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 […]
First and last photos of HMCS TRENTONIAN
These two photos of HMCS TRENTONIAN tell an amazing story. They are the first and last photos of this historic Battle of Atlantic corvette. The first picture of TRENTONIAN was taken just before her commissioning on 1 December 1943, the Flower class corvette was newly built at Kingston, Ontario. She is finishing her acceptance trials […]
Listen to Roger Litwiller Interview on Northumberland Radio 89.7 “Words on The Hills”
Tune into Northumberland Radio 89.7 on Sunday September 20 at 1 pm for Roger Litwiller’s interview on the radio show, Words On The Hills. This is a wonderful weekly program with hosts Felicity Sidnell and Gwynn Scheltema with local authors from the Northumberland area of Ontario. Roger will be discussing the stories he has gathered […]
A Personal Milestone at The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
Last night was an incredible milestone for me, as I spoke at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax. This world class museum located on the waterfront of Halifax is considered one of the foremost maritime museums in the world and has earned this reputation from the quality of the work that the wonderful […]
Sudbury Has Strong Ties to the Royal Canadian Navy
This Saturday, 11 July 2015, I have been invited by the Sudbury Chapters store on Kingsway to sign copies of my books, White Ensign Flying and Warships of the Bay of Quinte. When I travel around this country many ask, why should we be interested in the Canadian Navy? For many Canadians believe there is […]
Launching HMCS SUDBURY
HMCS SUDBURY being launched on 31 May 1941 at Kingston Shipbuilding Yards, Kingston, Ontario. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Hank Winsor. (RTL-HW011)
HMCS CLAYOQUOT -A Christmas Eve Tragedy
HMCS CLAYOQUOT -Bangor class minesweeper, was torpedoed and sunk by U806 two miles from the Sambro Light vessel off Halifax on 24 December 1944, killing eight of her crew of eighty-four sailors. At the time of CLAYOQUOT’s sinking she had been assigned to Halifax as an escort. However, on 23 December she was ordered to […]
HMCS SHAWINIGAN
HMCS SHAWINIGAN, Flower class corvette was torpedoed and sunk by U1228 on 24 November 1944, off Cape Breton, NS. There were no survivors of her crew of seven officers and eighty-four ratings. SHAWINIGAN was assigned to escort the ferry Burgeo, from Sydney, Cape Breton to Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland. The previous ferry, Caribou, had been […]
HMCS MARGAREE
HMCS MARGAREE -River class destroyer, was lost in collision with M/V Port Fairy on the North Atlantic on 22 October 1940. At the time of her loss she had 176 sailors in her ship’s company, 142 were killed with thirty-two survivors. MARGAREE had commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy only a few weeks earlier on […]
HMCS SKEENA
HMCS SKEENA -River class destroyer, grounded and lost during a gale in Reykjavik, Iceland on 25 October 1944. Of the destroyers ship’s company of 181, fifteen sailors were killed. SKEENA had been on patrol south of Iceland in a full gale with HMCShips QU’APPELLE and ST. LAURENT when the escort group was ordered to return […]