{{Short description|Flower-class corvette}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image=HMCS Chilliwack 1942 MC-2190.jpg |image_caption=HMCS ''Chilliwack'', circa 1942. }}
|section2={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header= |country= Canada |flag={{shipboxflag|Canada|naval-1911}} |name= ''Chilliwack'' |namesake=[[Chilliwack]], [[British Columbia]] |ordered= 14 February 1940 |awarded= |builder=[[Burrard Dry Dock]], [[North Vancouver (city)|North Vancouver]] |original_cost= |yard_number= |way_number= |laid_down=3 July 1940 |launched=14 September 1940 |sponsor= |christened= |completed= |acquired= |commissioned=8 April 1941 |recommissioned= |decommissioned= |maiden_voyage= |in_service= |out_of_service= [[Paid off]] 14 July 1945 |renamed= |reclassified= |refit= |struck= |reinstated= |homeport= |identification=[[Pennant number]]: K131 |motto= |nickname= |honours= Atlantic 1941-45<ref name=Britain>{{cite web|title= Battle Honours | url=http://www.britainsnavy.co.uk/Battle%20Honours/A%20Battle%20Honour%20Date.htm#1900|work=Britain's Navy|access-date=4 August 2013}}</ref> |honors= |captured= |fate= Scrapped 1946. |notes= |badge= }}
|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header= |header_caption= |class={{sclass2|Flower|corvette}} (original)<ref name=lenton>{{cite book|last=Lenton |first=H.T. |last2=Colledge |first2=J.J |year=1968 |title=British and Dominion Warships of World War II |publisher=Doubleday & Company |pages=201, 212 }}</ref> |displacement={{convert|925|LT|t ST|lk=in}} |length={{convert|205|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}[[Length overall|o/a]] |beam={{convert|33|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} |height= |draught={{convert|11.5|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} |power= |propulsion=*single shaft *2 × fire tube Scotch boilers *1 × 4-cycle triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine *{{convert|2750|ihp|abbr=on}} |speed={{convert|16|kn|km/h|1}} |range={{convert|3500|nmi|km|0}} at {{convert|12|kn|km/h|1}} |endurance= |complement=85 |sensors=*1 × SW1C or 2C radar *1 × Type 123A or Type 127DV sonar |EW= |armament=*1 × [[BL 4 inch Mk IX naval gun|BL {{convert|4|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} Mk.IX]] single gun *2 × [[Vickers .50 machine gun|.50 cal machine gun (twin)]] *2 × [[Lewis gun|Lewis .303 cal machine gun]] (twin) *2 × Mk.II [[depth charge]] throwers *2 × depth charge rails with 40 depth charges *originally fitted with minesweeping gear, later removed |armour= |notes= }} }}
'''HMCS ''Chilliwack''''' was a {{sclass2|Flower|corvette}} who served with the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] during the [[World War II|Second World War]]. She saw action primarily in the [[Battle of the Atlantic]] as a convoy escort. She was named for [[Chilliwack|Chilliwack, British Columbia]].
==Background== {{main|Flower-class corvette}} Flower-class corvettes like ''Chilliwack'' serving with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were different from earlier and more traditional sail-driven corvettes.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ossian |first=Robert |url=http://www.thepirateking.com/ships/ship_types.htm |title=Complete List of Sailing Vessels |website=The Pirate King |access-date=13 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Fitzsimons |editor-first=Bernard |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare |location=London |publisher=Phoebus |year=1978 |volume=11 |pages=1137–1142 }}</ref><ref name=Jane>{{cite book |title=Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II |location=New Jersey |publisher=Random House |year=1996 |isbn=0-517-67963-9 |page=[https://archive.org/details/janesfightingshi00fran/page/68 68] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/janesfightingshi00fran/page/68 }}</ref> The "corvette" designation was created by the French as a class of small warships; the Royal Navy borrowed the term for a period but discontinued its use in 1877.<ref>{{cite book |last=Blake |first=Nicholas |last2=Lawrence |first2=Richard |title=The Illustrated Companion to Nelson's Navy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I59v6rkg8egC&pg=PA39 |publisher=Stackpole Books |year=2005 |pages=39–63 |isbn=0-8117-3275-4}}</ref> During the hurried preparations for war in the late 1930s, [[Winston Churchill]] reactivated the corvette class, needing a name for smaller ships used in an escort capacity, in this case based on a [[whaling ship]] design.<ref>{{cite book |last=Chesneau |first=Roger |last2=Gardiner |first2=Robert |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJBMBvyQ83EC&pg=PA62 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |date=June 1980 |page=62 |isbn=0-87021-913-8}}</ref> The generic name "flower" was used to designate the class of these ships, which – in the Royal Navy – were named after flowering plants.<ref name=Milner>{{cite book |title=North Atlantic Run |last=Milner |first=Marc |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1985 |pages=117–119, 142–145, 158, 175–176, 226, 235, 285–291 |isbn=0-87021-450-0}}</ref>
Corvettes commissioned by the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were named after communities for the most part, to better represent the people who took part in building them. This idea was put forth by Admiral [[Percy W. Nelles]]. Sponsors were commonly associated with the community for which the ship was named. Royal Navy corvettes were designed as open sea escorts, while Canadian corvettes were developed for coastal auxiliary roles which was exemplified by their minesweeping gear. Eventually the Canadian corvettes would be modified to allow them to perform better on the open seas.<ref name=Macpherson2>{{cite book |last=Macpherson |first=Ken |last2=Milner |first2=Marc |year=1993 |title=Corvettes of the Royal Canadian Navy 1939-1945|publisher=Vanwell Publishing |location=St. Catherines |pages=117|isbn=1-55125-052-7}}</ref>
==Construction== ''Chilliwack'' was ordered on 14 February 1940 as part of the 1939-1940 Flower-class building program. At [[Burrard Dry Dock]] in [[North Vancouver (city)|North Vancouver, British Columbia]] she was laid down on 3 July 1940. ''Chilliwack'' was [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 14 September 1940 and commissioned on 8 April 1941 at [[Vancouver]].<ref name=uboat>{{cite web|title= HMCS ''Chilliwack'' (K131) | url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/810.html|work=Uboat.net|access-date=4 August 2013}}</ref> She is named after the city of [[Chilliwack, British Columbia]]. In April 1943 until October 1943, ''Chilliwack'' was refitting at [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia|Dartmouth]], where her [[fo'c'sle]] was extended.<ref name=Macpherson/>
==War service== [[File:Bell from the HMCS Chilliwack at the Chilliwack Military Museum 2019.jpg|thumb|alt=Picture of a bell|Bell from HMCS ''Chilliwack'' at the Chilliwack Military Museum, 2019]] After commissioning she was sent to [[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]], arriving on 19 June 1941. She was assigned to Newfoundland Command in July and spent the rest of the year escorting convoys between [[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's]] and [[Iceland]]. In February 1942 she began work as an ocean escort, a position she continued with few interruptions until November 1944.<ref name=Macpherson>{{cite book |last=Macpherson |first=Ken |last2= Burgess |first2=John |year=1981 |title=The ships of Canada's naval forces 1910-1981 : a complete pictorial history of Canadian warships |publisher=Collins |location=Toronto|pages=72 |isbn=0-00216-856-1}}</ref>
''Chilliwack'' participated in the battle for convoy SC 67 before assignment to [[Mid-Ocean Escort Force]] (MOEF) group C1 in June 1942. With group C1, she shared credit for sinking [[German submarine U-356|''U-356'']] during the battle for [[convoy ON 154]], and participated in the battles for [[convoy SC 94]] and convoy [[HX convoys|HX 222]]. ''Chilliwack'' then joined MOEF group A3 in the battle for [[convoy ON 166]]. In December 1943 after completing her refit and work up, ''Chilliwack'' joined escort group W-8 of Western Escort Force. In March 1944, she assisted in the sinking of [[German submarine U-744|''U-744'']] along with several other escorts while escorting [[convoy HX 280]].<ref name=Macpherson/> ''Chilliwack'' escorted fourteen trans-Atlantic convoys without loss in 1944 and spent 1945 escorting North American coastal convoys with the [[Western Local Escort Force]].<ref name="hague">{{cite web|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hague/index.html|title=Convoy Web|publisher=Andrew Hague Convoy Database|access-date=2011-06-27}}</ref>
In April 1945 she was reassigned to Halifax Force before being lent to escort group C-1 again for one round trip in May. ''Chilliwack'' was [[paid off]] on 14 July 1945 at [[Sorel, Quebec]].<ref name=Macpherson/> The ship was sold after the war and [[Ship breaking|scrapped]] in 1946.<ref name=lenton/> {{clear}}
===Trans-Atlantic convoys escorted=== {|class="wikitable" !Convoy !Escort Group !Dates !Notes |- |[[HX convoys|HX]] 145 | |20–25 August 1941<ref name="hxconvoy">{{cite web|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hx/index.html|title=HX convoys|publisher=Andrew Hague Convoy Database|access-date=2011-06-19}}</ref> |83 ships escorted without loss from [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] to [[Iceland]] |- |[[ON convoys|ON]] 11 | |4–11 September 1941<ref name="onconvoy">{{cite web|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/on/index.html|title=ON convoys|publisher=Andrew Hague Convoy Database|access-date=2011-06-19}}</ref> |63 ships escorted without loss from Iceland to Newfoundland |- |[[SC convoys|SC]] 45 | |21–30 September 1941<ref name="scconvoy">{{cite web|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sc/index.html|title=SC convoys|publisher=Andrew Hague Convoy Database|access-date=2011-06-19}}</ref> |58 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Iceland |- |ON 21 | |5–14 October 1941<ref name="onconvoy"/> |30 ships escorted without loss from Iceland to Newfoundland |- |SC 51 | |25 October – 4 November 1941<ref name="scconvoy"/> |38 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Iceland |- |ON 33 | |11–19 November 1941<ref name="onconvoy"/> |49 ships escorted without loss from Iceland to Newfoundland |- |SC 59 | |14–21 December 1941<ref name="scconvoy"/> |39 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Iceland |- |ON 50 | |28 December 1941 – 3 January 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/> |35 ships escorted without loss from Iceland to Newfoundland |- |SC 67 | |30 January – 11 February 1942<ref name="scconvoy"/> |Newfoundland to Iceland; 1 ship torpedoed & sunk |- |ON 66 | |18–25 February 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/> |19 ships escorted without loss from Iceland to Newfoundland |- |HX 178 | |6–16 March 1942<ref name="hxconvoy"/> |22 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Iceland |- |ON 79 | |24 March – 1 April 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/> |29 ships escorted without loss from Iceland to Newfoundland |- | | | | |- |HX 195 |[[Mid-Ocean Escort Force|MOEF group C1]] |24 June – 1 July 1942<ref name="hxconvoy"/> |30 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Iceland |- |ON 112 |MOEF group C1 |14–25 July 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/> |36 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland |- |[[Convoy SC 94|SC 94]] |MOEF group C1 |2–8 August 1942<ref name="hxconvoy"/> |Newfoundland to Northern Ireland; 10 ships torpedoed & sunk |- |ON 123 |MOEF group C1 |22–31 August 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/> |39 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland |- |SC 99 |MOEF group C1 |9–19 September 1942<ref name="scconvoy"/> |59 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland |- |ON 133 |MOEF group C1 |26 September – 5 Oct 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/> |35 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland |- |HX 211 |MOEF group C1 |13–20 October 1942<ref name="hxconvoy"/> |29 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland |- |ON 143 |MOEF group C1 |2–11 November 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/> |26 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland |- |SC 110 |MOEF group C1 |24 November – 5 December 1942<ref name="scconvoy"/> |33 ships escorted without loss from Halifax to Newfoundland |- |[[Convoy ON 154|ON 154]] |MOEF group C1 |19–30 December 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/> |Northern Ireland to Newfoundland; 14 ships torpedoed (13 sank) |- |HX 222 |MOEF group C1 |11–22 January 1943<ref name="hxconvoy"/> |Newfoundland to Northern Ireland; 1 ship torpedoed & sunk |- |[[Convoy ON 166|ON 166]] |[[Mid-Ocean Escort Force|MOEF group A3]] |12–25 February 1943<ref name="onconvoy"/> |Northern Ireland to Newfoundland; 12 ships torpedoed (11 sank) |- | | | | |- |HX 265 | |11–20 November 1943<ref name="hxconvoy"/> |51 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland |- |ONS 24 | |1–13 December 1943<ref name="onconvoy"/> |29 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland |- |HX 271 | |20–29 December 1943<ref name="hxconvoy"/> |53 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland |- |ON 221 | |25 January – 6 February 1944<ref name="onconvoy"/> |63 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland |- |HX 280 | |2–5 March 1944<ref name="hxconvoy"/> |63 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland |- |ON 230 | |31 March – 9 April 1944<ref name="onconvoy"/> |66 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland |- |HX 287 | |12–17 April 1944<ref name="hxconvoy"/> |71 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland |- |ON 235 | |5–14 May 1944<ref name="onconvoy"/> |65 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland |- |HX 292 | |19–22 May 1944<ref name="hxconvoy"/> |128 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland |- |ON 240 | |11–22 June 1944<ref name="onconvoy"/> |85 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland |- |HX 297 | |30 June – 10 July 1944<ref name="hxconvoy"/> |116 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland |- |ON 245 | |19–28 July 1944<ref name="onconvoy"/> |101 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland |- |HX 302 | |8–16 August 1944<ref name="hxconvoy"/> |96 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland |- |ON 250 | |25 August – 4 September 1944<ref name="onconvoy"/> |76 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Flower class corvette|original}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chilliwack, Hmcs}} [[Category:Flower-class corvettes of the Royal Canadian Navy]] [[Category:1940 ships]] [[Category:Ships built in North Vancouver]]