The Story of HMCS ST. BONIFACE

Commissioned at Port Arthur on September 10, 1943, St. Boniface arrived at Halifax late in October, and worked up at Pictou from November to December. She was then assigned as Senior Officer's ship to EG W-5 of Western Escort Force until mid-April, 1944. She then transferred to W-4, again as S.O., until early December when, following minor repairs at Halifax, she proceeded to Bermuda to work up. Upon returning to Canada, she rejoined W-4 until the group was disbanded in June, 1945. On April 18, 1945, St. Boniface was in collision with SS Empire Chamois in the Halifax approaches, as the freighter's convoy, SC. 173, was forming up for passage to the U.K. St. Boniface suffered extensive damage to her bows, but made Halifax under her own power and was under repair there for three months. In August, 1945, she became a training ship at HMCS Cornwallis until January, 1946, when she was placed in reserve at Halifax. She was finally paid off on September 25, 1946, and sold for mercantile use. She was last noted under Panamanian flag as Bess Barry M. in 1954.