HMCS KIRKLAND LAKE (K337)

HMCS KIRKLAND LAKE

The History of HMCS KIRKLAND LAKE

HMCS Kirkland Lake (K337) was a River-class frigate of the Royal Canadian Navy that served as a convoy escort during the final months of the Second World War. Named for the gold-mining town of Kirkland Lake in Ontario, she was the only vessel in the RCN to carry that name.

Ordered in June 1942 as part of the 1942-1943 building program, she was originally laid down as HMCS St. Jerome on 16 November 1943 by Morton Engineering and Dry Dock Co. in Quebec City. She was renamed in March 1944, launched on 27 April 1944, and commissioned on 21 August 1944 at Quebec City. The River-class design improved on earlier Flower-class corvettes with better habitability, greater endurance (roughly twice that of a corvette), and a top speed of about 19 knots. She displaced 1,445 tons, measured roughly 91.9 metres in length, and carried a crew of about 141. Her armament included a twin 4-inch gun mount, a 12-pounder gun, eight 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, a Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar, and depth charges.

After commissioning, Kirkland Lake arrived at Halifax on 10 September 1944. Repairs delayed her until 20 November, when she sailed for work-ups in Bermuda and returned in December. On 24 December 1944, while screening Convoy XB-139 with HMCS Transcona and HMCS Clayoquot, Clayoquot was struck by acoustic torpedoes from the German submarine U-806 off Sambro Light Vessel and sank with the loss of eight lives. Kirkland Lake led the subsequent search, made several Hedgehog attacks, and supported aerial efforts, though the U-boat escaped.

She joined Escort Group 16 and, in March 1945, transferred with the group to Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Based at times at Londonderry and Portsmouth, she escorted two convoys to Gibraltar and back in May 1945. With the end of the war in Europe, the group helped repatriate personnel from HMCS Niobe in Scotland, arriving in Halifax on 24 June 1945.

Kirkland Lake then underwent a tropicalization refit at Quebec City to prepare for possible Pacific service. The work was completed on 5 November 1945, by which time Japan had surrendered. She was paid off into maintenance reserve in Bedford Basin on 14 December 1945. Although early plans considered retaining her in the postwar navy, no frigates were kept at the time. She was sold in 1947 and broken up at Sydney, Nova Scotia, between 1947 and 1948.

HMCS KIRKLAND LAKE Statistical Data

• Pendant: K337
• Type: Frigate
• Class: RIVER Class 42-43 Programme
• Displacement: 1445 tonnes
• Length: 301.5 ft
• Width: 36.6 ft
• Draught: 9 ft
• Speed: 19 kts
• Compliment: 8 Officers and 133 Crew
• Arms: 2-4" (1 x II), 4-20mm, Hedgehog
• Builder: Morton Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Quebec City, Que.
• Keel Laid: 16-Nov-43
• Date Launched: 27-Apr-44
• Date Commissioned: 21-Aug-44
• Paid off: 14-Dec-45

Photos

HMCS Kirkland Lake, K-337, Halifax, NS, 29 June 1945. (Nova Scotia Archives)

Group photo of Chief Petty Officers and Petty Officers of HMCS KIRKLAND LAKE, 1945. (Library and Archives Canada)

Keywords: HMCS KIRKLAND LAKE, Royal Canadian Navy Ship, Frigate, RIVER Class 42-43 Programme Class