NCSM Westmount

There has been only one vessel named Westmount in the Royal Canadian Navy.

HMCS Westmount (J318 / 187) / Bangor-class minesweeper

The Bangor class ships were built in order to replace the old Basset-class minesweepers, as they were larger, faster, had much greater endurance, and burned oil as opposed to coal. Most of the Bangors were named after Canadian towns and cities, the rest after bays.

As enemy mines were laid only once in 1943 in Canadian waters, the Bangors were used primarily as escorts to coastal shipping or as local escorts to ocean convoys.

Commissioned at Toronto, Ontario on 15 September 1942, Westmount arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 10 October and proceeded to Pictou, Nova Scotia for work-ups. Following this, she underwent engine repairs at Halifax from 20 November to 2 February 1943. She was then assigned to Halifax Local Defence Force and, later, to Halifax Force. In May 1943, she was transferred to Sydney Force, but returned to Halifax Force in January 1944.

In February of 1945, Westmount commenced a major refit at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, and, after this was completed in April, proceeded to work-ups in Bermuda. After returning to Halifax, she was assigned to miscellaneous duties until paid off at Sydney, Nova Scotia, on 13 October 1945 and laid up at Shelburne, Nova Scotia. In 1946, she was placed in strategic reserve at Sorel, Quebec, until reacquired by the Royal Canadian Navy in 1951. On 29 March 1958, she was transferred to the Turkish Navy and served as Bornova until 1972.

• Builder: Davie Shipbuilding and Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec
• Date laid down: 28 October 1941
• Date launched: 14 March 1942
• Date commissioned: 15 September 1942
• Date paid off: 13 October 1945
• Displacement: 682.8 tonnes
• Dimensions: 54.9 m x 8.7 m x 2.5 m
• Speed: 16 knots
• Crew: 83
• Armament: one 3-inch (76-mm) gun, two 20mm guns (2 x I), and depth charges

Battle honours

• Gulf of St. Lawrence 1942
• Atlantic 1944