, Nova Scotia, and then at Halifax. She was paid off on 7 October 1946, but re-commissioned on 1 November 1950 for cadet training. HMCS Wallaceburg spent the summers of 1956 and 1957 on the Great Lakes, before finally being paid off on 24 September 1957. She was transferred to the Belgian Navy on 31 July 1959 to serve as Georges Lecointe until discarded in 1969.
- Builder: Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Port Arthur, Ontario
- Date laid down: 6 July 1942
- Date launched: 17 December 1942
- Date commissioned: 18 November 1943
- Date paid off: 24 September 1957
- Displacement: 1006 tonnes
- Dimensions: 68.6 m x 10.8 m x 2.6 m
- Speed: 16 knots
- Crew: 107
- Armament: one 4-inch (102-mm) gun, eight 20-mm guns (4 x II), one Hedgehog mortar and depth charges
Battle honours
- Atlantic 1944-1945
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