HMCS RED DEER (J255)
HMCS RED DEER
The History of HMCS RED DEER
Commissioned at Montreal on November 24, 1941. Real Deer arrived at Halifax on December 3. She was assigned to WLEF, later serving at various times with Halifax Local Defence Force, Gulf Escort Force, and Sydney Force. On January 12, 1942, she rescued survivors from the British SS Cyclops, which was torpedoed 125 miles southeast of Cape Sable, the first victim of the epic U-boat campaign off the U.S. east coast. In May, 1944, she began a refit at Liverpool, N.S., and was sent to Bermuda to work up late in July. In February, 1944 she had been allocated to Newfoundland Force, and she continued a member of this force until VE-Day She was paid off at Halifax on October 30, 1945, and laid up at Shelburne, later being placed in strategic reserve at Sorel. Reacquired by the RCN in 1952, she was never recommissioned, and was sold in February, 1959, for breaking up at Sorel.
HMCS RED DEER Statistical Data
- Pendant: J255
- Type: Minesweeper
- Class: BANGOR Class (40-41 Regular Programme)
- Displacement: 672 tonnes
- Length: 180 ft
- Width: 28.5 ft
- Draught: 8.3 ft
- Speed: 16 kts
- Compliment: 6 Officers and 77 Crew
- Arms: 1-4" Gun, 1-3" Gun, 2-20mm
- Builder: Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal. Que.
- Keel Laid: 01-Oct-41
- Date Launched: 05-Oct-41
- Date Commissioned: 24-Nov-41
- Paid off: 30-Oct-45
Remarks
After 1949 renumbered as Pendant 196.