HMC ML Q054
{{Short description|Canadian wooden upgunned submarine chaser}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = File:ML-Q054.jpg | Ship caption = HMC ML Q054 }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship original cost = | Ship commissioned = | Ship acquired = 17 October 1941 | Ship completed = | Ship christened = | Ship sponsor = | Ship launched = 30 August 1941 | Ship recommissioned = | Ship laid down = 24 March 1941 | Ship builder = *Greavette Boats Ltd.
| Ship awarded = | Ship ordered = | Ship operator = *23px Royal Canadian Navy
| Ship name = | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Canada|naval-1911}} | Ship country = Canada | Ship in service = | Ship identification = * CML 005
| Ship notes = | Ship captured = | Ship honors = | Ship nickname = | Ship motto = | Ship homeport = Gaspé | Ship decommissioned = | Ship reinstated = | Ship struck = | Ship refit = | Ship reclassified = | Ship renamed = | Ship out of service = 6 December 1944 | Ship badge = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Ship sail plan = | Ship range = {{convert|1,500|mi|nmi km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|12|kn}} | Ship endurance = | Ship test depth = | Ship boats = | Ship capacity = | Ship troops = | Ship complement = 2 officers and 14 non-commissioned | Ship speed = {{convert|20|kn}} | Ship crew = 16 | Ship sensors = ASDIC | Ship EW = | Ship armament = * Upgunned sub chaser
| Ship armour = Wheelhouse plated | Ship armor = | Ship aircraft = | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship time to activate = 48 hours to reconfigure weapons | Ship propulsion = Two {{convert|650|bhp|kW|abbr=on}} Hall-Scott Defender petrol engines | Ship draught = {{convert|4|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}} | Ship power = | Ship class = Fairmile B motor launch | Ship type = * Upgunned sub chaser
| Ship tonnage = | Ship displacement = 79 long tons | Ship length = {{convert|112|ft|m|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|17|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}} | Header caption = | Ship height = | Ship draft = | Ship depth = | Ship hold depth = | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship notes = }} |
HMC ML Q054 was a wooden Canadian-built Fairmile B motor launch (ML) upgunned submarine chaser delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) on 17 October 1941.{{Cite web|url=http://www.forposterityssake.ca/Navy/MLQ054.htm|title=RCN ML Q054|website=www.forposterityssake.ca|access-date=14 January 2020}} Originally designed for the Royal Navy by W.J. Holt of the British Admiralty and built by British boatbuilder Fairmile Marine, during the Second World War eighty Fairmile B motor launches were built in Canada for service with the Coastal Forces of the RCN.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ww2ships.com/britain/gb-sc-001-b.shtml|title=WW2Ships.com: Fairmile Type B Motor Launch|website=www.ww2ships.com|access-date=2 January 2020}}
Design
{{Main|Canadian Fairmile B motor launch}}
Built of double mahogany (diagonally) with an eight-inch oak keel and based on a line of destroyer hulls, the Fairmiles arrived in prefabricated kits to be assembled for the RCN by thirteen different boatyards.{{Cite web|url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1272919017|title=Steam Community :: Guide :: The Fairmile B Motor Launch|website=steamcommunity.com|language=en|access-date=3 January 2020}} In contrast to the British built boats, the Canadian Fairmiles were narrower, had a greater draught, and were slightly more powerful giving the Canadian boats a two knot speed advantage over the British boats.{{Cite web|url=http://jproc.ca/rrp/fairmile.html|title=Radio Research Paper – Fairmile Radio Fit|website=jproc.ca|access-date=4 January 2020}} With a fuel capacity of 2,320 gallons of 87 octane gasoline, the early Fairmiles (Q050 to Q111) were powered by two 650 hp engines, could reach a top speed of 20 knots (max), 16.5 knots sea speed and a range of 1925 miles at 7.5 knots. Later versions (Q112 to Q129) were fitted with larger 700 hp engines able to achieve a top speed to 22 knots (max), with a range of 1925 miles at 7.5 knots.{{Cite news|url=http://readyayeready.com/crowsnest/1962/1962-02.pdf|title=The Little Ships|last=Heenan, RCNR (Ret)|first=Captain Joseph A.|date=1 February 1962|work=The Crowsnest|access-date=6 January 2020}}{{Cite book|title=Allied Coastal Forces of World War II Vol 1: Fairmile designs and US submarine chasers|last=Lambert and Ross|first=John and Al|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|year=1990|isbn=0-85177-519-5|location=|pages=77–78}} Crewed by two or three officers and fourteen sailors, accommodation on the Fairmiles was thought to be "cramped but comfortable".
Another unique design feature of the Fairmile B was that with forty-eight hours notice each boat could be reconfigured to serve in a different role. Fitted with steel strips and tapped holes to ease equipment swaps, weapons and specialist gear such as torpedo tubes, mines, depth charges, and guns could be quickly stripped and attached to the boat. In two days, a Fairmile could have its weapons and equipment reconfigured to serve as an escort, minesweeper, minelayer, navigation leader, coastal raider, patrol boat, ambulance or rescue launch. "Armament consisted of three 20mm Oerlikon guns, mounted forward, aft and amidships; two .303 machine-guns; one 9mm Sten gun; two .303 rifles; three .45 revolvers; and 20 depth-charges of 300 Ibs each, including eight fitted for the "Y" gun. Each boat was equipped with sonar, radar and WIT."
The first thirty-six Canadian Fairmile B type were designated and painted up as CML 01-36 (coastal motor launch).
Although listed as being built by Greavette Boats Ltd. of Gravenhurst, Ontario, Q054 along with Q055, and Q056 which were subcontracted and commissioned at Sachau Marine Construction Limited at Humber Bay, Mimico.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BuEMeSR66DsC&dq=Sachau&pg=PA275|title=A Bridge of Ships: Canadian Shipbuilding during the Second World War|last=Pritchard|first=James|date=20 May 2011|publisher=McGill-Queen's Press – MQUP|isbn=978-0-7735-8561-4|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nauticapedia.ca/Articles/Navy_MLs.php|title=Where Did the RCN Motor Launches Get To?|website=www.nauticapedia.ca|access-date=14 January 2020}}
Fairmile flotillas
{{Main|Coastal Forces of the Royal Canadian Navy}}
Affectionately known as the little ships, little fighting ships, or Q-boats by their crews, during the Second World War the Fairmile B motor launches of the RCN played a vital role escorting shipping along the St. Lawrence River, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and between Newfoundland and the mainland of Canada. Regularly deployed in flotillas of six The Little Ships relieved larger escort craft urgently needed elsewhere by carrying out anti-submarine patrols, port defence and rescue duties.{{Cite web|url=https://www.junobeach.org/canada-in-wwii/articles/the-ships/fairmile-motor-launch/|title=Fairmile Motor Launch|date=1 April 2014|website=Juno Beach Centre|language=en-US|access-date=2 January 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://naval-museum.mb.ca/mtbs/fairmiles-of-the-rcn/|title=Fairmiles of the RCN|publisher=Naval Museum of Manitoba|website=www.naval-museum.mb.ca|access-date=2023-09-01}} Based out of shore establishments on the St. Lawrence River, Halifax, Saint John, Shelburne, Sydney and on the West Coast; at sea the RCN Fairmile Fleets were accompanied by two "mother ships" HMCS Preserver (F94) and HMCS Provider (F100) providing fresh water, fuel and medical services.{{Cite web|url=http://jproc.ca/rrp/fairmile.html|title=Radio Research Paper – Fairmile Radio Fit|website=jproc.ca|access-date=5 January 2020}}
Operational history
While she flew the White Ensign, Q054 was not a commissioned ship, but rather listed as a tender to escort depot ship HMCS Sambro.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rcnfairmiles.com/category/pennant-numbers-and-converted-fairmiles/q050-t0-q059|title=Fairmiles of the Royal Canadian Navy » —Q050 to Q059|language=en|access-date=2 January 2020}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.forposterityssake.ca/Navy/MLQ051.htm|title=RCN ML Q051|website=www.forposterityssake.ca|access-date=2 January 2020}} In December 1944, ML Q054 was listed as part of the RCN North-West Atlantic Command Gaspé Force (Administered by N.O. i/c., Gaspé), 71st Motor Launch Flotilla.{{Cite book|title="Red List" (Part II) Minor War Vessels Abroad|last=Navy|first=Royal|publisher=Operations Division Naval Staff Admiralty|date=16 December 1944|isbn=|url=http://convoycu49-1944.com/files/RED_LIST_Part_One_-_minor_war_vessels_in_home_waters_dated_December_10_1944_master_binder_as_of_April_12_2019.pdf|pages=57–61|access-date=15 January 2020|archive-date=14 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114074550/http://convoycu49-1944.com/files/RED_LIST_Part_One_-_minor_war_vessels_in_home_waters_dated_December_10_1944_master_binder_as_of_April_12_2019.pdf|url-status=dead}} After the Second World War she sold as surplus and sold by the War Assets Corporation (WAC) to Capt. E.J. Weaber c/o Marine Industries Ltd. Sorel (MIL), Sorel.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rcnfairmiles.com/category/pennant-numbers-and-converted-fairmiles/q050-t0-q059|title=Fairmiles of the Royal Canadian Navy » —Q050 to Q059|language=en|access-date=14 January 2020}}
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:Royal Canadian Navy Fairmile B motor launch boats of World War II