The HMCS Port Hope in Port Hope Harbour July 1942
picture from Doris (Cork) Gainor

from The Evening Guide January 19, 1942
H.M.C.S. Port Hope Is Being Rapidly Outfitted
The Minesweeper Bearing This Town's Name Is Being Fitted with Machinery and Other Equipment and Will Soon Be Ready for Duty

Several Port Hope citizens had the privilege some days ago of inspecting "H.M.C.S. Port Hope". The minesweeper which the Federal Government has been pleased to name after our town, is being built in Toronto and the work of installing machinery and fittings is advancing rapidly since the boat was launched in December last.
It is expected that she will be ready for service about the middle of May and will be immediately assigned to patrol duty in some theatre of war.
It has been suggested that the citizens of Port Hope and the surrounding district should adopt this vessel and her crew as a direct war project. It is well known that, while these ships are equipped with every necessity by the Government, they are not provided with those extras which mean so much to the comfort and recreational pleasure of the gallant men who man them. As the crew space on these vessels is very limited it is not possible to supply any large amount of recreational material but the suggestion is advanced that an effort should be made by the people of the town and vicinity to provide all suitable equipment that can be of value in making the life of tha individual sailors more endurable. More information as to just what could be supplied will be available shortly and will be printed as soon as received.

from the Evening Guide  July 6, 2006
('Today In History' 1942  John Jolie)
The minesweeper HMCS Port Hope sailed into Port Hope. Retired Captain J Peacock was given the honour of piloting the ship into port. Peacock was a local skipper who had sailed many lake vessels.


Lt William Turner and Captain J H Peacock aboard HMCS 'Port Hope' 1942

HMCS PORT HOPE    (forposterityssake.ca)
Bangor Class Minesweeper    (Bangor Class   RCN Bangor Class Minesweepers   Minesweeping)
displacement 672 tons, overall length 180' 0'', extreme breadth 28' 6''
draught fwd 9' 10'', draught aft 10' 2'' (both full load)
main engines - steam reciprocating, full speed 16 kts
endurance - 2,950 NM at 11 1/2 kts
armament - one 3'' 12-pounder or 4'' gun, and other weapons
minesweeping gear - AS (this was removed in some cases from vessels used mainly as escorts)
built by Dufferin Shipyards, Toronto and commissioned July 30, 1942

COMMANDING OFFICERS
Lt William Turner: July 30, 1942 - December 1, 1942
Lt A H Rankin RCNVR: December 2, 1942 - April 8, 1943
Lt Richard Kingsley Lester RCNVR: April 9, 1943 - March 17, 1944
Lt Robert Michael Montague RCNVR: March 18, 1944 - July 17, 1945

Royal Canadian Navy Ship: HMCS Port Hope (J280)
Original Pennant Number: J280
Builder: Davie Shipbuilding, Lauzon, Quebec  (or was it Dufferin Shipyards, Toronto?)
Laid Down: September 9, 1941
Launched: December 1941
Commissioned: July 30, 1942
Paid Off: Fate: Decommissioned October 13, 1945. Recommissioned in 1949 with pennant J183. Sold for scrap in February 1959