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HMCS Terra Nova (DDE 259)
Encyclopedia
HMCS Terra Nova (DDE 259) was a that served in the Royal Canadian Navy
and later the Canadian Forces
from 1959-1997.
She was the sixth ship of her class and the first Canadian war ship to bear the name HMCS Terra Nova. The ship honours the Terra Nova River
in Newfoundland as well as an earlier civilian ship the Terra Nova
, which gained fame during a scientific exploration voyage to Antarctica. Both the river and the Antarctic (symbolized by a penguin) are featured on the ship's badge.
Terra Nova was laid down on 11 June 1953 at Victoria Machinery Depot Ltd.
, Victoria
and launched on 21 June 1955. She was commissioned into the RCN on 6 June 1959 with the pennant number
259.
Terra Nova was selected by the Canadian Forces for the Improved Restigouche (IRE) project and completed this refit in 1968. She was also selected as one of ten destroyers in the Destroyer Life Extension (DELEX) project and completed this refit on 9 November 1984.
). She had her Mk.112 ASROC
octuple launcher and her Mk. NC10 Limbo ASW mortars
removed and was fitted with 8 X Harpoon anti-ship missiles
and a Phalanx close-in weapon system
(CIWS). She was also enhanced with three detachments of Javelin surface-to-air missile systems from 119 Air Defence Battery.
Terra Nova was deployed with the Canadian Naval Task Group, led by flagship and the supply ship . The Task Group was assigned to the international coalition maritime interdiction force in the central Persian Gulf
which consisted of a variety of coalition naval forces on station through the fall of 1990. After Operation DESERT STORM began in January, the Canadian Naval Task Group undertook escort duties for hospital ships and other vulnerable coalition naval vessels.
After being paid off Terra Nova appeared, cast as an American destroyer, in the movie K-19: The Widowmaker
.
In December 2007 there was discussion about sinking Terra Nova for a diving attraction in the St. Lawrence River near Brockville, Ontario
, however the plans fell through and she remained laid up at CFB Halifax
.
On September 18, 2009, the Department of National Defence called for bids for "the removal, dismantling and disposal" of HMCS Terra Nova and . The deadline for submissions for the work was October 8, 2009. On November 4, 2009, DND announced that Aecon Fabco
had won the bid and would tow both vessels to their Pictou Shipyard in Pictou
, Nova Scotia
.http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1150984.html
Terra Nova departed Halifax Harbour
on November 20 under tow by the tugboat Atlantic Elm and arrived in Pictou on November 22, where she joined the Gatineau which had arrived a few days earlier. By the summer of 2010 she was being cut up for scrap, mainly aluminum, stainless steel and carbon steel. She later sank at her mooring and was raised by crane in April 2011.
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
and later the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
from 1959-1997.
She was the sixth ship of her class and the first Canadian war ship to bear the name HMCS Terra Nova. The ship honours the Terra Nova River
Terra Nova River
The Terra Nova River is a Canadian river in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.It drains an area in the centre of the island of Newfoundland, discharging into Bonavista Bay at Glovertown....
in Newfoundland as well as an earlier civilian ship the Terra Nova
Terra Nova (ship)
The Terra Nova was built in 1884 for the Dundee whaling and sealing fleet. She worked for 10 years in the annual seal fishery in the Labrador Sea, proving her worth for many years before she was called upon for expedition work.Terra Nova was ideally suited to the polar regions...
, which gained fame during a scientific exploration voyage to Antarctica. Both the river and the Antarctic (symbolized by a penguin) are featured on the ship's badge.
Terra Nova was laid down on 11 June 1953 at Victoria Machinery Depot Ltd.
Victoria Machinery Depot
Victoria Machinery Depot Ltd. was a ship builder located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.This was a historic metalworks and shipyard in Victoria, Canada. From the late 1850s on, with the Fraser Canyon and Cariboo Gold Rushes British Columbia was dependent upon Californian supplies and ships...
, Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
and launched on 21 June 1955. She was commissioned into the RCN on 6 June 1959 with the pennant number
Pennant number
In the modern Royal Navy, and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth, ships are identified by pennant numbers...
259.
Terra Nova was selected by the Canadian Forces for the Improved Restigouche (IRE) project and completed this refit in 1968. She was also selected as one of ten destroyers in the Destroyer Life Extension (DELEX) project and completed this refit on 9 November 1984.
Operation FRICTION
Terra Nova was selected in August 1990 for deployment with Operation FRICTION, the CF contribution to Operation DESERT STORM (the Gulf WarGulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
). She had her Mk.112 ASROC
ASROC
ASROC is an all-weather, all sea-conditions anti-submarine missile system. Developed by the United States Navy in the 1950s, it was deployed in the 1960s, updated in the 1990s, and eventually installed on over 200 USN surface ships, specifically cruisers, destroyers, and frigates...
octuple launcher and her Mk. NC10 Limbo ASW mortars
Limbo (weapon)
Limbo, or Anti Submarine Mortar Mark 10 , was the final British development of a forward-throwing anti-submarine weapon originally designed during the Second World War. Limbo, a three-barreled mortar similar to the earlier Squid that it superseded, was developed by the Admiralty Underwater Weapons...
removed and was fitted with 8 X Harpoon anti-ship missiles
Boeing Harpoon
The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system, developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas . In 2004, Boeing delivered the 7,000th Harpoon unit since the weapon's introduction in 1977...
and a Phalanx close-in weapon system
Phalanx CIWS
The Phalanx CIWS is an anti-ship missile defense system. It is a close-in weapon system and was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division...
(CIWS). She was also enhanced with three detachments of Javelin surface-to-air missile systems from 119 Air Defence Battery.
Terra Nova was deployed with the Canadian Naval Task Group, led by flagship and the supply ship . The Task Group was assigned to the international coalition maritime interdiction force in the central Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
which consisted of a variety of coalition naval forces on station through the fall of 1990. After Operation DESERT STORM began in January, the Canadian Naval Task Group undertook escort duties for hospital ships and other vulnerable coalition naval vessels.
Decommissioning
Terra Nova was decommissioned from active service in the CF on 11 July 1997.After being paid off Terra Nova appeared, cast as an American destroyer, in the movie K-19: The Widowmaker
K-19: The Widowmaker
K-19: The Widowmaker is a movie released on July 19, 2002, about the first of many disasters that befell the Soviet submarine of the same name. The film was directed by Kathryn Bigelow...
.
In December 2007 there was discussion about sinking Terra Nova for a diving attraction in the St. Lawrence River near Brockville, Ontario
Brockville, Ontario
Brockville is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Though it serves as the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Brockville is politically independent and is grouped with Leeds and Grenville for census purposes only.Known as the "City of the 1000...
, however the plans fell through and she remained laid up at CFB Halifax
CFB Halifax
Canadian Forces Base Halifax is Canada's east coast navy base and home port to the Atlantic fleet, known as Maritime Forces Atlantic....
.
On September 18, 2009, the Department of National Defence called for bids for "the removal, dismantling and disposal" of HMCS Terra Nova and . The deadline for submissions for the work was October 8, 2009. On November 4, 2009, DND announced that Aecon Fabco
Aecon
Aecon Canada's biggest publicly traded construction company, operates primarily in Canada but also abroad...
had won the bid and would tow both vessels to their Pictou Shipyard in Pictou
Pictou, Nova Scotia
Pictou is a town in Pictou County, in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Located on the north shore of Pictou Harbour, the town is approximately 10 km north of the larger town of New Glasgow....
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1150984.html
Terra Nova departed Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...
on November 20 under tow by the tugboat Atlantic Elm and arrived in Pictou on November 22, where she joined the Gatineau which had arrived a few days earlier. By the summer of 2010 she was being cut up for scrap, mainly aluminum, stainless steel and carbon steel. She later sank at her mooring and was raised by crane in April 2011.