Q124

PTC 724 / HMCS ELK 724

Fairmile Motor Launch

Built by Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd., Vancouver, B.C., she was delivered to the RCN on 30 June 1944. While she flew the White Ensign, she was not commissioned into the RCN but instead was listed as a tender to HMCS SAMBRO, the depot ship for escorts (tenders were not commissioned vessels).

Q124 was a Type "B" ML, Displacement: 79 tons, Length: 112 ft, Beam: 17 ft, Draught: 4.9 ft, Speed: 22 kts, Complement: 3 officers, 14 men, Armament: 3-20mm.

Paid off in 1945, she was re-acquired by the RCN and in 1954 renamed HMCS ELK. Removed from service and sold 1956, she became Teirrah in 1962, and later Pacific Gold in 1965. In 1997 she was sold to Greek owned "Zeus Cruises" and renamed Zeus II.  Zeus Cruises, later renamed "Variety Cruises" has confirmed that the Zeus II was broken up several years ago. Zeus II was last noted on a travel website in 2012.

From The Fairmiles - Canada's Little Ships "As listed in a naval call sign document dated June 8th, 1948 as HMC ML124 call sign CZDL. She became HMCS ELK in 1954, based on the West Coast with international call sign CZDL, pendant 724 and radiotelephone “Catapult A”. HMCS ELK was discarded in 1956. She was the only post World War II Fairmile to serve on the West Coast."

Photos and Documents          Crew photos

Commanding Officers

Lt Eric Sidney Blanchet, RCNVR - 20 Jun 1944 - 17 Aug 1945

Bos'n Harvey John Andrews, RCN - 17 May 1945 - unk (PTC)

CPO Sid Dobbing, RCN

Photos and Documents

ML Q124

RCN photo # E-7280-1

Courtesy of the Comox RCAF Museum

PTC724

From the collection of Joseph Roberts, Cdr, RCNVR / RCN(R)

(SRD094) PTC 724 - 1949

(SRD095) Admiral Mainguy boarding PTC 724 (HMCS ELK), commanded by CPO Sid Dobing, for an inspection - 1953

(SRD096) Admiral Mainguy inspects PTC 724 (HMCS ELK) - 1953

(SRD097) PTC 724

(SRD098...) PTC 724 on a dependants day cruise, Victoria Day, 1953. This must have been just after her re-designation from a motor launch as her kisby ring still shows ML 124

(SRD099-SRD101) PTC 724 (HMCS ELK)

(SRD102) HMCS ELK at Pender Harbour, Dec 1954

From the collection of CPO1 Sid Dobing, RCN

Courtesy of Brian Dobing

(PG001) Pacific Gold  //  Photographer: Walter E. Frost  //  Source: City of Vancouver Archives

(PG002) Pacific Gold - moored in Long Bay, Jan 1965  //  Courtesy of Dave Turner