|
is no longer moored in Bridgewater Nova Scotia |
HMCS Fraser Halifax, Nova Scotia . . .  HMCS FRASER is unusual (Barrie and Macpherson, 1996) in having been laid down and launched in one yard and completed in another. On 11 December, 1951, construction of the ship commenced at Burrard Dry Dock Company Limited, Vancouver, B.C. After being launched, she was taken to Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt and completed. The sixth of her class, she was commissioned at Yarrows on 28 June, 1957. On 12 January, 1965, she left Esquimalt to participate in a blast test off the Hawaiian Island of Kahoolawe. On 6 February, along with USN warships, she was subjected to a first test and then returned to Esquimalt. On 16 April, she returned to the area to undergo another such test, easily withstanding both of them. These tests were designed as a means of assessing the RCN1s nuclear defence capability. FRASER then proceeded to Canadian Vickers Shipyard, Montreal, and upon arrival on 2 July, 1965, was decommissioned for conversion to a helicopter-carrying destroyer. The seventh and last of her class to be converted, she was recommissioned on 22 October, 1966 for service with the east coast fleet.  Her first landing of a Sea King helicopter took place on 15 June, 1967. Early that October, FRASER was alongside in Washington, D.C. to demonstrate the Beartrap, the Canadian-designed helicopter haul-down system. In May, 1973, FRASER entered Category "C" reserve, but was reactivated on 11 March, 1974. After undergoing most of a major refit at Davie Shipyard in Montreal, she returned to Halifax and dockyard hands for completion of the job before becoming an operational unit of the fleet once again that fall. FRASER completed her DELEX refit at Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, between 19 October, 1981 and 28 May, 1982, subsequently becoming to all intents and purposes a "test" ship. In 1986 she was fitted experimentally with the towed passive detection array system known as ETASS, and conducted tests with this equipment for the following two years. This equipment was to become known, once the trials were completed, as the CANTASS gear. In May 1987, she completed trials of the AN/SLQ-25 Nixie torpedo decoy system. This system would eventually be installed in the Canadian Patrol Frigates (CPFs), the TRUMPed Tribals and the Annapolis class ships. FRASER also trialled the URN-20A Tactical Aircraft Beacon (TACAN), which gave the ship a unique appearance, as the TACAN was fitted on a prominent lattice mast between the funnels. In 1988, FRASER was the first Canadian ship equipped for and operate with the HELTAS helicopter (a helicopter outfitted for a passive acoustic role). Trials of this system continued until the helicopter was lost in 1989.  After sailing more than 900,000 miles, FRASER made her final sail-past in Halifax on 5 October, 1994, and was decommissioned. This ceremony closed a chapter in Canadian history, FRASER having been the last of the St. Laurent class destroyers in commission. Click here if you have problems with water Tour the World by clicking below
, |