HMCS Cartier
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HMCS Cartier was a commissioned surveying ship of the Royal Canadian Navy and was one of many Canadian ships to serve in both World War I and World War II.
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[edit] PreRoyal Canadian Navy Service
The Cartier was a Dominion Government of Canada Hydrographic survey ship. She was built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, at Newcastle upon Tyne, between 1908 and 1910. She saw many duties as a ship belonging to the Dominion government. She was utilized by Canada, France, the United States and England while under the Dominion Flag on the East Coast of Canada, and throughout the Atlantic, charting and and taking soundings. The Cartier was used to chart some of the most dangerous coastal waters into Iceland and the Dominion of Newfoundland. She was also contracted to assist in Maritime Insurance Investigations.
[edit] World War I (The War to End All Wars) Service
During the First World War Cartier was lent to the RCN as an armed patrol and training vessel for Junior Officers. During this time, she remained a Dominion Government Ship, on loan to the RCN. This meant that her budget was separated from the RCN and she was a Dominion asset. The Dominion Government was responsible for her upkeep, and arming and manning her. The RCN provided the men, but the Dominion paid for them.
[edit] Post World War I Service
The Cartier was returned to her former service as a hydrographic survey vessel and no longer was HMCS Cartier. Her survey work at this time included observations along the East Coast of traffic entering and leaving Canadian and American waters. Her ability to chart exact locations was used extensively to curb smuggling operations. Her position reports resulted in timely searches of suspected smugglers. Notwithstanding this role, she was forever a survey vessel first and foremost.
[edit] World War II Royal Canadian Navy Service
The Dominion of Canada Ship Cartier was commissioned into the RCN at the outbreak of the Second World War , on September 18, 1939. Cartier was commissioned as the training ship HMCS Cartier. She was used as an armed coastal patrol ship, and training vessel once again, until 1941. Her training ship duties at this time included Advanced Navigation and Naval mine Avoidance Navigation. For this type of duty, she was peerless in being suitably qualified. No other ship had her charting capability, and navigation aids for many years.
On December 9, 1941, HMCS Cartier was renamed HMCS Charny. By special dispensation of the Dominion Government, she was given the rare honour of being allowed to continue to fly her Commissioning Pennant that she received as HMCS Cartier. From this time on, Charny was used as a training vessel and research vessel. She received two Mentioned in Dispatches (MID), and was entitled to paint two Oak Leaves on her funnels. The MID's were received for her assistance in Radar research as a target and tracking vessel. At various times, she was fitted with temporary Radar Sets and advanced communication gear, but only for testing purposes.
Upon being Paid Off, the Cartier/Charny was no longer considered viable, and she was deemed surplus. In 1957, she was scuttled as a derelict, offshore of Sydney, Nova Scotia.
[edit] Specifications
- Commissioned: (HMCS Cartier):September 18, 1939
- Commissioned: (HMCS Charny): December 9, 1941
- Launched: 1910
- Paid Off: December 12, 1945
- Displacement: 556 tons
- Length: 164 feet
- Width: 29 feet
- Draught: 13 feet
- Speed: 8 knots
- Crew: 60 (Officers and Other Ranks)
- Armament: 3 X 12 Pounder(Naval gun capable of firing a 12 pound shot)
[edit] Commanding Officers (World War II)
- LCDR J.J. DesLauriers (RCNR-later renamed RCNVR) 18/9/1939 - ?
- LT A.B. Taylor (RCNR-later renamed RCNVR) 21/8/1940 - 21/10/1941
- LT E.R. Shaw (RCNR-later renamed RCNVR) 22/10/1941 - 8/5/1942
- LT F.E. Grubb (RCN) 9/5/1942 - 1/11/1942
- LCDR C.G. Williams (RCNR-later renamed RCNVR) 5/4/1943 - 3/3/1944
- LT L.J. Wallace (RCNVR) 4/3/1944 - 31/10/1944
- LT R.D. Brown (RCNVR) 1/11/1944 - 6/4/1945
- LT L.J. Wallace (RCNVR) 7/4/1945 - 20/4/1945
- LT R.D. Brown (RCNVR) 21/4/1945 - 16/11/1945
- SKPR/LT (Skipper/LT) P. Perrault (RCNR-later renamed RCNVR) 17/11/1945 - 12/12/1945
[edit] References
- Converted civilian vessels
- Macpherson, Keneth R. and Burgess, John. (1982) (Second Printing) The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910-1981. Collins Publishers. ISBN 0-00-216856-1
