HMCS ''Lockeport'' (Pennant number, pennant J100) was a initially constructed for the Royal Navy during the World War II, Second World War. Loaned to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1942, the minesweeper saw service on both coasts of Canada as a patrol vessel and convoy escort. Returned to the Royal Navy in 1945, ''Lockeport'' was discarded in 1948.

Design and description

A British design, the ''Bangor''-class minesweepers were smaller than the preceding s in British service, but larger than the in Canadian service.Chesneau, p. 64Macpherson and Barrie (2002), p. 177 They came in two versions powered by different engines; those with a diesel engines and those with Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion, vertical triple-expansion steam engines. ''Lockeport'' was of the latter design and was larger than her diesel-engined cousins. ''Lockeport'' was Length overall, long overall, had a Beam (nautical), beam of and a Draft (hull), draught of . The minesweeper had a Displacement (ship), displacement of . She had a complement of 6 officers and 77 enlisted. ''Lockeport'' 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 and gave a maximum speed of . The minesweeper could carry a maximum of of fuel oil. British ''Bangor''-class minesweepers were armed with a single QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun, 12-pounder () 12 cwt HA gun mounted forward. For anti-aircraft purposes, the minesweepers were equipped with one QF 2 pounder naval gun, QF 2-pounder Mark VIII and two single-mounted Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, QF 20 mm Oerlikon guns. As a convoy escort, ''Lockeport'' was deployed with 40 depth charges launched from two depth charge throwers and four chutes.Macpherson (1997), p. 38

Operational history

The minesweeper was ordered as part of the British 1940 construction programme. The ship's keel was laid down on 17 June 1941 by North Vancouver Ship Repairs at their yard in North Vancouver (city), North Vancouver, British Columbia. Named for a Lockeport, community in Nova Scotia, ''Lockeport'' was Ship naming and launching, launched on 22 August 1941. Transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy, the ship was Ship commissioning, commissioned on 27 May 1942 at Vancouver.Macpherson and Barrie (2002), p. 179 Following Shakedown cruise, work ups, the minesweeper joined Esquimalt Force in May 1942, the local patrol and convoy escort force operating out of Esquimalt, British Columbia. ''Lockeport'' was one of the warships added to the west coast patrol force after the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The main duty of ''Bangor''-class minesweepers after commissioning on the West Coast was to perform the Western Patrol. This consisted of patrolling the west coast of Vancouver Island, inspecting inlets and Sound (geography), sounds and past the Scott Islands to Gordon Channel at the entrance to the Queen Charlotte Strait and back. On 20 June 1942, the shelled the lighthouse at Estevan Point on the west coast of Vancouver Island. ''Lockeport'', which had been returning to port after a patrol, was among the warships sent to respond to the attack, arriving 5 hours after the attack. No contact with the Japanese submarine was made.Douglas et al., ''No Higher Purpose'', pp. 355–57 ''Lockeport'' remained with Esquimalt Force until ordered to the Atlantic Canada, Atlantic Coast of Canada in March 1943. After arriving at Halifax, Nova Scotia on 30 April 1943 the minesweeper was assigned to the Western Local Escort Force as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. In June 1943, the vessel joined Halifax Force, the local patrol and escort force operating from Halifax. In November, ''Lockeport'' was sent to join Newfoundland Force, the patrol and escort force operating from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Newfoundland. However, in December the minesweeper was withdrawn due to engine troubles. ''Lockeport'' was sent to Baltimore, Maryland to undergo a refit and while in transit on 9 January 1944, her engines broke down. The minesweeper sailed under an improvised sail before a ship capable of towing her arrived. Work ups were performed in Bermuda and ''Lockeport'' escorted the 78th Motor Launch Flotilla on her return to Nova Scotia. In May 1944, the warship was assigned to the patrol and escort force operating from Sydney, Nova Scotia, Sydney Force. The minesweeper remained with this unit until leaving Canada in May 1945 for the United Kingdom. The minesweeper was Ship decommissioning, paid off on 2 July 1945 at Sheerness and returned to the Royal Navy.Colledge, p. 372 The vessel never entered service with the Royal Navy and was laid up following her return. ''Lockeport'' was sold on 1 January 1948 and Ship breaking, broken up at Gateshead.

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lockeport (J100) Bangor-class minesweepers of the Royal Navy Ships built in North Vancouver 1941 ships World War II minesweepers of the United Kingdom Bangor-class minesweepers of the Royal Canadian Navy