HMCS Miramichi (MCB 150)

For other ships with the same name, see HMCS Miramichi.

History
Canada
Name:	Miramichi
Namesake:	Miramichi Bay
Builder:	Saint John Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Ltd., Saint John
Laid down:	13 June 1952
Launched:	4 May 1954
Commissioned:	30 July 1954
Decommissioned:	1 October 1954
Identification:	pennant number: MCB 150
Fate:	Sold to France, 1954
Notes:	Motto: Loyal à la mort Colours: Red and gold
Badge:	Blazon on a field of birch bark proper, a pile barry wavy of ten argent and azure and overall an equilateral triangle, apex to the chief gules, charged with a porcupine or.
France
Name:	La Lorientaise
Acquired:	9 October 1954
Commissioned:	13 November 1954
Decommissioned:	1984
Struck:	1986
Identification:	P 652
Fate:	broken up Papeete, Tahiti
General characteristics
Class & type:	Bay-class minesweeper
Displacement:	390 tons (412 tons deep load)
Length:	152 ft (46 m)
Beam:	28 ft (8.5 m)
Draught:	8 ft (2.4 m)
Propulsion:	2 shafts, 2 GM 12-cylinder diesels, 2400 bhp
Speed:	16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement:	38
Armament:	1 x 40mm Bofors

HMCS Miramichi was a Bay-class minesweeper that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and the French Navy. She was named Miramichi Bay, located at the mouth of the Miramichi River in New Brunswick.

Miramichi was laid down on 13 June 1952 by Saint John Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Co. at Saint John, New Brunswick and was launched on 4 May 1954. The vessel was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on 30 July 1954 at Saint John with the hull identification number 150.

Design

The Bay-class were designed and ordered as replacements for the Second World War-era minesweepers that the Royal Canadian Navy operated at the time. Similar to the Ton-class minesweeper, they were constructed of wood planking and aluminum framing.

Displacing 390 tons, or 412 tons deep load, the minesweepers were 152 ft (46 m) long with a beam of 28 ft (8.5 m) and a draught of 8 ft (2.4 m). They had a crew of 38 officers and ratings.

Propulsion and armament

The Bay-class minesweepers were powered by two GM 12-cylinder diesels creating 2400 bhp driving two shafts. This gave the ships a maximum speed of 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph). The ships were armed with one 40mm Bofors and were equipped with minesweeping gear.

Service history

After commissioning, Miramichi spent the next two months in service before being paid off on 1 October 1954. She was sold to France and on 9 October 1954 she was transferred to the French Navy. The vessel was eventually replaced in the Royal Canadian Navy by HMCS Miramichi (MCB 163) of the same class. The ship was commissioned on 13 November 1954 renamed and La Lorientaise and was modified with the addition of air conditioning for use in overseas territories in the Pacific. In 1973, she was reclassed a patrol vessel and had her minesweeping gear removed. She served until 1984. The vessel was stricken in 1986 and broken up at Papeete, Tahiti.

References

Notes

Citations

References

• Gardiner, Robert and Stephen Chumbley. Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland USA: Naval Institute Press, 1995. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.