HMCS Cap de la Madeleine

There has been only 1 vessel named Cap de la Madeleine in the Royal Canadian Navy.

HMCS Cap de la Madeleine (K663 / 317)

Commissioned September 30, 1944 at Québec City, Québec, the River Class frigate HMCS Cap de la Madeleine arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, October 20, and soon afterward sailed for Bermuda to work up. Returning in December, she was allocated to Escort Group C-7, Mid Ocean Escort Force based at St. John’s, Newfoundland. She left that port December 28, 1944 to accompany convoy HX.328 eastward, but was detached on January 3 to the westbound convoy ONS.39, as she had to return for repairs. These were carried out at St. John’s, Halifax, and Québec, and completed May 7, 1945. She then began refit at Lauzon, Québec, but this was cancelled in August owing to termination of hostilities, and the ship was paid off November 25, at Shelburne, Nova Scotia.

HMCS Cap de la Madeleine was sold to Marine Industries Ltd., but later reacquired by the Royal Canadian Navy and converted to a Prestonian Class frigate. Re-commissioned on December 7, 1954, she served on the east coast until paid off on May 15, 1965. She was broken up the following year at La Spezia, Italy.

• Builder: Morton Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Québec City, Québec
• Laid down: November 5, 1943
• Launched: May 13, 1944
• Date commissioned: September 30, 1944
• Date paid off (final): May 15, 1965
• Displacement: 1,445 tons
• Dimensions: 91.9 m x 11.1 m x 2.7 m
• Speed: 19 knots
• Crew: 141
• Armament: (River) two 4-inch (102-mm) (1 x II), one 12-pound (5.45 kg) gun, eight 20-mm guns (4 x II), one Hedgehog mortar and depth charges; (Prestonian) two 4-inch (102-mm) guns (1 x II), six 40-mm guns (1 x II, 4 x I), two Squid mortars.

Battle honours

• Atlantic 1945