The HMCS Mont Sorrel was second of two modified Audacious-class aircraft carrier completed by the Canadian Navy. HMCS Mont Sorrel continues to be the largest ship ever built by a Canadian dockyard, weighing in at 41000 tonnes, 1000 tonnes heavier then her sister the HMCS Vimy Ridge.
Design and Background[]
Canada entered the war against Germany on September 10th, 1939. With this, the Royal Canadian Navy was illprepared for war, besides a single old Admiral class battlecruiser (HMCS Canada).
Seeing the need to quickly and cheaply expand the navy, to help ferry supplies and wartime material over to Europe, the Canadian Navy attempted to purchase a Royal Navy capital ship.
However, due to wartime schedules, Canada was unable to obtain a large fleet carrier. After Audacious-class plans had been sent to the Royal Canadian Navy, they still desired to purchase an intern solution until the HMCS Vimy Ridge would be completed. The RCN attempted to buy a Majestic-class light carrier, but after the sale fell through due to the sudden unexpected loss of HMS Invincible the Canadians ordered a second of the modified Audacious-class carriers.
Alongside the Vimy Ridge, the Mont Sorrel was just over 100ft longer then the standard Audacious-class ship, and 20 ft longer then her sister HMCS Vimy Ridge. The entire hull would be strengthened, with added armor plating. The deck armor in particular was thickened an additional 4 inches to 8inches.
A torpedo buldge was also added, as it was forseen that the Vimy Ridge would be making dozens of atlantic crossings. With the unforunate reality of the U-Boat threat, and a lack of a strong escort ship fleet, the HMCS Mont Sorrel's torpedo buldge was relatively large.
In total, the hanger capacity of the HMCS Mont Sorrel was increased to approximately 70 aircraft.
WW2 Service[]
Shortly after commisioning in July 1946, the HMCS Mont Sorrel would have the misfortune to be torpedoed on her first crossing of the Atlantic. While damage was minimal, she would be fixed at Scapa Flow. But, this still damaged the crews morale, and after mechanical failures and an engine room fire that would kill 2 sailors during the shakedown cruiser, the Mont Sorrel had acquired the distinction of being considered an unlucky ship.
Moral hit an all time low in early 1947, when, during heavy fog, the british battleship HMS Barham struck the Mont Sorrel admidship on starboard side, striking just below the island, killing 60 men, and crippling the carrier. This would lead to both ships spending a long time in dry dock, as the Mont Sorrel would not return to service until mid-1948.
However, her reputation would completely vanish when she would be transferred to the Pacific fleet. On her first sortie, her aircraft managed to sink not only a I-400 submarine, but would also managed to locate the (admitably stricken) IJN Takao, which she would manage to sink.
With two kills under her belt, the Mont Sorrel would become highly popular in Canada due to her courageous actions, as she continued to sink and destroy a small IJN fleet consisting of the IJN Zuikaku. Her air arm would manage to sink the carrier IJN Zuikaku, the battlecruiser Kadekuru, 2 light cruisers, and heavily damage the heavy cruiser IJN Nachi.
She, alongside the HMCS Vimy Ridge would both be present during the X-Day invasion, both supporting the Canadian landing on Beach Winton. As Canadian forces pushed into the first major town from the beach, an aircraft Mont Sorrel would drop a napalm bomb on a civilian bomb shelter. This bomb not only managed to ignite a huge fire that would raze a nearby Shinto Temple, but would grusomely kill hundreds of civilians that had taken refuge inside the bomb shelter.
Admitably, it was discovered in the post war investigation that the aircraft had been meant to be carrying a conventional bomb, and had been aiming for the Temple as ground forces were taking heavy fire from an enemy sniper inside the rafters.
After Japan finally surrendered to the American forces which were on the outskirts of Tokyo, HMCS Mont Sorrel would be present alongside the HMCS Vimy Ridge during the cermonial signing of the surrender on the deck of the american carrier USS Alliance.
Post War Service[]
In the immediate post war, the HMCS Mont Sorrel was deployed to mainly ceremonial roles. While present at the dedication of a Canadian Cemetary and memorial for the Canadians loss during the attack on Juno Beach in Normandy, she would remain relatively inactive for the rest of her service life.
Unlike the HMCS Vimy Ridge, the Mont Sorrel never recieved a major refit, minus the installation of new sensors and the facilities capable of handling new jet aircraft.
However, during 1964, while on deployment in the North Atlantic, the Mont Sorrel would strike a large submerged object. Taking on a 5* list to port, the Mont Sorrel was forced to stop and make emergency repairs before returning back to Canada for full repairs.
During the repairs, a ton of foreign metal was discovered in the bow of the Mont Sorrel- It is widely believed that the Mont Sorrel had struck a russian submarine that had been at periscope depth. In particular, it is beleived that she struck the November-class Attack Submarine K-14, as a month later, aerial reconisance from the US showed K-14 in dry dock with a massive gash just aft of the main sail.
Returning back to service in 1965, she would remain fairly inactive.
In 1973, the HMCS Mont Sorrel was in dire need of a refitment and refurbishment. Her sensors had never been properly installed, as the Mont Sorrel lacked the space in the bridge to add the new systems. Her aged boilers and turbines could only propel the Mont Sorrel to 22knots, 5 less then what she was capable of when new.
Couple that with the oil crisis, and the overall neglect of the Mont Sorrel, she was decommisioned. While consercative Canadians attempted to keep her mothballed, the Canadian government eventually decided to get rid of the Mont Sorrel.
Initially, India had shown intrest in purchasing of the HMCS Mont Sorrel, but as Indian atrocities against Pakistan started to come to light at this time, the deal with India was quickly terminated.
A group did arise that attempted to buy the ship and convert it into a floating museum ship, but were unable to purchase the ship.
The HMCS Mont Sorrel would be sold to Taiwan as scrap, and by 1975 she was fully scrapped.