Q105
December 1943. Royal Canadian Navy collection (L-4120)
Builder:Mac-Craft Limited Sarnia, Ont. |
Commissioned:September 5, 1943 |
Launched:August 7, 1943 |
Disposal:September 15, 1945 |
Career:
On arrival in Halifax in September 1943, she was allocated to the Halifax Force and joined the 70th Motor Launch Flotilla (Q104 to 109).
She left Halifax on October 24, 1943, for Bermuda under the escort of Corvette HMCS LETHBRIDGE and under orders of the depot ship HMCS PROVIDER.
During their stay in these waters, Q105 and other vessels of her class carried out anti-submarine patrols and exercises with RCN ships to carry out working-up exercises.
Q105 did not return to Halifax until september 1, 1945 and was sailed to Quebec to be destored there.
September 7, 1945, arrived in Quebec with MLs 104 ,106 and 107.
September 11, 1945, paid-off with 104 and 107, 106 being retained in commission.
September 14 1945, loaned to Rimouski School of Arts & Crafts as for Q104and Q107 and towed to Rimouski by the naval tug GLENCOVE.
January 12,1948, sold for 2,500$ by Rimouski Shool of Arts & Crafts to J.Séverin Langlois (river pilot) c/0 Savoy Shipping, Quebec.
Spring 1948, converted in sightseeing boat at Saint-Laurent Shipyard, Island of Orleans , Quebec and renamed Duc d’Orleans .
December 27, 1948, first registry, Quebec (# 179271)
Owners 1948-1950: J.Séverin Langlois (river pilot) and Nelson Arthur Fournier (bus operator) c/o Quebec Waterways Sightseeing Tours Company.
Eng. : 2 GM 6-71 Detroit diesel, 320 H.P.
Owners 1950-1952: J.Séverin Langlois and Alphonse Proteau (insurance broker).
Owner November 1952-1972: Jean-Claude Morin (businessman), Sillery Quebec. c/o Quebec Waterways Sightseeing Tours Company, ( La Compagnie d’Excursion Maritime de Québec).
Owner 1972-1978: Guy Hamel family, Cap-Rouge, Quebec.
About 1975, fibreglassed down to ice skirt.
October 6, 1978, sale to Jacques Beauchamp and Raymond Beauchamp , businessmen, Corunna, Ontario.Registry transferred to the port of Sarnia, November 27,1978.
August 1, 1980, sale to Kenneth Bruce Bracewell, businessman, Corunna, Ontario. In service for local tours and receptions on St-Clair River 1980-2006.
Retired from service in June 2006. The owner offered to donate the Duc d’Orleans to a volunteer group known as The Friends of Fairmile Q105. The Friends plan to restore the historic vessel to its original wartime appearance.
In august 2010, the boat is on the shoreline at Pt.Edward (Sarnia), Ontario.
Registry closed 2021-04-01
* For more details on Q105, you can view the category “about the author”.
Other pictures of Q105
Summer 1943, during construction at Mac-Craft shipyard, Sarnia, Ontario. Mark Harrison collection
Summer 1943, Q105 and Q104 during construction at Mac-Craft shipyard, Sarnia, Ontario. Mark Harrison collection
September 5, 1943. Launching of Q105 at Mac-Craft shipyard, Sarnia, Ontario. Mark Harrison collection
Summer 1943, trials. Mark Harrison collection
May 8, 1945, V-E day in St-Georges Channel, Bermuda. Jay Fisher collection
70 th flotilla ML’s at Bermuda on May, 8, 1945, V-E day. Royal Canadian Navy collection (CN 6271)
70 th flotilla ML’s at Bermuda on May, 8, 1945, V-E day. Jay Fisher collection
70th Flotilla-Bermuda 1944. Robert Ulmer collection
Autumn 1945, Rimouski, Quebec. From left, Q105, Q107 and Q104, the three Fairmiles loaned to Rimouski School of Arts & Crafts. Jean Ouellet collection
Duc d’Orléans
On the St-Lawrence River in front of Quebec. Author collection
Docking at St-Anne de Beaupre, Quebec. Author collection
Spring 1950. Wintering at St-Laurent shipyard on the Island of Orleans with Le St. Barnabé (ex-Q098) and Roseline (ex-Q096). Jean Ouellet collection
René Beauchamp collection
Restoration in progress
December 9, 2007. Lift-up at Pt. Edward, Ontario.
June 9, 2009. My visit to Pt. Edward, Ontario
The author on the deck of Q105
August 6,2010. Fraser McKee collection
August 6,2010. Fraser McKee collection
February 2011. Matt Miner collection
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