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A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project HMCS ORILLIA K119
Commissioned 25 Nov 1940, at Collingwood, she arrived at Halifax on 11 Dec 1940 for completion and was assigned to Halifax Local Defence Force until 23 May 1941. Orillia sailed that day for St. John's to become one of the seven charter members of the NEF, and for the balance of the year escorted convoys between St. John's and Iceland. In Sep 1941, she was escort to convoy SC.42, which lost 18 ships. She arrived at Halifax 24 Dec 1941 for a refit, upon completion of which on 22 Mar 1942, she joined EG C-1, leaving St. John's 02 Apr 1942 with SC.77 for Londonderry. On her arrival she was sent to Tobermory for three weeks' workups, then returned to the "Newfie-Derry" run until Jan 1944. Orillia took part in major battles around convoys SC.94, which lost 11 ships in Aug 1942 and ON.137 in Oct 1942, which lost only 2 ships despite being heavily attacked. She was a member of EG C-2 from Nov 1942 to May 1944, when she joined EG C-4 following two months' refit at Liverpool, N.S. She left Londonderry for the last time on 16 Jan 1944, to commence a long refit, again at Liverpool, which included the lengthening of her fo'c's'le. This refit was completed on 03 May 1944, but further repairs were completed at Halifax late in Jun 1944. She arrived in Bermuda on 29 Jun 1944 for three weeks' workups, on her return joining EG W-2, Western Escort Force, for the duration of the war. Paid off on 02 Jul 1945, at Sorel, she was broken up at Steel Co. of Canada, Hamilton, Ont., in Jan 1951.
Links Personal photo gallery of Eric Baird Ship's company photos for HMCS Orillia
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For Posterity's Sake 
Lest We Forget
