HMCS Fraser (DDH 233)

HMCS "Fraser" (DDH 233) is a "St. Laurent"-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces from 1957-1994.

"Fraser" was commissioned into the RCN on 28 June 1957 and initially carried the pennant number DDE 233 as a destroyer escort. She underwent conversion to a destroyer helicopter escort (DDH) in the mid-1960s and was officially reclassed with pennant DDH 233 on 22 October 1966.

"Fraser" was selected by the Canadian Forces for the Destroyer Life Extension (DELEX) project and completed this refit on 28 May 1982.

Decommissioning

"Fraser" was decommissioned from active service in the CF on 5 October 1994 and placed in category C reserve.

She was declared surplus in the late 1990s by the CF and sold to the Artificial Reef Society of Nova Scotia who planned to sink her for use as a diving attraction off the province's South Shore.

The ARSNS docked "Fraser" at the Bridgewater government wharf on the Lahave River in preparation for the sinking, however several local residents persuaded the society to make the vessel available for possible conversion to a museum ship, should funding be secured.

In the meantime, the hulk has deteriorated after sitting docked in the saltwater estuary of the Lahave River for close to a decade, with large areas of peeling paint and spreading rust. The vessel has become an eyesore and an irritant to local residents whose waterfront properties face the former warship. The "deplorable state" of the ship has brought complaints from residents, municipal politicians, and naval veterans. [Kenneth L. Farquharson, "Restore HMCS "Fraser" or Bury Her at Sea", "Halifax Chronicle-Herald", Saturday, July 12, 2008, page A15]

She is currently the last survivor of the "St. Laurent"-class destroyer which were the first Canadian designed and built warships.

References

* [http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/canada/postwar/stlauren/ Canadian Navy of Yesterday & Today: St. Laurent class destroyer escort]