HMCS Trail (K174), 1941 Ships, Flower -Class Corvettes of the Royal
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'A Little Light on What's Going On!'
Volume VII, No. 69 ~ Winter 2014-2015 Starshell ‘A little light on what’s going on!’ CANADA IS A MARITIME NATION A maritime nation must take steps to protect and further its interests, both in home waters and with friends in distant waters. Canada therefore needs a robust and multipurpose Royal Canadian Navy. National Magazine of The Naval Association of Canada Magazine nationale de L’Association Navale du Canada www.navalassoc.ca On our cover… To date, the Royal Canadian Navy’s only purpose-built, ice-capable Arctic Patrol Vessel, HMCS Labrador, commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy July 8th, 1954, ‘poses’ in her frozen natural element, date unknown. She was a state-of-the- Starshell art diesel electric icebreaker similar in design to the US Coast Guard’s Wind-class ISSN-1191-1166 icebreakers, however, was modified to include a suite of scientific instruments so it could serve as an exploration vessel rather than a warship like the American Coast National magazine of The Naval Association of Canada Guard vessels. She was the first ship to circumnavigate North America when, in Magazine nationale de L’Association Navale du Canada 1954, she transited the Northwest Passage and returned to Halifax through the Panama Canal. When DND decided to reduce spending by cancelling the Arctic patrols, Labrador was transferred to the Department of Transport becoming the www.navalassoc.ca CGSS Labrador until being paid off and sold for scrap in 1987. Royal Canadian Navy photo/University of Calgary PATRON • HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh HONORARY PRESIDENT • H. R. (Harry) Steele In this edition… PRESIDENT • Jim Carruthers, [email protected] NAC Conference – Canada’s Third Ocean 3 PAST PRESIDENT • Ken Summers, [email protected] The Editor’s Desk 4 TREASURER • King Wan, [email protected] The Bridge 4 The Front Desk 6 NAVAL AFFAIRS • Daniel Sing, [email protected] NAC Regalia Sales 6 HISTORY & HERITAGE • Dr. -
Abbreviations
Abbreviations A group American escort group AAISSB Allied Anti-Submarine Survey Board ABC I American-British Conversations 1 ABC 22 American-Canadian appendix to ABC I, dealing with command arrangements in the Western Atlantic AC! Atlantic Convoy Instructions A/CNS Assistant chief of Naval Staff, RCN ACNS (T) Assistant chief of Naval Staff (Trade), RN AMC Armed merchant cruiser Als Anti-submarine ASW Anti-submarine warfare A&WI Atlantic and West Indies (Squadron), RN B group British escort group BAD British Admiralty Delegation, Washington BDienst German radio monitoring and decryption service BdU Befehlshaber der U-boote (commander-in-chief, U-boats) C group Canadian escort group C-in-C, WA Commander-in-chief, Western Approaches, RN cccs Commodore commanding, Canadian Ships (UK) CCNF Commodore commanding, Newfoundland Force CNEC Chief of Naval Engineering and Construction, RCN CNES Chief of Naval Equipment and Supply, RCN CNO Chief of Naval Operations, USN CNS Chief of Naval Staff, RCN co Commanding officer COAC Commanding officer, Atlantic Coast, RCN xxii Abbreviations COMINCH Commander-in-chief, USN CTF-24 Commander, Task Force Twenty-four, USN DAIS Director, Anti-Submarine, RCN DA/ SW Director, Anti-Submarine Warfare, RN DCOS Deputy chief of staff DHist Directorate of History, National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa DNP Director, Naval Personnel, RCN DOD Director, Operations Division, RCN DOP Director of Plans, RCN DSD Director, Signals Division, RCN DTD Director, Trade Division, RCN DWT Directorate of Warfare and Training, RCN EG Escort -
Scenes from Aboard the Frigate HMCS Dunver, 1943-1945
Canadian Military History Volume 10 Issue 2 Article 6 2001 Through the Camera’s Lens: Scenes from Aboard the Frigate HMCS Dunver, 1943-1945 Cliff Quince Serge Durflinger University of Ottawa, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh Part of the Military History Commons Recommended Citation Quince, Cliff and Durflinger, Serge "Through the Camera’s Lens: Scenes from Aboard the Frigate HMCS Dunver, 1943-1945." Canadian Military History 10, 2 (2001) This Canadian War Museum is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian Military History by an authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Quince and Durflinger: Scenes from Aboard the HMCS <em>Dunver</em> Cliff Quince and Serge Durflinger he Battle of the Atlantic was the the ship's unofficial photographer until Tlongest and most important February 1945 at which time the navy maritime campaign of the Second World granted him a formal photographer's War. Germany's large and powerful pass. This pass did not make him an submarine fleet menaced the merchant official RCN photographer, since he vessels carrying the essential supplies maintained all his shipboard duties; it upon which depended the survival of merely enabled him to take photos as Great Britain and, ultimately, the he saw fit. liberation of Western Europe. The campaign was also one of the most vicious and Born in Montreal in 1925, Cliff came by his unforgiving of the war, where little quarter was knack for photography honestly. -
Hal Davies Remembered for Energy, Vision, Strong Leadership
GOLF TOURNAMENT AGM & Action Stations INSERTS INSIDE CANADA’S NAVAL MEMORIAL HMCS SACKVILLE MARCH/APRIL 2011 Hal Davies remembered for Energy, Vision, Strong Leadership By Len Canfield The late Captain (N) Hal Davies, who served as Chair of the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust 1997-2000, is remembered by fellow Trustees for his energy, vision and strong leadership in advancing the Trust and ensuring the long-term operation of HMCS SACKVILLE. His unexpected passing oc- curred in February in the Bahamas. Trustees recall that Hal not only brought his experience as commanding officer of ships and training establishments but also his civilian business management skills to the day to day operations of the Trust and SACKVILLE. Under Hal as Chair, the CNMT Board brought forward or advanced a num- Hal Davies is shown with other members of the CNMT ber initiatives and projects, including enhancing the visibility and relevance of Board during ‘Up Spirits’ in December 1997. Front, from left: Sherry Richardson, Hal, Ray Soucie, Dick SACKVILLE; expanding membership in the Trust especially among serving Aldhelm-White. At rear, from left: Mel Baird, Charles members; strengthening the Trust’s financial position including building up Westropp, Brian Leask, Ted Smith, Len Canfield, Mar- the endowment fund, and increasing collaboration between the Trust and the vin Moore, and Don Cameron. Navy, Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and other significant stakeholders. One of the initiatives advanced by Hal was formalizing the CNMT Executive Director position and Ray Soucie assuming the position. Ray recalls Hal’s organizational abilities and contributions in a number of areas, including website design, development of a long-term communications plan, transla- tion and installation of sound stations in the ship, supporting Mel Baird’s Life Membership initiative and Canada Post’s HMCS SHAWINIGAN and HMCS SACKVILLE stamp unveiling ceremonies in 1998. -
River-Class Frigates Background
River-class frigates background The River-class frigate was designed by William Reed of Smith's Dock Company of South Bank-on-Tees. Originally called a "twin-screw corvette", its purpose was to improve on the convoy escort classes in service with the Royal Navy at the time, including the Flower-class corvette. The first orders were placed by the Royal Navy in 1940 and the vessels were named for rivers in the United Kingdom, giving name to the class. In Canada they were named for towns and cities though they kept the same designation. The name "frigate" was suggested by Vice-Admiral Percy Nelles of the Royal Canadian Navy and was adopted later that year. Improvements over the corvette design included improved accommodation which was markedly better. The twin engines gave only three more knots of speed but extended the range of the ship to nearly double that of a corvette at 7,200 nautical miles (13,300 km) at 12 knots. Among other lessons applied to the design was an armament package better designed to combat U-boats including a twin 4-inch mount forward and 12-pounder aft. 15 Canadian frigates were initially fitted with a single 4-inch gun forward but with the exception of the HMCS Valleyfield , they were all eventually upgraded to the double mount. For underwater targets, the River-class frigate was equipped with a Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar and depth charge rails aft and four side-mounted throwers. River-class frigates were the first Royal Canadian Navy warships to carry the 147B Sword horizontal fan echo sonar transmitter in addition to the irregular ASDIC. -
The Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Remembrance Series The Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence Photographs courtesy of Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and the Department of National Defence (DND). © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada represented by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 2005. Cat. No. V32-84/2005 ISBN 0-662-69036-2 Printed in Canada The Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence Generations of Canadians have served our country and the world during times of war, military conflict and peace. Through their courage and sacrifice, these men and women have helped to ensure that we live in freedom and peace, while also fostering freedom and peace around the world. The Canada Remembers Program promotes a greater understanding of these Canadians’ efforts and honours the sacrifices and achievements of those who have served and those who supported our country on the home front. The program engages Canadians through the following elements: national and international ceremonies and events including Veterans’ Week activities, youth learning opportunities, educational and public information materials (including on-line learning), the maintenance of international and national Government of Canada memorials and cemeteries (including 13 First World War battlefield memorials in France and Belgium), and the provision of funeral and burial services. Canada’s involvement in the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, and Canada’s efforts during military operations and peace efforts has always been fuelled by a commitment to protect the rights of others and to foster peace and freedom. Many Canadians have died for these beliefs, and many others have dedicated their lives to these pursuits. -
The Royal Canadian Navy and Operation Torch, 1942-19431
"A USEFUL LOT, THESE CANADIAN SHIPS:" THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY AND OPERATION TORCH, 1942-19431 Shawn Cafferky Like other amphibious animals we must come occasionally on shore: but the water is more properly our element, and in it...as we find our greatest security, so exert our greatest force. Bolingbroke, Idea of a Patriot King (1749) The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) corvettes that supported the Allied landings in North Africa beginning in November 1942 achieved substantial success. This little-known story is important, for the Canadian warships gave outstanding service at a time when the fortunes of the main RCN escort forces in the north Atlantic had dropped to their nadir. Problems resulting from overexpansion and overcommitment had, as has been fully documented in recent literature, raised grave doubts about the efficiency of Canadian escorts.2 What has yet to be properly acknowledged was that the operations of RCN ships in the Mediterranean and adjacent eastern Atlantic areas during these same months of crisis demonstrated that given an opportunity Canadian escorts could match the best. On 25 July 1942, after months of high-level discussions concerning the strategic direction of the war, Allied leaders agreed to invade North Africa in a campaign named Operation Torch, rather than immediately opening a second front in Europe. On 27 August 1942 the First Sea Lord signalled Vice-Admiral P.W. Nelles, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), "that Admiral Cunningham's [Naval Commander Expeditionary Force] Chief of Staff, Commodore R.M. Dick, would be visiting him in Ottawa with some information."3 The material proved to be an outline of Operation Torch, along with a request that the RCN provide escorts for the operation. -
In Peril on the Sea – Episode Seventeen Chapter 5Part 2
In Peril on the Sea – Episode Seventeen Chapter 5Part 2 “IF WE LOSE THE WAR AT SEA, WE LOSE THEWAR”: THE ORDEAL, MAY - NOVEMBER 1942 (cont’d) Continued from Chapter Five Part 1 …….. The loss of 11 merchantmen in return for two U‑boats was regarded by some Allied commentators as an acceptable rate of exchange -although the enemy’s use of submerged attacks, in contrast to the previous favoured tactic of surface attacks, did not bode well. Dönitz, on the other hand, noting that many of the submarine commanders involved were relatively inexperienced, was satisfied with the results. Problems increase: The RCN in the autumn of 1942 By the early autumn of 1942, the RCN had some reason to be happy with its recent successes. It had sunk three U-boats in the North Atlantic in August, more than the RN during the same -period, and HMCS Oakville got a fourth in the West Indies following a boarding operation that more closely resembled the age of sail than the age of steam.* But knowledgeable observers pointed out problems with the Canadian escorts’ training, maintenance, efficiency and, above all, their lack of modern equipment. Unfortunately, due to the many and overlapping commands concerned with the Atlantic convoys, its own distance from the theatre of war, and the absence of good technical liaison with the USN and RN, NSHQ in Ottawa did not have a clear picture of the difficulties faced by the escort fleet. When a problem was brought to their attention, they acted upon it, usually slowly, but all too often they remained oblivious to the day-to-day problems at sea. -
Vol 4, Issue 4
CCrroowwssnneesstt Vol. 4, No. 4 Winter 2010 Chief of the Maritime Staff Canadian ships sail in formation during a major task group exercise. Testing PAGE 4 CCOOMMBBAATT READINESS Photo: Cpl Johanie Maheu INSIDE Navy assists The navy pays its Newfoundlanders respects on THIS after hurricane Remembrance Day ISSUE PAGE 6 PAGE 14 www.navy.forces.gc.ca “Labour of love” draws to a conclusion or retired Captain (Navy) John Pickford, this year’s celebration of the Canadian Navy F Centennial (CNC) has been a labour of love. Named as CNC project manager almost six years ago, he has seen the centennial develop from a few ideas scratched on paper to the enormously successful collection of events that have taken place over the past year. “It has been so rewarding,” he says. “We really found a good balance between commemoration, celebration and commitment.” Capt(N) Pickford first started working on preparations for the navy’s 100th birthday in early 2005 when he retired from the regular navy, joined the Naval Reserve and volunteered to be involved with planning for the centennial. A dedicated sailor with more than 36 years Photo: Ontario Heritage Trust Heritage Photo: Ontario in the navy, Capt(N) Pickford’s strong sense of history, Captain (Navy) John Pickford stands next to the Ontario Heritage his devotion to his family’s naval background and his Trust plaque honouring Sir Charles Edmund Kingsmill, the first work experience during the navy’s 75th anniversary director of Canada’s Naval Service. celebrations, made him a perfect fit. “I was honoured and privileged to be chosen to work lone person in the project management office. -
Canadian Merchant Ship Losses, 1939-1945 Robert C. Fisher
Canadian Merchant Ship Losses, 1939-1945 Robert C. Fisher Introduction The Canadian Merchant Marine had only forty-one ocean-going merchant ships at the outbreak of the Second World War. During the war this fleet expanded sharply because Canadian shipyards produced 403 merchant vessels. Most were taken over by Great Britain or the United States, but a significant number sailed under the Canadian flag. The cost of the war was high: fifty-eight Canadian-registered merchant ships were lost to enemy action - or probable enemy action — and 1146 Canadian merchant mariners perished at sea or in Axis prison camps. In addition, six Canadian government-owned, but British-registered, and eight Newfoundland-registered, merchantmen were lost to enemy action. Many other vessels serving the war effort were also lost at sea. The following tables record the wartime losses of Canadian merchant ships. They are broken down by place of registry (Canada, Britain, Newfoundland), cause of loss (enemy action, marine accident), and extent of damage (total loss, repaired and returned to service). The lists provide the date, position, and cause of loss, the owner, tonnage, and whether the ship was sailing independently or in convoy. Information regarding crew size and casualties is included in the end notes if available. The quality of the sources for casualty and crew figures is uneven; hence, they must be used with caution. Discrepancies abound. The lists are as complete as possible but it is recognized that new information may come to light and some merchant ships may have slipped through the cracks of official records. Mystery still surrounds the fate of some of the vessels listed below. -
4 Convoy Presentation Final V1.1
ALLIED CONVOY OPERATIONS IN THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC 1939-43 INTRODUCTION • History of Allied convoy operations IS the history of the Battle of the Atlantic • Scope of this effort: convoy operations along major transatlantic convoy routes • Detailed overview • Focus on role of Allied intelligence in the Battle of the Atlantic OUTLINE • Convoy Operations in the First Battle of the Atlantic, 1914-18 • Anglo-Canadian Convoy Operations, September 1939 – September 1941 • Enter The Americans: Allied Convoy Operations, September 1941 – Fall 1942 • The Allied Convoy System Fully Realized: Allied Convoy Operations, Fall 1942 – Summer 1943 THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC, 1914-18 • 1914-17: No convoy operations § All vessels sailed independently • Kaiserliche Marine use of U-boats primarily focused on starving Britain into submission § Prize rules • February 1915: “Unrestricted submarine warfare” § May 7, 1915 – RMS Lusitania u U-20 u 1,198 dead – 128 Americans • February 1917: unrestricted submarine warfare resumed § Directly led to US entry into WWI THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC, 1914-18 • Unrestricted submarine warfare initially very effective § 25% of all shipping bound for Britain in March 1917 lost to U-boat attack • Transatlantic convoys instituted in May 1917 § Dramatically cut Allied losses • Post-war, Dönitz conceptualizes Rudeltaktik as countermeasure to convoys ANGLO-CANADIAN CONVOY OPERATIONS, SEPTEMBER 1939 – SEPTEMBER 1941 GERMAN U-BOAT FORCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR • On the outbreak of WWII, Hitler directed U-boat force -
2019-04-29-17.Pdf
• CELEBRATING 76 YEARS PROVIDING RCN NEWS • BATTLE -QUICK FACTS- – OOFF THHEE – Volume 64 Number 17 | April 29, 2019 More than 4,000 Canadians perished ATLANTIC during the Battle of the Atlantic. SUNDAY Joining the war efforts were the Royal May 5 Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Legislature Cenotaph Force, and Canadian merchant navy. 10:30 am newspaper.comnewwssppaaperr..com By the end of the war, Canada had Come pay your respects to those MARPAC NEWS CFB Esquimalt, Victoria, B.C. the world’s fourth-largest navy, and who served in the Second World a Canadian was in command of the War’s longest continuous campaign. LookoutNewspaperNavyNews @Lookout_news LookoutNavyNews northwest Atlantic region BATTLE – OF THE – ATLANTIC PPastast aandnd ppresent,resent, ssailorsailors uunitednited bbyy tthehe ssea.ea. Ship image HMCS Trentonian by Marc Magee, www.marcmagee.com We proudly serve the Financing Canadian Forces Community Available As a military family we understand ON SELECTED TIRES UNTIL APRIL 20th ASK FOR DETAILS. your cleaning needs during ongoing service, deployment and relocation. www.mollymaid.ca VICTORIA (LANGFORD) 250.478.2217 2924 Jacklin Road fountaintire.com We’re (250) 744-3427 on this road together. CALL US TODAY. 250.380.1602 www.seaspan.com [email protected] 2 • LOOKOUT CELEBRATING 76 YEARS PROVIDING RCN NEWS April 29, 2019 Message from the Admiral Esquimalt, B.C., is approximately from the German U-boats. 5,000 kilometers from Halifax N.S., and By D-Day in 1944, the allies had superiority in the air 7,600 km from London, England. In fact, and control over the sea lanes.