HMCS Chignecto (MCB 156)

History
Canada
Name	Chignecto
Namesake	Chignecto Bay
Builder	Marine Industries, Sorel
Laid down	4 June 1951
Launched	13 June 1952
Commissioned	1 December 1953
Decommissioned	31 March 1954
Identification	MCB 156
Fate	Transferred to French Navy 1954
Badge	Gules, a pile azure fimbriated argent charged with a sprig of bulrush or.[1]
France
Name	La Bayonnaise
Acquired	31 March 1954
Stricken	1976
Identification	P 654
Fate	Broken up 1977
General characteristics
Class & type	Bay-class minesweeper
Displacement	390 long tons (400 t) 412 long tons (419 t) (deep load)
Length	152 ft (46 m)
Beam	28 ft (8.5 m)
Draught	8 ft (2.4 m)
Propulsion	2 shafts, 2 GM 12-cylinder diesels, 2,400 bhp (1,800 kW)
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range	3,290 nmi (6,090 km; 3,790 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	38
Armament	1 x 40 mm Bofors gun

HMCS Chignecto (hull number MCB 156) was a Bay-class minesweeper that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Cold War. The ship entered service in 1953 and in 1954, was transferred to the French Navy and renamed La Bayonnaise. Serving as a minesweeper until 1973, the ship became a territorial patrol ship and remained in service until 1976. La Bayonnaise was broken up for scrap in 1977.

The Bay class were designed and ordered as replacements for the Second World War-era minesweepers that the Royal Canadian Navy operated at the time. Similar to the Ton-class minesweeper, they were constructed of wood planking and aluminum framing.^[2][3] Displacing 390 long tons (400 t) standard at 412 long tons (419 t) at deep load, the minesweepers were 152 ft (46 m) long with a beam of 28 ft (8.5 m) and a draught of 8 ft (2.4 m).^[2][3] They had a complement of 38 officers and ratings.^[2][a]

The Bay-class minesweepers were powered by two GM 12-cylinder diesel engines driving two shafts creating 2,400 brake horsepower (1,800 kW). This gave the ships a maximum speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) and a range of 3,290 nautical miles (6,090 km; 3,790 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).^[3][4] The ships were armed with one 40 mm Bofors gun and were equipped with minesweeping gear.^[2][3]

The ship's keel was laid down on 4 June 1951 by Marine Industries at their yard in Sorel, Quebec. Named for a bay located between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Chignecto was launched on 13 June 1953.^[5][6] The ship was commissioned on 1 December 1953.^[5]

Chignecto served with the Royal Canadian Navy for three months before being paid off on 31 March 1954.^[5] Transferred the same day to the French Navy, the ship was renamed La Bayonnaise and given the hull number P 654.^[5][6] She served as a minesweeper until 1973 when the minesweeping gear was removed and she transferred to the Pacific for duty as an overseas territories patrol vessel.^[7] The vessel was discarded in 1976 and broken up for scrap at Papeete, Tahiti.^[6][8]

• Arbuckle, J. Graeme (1987). Badges of the Canadian Navy. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Nimbus Publishing. ISBN 0-920852-49-1.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present (3rd Rev ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
• Macpherson, Ken & Barrie, Ron (2002). The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910–2002 (Third ed.). St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN 1-55125-072-1.
• Moore, John, ed. (1981). Jane's Fighting Ships, 1981–1982. New York: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-531-03977-3.