Several of HMCS TRENTONIAN’s officers enjoy their visit to Cherbourg on 4 October 1944. This was the corvettes first shore leave in France and the recently liberated French port. In the background you can see the rubble from the intense fighting that took place in the city. Pictured left to right: Warrant Engineer Hamilton Hindle, […]
Friendly Fire Incident -Normandy
Transferring the body of Captain Eric Troops, HMTS Monarch’s Skipper, from HMCS TRENTONIAN in Portsmouth on 13 June 1944. Capt. Troops was killed during a Friendly Fire incident when his ship and TRENTONIAN were attacked by USS PLUNKETT the night before. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Bruce Keir, RCNVR. (RTL-BK101)
HMCS BLAIRMORE
HMCS BLAIRMORE, Bangor class minesweeper assigned to the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Ross Milligan, RCNR. (RTL-REM012)
HMS DURBAN
HMS DURBAN, a “D” class light cruiser built in 1921 is the convoy commodore for the CornCob Convoy that HMCS TRENTONIAN escorted to Normandy on 7 July 1944. The cruiser has been stripped of her fittings and primary weapons and is destined to be sunk and become part of the Gooseberry breakwater, protecting the beaches […]
Operation NEPTUNE
View from HMCS TRENTONIAN on 7 June 1944 while the RCN corvette was in the Normandy invasion area. Stoker Bruce Keir wrote on this photo, “D-Day -Just a few of the 4,000.” Roger Litwiller Collection, Allen E. Singleton, RCNVR photo, courtesy Bruce Keir, RCNVR. (RTL-BK086) This photo and collection have been gathered from the crew […]
Wounded Sailer
The skipper of HMTS Monarch, Captain Arthur Troops is transferred to HMCS TRENTONIAN with a critical head injury. Troops’ ship, a cablelayer and TRENTONIAN were fired on by USS PLUNKETT on the night of 13 June 1944 while laying a communications cable to Normandy. The Canadian corvette was undamaged, while the cablelayer was severely damaged, […]
Troop Ship Juno Beach
Anchored near Juno Beach a troop ship passes HMCS TRENTONIAN, soldiers fill her upper decks, ready to land at Normandy on 7 June 1944. When the soldiers see TRENTONIAN’s maple leaf on her funnel they begin to cheer. The ship is carrying French Canadian troops destined for Juno Beach. Roger Litwiller Collection, Allen E. Singleton, […]
Battleship COURBET
The Free French battleship COURBET off Sword Beach on 7 June 1944. The battleship was built in 1913. For the invasion of Normandy, it has been stripped and will be sunk as part of Gooseberry 5 at Sword Beach to form a breakwater to protect the small landing craft. Over sixty ships would be sunk […]
“The Wedding” -HMCS TRENTONIAN
HMCS TRENTONIAN was at the forefront of the invasion operations, her crew had been on continuous escort duties for almost 50 days without leave. To show their dismay to TRENTONIAN’s skipper, the crew had set aside several days ration of rum, and in the middle of the English Channel while escorting another convoy to Normandy, […]
HMCS PRINCE DAVID
HMCS PRINCE DAVID moves through the crowded Normandy beachhead, during invasion operations. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Ralph O’Brien, RCNVR. (RTL -ROB006)