HMCS VEGREVILLE (J257)
HMCS VEGREVILLE
The History of HMCS VEGREVILLE
Commissioned at Montreal on December 10, 1941, Vegreville arrived at Halifax on December 18 and was assigned to WLEF. She was reassigned to Gulf Escort Force in June, 1942, and transferred that September to Newfoundland Force. In January 1944, she was assigned to invasion du- ties, and sailed on February 19 from Halifax for Plymouth via the Azores, in company with Caraquet, Cowichan, and Malpeque. Arriving at Plymouth on March 13, Vegreville was assigned successively to the 32nd, 14th, and 31st Minesweeping Flotillas, and was present on D-Day. In September 1944, she proceeded to Canada to refit at Sydney, returning to Plymouth on February 4, 1945. On April 23, while operating off the French coast, she sustained severe damage to her port engine. Dockyard survey at Devonport indi- cated that she was not worth repairing at that stage of the war, and she was laid up at Falmouth in June. Paid off on June 6, 1945, she was broken up at Hayle, U.K., in 1947.
HMCS VEGREVILLE Statistical Data
- Pendant: J257
- 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: 02-Jun-41
- Date Launched: 07-Oct-41
- Date Commissioned: 10-Dec-41
- Paid off: 06-Jun-45