HMCS Dunvegan

There has been only one vessel named Dunvegan in the Royal Canadian Navy.

HMCS Dunvegan (K177) / Flower-class Corvette

Named for a village in Nova Scotia, HMCS Dunvegan was commissioned at Sorel on 9 September 1941, and arrived at Halifax a week later. She joined Sydney Force after working up, but in mid-November was transferred to Newfoundland Command. She left St. John’s on 18 November as ocean escort to convoy SC.55 as far as Iceland. On her return she underwent repairs at Halifax, and on their completion in January 1942 was assigned briefly to Western Local Escort Force (WLEF). Resuming her duties as ocean escort with Newfoundland Command, she arrived at Londonderry on 10 March. In succeeding weeks she made two more round trips to Derry, leaving that port for the last time in mid-June 1942. On reaching Halifax, she was assigned to WLEF and in June 1943 to its convoy EG W-8.

In October 1943 she proceeded to Baltimore, MD, for a refit which included fo’c’s’le extension and lasted until the end of the year. She then carried out workups at Norfolk, VA, completing the process in Bermuda after some repairs at Halifax. On her return she resumed her duties with WLEF, from April 1944 onwards as a member of EG W-6. On 7 May 1945 she left Halifax as a local escort to convoy SC.175, but was detached on 10 May to act, with HMCS Rockcliffe, as escort to the surrendered U 889.

She was paid off on 3 July 1945 at Sydney and sold in 1945 to Venezuelan Navy, serving as Indepencia until broken up in 1953.

• Builder: Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel, QC
• Date laid down: 30 August 1940
• Date launched: 11 December 1940
• Date commissioned: 9 September 1941
• Fo’c’s’le  extension completed: Baltimore, MD, 27 December 1943
• Date paid off: 3 July 1945
• Displacement: 965.2 tonnes
• Dimensions: 62.4 m x 10 m x 3.5 m
• Speed: 16 knots
• Crew: 85
• Armament: one 4-inch one 2-pdr., two 20-mm, Hedgehog

Battle honours:

Atlantic 1941-44