HMCS CORMORANT 781

Bird Class Patrol Boat

HMCS CORMORANT 781

Battle honours and awards: Quebec 1759, Minorca 1798, China 1856, 1959

Launched: 15 May 1956

Commissioned: 16 Jul 1956

Paid off: 23 May 1963

Fate: Sold. Final disposition unknown

Built in 1956 by Midland Boat Works, Midland, Ont., CORMORANT was launched on 15 May 1956. The Navy turned Loon, Mallard, and CORMORANT over to the Crown Assets Disposal Corporation in the 1960s. Some priests of some description bought CORMORANT and outfitted her as a floating mission boat for Central America complete with a dental chair. They did not appear to have much knowledge of the sea or seamanship but managed to get CORMORANT out Halifax Harbour and down as far as the Eastern United States. The United States Coast Guard terminated their voyage there before they killed themselves, and CORMORANT has not been heard from since. Her specifications on completion were: Displacement: 66 tons, Length: 92 Ft, Beam: 17 ft, Draught: 5.3 ft, Speed: 14 kts, Complement: 2 officers, 19 men, Armament: 1-20 mm, hedgehog.

Photos and Documents

Commanding Officers

LCdr Kenneth Reeves Crombie, RCN - 16 Jul 1956 - Sep 1956

CPO M. Keeler, RCN - Sep 1956 - Nov 1958

CPO1 Edward Albert Rigby, Bosn, RCN - Nov 1958 - Aug 1960

CPO J.M. Armitage, RCN - Aug 1960 - Jun 1963

Lt (N) Kelly - Summer 1966

Lt Peter J. Stow, RCN - 1968

In memory of those who have crossed the bar

They shall not be forgotten

Former Crew Members

Pearson, Don

Photos and Documents

	The Launching of HMCS CORMORANT 781 Source: Huronia Museum website
	The Launching of HMCS CORMORANT 781 Source: "Midland and Area - Portraits of the Past" facebook page From the collection of Betty Ann Bell
	HMCS CORMORANT 781 Source: Nation's Navy: In Quest of Canadian Naval Identity - Google Books
	De-commissioning of HMCS MALLARD 783 and HMCS CORMORANT 781 at RCNAS Shearwater jetty

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