HMCS Thunder (pennant J156) was a Bangor-class minesweeper built for the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II. Laid down on December 4, 1940, by Dufferin Shipbuilding Co. in Toronto, Ontario, she was launched on March 19, 1941, and commissioned on October 14, 1941. The vessel measured 180 feet (54.9 meters) in length, with a beam of 28 feet 6 inches (8.7 meters) and a draught of 9 feet 9 inches (3.0 meters). Displacing approximately 672 long tons (683 tons), she had a complement of 6 officers and 77 enlisted personnel. Powered by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, fueled by two Admiralty three-drum boilers, Thunder produced 2,400 indicated horsepower, enabling a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h). Her armament initially included a single 4-inch/40 caliber gun, later replaced by a 3-inch/20 CWT gun, as well as a QF 2-pounder Mark VIII and single-mounted QF 20 mm Oerlikon guns on the bridge wings. She was equipped with two depth charge launchers and four chutes for deploying up to 40 depth charges, suited for minesweeping and escort duties. During her service, Thunder participated in critical naval operations, including the Battle of the Atlantic and the Normandy invasion. She operated primarily out of Halifax and Shelburne, Nova Scotia, before sailing to Europe in February 1944. Assigned to the 32nd Minesweeping Flotilla, she played a vital role in sweeping assault channels during D-Day, notably in the American sector, where she was part of the effort to clear mines ahead of the invasion. Thunder was also involved in subsequent operations off Cherbourg and in sweeping minefields in the approaches to the port. During her service in European waters, she was hit by shrapnel from a near miss during the assault but continued her duties. After the war, Thunder returned to Canada in October 1945, was decommissioned, and sold for scrap in 1947. Her wartime career highlights her contributions to Allied naval operations, especially in minesweeping and ensuring safe passage for invasion forces during critical phases of the European campaign.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.