HMCS Chaudière

There have been two vessels named Chaudière in the Royal Canadian Navy.

HMCS Chaudière (1st of name) (H99) / River-class Destroyer

Completed in 1936 as HMS Hero, an H-class destroyer, she saw extensive British service in the Second World War, including the second Battle of Narvik in April 1940, the evacuation of Greece and Crete in April and May 1941, and the Syrian invasion in June 1941. As a unit of the Mediterranean Fleet, she also took part in the second Battle of Sirte in March 1942, and in May and October of the same year shared in the sinking of two U-boats.

In April 1943 she returned to the UK for a major refit at Portsmouth, and there was transferred to the RCN, becoming HMCS Chaudière. In January 1944 she became a member of EG C-2, Mid Ocean Escort Force, and on 6 March shared in the destruction of U 744. In May she was assigned to EG 11, Western Approaches Command, for invasion support duty, and was present on D-Day. On 20 and 28 August respectively she assisted in the sinking of U 984 west of Brest, and of U 621 off La Rochelle. During the next three months she was employed in patrol and support duties in the North Atlantic, Bay of Biscay, and English Channel.

She returned to Halifax at the end of November for repairs, and a major refit begun at Sydney two months earlier was still incomplete on VE-Day. Chaudière was paid off to reserve at Sydney, and broken up there in 1950.

• Builder: Vickers-Armstrong Ltd., Newcastle-on-Tyne
• Date laid down: 28 February 1935
• Date launched: 10 March 1936       
• Date commissioned in RCN: 15 November 1943
• Date paid off: 17 August 1945
• Displacement: 1 361.5 tonnes
• Dimensions: 98.45 m x 10 m x 3 m
• Speed: 31 knots
• Crew: 181
• Armament: three 4.7-inch, four 21-inch TT (1 x IV), two 6pdrs., six 20-mm, Hedgehog

HMCS Chaudière (2nd of name) (235) / Restigouche-class Destroyer Escort

Chaudière was built at Halifax Shipyards and was the last of the Restigouche class. On 2 October 1967, she left Halifax to serve on the west coast. Her intended conversion to an Improved Restigouche was abandoned for reasons of economy, and, in 1970, her complement was reduced to training level. After being paid off, Chaudière was used as a source of spare parts for others of her class. Her bow was removed in 1989 to replace that of Kootenay, which had been damaged in a collision. Chaudière was sunk as a sport divers' wreck in Sechelt Inlet, BC, on 9 September 1992.

• Builder: Halifax Shipyards Ltd., Halifax, NS
• Date laid down: 30 July 1953
• Date launched: 13 November 1957
• Date commissioned: 14 November 1959
• Date paid off: 23 May 1974
• Displacement: 2 404 tonnes
• Dimensions: 111.6 m x 12.8 m x 4.1 m
• Speed: 28 knots
• Crew: 232
• Armament: four 3-inch (2 x II), 2 Limbo, homing torpedoes

Battle honours:

• Atlantic 1944
• Normandy 1944
• Biscay 1944