HMCS TRAIL (K174)

HMCS TRAIL

HMCS TRAIL

The History of HMCS TRAIL

Commissioned at Vancouver on April 30, 1941, she left Esquimalt May 31 for the east coast, arriving at Halifax on June 27. In August she joined Newfoundland Command, departing St. John's on August 23 to escort convoy HX.146 as far as Iceland. During the year she made four round trips there, and on January 20, 1942, left St. John's to join SC.65 for the first of two round trips to Londonderry. She returned to Halifax on April 2 and, after a brief refit at Liverpool, N.S., joined Halifax Force for Northern Waters in June. Between July and November she was employed escorting convoys between Labrador and Quebec City, also calling at Gaspé and Hamilton Inlet. She arrived at Halifax in November to join WLEF for the balance of the war, as a member successively of escort groups W-6 (from June, 1943); W-5 (from April, 1944) and W-4 (from December, 1944). She underwent a refit at Lunenburg from mid-July to September 3, 1943, followed by workups at Pictou, and a further refit at Liverpool, N.S., between mid-July and October 23, 1944. Following the latter, which included extension of her fo'c's'le, she underwent additional repairs at Halifax and then proceeded to Bermuda to work up in December. She left there on January 7, 1945, for Boston to resume service with WLEF until paid off on July 17 at Sorel. In 1950 the ship was broken up at Hamilton.

HMCS TRAIL Statistical Data

  • Pendant: K174
  • Type: Corvette
  • Class: FLOWER Class 1939-1940
  • Displacement: 950 tonnes
  • Length: 205.1 ft
  • Width: 33.1 ft
  • Draught: 11.5 ft
  • Speed: 16 kts
  • Compliment: 6 Officers and 79 Crew
  • Arms: 1-4" Gun, 1-2 pdr, 2-20mm, Hedgehog
  • Builder: Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd.. Vancouver. B.C.
  • Keel Laid: 20-Jul-40
  • Date Launched: 17-Oct-40
  • Date Commissioned: 30-Apr-41
  • Paid off: 17-Jul-45

Remarks

Focsle Extended, Liverpool, NS, 23 Oct 44

Keywords: HMCS TRAIL, Royal Canadian Navy Ship, Corvette, FLOWER Class 1939-1940 Class