HMCS Riviere du Loup ( K357 ) HMCS " Riviere du Loup " was a modified that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War . She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort . She was named for Rivière - du - Loup , Quebec . Background . Flower - class corvettes like " Riviere du Loup " 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 . " Riviere du Loup " was ordered 2 January 1942 as part of the 1942 - 43 modified Flower - class building programme . This programme was known as the Increased Endurance . Many changes were made , all from lessons that had been learned in previous versions of the Flower - class . The bridge was made a full deck higher and built to naval standards instead of the more civilian - like bridges of previous versions . The platform for the 4 - inch main gun was raised to minimize the amount of spray over it and to provide a better field of fire . It was also connected to the wheelhouse by a wide platform that was now the base for the Hedgehog anti - submarine mortar that this version was armed with . Along with the new Hedgehog , this version got the new QF 4 - inch Mk XIX main gun , which was semi - automatic , used fixed ammunition and had the ability to elevate higher giving it an anti - aircraft ability . Other superficial changes to this version include an upright funnel and pressurized boiler rooms which eliminated the need for hooded ventilators around the base of the funnel . This changes the silhouette of the corvette and made it more difficult for submariners to tell which way the corvette was laying . " Riviere du Loup " was laid down by Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co . at Quebec City , Quebec 5 January 1943 and was launched 2 July 1943 . She was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy 21 November 1943 at Quebec City . After arriving at Halifax she needed a months repairs after developing issues en route . After working up she had continuing engine mechanical problems and required further repairs . During her repairs she lost most of her original crew which were reassigned and once the repairs were completed , she received almost an entirely new crew that needed to workup in Bermuda . War service . " Riviere de Loup " joined the Western Escort Force in September 1944 . She was initially assigned to escort group W - 3 for a brief period before reassignment . She joined the Mid - Ocean Escort Force in October 1944 as part of escort group C - 3 . She escorted her first convoy as a trans - Atlantic convoy escort in November but developed mechanical issues again and underwent repairs at Belfast upon arrival . She returned to active service as a MOEF escort in May 1945 and remained as such until the end of the war . Post - war service . " Riviere de Loup " was paid off 2 July 1945 at Sorel , Quebec and placed in reserve . She was transferred to the War Assets Corporation and sold to the Dominican Navy in 1947 . She was renamed " Juan Bautista Maggiolo " . She was broken up in 1972 .