HMCS ESQUIMALT, Bangor class minesweeper, was torpedoed by U190 off Halifax on 16 April 1945. Forty-four sailors of her ship’s company of seventy-one were killed when she was lost. Late in the day of 15 April, ESQUIMALT left Halifax to perform and anti-submarine sweep of the approaches to the harbour in advance of a convoy […]
How I became an “Accidental Archivist!”
I have always had an interest in history, especially the stories and history of our Royal Canadian Navy. But never in my dreams did I ever think I would be gathering a large collection of historical photos from veterans of the RCN. This unexpected journey began in 1997, as commanding officer of a cadet corps […]
HMCS OTTER
HMCS OTTER -Animal class armed yacht, was lost on 26 March 1941 from an on board fire and sank, off Halifax. Â At the time of the tragedy, she had a ship’s company of forty-one, nineteen sailors were killed. OTTER was one of fourteen large private yachts acquired by the Royal Canadian Navy to act as […]
HMCS GUYSBOROUGH
HMCS GUYSBOROUGH -Bangor class minesweeper, was sunk by two torpedoes fired by U-878 in the Bay of Biscay on 17 March 1945. Of the ninety-two sailors in her ship’s company , fifty-one were killed. GUYSBOROUGH was returning to the UK after a refit at Lunenburg, NS, sailing alone the minesweeper was off the coast of […]
29th Canadian Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla Destroyed by Fire
On 14 February 1945 the 29th Canadian Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla was destroyed by fire when 100 Octane fuel leaked into the protected basin at Ostende, Belgium where many RCN and RN torpedo boats were preparing for patrols that night.  The flash fire ignited many of the wooden hull boats, detonating depth charges and torpedoes on […]
HMCS SPIKENARD
HMCS SPIKENARD, Flower class corvette, was torpedoed and sunk by U-136 in the mid North Atlantic, during the night of 10 February 1942, while escorting convoy SC-67. Â Of her crew of sixty-five RCN sailors, fifty-seven were killed. SC-67 departed from Sydney, NS on 2 February 1942 with twenty-two merchant ships. Â The convoy had an all […]
HMCS TRENTONIAN
HMCS TRENTONIAN at Halifax in April 1944, sporting a fresh coat of dark and light grey paint. Her pennant number was not fully painted at the time of the photo so Bruce Keir added the “K†in ink.  See my webpage for the different camouflage schemes that TRENTONIAN received during her service. Roger Litwiller Collection, […]
HMCS TRENTONIAN -Icebreaker
In December 1943, two newly constructed corvettes, HMCS TRENTONIAN foreground and HMCS NORSYD are attempting to leave Quebec City in route to Halifax. During a short layover in the Quebec port, the harbour has frozen over.  TRENTONIAN has moved only a few feet away from the wall despite repeated attempts by the harbour pilot to use the […]
Crossing the Atlantic
An unidentified member from HMCS TRENTONIAN enjoys a free moment on deck while crossing the Atlantic in April 1944. While at sea, sailors would wear whatever clothing was warm and dry, saving their uniforms for port. Roger Litwiller Collection, Allen E. Singleton, RCNVR photo, courtesy Jack Harold, RCNVR. (RTL-JH066)
Salvaging HMCS QUINTE
HMCS QUINTE, Bangor class minesweeper, had grounded on Horse Head Shoal on 30 Novemeber 1942. She quickly began to take on water and was beached near St. Peter’s, Cape Breton. Salvage operations on QUINTE were begun by the Foundation Maritime Ltd’s ship Foundation Aranmore. She was re-floated ten days later and moved to the wall […]