crew of at least one of the escorts which escort, which consisted of the destroyers located the convoy once again east of explosions [from the depth charges]. We Of the many built by the Allies during the had started intercepting a “tell-tale series Saguenay and Skeena and the four Cape Race and vectored the rest of the turned and steamed back. In a minute Second World War, only HMCS Sackville remains afloat. of German medium-frequency radio corvettes Agassiz, Louisville, Wetaskiwin packs onto the target. or so the asdic operator reported he transmissions”. and Sackville – all of whom were taking The Germans attacked and the had contact, and we ran in and fired five Her survival, however, owed more to good fortune than Convoy ON-115 and its escorts advantage of the U-boats’ repeated Commodore ordered sharp course charges. [Then] a strong smell of diesel oil continued to maintain radio silence transmission of homing signals. In this changes, the result of which was that came to us. We all looked over the side good planning. Sub-Lieutenant Blake Patterson details in order to deny the German U-boats running battle of wills, the Type VIIC one column became separated from the to see if any oil was visible on the water. It the fighting history of the last of the line. every opportunity of homing onto U-boat U-588 was located and sunk by others. The escorts, meanwhile, went into was too dark to see anything.” it. However, as the Senior Officer of depth charges from the HMCS action. Lieutenant Easton, on the bridge HMCS Sackville’s torpedo officer the escort group later lamented, Wetaskiwin and destroyer HMCS Skeena. of HMCS Sackville, later recalled the watched from the bridge: “The depth he Flower-class corvette HMCS It was whilst engaged “several ships in the convoy The submarine went down with all hands. events that followed after sighting one of charge from the starboard thrower sank Sackville was built by the Saint in these convoy duties were making smoke so It was first blood to the Allied warships. the submarines on the surface: fifty feet and then exploded, as did the TJohn Dry Dock and Shipbuilding that HMCS Sackville had bad (sic), the convoy was During the night of the 31st the “Can you see anything, Number One?” others. It must have touched the U-boat’s Co. Ltd of Saint John, New Brunswick. her moments of greatest glory. visible even at night about German boats lost contact with ON-115 Easton asked. after deck as it went off, for a moment She was launched on 15 May 1941, and In late July and early August 1942 fifteen miles.”1 Indeed, it was a visual but Saguenay and Skeena were short of “There it is a bit to starboard!” later the bow of the U-boat broke the commissioned into the Royal Canadian HMCS Sackville formed part of the sighting that drew the U-boat packs fuel and they left the convoy to return to “Full Ahead.” surface a few feet astern. She rose up out Navy on 30 December 1941. It was a escort for Convoy ON-115, which also to the convoy. Newfoundland. There were now just the “Fire, Number One.” This was a star of the water to an angle of about forty further four months before she was consisted of the destroyers Saguenay By 29 July, ON-115 was being four corvettes to protect ten times that shell to illuminate the area of attack. It degrees exposing one-third of her ready to put to sea and it was not until and Skeena and three other corvettes tracked east of Newfoundland number of merchant ships. revealed a U-boat lying broadside on slender hull. Her momentum was still 15 May 1942 that HMCS Sackville left Agassiz, Louisville, and Wetaskiwin. by the Wolf and Pirat After several high-speed chases, HMCS the corvette’s starboard bow, less than carrying her forward at right-angles to Halifax, Nova Scotia to join the war. Made up of faster merchant vessels, U-boat groups (seven Wetaskiwin was short of fuel and also had 400 yards away. She had just got under our course. As she hung for an instant Under the command of Lieutenant some forty-one in total, all elements of and six submarines to leave the convoy. On 2 August, the way, working her propellers at full poised in a precarious position, Alan Easton, RCNR, HMCS Sackville was the convoy had joined from Moville, respectively). The escort was replenished by the destroyers speed and was beginning to dive. a depth charge which had been assigned to the Mid-Ocean Escort Force Clyde, Liverpool and Lock Ewe by 25 next day the U-boats Hamilton and Witch and the corvette “Fire again.” dropped over the stern rail exploded as part of Escort Group C-3 along with July 1942. The ultimate destination, pounced. Galt, and only just in time, because U-552 The U-boat was still ahead of them immediately beneath her and she the destroyers Saguenay and Skeena and indicated by the ON convoy routing These first but only the upper part of her conning disappeared in the huge column of the other Flower Class corvettes Galt and code, was New York. submarine attacks, MAIN PICTURE: The last serving Flower-class tower was still showing. “Stand by to water. Wetaskiwin. She also served with C-1 and The journey was relatively uneventful and those on corvette, HMCS Sackville, at her summer ram! Set Pattern A.” The latter referred “She’ll never surface again, sir,” C-2 Escort Groups, escorting convoys for the first two days. Then, on the 27th, the 31st, were berth on Halifax waterfront, where she is to a series of depth charges. the torpedo officer concluded. berthed alongside the Maritime Museum of “Would we reach her in time?” The submarine was in fact U-43. from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to the air cover ended. Worse, evidence of driven off by the the Atlantic. During the winter this wartime Londonderry, Ireland, from January 1942 impending trouble was recorded by the veteran is berthed in Her Majesty’s Canadian continued Easton. “We were Its log recorded that “the whole to August 1944. Dockyard on the western side of Halifax desperately close. In the pool of light boat received a powerful sharp Harbour. She was launched on 15 May 1941, shed by the flare we saw the U-boat’s blow that knocked out electro by Mrs. J.E.W. Oland, wife of the captain of motors, depth-gauge and tactical the port, with the Mayor and entire town conning tower disappear. I waited for council of her namesake town in attendance. the crash. Another thirty feet [but] it table”. The crew was disoriented: (The Canadian Naval Memorial Trust) did not come. The streak of foaming, depth gauges sprung suddenly swirling water was beneath the gun from an indication of 170 metres deck now. to zero. The port engine seized “Fire! There were simultaneous up. With its starboard engine still operating at full speed ahead, the U-boat settled some 7° degrees down by the stern. Within thirty seconds of PRESERVING THE LAST CORVETTE

the area but the depth charges she threw out “wracked” the boat. The submarine, however, was not seriously damaged and escaped to Saint-Nazaire Undaunted, the U-boats persisted with their attacks. The convoy lost two ships, with another two being damaged. In the on-going engagement HMCS Sackville was involved yet again with one of the German submarines – the third time in twelve hours. Lieutenant Eason described this final clash: “‘Radar says there might be something in the ground wave, if so it’s to starboard,’ said the navigator. A dark smudge appeared dead ahead. In three seconds it revealed its shape – long and low, high amidships. A submarine! “‘Hard aport. Full ahead. Open fire!’ “The submarine was on the port the final attack,U-43 ’s log noted that “‘Keep a sharp lookout there,’ I sang abaft the safety bearing and the gun bow, a little more than 100 yards off. the submarine “shuddered and broke out to lookouts and the signalmen on the could not reach any farther. Then there The ship was swinging to port – but not surface”. Another emergency dive took bridge. was a colossal sound of escaping air, and fast enough. The U-boat was inside our it to a depth of 120 metres.2 Though the “‘Submarine on the port beam.’ the U-boat went down like a stone. She turning circle; we could never reach her … U-boat had been badly damaged, and “‘Full ahead! Hard aport! Port beam – submerged so quickly that I could hardly 80 yards, 70 yards – broader on the port one crewman had suffered critical internal submarine – open fire!’” believe my eyes. bow now. At last! injuries, it survived its encounter with the “The ship glided slowly on. She “The ship was at last gathering “With the gun on the depression rail corvette and reached Lorient having been could not pick up headway swiftly like a way and, as she did, ten charges were and ship swinging fast, it fired at point at sea for forty-three days. destroyer. And she was too sluggish on dropped to explode at varying depths. Not long after engaging U-43, Sackville the helm at this speed to turn fast, the But our distance from the submarine was ABOVE FAR LEFT: A view of the stern of was in action yet again, as Lieutenant enemy being inside our turning circle. too great to inflict a fatal wound, the best HMCS Sackville showing the corvette’s 40mm Easton later described: “The radar The U-boat was drawing abaft the beam the charges could have done could have anti-aircraft gun. Through displays, artefacts operator called out, ‘I’ve just started but either the gunlayer or the trainer, or been to have shaken her, perhaps badly, and audio-visual presentations, visitors to the warship can experience a part of how life up again, sir ... and I think that there’s both, could not find her. The dimness with her negative stability.” must have been for those who served aboard something in the ground wave. It’s too of the foggy night made it difficult for The submarine was U-704 which, in a Flower-class corvette during the Second close to get the direction.’ them. Then the submarine drew just thick fog, had surfaced to orientate itself. World War. Note the depth charger thrower The submarine and the corvette had with the hoist above it. spotted each other at approximately the ABOVE LEFT: The depth charge equipment same time. Korvetteleutnant Horst Kessler at the stern of HMCS Sackville with marker ordered the u-boat to dive immediately buoys on top. The corvettes were generally blank range, scarcely a ship’s length away. ships of C-1 along with two from C-2, to fifty metres. The submarine had equipped with four Mk.II depth charge In that instant a gaping hole appeared at including Sackville. This was a special unit submerged by the time Sackville reached throwers, a pair of depth charge rails and a supply of seventy depth charges. (The the base of the U-boat’s conning tower. It designated to hunt submarines rather Canadian Naval Memorial Trust) was accompanied by a hail of fire from the than be tied to a specific convoy. That port point-fives and the Vickers machine- autumn, EG9 was disbanded with HMCS LEFT: HMCS Sackville at sea in the North Atlantic during 1942. There were two distinct guns. The high explosive shell burst, Sackville joining a new group, EG C-2, groups of vessels within this design: the ripping the near side of the conning tower escorting convoys between Britain and original Flower-class which was a group out. . of some 225 vessels ordered during the “She was visibly diving. Another round After a refit in Liverpool, Nova Scotia 1939 and 1940 building programs, and the Modified Flower-class which followed with a went out of the gun but went over; her and modernisation at Galveston, Texas, further sixty-nine vessels ordered from 1940 bow was under water. The boat went Sackville sailed to Bermuda to work up onward. The modified vessels were slightly down fast and was beneath the surface following the refit. She was ready for war larger and somewhat better armed. (The again by 29 June 1944, when she sailed Canadian Naval Memorial Trust) before the fog closed over where she had submerged. with C-2 as escort for HX-297. At the BELOW: HMCS Sackville in Halifax harbour. “We straightened out and steamed conclusion of this trip she remained in (The Canadian Naval Memorial Trust) away before making an asdic attack and Londonderry for routine boiler cleaning. called our friend – another corvette – to It was this seemingly innocuous task join the hunt. [But] the U-boat was not that would, in the end, prove to be the to be seen. We searched for two hours corvette’s salvation. without success and then gave up.” The submarine, U-552, was forced TOP: Two veterans of the Battle of the to the surface but in poor visibility this, Atlantic, Lieutenant Commander Murray presumably, was not seen by Eason and Knowles (95), on the left, CO of HMCS Louisburg II (1945), and Lieutenant his crew. Though badly damaged, U-552 Commander Bill Murray (91), right, First was able to escape, returning to Lorient Lieutenant of HMCS Sackville (1943- on 15 August. 44), receive Canadian Naval Centennial As it transpired the submarine in commemorative pins from Rear Admiral David Gardam, Commander Maritime Forces question, U-552, had received a direct Atlantic in ship’s Mess. (The Canadian Naval hit on the conning tower that damaged Memorial Trust) a shaft which supplied air to the diesel engines. Oil and pieces of debris were ABOVE: On 29 June 2010, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness seen on the surface of the water and the Duke of Edinburgh visited HMCS Sackville this was reported by the crew of HMCS during the International Fleet Review in Sackville. Halifax and unveiled a plaque to mark the News of the apparent loss of U-552 significance of Canada’s Naval Memorial. The expanded from fewer caused great concern back in Germany than 2,000 regular force members and a but on 13 August the submarine reached dozen ships in 1939 to close to 100,000 and the safety of Saint-Nazaire. 400 ships by 1945. Nowhere did the RCN * and the corvettes play a more significant role than during the . (The In July 1943, a new Canadian escort Canadian Naval Memorial Trust) group was formed – EG9 – from the

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Probationary Sub-Lieutenants ABOVE: A recent view of HMCS Sackville showing the ship’s 1917-vintage BL 4-inch of the Executive Branch of Mk.IV naval gun and Hedgehog anti-submarine the Royal Canadian Navy for mortar. The ready-use shell storage for several weeks of instruction in the 4-inch gun was arranged around the the duties of a watch-keeping gun platform; cordite powder was loaded separately behind each shell. Note the officer in a naval vessel. On depression rails fitted around the gun to successful completion of the prevent it being fired into forecastle and course, each man received the flare rocket launcher on its side. The Hedgehog fired a salvo of twenty-four bombs his commission as a Sub- in an arc, aimed to land in a circular or elliptical Lieutenant and went off to pattern about 100 feet in diameter at a fixed various appointments.3 point about 250 yards directly ahead of the HMCS Sackville attacking ship. The lantern structure behind the bridge contains the Type 271 radar. This subsequently became a had a range of twenty-five miles for warships, Loop Layer, used to position eight miles for surfaced U-boats, and one mile the ring of detection cables for a periscope. Note splinter matting fitted around ports, and then a around the bridge. research vessel. By the 1970s, RIGHT: The Canadian Naval Memorial Trust interest was beginning to arise Acknowledgement: is taking steps to ensure the long-term in preserving a Flower-class corvette for We are grateful to the assistance provided by the preservation and professional operation of Canadian Naval Memorial Trust (CNMT) in the HMCS Sackville. For example, it recently future generations. Towards this end production of this article. The CNMT is a non-profit launched the Canadian Naval Memorial Project various groups in Canada began to search organization made up of more than 1,200 trustees and with the proposal to house the 70-year-old for a suitable subject to purchase for such volunteers. The Trust’s main objective is to preserve corvette in a fully operational covered salt a role. They eventually settled upon the HMCS Sackville - just as she was in 1944. For more water graving dock. This would allow year information on the Trust or its work please visit: round access to this iconic symbol of the Battle former HMCS Louisburg II which had www.canadasnavalmemorial.ca of the Atlantic. been sold to the Dominican Republic at the end of the war and renamed Juan BELOW: A painting by the artist Yves Berube Alejandro Acosta. However, she was NOTES depicting HMCS Sackville engaging the enemy 1. Michael L. Hadley, “From a Great Convoy during Convoy ON-115. (The Canadian Naval damaged beyond repair in Hurricane Battle in the Western Atlantic”, in the journal of Memorial Trust) David in 1979 – and this left just one the Canadian Centre for Foreign Policy Studies, Canadian Flower-class corvette, HMCS Winter 1986 Issue, p.48. 4 2. Ibid, p.49. This was because the cleaning revealed Sackville. 3. By the end of her commission, HMCS King’s a flaw in her boilers – one was leaking. Sackville was paid off in 1982, but had graduated over 3,100 officers from ninety- After repairs it again failed and an the following year the Naval Officers six classes. HMCS King’s was decommissioned inspection showed that faulty construction Association of Canada took the lead and in May 1945. was the problem. Sackville’s war was the volunteer Canadian Naval Memorial 4. Another Flower-class corvette – Cristobal Colon, the former HMCS Lachute – suffered the now over. If her boiler had failed earlier Trust (CNMT) was established to acquire same fate in Hurricane David. There was at least in the war it would have been repaired and restore HMCS Sackville to her one other Flower-class corvette still in existence as escorts were badly needed. Now, 1944 configuration. at that time, the former HMS Bryony which was though, corvettes were in abundance. Now, restored to her in Norwegian service as a weather ship until late She may have been scrapped then and former glory, HMCS 1979, early 1980. there. Sackville is Canada’s Yet, there was one saving grace designated naval memorial – Sackville had just been thoroughly and as such she can look modernized. Therefore, on 29 August forward to a secure future. 1944, she was assigned to the officer The last Flower is still training establishment HMCS King’s to blooming. n serve as training ship. Established in the requisitioned University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia, this shore base’s main function was to receive classes of

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