HMCS Georgian

A British design, the Bangor-class minesweepers were smaller than the preceding {{sclass|Halcyon|minesweeper|1}}s in British service, but larger than the {{sclass|Fundy|minesweeper|4}} in Canadian service.Chesneau, p. 64Macpherson and Barrie (2002), p. 167 They came in two versions powered by different engines; those with a diesel engines and those with vertical triple-expansion steam engines. Georgian was of the latter design and was larger than her diesel-engined cousins. Georgian was {{convert|180|ft|m|1}} long overall, had a beam of {{convert|28|ft|6|in|m|1}} and a draught of {{convert|9|ft|9|in|m|1}}.Macpherson and Barrie (2002), p. 180 The minesweeper had a displacement of {{convert|672|LT|t}}. She had a complement of 6 officers and 77 enlisted.

Georgian had two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of {{convert|2400|ihp|lk=in}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|16.5|kn|lk=in}}. The minesweeper could carry a maximum of {{convert|150|LT|t|0}} of fuel oil.

The minesweeper was armed initially with a single quick-firing (QF) QF 4 inch naval gun Mk IV, XII, XXII mounted forward that was later replaced with a single QF 3-inch 20 cwt mounted forward.Macpherson (1997), p. 19{{efn|name=gun nomenclature}} The ship was also fitted with a QF 2-pounder Mark VIII aft and was eventually fitted with single-mounted QF 20 mm Oerlikon guns on the bridge wings.Macpherson (1997), p. 46 Georgian had her 2-pounder gun replaced with a powered twin 20 mm mount in preparation for duties associated with the invasion of Normandy. Those ships assigned to convoy duty were armed with two depth charge launchers and four chutes to deploy their 40 depth charges.

The minesweeper was ordered as part of the 1939–1940 construction programme. The ship's keel was laid down on 10 October 1940 by Dufferin Shipbuilding at their yard in Toronto, Ontario. Georgian was launched on 28 January 1941 and commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on 23 September 1941 at Toronto.Macpherson and Barrie (2002), p. 171

Following work ups Georgian was assigned to Sydney Force, the local patrol and escort force operating out of Sydney, Nova Scotia. In January 1942, the minesweeper transferred to Newfoundland Force, the local patrol and escort force operating out of St. John's, Newfoundland and remained with the unit until February 1944. On 21 January 1942, Georgian was escorting the merchant William Hansen off Cape Race when the merchant was torpedoed by the German U-boat {{GS|U-754||2}}. The merchant sank and Georgian was unable to gain contact with the submarine but dropped depth charges anyway. The depth charge explosions shook up a second submarine, {{GS|U-701||2}}, that had been in the vicinity.Douglas et al., No Higher Purpose, p. 387 On 21 June 1942, Georgian was travelling down the coast of Newfoundland with a coastal convoy when she spotted a submarine. Georgian issued a challenge to the submarine but received no response. The minesweeper then rammed the submarine, believing it to be the enemy. However, it was later discovered to be {{HMS|P514}} which had been transiting between Argentia, Newfoundland and St. John's and had been separated from her escorts. The entire crew of the submarine was lost.Schull, p. 113 The German U-boat {{GS|U-517||2}} encountered Georgian on 21 September 1942 in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Georgian left the screen of the Sydney – Quebec convoy SQ 38 on 21 September 1942 and went ahead to Gaspé, Quebec to refuel. Upon returning to the convoy, she came up on the submarine from behind. U-517 was depth charged and thought to be sunk by Georgian. However, the submarine survived and carried out repairs the next night near Sept-Îles, Quebec.Sarty, pp. 184–190

In February 1944, Georgian was sent to Europe as part of Canada's contribution the invasion of Normandy. Georgian bounced around the minesweeping flotillas, serving with British units after arriving in the United Kingdom.Schull, p. 233 Before the assault on 6 June, Georgian was assigned to the 14th Minesweeping Flotilla, a British unit assigned to sweep channels through the minefield in the American sector.Schull, p. 267 The 14th Minesweeping Flotilla swept the Baie de la Seine an hour after the assault began.Schull, pp. 284–285

The minesweeper returned to Canada in January 1945 to undergo a refit at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Following the refit, Georgian returned to European waters joining the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla. The ship returned to Canada in September and was paid off on 23 October 1945 at Sydney.Douglas et al., A Blue Water Navy, p. 337 The vessel was laid up at Shelburne, Nova Scotia to await disposal. The ship was sold and broken up for scrap in 1946.Colledge, p. 260{{csr|register=MSI|id=6111832|shipname=Georgian|access-date=1 November 2016}}

{{notes

| notes =

{{efn

| name = gun nomenclature

| "Cwt" is the abbreviation for hundredweight, 20 cwt referring to the weight of the gun.

}}

}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book |editor-last=Chesneau |editor-first=Roger |date=1980 |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=Greenwich, UK |isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
• {{Cite Colledge2006}}
• {{cite book |last1=Douglas |first1=W.A.B. |last2=Sarty |first2=Roger |last3=Whitby |first3=Michael |title=No Higher Purpose: The Official Operational History of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War, 1939–1943 Volume II, Part I |publisher=Vanwell Publishing |location=St. Catharines, Ontario |date=2002 |isbn=1-55125-061-6}}
• {{cite book |last1=Douglas |first1=W.A.B. |last2=Sarty |first2=Roger |last3=Whitby |first3=Michael |title=A Blue Water Navy: The Official Operational History of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War, 1943–1945 Volume II, Part II |publisher=Vanwell Publishing |location=St. Catharines, Ontario |date=2007 |isbn=978-1-55125-069-4}}
• {{cite book |last1=Macpherson |first1=Ken |last2=Barrie |first2=Ron |date=2002 |title=The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910–2002 |edition=Third |publisher=Vanwell Publishing |location=St. Catharines, Ontario |isbn=1-55125-072-1}}
• {{cite book|title=Minesweepers of the Royal Canadian Navy 1938–1945 |last=Macpherson |first=Ken |publisher=Vanwell Publishing |date=1997 |location=St. Catharines, Ontario |isbn=0-920277-55-1}}
• {{cite book |last=Sarty |first=Roger |date=2012 |title=War in the St. Lawrence: The Forgotten U-Boat Battles on Canada's Shores |publisher=Penguin Group |location=Toronto |isbn=978-0-670-06787-9}}
• {{cite book |last=Schull |first=Joseph |date=1961 |title=The Far Distant Ships: An Official Account of Canadian Naval Operations in the Second World War |publisher=Queen's Printer |location=Ottawa |oclc=19974782}}

• {{Cite web |url=http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/canada/ww2/bangor/ |title= Bangor Class|publisher=Hazegray.org |work= Canadian Navy of Yesterday and Today }}
• {{cite web | url = http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/2651.html | website = Uboat.net | title = HMCS Georgian (J 144)}}

{{Bangor class minesweeper}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Georgian, HMCS}}

Category:Bangor-class minesweepers of the Royal Canadian Navy

Category:Ships built in Toronto

Category:1941 ships

Category:World War II minesweepers of Canada