HMCS CHEDABUCTO –Bangor class minesweeper, lost in collision with the cableship, Lord Kelvin on the St Lawrence River near Bic Island, west of Rimouski, Quebec on 21 October 1943. The minesweeper had a ship’s company of fifty five sailors, one officer was killed in the collision.
CHEDABUCTO had been assigned to patrol an area of the St. Lawrence River from Father Point, east of Ramouski to Bic Inland to the west of the city. At 0555, CHEDBUCTO crossed the bows of Lord Kelvin and the cableship rammed the minesweeper on her after port side at the wardroom. Lord Kelvin backed away from the stricken minesweeper exposing a hole twenty-five feet long and twelve feet deep in CHEDEBUCTO.
The minesweeper took on a 10 degree list to port. Damage Control began and around 0715 CHEDEBUCTO was taken in tow by the US Coast Guard ship BUTTONWOOD toward the lee of Bic Island. By 0930 the minesweeper was listing thirty-three degrees and CHEDEBUCTO’s skipper requested that his ship be immediately towed to the nearest shoreline. The minesweeper grounded near St. Simeon and was abandoned by her remaining crew. Later she rolled onto her side and sank.
Photo Courtesy, Naval Museum of Manitoba.