HMCS COBALT (K124)

HMCS COBALT

HMCS COBALT

The History of HMCS COBALT

Built at Port Arthur and commissioned there on November 25, 1940, Cobalt was taken to Halifax in advance of completion to beat the St. Lawrence freeze-up, arriving December 24. Completed early in January, 1941, she worked up and joined Halifax Force, but left on May 23 with the other six corvettes and first formed NEF. For the next six months she operated as an ocean escort between St. John's and Iceland, proceeding in mid-November to Liverpool, N.S., for three moths' refit. Following completion she made two round trips to Londonderry before being assigned in May, 1942, to WLEF, with which she was to spend the balance of the war. She served with EG W-6 from June, 1943; with W-5 from April, 1944; and with W-7 from February, 1945. During the second of two other extensive refits at Liverpool, N.S., from April to July 20, 1944, her fo'c's'le was lengthened. She was paid off at Sorel on June 17, 1945, and subsequently sold for conversion to a whale-catcher, entering service in 1953 as the Dutch Johanna W. Vinke. She was broken up in South Africa in 1966.

HMCS COBALT Statistical Data

  • Pendant: K124
  • Type: Corvette
  • Class: FLOWER Class 1939-1940
  • Displacement: 950 tonnes
  • Length: 205.1 ft
  • Width: 33.1 ft
  • Draught: 11.5 ft
  • Speed: 16 kts
  • Compliment: 6 Officers and 79 Crew
  • Arms: 1-4" Gun, 1-2 pdr, 2-20mm, Hedgehog
  • Builder: Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Port Arthur, Ont.
  • Keel Laid: 01-Apr-40
  • Date Launched: 17-Aug-40
  • Date Commissioned: 25-Nov-40
  • Paid off: 17-Jun-45

Remarks

Focsle Extended, Liverpool, NS, 20 Jul 44

Keywords: HMCS COBALT, Royal Canadian Navy Ship, Corvette, FLOWER Class 1939-1940 Class