The story of the first made-to-order warships for the Canadian navy (HMCS Saguenay and HMCS Skeena) in Canadian Naval Review Vol 12, #2
World War Two
Tin-Can Canucks: HMCS Athabascan (II)
Built by Halifax Shipyard Ltd., she was the last of the Canadian-built Tribals to complete, and the last Canadian Tribal to commission, entering the RCN in 1948—three years after the end of the war she had been designed to fight.
Tin-Can Canucks: HMCS Ottawa (I)
The first Canadian destroyer to carry the name HMCS Ottawa was launched as HMS Crusader at Portsmouth Naval Dockyard in 1931. Like her sister HMS Comet (later HMCS Restigouche) she was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1932 and assigned to the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla of the British Home Fleet.
Tin-Can Canucks: HMCS Gatineau (I)
Unique amongst the Canadian River-class destroyers, HMCS Gatineau—built as HMS Express by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Wallsend-on-Tyne—had been originally fitted as a minesweeper, and had twin sponsoons aft for the mine rails (never carried in Canadian service). She would be the sole E-Class destroyer to serve in the RCN.
Tin-Can Canucks: HMCS Buxton
HMCS Buxton began life as USS Edwards. She was built by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation at their Squantum, Massachusetts shipyard and named after Midshipman William W. Edwards. Edwards was an officer of the US Navy during the War of 1812 assigned to USS Argus when he was killed in action against HMS Pelican 14 August 1913. The ship bearing his name was launched 10 October 1918 by Ms. Julia Edwards Noyes, Midshipman Edwards uncle’s great granddaughter. USS Edwards was commissioned on April 24, 1919 under the command of Commander P.L. Wilson.