SS Walnut
SS Walnut was a refugee ship converted from a British minesweeping Tree-class trawler which carried Baltic refugees from Sweden to Canada in 1948. The refugees' arrival at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia led to a controversy which played an important role in shaping Canada's postwar refugee policies. Initially entering service during the Second World War as HMS Walnut, the trawler was sold for commercial purposes following the war. Converted for use as a cargo ship, the vessel retained the name Walnut until 1959 when sold and renamed Keta. The ship was broken up in 1976. Design and description Tree-class trawlers were designed to displace 545 tons standard and 770 tons at deep load. They were long overall with a beam of and a draught of . They were powered by a one-cylinder boiler providing steam to one vertical triple expansion engine. This drove one shaft creating and giving the ship a maximum speed of . The ship could carry 183 tons of coal. The Tree class was armed with one QF 12-pounder (76 mm) gun, three 20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns and 30 depth charges. The trawlers had a complement of 40. Royal Navy service Walnut was laid down