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| Prince Rupert (January 25, 2009) |
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 There are five World War II warships at Royston. HMCS Prince Rupert is the easiest to see. It is the wreck closest to shore.She was a River-class frigate, designed to defend convoys from submarines. Armaments included a cannon fore and aft, depth charges, a hedgehog bomb thrower, and anti-aircraft guns. The ships were fully 300 feet long. This one was built in Esquimalt in 1943. She was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy as HMCS Prince Rupert (pendant no. K324). Her captain was Lieut. Commander R.W. Draney. Prince Rupert escorted convoys on the 'Newfie-Derry' run from St. John's to Northern Ireland. Early in 1944, she shared in the kill of U-575. Her commander recalled: "When the sub came up, we threw everything at it. Everyone behaved well. We scored hits, under water and on the conning tower, which we almost blew away. The U-boat went down stern first and the survivors leapt into the water." The frigate returned to Esquimalt after VE-Day. She was to be refitted for service in the Far East. However, Japan soon surrendered and she was paid off instead. In February 1948, a tug towed the Prince Rupert to Royston breakwater. The mate on the tug was her wartime commander, Bob Draney. Resources Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia |
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