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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2001

HMCS  ONTARIO - Swiftsure/Minotaur-class Light Cruiser

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMCS Ontario (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham, click to enlarge) return to Contents List 
 

MINOTAUR-Class Cruiser ordered on 27th May 1941 and laid down on 20th November that year. The ship was launched as HMS MINOTAUR on 29th July 1943 and would have been the 5th RN ship to bear that name, introduced in 1793 for a 3rd Rate and last used for a cruiser built in 1906 which was sold in 1920. However during July 1944 the ship was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy and commissioned as HMCS ONTARIO on 26th April 1945. Build was completed on 15th May 1945  This name had not previously been used for any RN or Commonwealth warship.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

None

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

None are available in the official Admiralty list of Crests and the

Name is the property of the Royal Canadian Navy.

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

(for more ship information, go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search

 

 

1 9 4 5

 

April

 

Contractors trials and commissioning. Nominated for service in 4th Cruiser Squadron, British Pacific Fleet.

 

May

 

16th - Acceptance trials in Clyde area.

 

June

 

Shakedown and weapon trials in Home waters.

 

July

 

2nd - Took passage to Malta for work-up with ships of Mediterranean Fleet.

 

August

 

Mediterranean deployment in continuation.

 

12th - Passage from Malta to Alexandria.

 

15th - Suez Canal Transit.

 

19th - At Trincomalee. (Note: As hostilities with Japan had ended the ship was still required for service with the BPF which had reverted to RN Control after service with the US Navy as Task Force 37.)

 

31st - Took passage from Trincomalee to join Squadron.

 

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMCS ONTARIO was deployed with the Squadron in the Far East and took part in relief operations and in Fleet exercises during which she visited Hong Kong, Manila and ports in Japan. On release from RN service she  took passage to Esquimalt where she refitted before RCN service. This cruiser was primarily used for training purposes until Paid-off by 1959 and placed on the Disposal List in 1959. She was sold for demolition and arrived at Osaka, Japan on 19th November 1961.

 

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revised 25/6/11
further editing is required


 

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