HMCS LINDSAY (K338)
HMCS LINDSAY
The History of HMCS LINDSAY
HMCS Lindsay was a modified Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. She was named for Lindsay, Ontario.
Lindsay was ordered 2 January 1942 as part of the 1942-43 modified Flower-class building programme. This programme was known as the Increased Endurance. Many changes were made, all from lessons that had been learned in previous versions of the Flower-class. The bridge was made a full deck higher and built to naval standards instead of the more civilian-like bridges of previous versions. The platform for the 4-inch main gun was raised to minimize the amount of spray over it and to provide a better field of fire. It was also connected to the wheelhouse by a wide platform that was now the base for the Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar that this version was armed with. Along with the new Hedgehog, this version got the new QF 4-inch Mk XIX main gun, which was semi-automatic, used fixed ammunition and had the ability to elevate higher giving it an anti-aircraft ability.
Other superficial changes to this version include an upright funnel and pressurized boiler rooms which eliminated the need for hooded ventilators around the base of the funnel. This changes the silhouette of the corvette and made it more difficult for submariners to tell which way the corvette was laying.
Lindsay was laid down by Midland Shipyards Ltd. at Midland, Ontario 30 September 1942 and was launched 4 June 1943. She was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy 15 November 1944 at Midland. Lindsay had one significant refit after suffering damage in a collision in the United Kingdom. She began the refit at Saint John, New Brunswick in March 1945 and finished 22 June 1945.
After arriving at Halifax in December Lindsay was initially assigned to the Western Local Escort Force. She joined escort group W-5 and stayed with them until April 1944 when she was transferred to Western Approaches Command.
Lindsay served as an unallocated united with in the command for the next four months in the waters around the United Kingdom. During this period she took part in Operation Neptune, the naval aspect of the invasion of Normandy. In September 1944, she was assigned to the escort group EG 41 under Plymouth Command and saw service in the English Channel. On 22 January 1945, Lindsay was damaged in a collision with the destroyer HMS Brilliant southwest of the Isle of Wight. She had temporary repairs done at Devonport before heading back to Canada for refit. She did not return to service before the end of the war.
Lindsay was paid off at Sydney, Nova Scotia 18 July 1945. She was transferred to the War Assets Corporation and sold for mercantile use. She reappeared in 1946 as North Shore. She was sold and renamed "Lemnos" under a Greek registry, serving in the Mediterranean Sea
HMCS LINDSAY Statistical Data
- Pendant: K338
- Type: Corvette
- Class: Revised FLOWER (1942-43 Program)
- Displacement: 970 tonnes
- Length: 208.3 ft
- Width: 33.1 ft
- Draught: 11 ft
- Speed: 16 kts
- Compliment: 6 Officers and 79 Crew
- Arms: 1-4" Gun, 1-2 pdr, 2-20mm, Hedgehog
- Builder: Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland. Ont.
- Keel Laid: 30-Sep-42
- Date Launched: 04-Jun-43
- Date Commissioned: 15-Nov-43
- Paid off: 18-Jul-45