HMCS ORKNEY (K448)
HMCS ORKNEY
The History of HMCS ORKNEY
Commissioned on April 18, 1944, at Victoria, Orkney arrived at Halifax June 8. After working up in Bermuda she returned to Halifax in August to join EG 16, but was transferred as Senior Officer's ship to EG 25 at Londonderry, sailing late in October with eastbound convoy HX.317. She remained on duty in U.K. waters until February 13, 1945, when she collided with SS Blairnevis, which sank, and was herself under repairs at Dunstaffnage, Scotland, until mid-April. Following a week's workups at Tobermory, Orkney returned briefly to Londonderry, then sailed late in May for home and tropicalization refit at Louisbourg. This was completed on October 20, after which she served locally until paid off January 22, 1946, to reserve in Bedford Basin. Sold in 1947, she was renamed Violetta and served for a time as an Israeli immigrant ship before joining the Israeli Navy as Mivtakh. Sold in turn to the Sinhalese (Sri Lanka) Navy in 1959 as Mahasena, she was broken up at Singapore in 1964.
HMCS ORKNEY Statistical Data
- Pendant: K448
- 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: Yarrows Ltd.. Esquimalt, B.C.
- Keel Laid: 19-May-53
- Date Launched: 18-Sep-43
- Date Commissioned: 18-Apr-44
- Paid off: 22-Jan-46