HMCS Stormont (K327)

HMCS "Stormont" (K327) was a River class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1943-1945.

Named after Stormont, Ontario, she was built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal. She was commissioned into the RCN at Quebec City on 27 November 1943 with the pennant K327.

"Stormont" joined the RCN's Atlantic Fleet at Halifax, Nova Scotia and was assigned to convoy escort operations during the Battle of the Atlantic. She also served as one of 57 RCN vessels to support Operation Neptune, the amphibious invasion of Normandy, France that were part of D-Day (Operation Overlord.

Following the war, she was decommissioned by the RCN on 9 November 1945 and placed in reserve.

Civilian use

In 1954, she was sold to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. She underwent an extensive refit as the luxury yacht, the "Christina O", named after his daughter Christina Onassis. After the elder Onassis died in 1975, Christina inherited the yacht, and gave her to the Greek government as a presidential yacht in 1978.

She was renamed the "Argo" for a number of years, but was eventually allowed to deteriorate. In 1998, she was purchased by another Greek shipowner, John Paul Papanicolaou, who restored her and renamed her "Christina O". She continues to sail to this day.

ee also

* List of ships of the Canadian Navy

References

* [http://www.readyayeready.com/cgi-bin/query/display.pl?index=1412 HMCS "Stormont" (K327) - readyayeready.com]
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/169.html HMCS "Stormont" (K327) - uboat.net]
* [http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/newsroom/view_news_e.asp?id=1394 List of RCN warships participating in D-Day.]