HMCS Kokanee (K419)

HMCS "Kokanee" (K419) was a River class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1944-1945.

Construction

Named after Kokanee Lake in southeastern British Columbia, she was laid down on 25 August 1943 at Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt and launched on 27 November 1943. She was commissioned into the RCN with pennant number K419 on 6 June 1944 at the Esquimalt naval base. She departed for the Atlantic coast, arriving at HMC Dockyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 24 July 1944 and was tasked to Bermuda in August 1944 to work up her new crew.

Wartime service

Upon finishing her training, "Kokanee" joined the RCN's Atlantic Fleet and returned to northern waters, arriving in St. John's in September where she was assigned to Escort Group C-3 as the Senior Officer's Ship.

"Kokanee" and EG C-3 spent the remainder of the Battle of the Atlantic on convoy escort duty. She also earned battle honours in the Battle of the St. Lawrence between September-November 1944 when she escorted convoys from Quebec City to the Cabot Strait and Strait of Belle Isle.

"Kokanee" spent the winter of 1944-1945 on the North Atlantic, escorting her final convoy ON.304 west from Londonderry, Northern Ireland on 25 May 1945.

She departed Halifax for Esquimalt in June 1945 and commenced refit there for tropicalization as part of Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of Japan. The Surrender of Japan took place in August while "Kokanee" was still in refit, which she completed on 4 October 1945.

The downsizing of the RCN saw her paid off on 21 December 1945 and was placed in reserve status.

Civilian service

"Kokanee" was sold to a Canadian shipbroker in 1947 and resold to the Government of India in 1948. She was converted to a pilot vessel for the Hooghly River and renamed "Bengal" in 1950.