- Yes - In the Tech Tree
- Yes - Event / BP
- Yes - Premium
- No - I do not want HMCS Prestonian in game.
Description:
HMCS Prestonian was one of many River-class Frigates built in Canada for the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War, she would see service in this conflict, however due to her late built date, she would mostly serve the RCN in the post war environment. She was later sold to Norway.
This suggestion is for her 1953 fit, in which she was rebuilt into a ocean escort frigate, the first of her class to do so, and as such had the honor of this sub-class of vessels named after her.
History:
Ordered on the 1st of February 1943, she was laid down by the 20th July the same year by Davie Shipbuilding, in Lauzon, Quebec. She launched on the 22nd June 1944, commissioning on the 13th of September 1944. However she was damaged and had to undergo repairs at Halifax, she only finished fitting in January 1945 at Bermuda.
She completed as a standard River-class frigate within the RCN, armed with a twin 4-inch mount fore, a 12pdr aft, eight 20mm Oerlikons, Hedgehog ASW launcher, DCT and DC rails for 150 Depth Charges. She was completed with reciprocating steam engines, unlike some river-class, who finished with turbines.
Upon her fitting out finishing, out she would join EG28, as to escort convoys operating out of Halifax. She would serve here until VE day, where she would undergo a tropicalization refit at Halifax in preparation for service within the Pacific. This would complete on the 20th of August 1945, however these plans were canceled and she was sold to Marine Industries Ltd.
Upon the accession of Canada to NATO in 1949, ASW convoy escorts were promised to be provided, as to ensure that the vital Atlantic trade lanes stayed open. To achieve this ASW requirement, the St.Laurent-class of Frigates were designed, however these would take time to build and commission.
To fill the ASW capability gap in the mean time, 21 of the then retired River-class would be taken out of reserve or repurchased. They would then be given a very large refit to better suit their new requirements and the new technology developed.
HMCS Prestonian was one of the first vessels chosen due to her low level of degradation. She would have her quarterdeck closed in, as to produce a ‘flat’ upper deck, her 12pdr, Hedgehog and Oerlikons were removed, being replaced by a two Squid ASW mortars a twin 40mm Bofors mount, and four single 40mm Bofors mount. The internal arrangement was also changed, hammocks were swapped for bunks, a new bridge, mast and operation room was fitted. The radar suite was modernised, however due to these radars electricity needs the generators were also replaced. The other machinery was also overhauled, and the forward hull sections strengthened for ice. She kept for main forward 4-inch guns.
As HMCS Prestonian was the first of this new class of escorts, the entire sub-class was named after her, being known as the Prestonian-class Frigate, or Prestonian-class Ocean Escort.
The rebuilt HMCS Prestonian would recommission on the 22nd of August 1953 with the pennant 307. She joined the First Canadian Escort Squadron in November 1953, deploying to the Caribbean sea for training. During her time in this squadron she would make several port visits and take part in NATO exercises ‘New Broom II’, and ‘Morning Mist’. She would later preform a training cruise in the Mediterranean, returning on the 10th of December 1954.
In November 1955, it was announced that Noway would be loaned five Prestonian-class Frigates, including HMCS Prestonian. She would be sold to the Norwegians on the 24th of April 1956 and renamed to HNoMS Troll for fisheries protection. She would become a submarine depot ship in 1965, being discarded in 1972.
| General Characteristics | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name: HMCS Prestonian | |||||
| Country: Canada | |||||
| Type: Frigate | |||||
| Class name: Prestonian | |||||
| Year of commission: 1944 | |||||
| Refit: 1953 | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Dimensions: | |||||
| Length: 301.25 ft (91.82 m) o/a | |||||
| Beam: 36.5 ft (11.13 m) | |||||
| Draught: 13 ft (3.96 m) | |||||
| Displacement: 2,110t | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Propulsion: | |||||
| Powerplant: Triple expansion steam engines, dual boilers, producing 5,500ihp (4,100kW) across two shafts | |||||
| Speed:20kt | |||||
| Endurance: 7,500nmi @ 15kt | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Armament & sensors: | |||||
| Compliment: 140 | |||||
| Primary armament: 1x2 QF 4-inch Mk.XVI on mount HA/LA Mk.XIX | |||||
| Secondary armament: 1x2 40mm Bofors Mk.V, 4x1 40mm Bofors Mk.VIII | |||||
| Tertiary armament: 2x3 Squid ASW Mortars | |||||
| Sensors: Sperry Mk.2 Nav radar, Type 147 Sonar, Type 164B Sonar, Type 162 Sonar, AN/UPD 501 HFDF, SU type gunnery/surface search radar |
Sources
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/prestonian-class-frigates
HMCS Prestonian - Wikipedia
https://www.canada.ca/en/navy/services/history/ships-histories/prestonian.html
HMCS Prestonian (K 662) of the Royal Canadian Navy - Canadian Frigate of the River class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net
Radio Research Paper - River Class Radio Fit
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia: SU Surface Search Radar
Macpherson, K., & Burgess, J. (1982). The Ships of Canada’s Naval Forces 1910-1981 (pp. 44, 60, 210–211).