HMCS Moose Jaw ( K164 ) HMCS " Moose Jaw " was a Royal Canadian Navy which took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War . Together with , she achieved the RCN ' s first U - boat kill of the war . She was named after Moose Jaw , Saskatchewan . Background . Flower - class corvettes like " Moose Jaw " serving with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were different to earlier and more traditional sail - driven corvettes . The " corvette " designation was created by the French as a class of small warships ; the Royal Navy borrowed the term for a period but discontinued its use in 1877 . During the hurried preparations for war in the late 1930s , Winston Churchill reactivated the corvette class , needing a name for smaller ships used in an escort capacity , in this case based on a whaling ship design . The generic name " flower " was used to designate the class of these ships , which – in the Royal Navy – were named after flowering plants . Corvettes commissioned by the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were named after communities for the most part , to better represent the people who took part in building them . This idea was put forth by Admiral Percy W . Nelles . Sponsors were commonly associated with the community for which the ship was named . Royal Navy corvettes were designed as open sea escorts , while Canadian corvettes were developed for coastal auxiliary roles which was exemplified by their minesweeping gear . Eventually the Canadian corvettes would be modified to allow them to perform better on the open seas . Construction . " Moose Jaw " was originally named " Churchill " , for Churchill , Manitoba but after a naming conflict with a Royal Navy vessel , her name was changed . She was ordered on 1 February 1940 as part of the 1939 - 1940 Flower - class building program . She was laid down at Collingwood Shipyards Ltd . , Collingwood on 12 August 1940 and launched on 9 April 1941 . She was commissioned into the RCN two months later on 19 June at Collingwood . During her career , " Moose Jaw " underwent three significant overhauls . Her first took place after she ran aground in St . John ' s harbour . She underwent temporary repairs at St . John ' s until 5 March 1942 , then left for Saint John , New Brunswick for permanent repairs , which lasted until 25 June 1942 . In September 1942 she took part in Operation Torch which required an increased AA armament . This refit took place in the United Kingdom . Her final major refit took place between December 1943 and March 1944 at Liverpool , Nova Scotia . During this refit , her fo ' c ' sle was extended . Wartime service . After arriving at Halifax , she was assigned to Newfoundland Command in August 1941 . On the 5 September 1941 , she sailed with on exercises . On route , they were ordered to reinforce the escort group protecting convoy SC 42 . On 10 September 1941 , " Moose Jaw " along with " Chambly " sank by depth charges and ramming in the Denmark Strait south of Tasiilaq , Greenland . On the 11 September 1941 " Moose Jaw " and rescued 41 survivors from the British merchant ship " Berury " , which had been torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine east of Cape Farewell , Greenland . In total , the convoy lost eighteen ships . " Moose Jaw " needed ten days repairs at Greenock due to the damage done while ramming " U - 501 " . After repairs were completed she was sent to Tobermory for work ups in October . Upon completion of those , " Moose Jaw " spent the next four months escorting convoys between St . John ' s and Iceland . On January 10 , 1942 Moose Jaw sailed with Escort Group N12 for Londonderry , the first all Canadian Escort Group to make the crossing . The group arrived at their destination thirteen days later . After boiler cleaning the group returned to St . John ' s with an ON Convoy . The Free French corvette " Alysse " was part of the group . Half way across " Alysse " was torpedoed , losing her bow . " Moose Jaw " towed her for a day but the ship sank . In mid - February 1942 " Moose Jaw " ran aground off the south entrance of St . John ' s Harbour . Due to the extensive damage and need for refit , she was out of service until June 25 , 1942 . After workups , she was briefly assigned to the Western Local Escort Force before being sent across to the United Kingdom as part of Canada ' s contribution to Operation Torch in September . " Moose Jaw " spent the next five months escorting convoys between the United Kingdom and Gibraltar . She returned to Canada in April 1943 . In May 1943 she was assigned to Quebec Force , though later transferred to Gaspe Force . She underwent a refit beginning in December , lasting until May . After workups following the refit , " Moose Jaw " was assigned to Western Approaches Command , as part of Operation Neptune . She served in this capacity until September 1944 , when she was reassigned to Escort Group EG 41 out of Plymouth . She escorted coastal convoys from Milford Haven until the end of the war . On 28 February 1945 " Moose Jaw " rescued six survivors from the British merchant ship " Norfolk Coast " , which was torpedoed and sunk by south - west of Strumble Head . Post - war service . " Moose Jaw " was paid off from the RCN on 8 July 1945 at Sorel , Quebec . She was scrapped in September 1949 at Hamilton , Ontario .