- Yes - In the Tech Tree.
- Yes - Event/BP.
- Yes - Premium.
- No - I would not like to see HMCS Arleux in game.
Description:
HMCS Arleux was one of twelve Battle-class Armed Trawlers built in Canada for the Royal Canadian Navy in the First World War. She would provide good service for the RCN in two World Wars, she also provided good mercantile service after the Second World War.
This suggestion is for her fit as she commissioned into the RCN in 1918, as she did not receive armament refits, and as such she did not change in armament throughout her life until de-armed when she decommissioned in 1946.
History:
The Battle-class of armed trawlers, were ordered in response to a warning to Canada by the British Admiralty, about the U-Boat threat to Atlantic Shipping. Which stated that more ships would be needed for Anti-submarine patrols on Canada’s eastern seaboard. They, like the Admiralty Trawlers of the era, were based on the lines of North Sea trawlers, as the common types of fishing vessels already built in Canada were considered unsuitable for the expected conditions.
HMCS Arleux was ordered on the 2nd February 1917, being laid down by Vickers Canada, in Montreal quite quickly, as she would launch on the 9th of August 1917. However due to a shortage of suitable engines, she would only fit out and commission on the 5th of June 1918.
Upon commissioning she would be assigned patrol and convoy escort duties for shipping based out of Sydney, Nova Scotia. Due to her late entry into the war, she would be active in this role for a short amount of time, being transferred to the Department of Marine and Fisheries upon the end of hostilities, her role shifting to fisheries protection. She would remain a commissioned warship through this period until the 30th of June 1922, but would continue acting as fisheries protection.
This was so until war was declared war upon Germany in 1939. As the need for gate vessels outstripped the need for Fisheries protection, HMCS Arleux was rearmed and recommissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy. She would serve as the gate ship for the port at Halifax, Nova Scotia.
This time would mostly be uneventful, however when another Battle-class trawler, HMCS Ypres, was rammed and sunk without loss of life by HMS Revenge. HMCS Arleux took over her duties in addition to her own. Arleux would herself be rammed by the RMS Queen Mary, and would survive, albeit with heavy flooding.
On the 15th of February 1946, HMCS Arleux was sold to Atlantic Trawlers Ltd for mercantile use. She would founder in their service on the 19th of August 1948 off Nova Scotia.
| General Characteristics: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name: HMCS Arleux | |||||
| Country: Canada | |||||
| Type: Armed-Trawler | |||||
| Class name: Battle-class | |||||
| Year of commission: 1918 | |||||
| Refit: 1918 | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Dimensions: | |||||
| Length: 130ft (40m) | |||||
| Beam: 25ft (7.6m) | |||||
| Draught: 13ft (4m) | |||||
| Displacement: 357t | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Propulsion: | |||||
| Powerplant: Triple expansion steam producing 480ihp (360kW) | |||||
| Speed: 10kt | |||||
| Endurance: unknown | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Armament & sensors: | |||||
| Compliment: unknown, aprox ~15 | |||||
| Primary armament: 1x1 12pdr 12cwt | |||||
| Secondary armament: Depth Charges 2 rails 6 total charges | |||||
| Tertiary armament: small arms | |||||
| Sensors: -nil |
Sources
HMCS Arleux - Wikipedia
https://www.canada.ca/en/navy/services/history/ships-histories/arleux.html
HMCS ARLEUX | Ships of the Royal Canadian Navy
RCN Battle Class Trawlers: HMCS Arleux, HMCS Armentières, HMCS Arras, HMCS Festubert, HMCS Givenchy, HMCS Loos, HMCS Messines, HMCS St. Eloi, HMCS St. Julien, HMCS Thiepval, HMCS Vimy, HMCS Ypres.
Macpherson, K.& Burgess, J. (1982). The Ships of Canada’s Naval Forces 1910-1981 (pp. 22-25)
Tucker, G.Norman. (1962). The Naval Service of Canada, Its Official History – Volume 1: Origins and Early Years. (p.257)