HMCS Sackville, Halifax

Moored in Halifax, HMCS Sackville is a historic Flower-class corvette, the last of her kind, and a proud museum ship preserving Canada's naval legacy. Originally built for the Royal Canadian Navy, Sackville played a vital role in World War II, escorting convoys across the treacherous North Atlantic. Later repurposed as a civilian research vessel, she was ultimately saved from obscurity and restored to her wartime 1944 appearance by the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust.

Sackville's survival is, in part, a twist of fate. Initially, efforts were made to acquire HMCS Louisburg, but after she was lost in Hurricane David (1979), Sackville remained the sole surviving Flower-class corvette. She was officially transferred to the Canadian Naval Corvette Trust on 28 October 1983, cementing her role as a national historic symbol.

Today, Sackville spends her summers as a floating exhibit beside the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, while winter sees her docked at CFB Halifax, under the protection of Maritime Forces Atlantic. Her presence in Halifax is fitting-during World War II, the city was a crucial convoy assembly point, where ships gathered before braving the Atlantic.

Sackville remains active in naval remembrance, hosting veterans and sea burials each May for the Battle of the Atlantic commemoration. In 2003, she broke loose during Hurricane Juan, colliding with the schooner Larinda. A legal battle followed, but in 2011, the Nova Scotia Supreme Court ruled in her favor, recognizing the security measures taken.

Her historical significance was officially recognized in 1988 when she was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. A decade later, in 1998, Canada Post honored her with a commemorative 45¢ stamp, celebrating her role in naval history.

Today, HMCS Sackville stands as a floating monument to Canada’s naval heritage, preserving the memory of those who braved the Atlantic in service of their country.