HMCS Comox was a Fundy-class minesweeper serving in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1938 to 1945. Constructed by Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd. in Vancouver, she was laid down on February 5, 1938, with yard number 117, and launched on August 9, 1938. She was commissioned on November 23, 1938. The vessel measured 163 feet (49.7 meters) in length, with a beam of 27.5 feet (8.4 meters) and a draught of 14.5 feet (4.4 meters). Displacing approximately 460 long tons (470 tons), Comox's complement consisted of 3 officers and 35 ratings. Powered by a vertical triple expansion steam engine driven by a single shaft and fueled by a single-cylinder boiler, Comox generated between 850 and 950 indicated horsepower, allowing for a maximum speed of 12 knots (22 km/h). She could carry between 180 and 196 long tons of coal, supporting her operational range. Her armament included a single QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk IV gun mounted on a raised platform forward, complemented by two 20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannons. Later in her service, she was also equipped with 25 depth charges for anti-submarine warfare. Initially assigned to the west coast of Canada, Comox remained at Esquimalt, British Columbia, performing local patrol duties at the outbreak of World War II. In March 1940, she and her sister ship Nootka were reassigned to the east coast, arriving in Halifax in April. For the remainder of the war, she conducted minesweeping operations around Halifax Harbour. Notably, on January 15, 1945, Comox, alongside her sister ship Fundy, rescued survivors from the torpedoed Liberty ship SS Martin Van Buren. Decommissioned on July 27, 1945, Comox was sold in 1946 to Ming Sung Industrial Co Ltd and converted into a commercial tugboat named Sung Ming. Her maritime career concluded when her registry was deleted in 1993, marking the end of her service life. Her history exemplifies the vital role of smaller minesweepers in wartime naval operations and post-war commercial adaptation.

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