HMCS OTTAWA (3rd) (229)
HMCS OTTAWA (3rd)
The History of HMCS OTTAWA (3rd)
The third ship of the Royal Canadian Navy to bear the name HMCS Ottawa was a St. Laurent-class destroyer escort, later converted to a helicopter-carrying destroyer. Built by Canadian Vickers in Montreal, Quebec, her keel was laid on 8 June 1951 and she was launched on 29 April 1953. She was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on 10 November 1956 as DDE 229, named for the Ottawa River.
In her early years she served primarily as an anti-submarine escort. In 1957 she was fitted with an experimental flight deck for helicopter landing trials, marking an important step toward the integration of helicopters into Canadian destroyer operations.
Transferred to the west coast, she joined the Second Canadian Escort Squadron and in 1960 sailed with sister ships on a cruise to Hong Kong and Japan for exercises with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. She also operated with United States Navy forces off Hawaii in 1961.
Beginning on 24 May 1963 she underwent conversion at Victoria Machinery Depot in British Columbia to become a destroyer helicopter escort (DDH). The work involved major modifications including the addition of a hangar, helicopter deck with the Beartrap recovery system, and reduced gun armament to accommodate a CH-124 Sea King helicopter. She was reclassified as DDH 229 on 21 October 1964 and recommissioned on 28 October 1964 before returning to the east coast.
A significant milestone came on 15 July 1968 when HMCS Ottawa became the first designated French-language unit (and bilingual ship) of Maritime Command. This designation, intended to support French-speaking personnel in a manner comparable to the Army's Royal 22nd Regiment, lasted until 1 April 1973.
Throughout the Cold War she conducted NATO and allied exercises, fisheries patrols, and sovereignty missions in the Atlantic and elsewhere. Notable activities included escorting the royal yacht HMY Britannia during a 1976 royal visit to Canada, participating in the NATO exercise Teamwork '76, visiting the Soviet Union in 1977, and joining the Standing Naval Force Atlantic.
In the early 1980s she was selected for the Destroyer Life Extension (DELEX) program. The refit, carried out at Canadian Vickers from 19 April to 26 November 1982, extended her service life through hull and machinery upgrades. Later highlights included a 1988 cruise of the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes and participation in the NATO exercise Ocean Safari 91 in June 1991. Over her career she steamed approximately 834,634 nautical miles and visited more than 350 ports in over 40 countries.
HMCS Ottawa was paid off on 31 July 1992 at Halifax. In February 1994 she was sold for scrap; she left Halifax under tow on 4 April 1994 bound for India, where she was broken up later that year.
HMCS OTTAWA (3rd) Statistical Data
- Pendant: 229
- Type: Destroyer Escort
- Class: St. Laurent
- Displacement: 2,263 tonnes
- Length: 366 ft
- Width: 42 ft
- Draught: 13.2 ft
- Speed: 28 kts
- Compliment: 12 Officers and 237 Crew
- Arms: 4 - 3" (2 X II), 2 - 40MM, 2 Limbo, Homing Torpedoes. After refit to DDH: 2 - 3" (1 x II), 1 Limbo, Homing Torpedoes, Helicopter
- Builder: Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal. Que.
- Keel Laid: 08-Jun-51
- Date Launched: 29-Apr-53
- Date Commissioned: 10-Nov-56
- Paid off: 31-Jul-93
Remarks
Two major refit/reconfigurations. Re-commissioned as DDH on 21 Oct 64. DELEX refit completed 1982.
Photos
HMCS OTTAWA
Royal Canadian Navy destroyer HMCS Ottawa (DDE 229) in Vancouver, 19 August 1960 (City of Vancouver Archives)
Keywords: HMCS OTTAWA (3rd), Royal Canadian Navy Ship, Destroyer Escort, St. Laurent Class