H. M. C. S. O N T A R I O
“MINOTAUR” Class Cruiser
ordered on 27th May 1941 and laid down on 20th November that year. The ship was launched as HMS
MINOTAUR on 29th July 1943 and would have been the 5th RN ship to bear that name, introduced in 1793
for a 3rd Rate and last used for a cruiser built in 1906 which was sold in 1920. However during July
1944 the ship was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy and commissioned as HMCS ONTARIO on 26th April
1945. Build was completed on 15th May 1945
This name had not previously been used for any
RN or Commonwealth warship.
B a t t l e H
o n o u r s
None
H e r a l d i c
D a t a
None are available in the official Admiralty list of
Crests and the
Name is the property of the Royal Canadian Navy.
D e t a i l s
o f W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 4 5
April Contractors trials and commissioning
Nominated for
service in 4th Cruiser Squadron, British Pacific Fleet.
May
16th Acceptance trials in Clyde area.
June Shakedown and weapon
trials in Home waters.
July
2nd Took
passage to Malta for work-up with ships of Mediterranean Fleet.
August Mediterranean deployment in
continuation.
12th Passage from Malta to Alexandria.
15th Suez Canal Transit.
19th At Trincomalee.
(Note: As hostilities with Japan had ended the ship was still required for service
with the
BPF which had reverted to RN Control
after service with the US Navy as Task
Force 37.
31st Took passage from Trincomalee to join
Squadron.
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMCS ONTARIO was deployed
with the Squadron in the Far East and took part in relief operations and in Fleet exercises during
which she visited Hong Kong, Manila and ports in Japan. On release from RN service she took passage to Esquimalt where she refitted
before RCN service. This cruiser was primarily used for training purposes
until Paid-off by 1959 and placed on the Disposal List in 1959. She was sold
for demolition and arrived at
Osaka, Japan on 19th November 1961.
