The Prestonian-class ocean anti-submarine escort frigate was a class of 21 frigates that served with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1953 to 1967 and with the Royal Norwegian Navy from 1956 to 1977.
They were converted from mothballed s of British design that had been placed in reserve following the end of the Second World War. The first vessel to be reactivated and undergo refit was which was recommissioned on 28 August 1953. The class did not use sequential pennant numbers.
History During the Korean War, Canada committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It was believed at the time that there was a strategic threat to the shipping lanes supplying the European continent by the Soviet Union. This belief originated due to Soviet submarines becoming increasingly difficult to detect and identify, as a result of their updated technology.
Vice-Admiral H.T.W. Grant, Chief of the Naval Staff of Canada, promised that Canada would contribute anti-submarine escort forces to combat the threat. Originally that meant updating only the existing fleet, however this policy was expanded when 21 decommissioned River-class frigates were converted to ocean escorts and recommissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy.
The concept of anti-submarine warfare performed from a helicopter operating from the decks of escorts had been first proposed during the Second World War. Canada was the first nation to test a fully capable anti-submarine warfare helicopter flying from an escort. had a helicopter flight deck attached to her stern and performed sea trials from October to December 1956. These trials preceded the design of the destroyer helicopter carriers of the Royal Canadian Navy.
In 1956, three frigates, , and were loaned to the Royal Norwegian Navy and renamed Troll, Draug and Garm respectively. They were purchased outright in 1959 and were the only export of the class.
Three further River-class frigates, , and , were disarmed and transferred to the Department of Transport of Canada for use as weather ships, but were given Royal Canadian Navy pennant numbers and were subsequently considered as part of the class.
Modifications
The River-class frigate was a successful Canadian-built escort design from the Second World War, However, there was a requirement to update this design to meet the needs of the post-war Canadian Navy and to match the threat of the Soviet submarine force.
The fo'c'sle deck was extended aft and was wall-sided. This extra space was primarily devoted to improved habitability. All accommodation throughout the ship was improved. Each crew member was given their own bunk. The space was also used for generating machinery required by for anti-submarine warfare. This machinery was changed from three steam and one diesel to two steam and two diesel generators. The quarterdeck was enclosed to house two Squid anti-submarine mortars.
A much larger bridge structure was installed that was almost entirely enclosed. The upper works were constructed of aluminum instead of steel to save weight. This necessitated a heightened funnel to clear the new structure, which in turn required a larger mast. This mast remained a tripod. The propelling machinery was overhauled and the hull forward was strengthened forward to protect against ice.
One ship, Buckingham, had a flight deck attached aft for helicopter landing and takeoff sea trials, but the structure was removed once the trials were completed.
Ships +Royal Canadian Navy ShipPennant numberBuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissionedPaid off FateAntigonishFFE 301Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt Broken up in Japan 1968Beacon HillFFE 303Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt Became training ship in 1949 and scrapped Sakai, Japan 1968BuckinghamFFE 314Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon Broken up La Spezia, Italy 1966Cap de la MadeleineFFE 317Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City broken up La Spezia, Italy 1966Fort ErieFFE 312Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon sold for scrap and broken up La Spezia, Italy 1966Inch ArranFFE 308Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon sold and maybe broken up 1970JonquiereFFE 318Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon Broken up Victoria, BC 1967La HulloiseFFE 305Canadian Vickers, Montreal Sold and broken up La Spezia, Italy 1966LanarkFFE 321Canadian Vickers, Montreal Broken up La Spezia, Italy 1966LauzonFFE 322Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon Sold in Toronto 1964, likely scrapped.New GlasgowFFE 315Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt Sold and broken up Japan 1967New WaterfordFFE 304Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt Broken up Savona, Italy in 1967.OutremontFFE 310Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City Broken up La Spezia, Italy in 1966.PenetangFFE 316Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon Broken up Oslo, Norway after 1966.PrestonianFFE 307Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon Loaned to Norway 1956, sold outright 1959 and scrapped 1966St. CatharinesFFE 324Yarrows Ltd., EsquimaltTransferred to Department of Transport as CGS St. Catharines, serving as a weather monitoring ship in the North Pacific, 1952–1967. Sold, 1968 as fish factory ship in Vancouver, BC.St. StephenFFE 323Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt Used as Weather ship by RCN from 1947 to 1950. Transferred to Dept. of Transport in 1950 as CGS St. Stephen and used as weather ship until 1968.Ste. ThereseFFE 309Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon Broken up in Japan in 1967StettlerFFE 311Canadian Vickers, Montreal Sold broken up in Victoria, BC 1967.Stone TownFFE 302 Canadian Vickers, MontrealTransferred to Department of Transport as CGS Stone Town, serving as a weather monitoring ship in the North Pacific, 1952–1967. Sold, 1968 as fish factory ship in Vancouver, BCSussexvaleFFE 313Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., LauzonSwanseaFFE 306 Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt Sold August 1967, broken up Savona, Italy 1967.TorontoFFE 319 Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon Transferred to Norway in 1956 as Garm and then as Valkyrien; scrapped 1977.VictoriavilleFFE 320 Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., LauzonDecember 1966Decommissioned as a Prestonian-class frigate, December 1966; recommissioned as diving tender . Finally decommissioned, and scrap in 1974.
References Notes
External links
Prestonian-class frigates – hazegray.org