For Posterity's Sake         

A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project

 

In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar

 

William Henry McComb

 

Born: 11 Aug 1919, Belfast, Northern Ireland

 

Died: 07 Jan 1994

 

Ships served in:

HMCS EASTVIEW

HMCS JOLIETTE

 

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(WM01) William McComb  (WM02) William McComb on left  (WM03) Wm H. Mccomb and his brother James Mccomb and Flush the Springer spaniel (lower right of photo) - Dad said that Flush didn't recognize him at first. It wasn't until he spoke and called his name that the dog went bezerk with excitement - Summer 1943. 1943 Summer  (WM04) William H. McComb and his son William M. McComb - Maurice didn't meet his father until he was 3 years old. Photo was taken 1943 Summer  (WM05) L-R: Harten, Graydon (Grady) Sharpe, Wm McComb  (WM06) L-R: Harten, Grady Sharpe, Clayton McWatters and Wm McComb. McWatters, Sharpe and Harten were lads from Sault Ste Marie, ON

 


 

(WM07) Course photo  - 11 Jun 1943 - HMCS NADEN

 

Wm McComb - 4th Row - 1st on left

 

This photo is also posted on the new entry / trade course photo page for HMCS NADEN with sailors numbered for identification

(WM08) Graduates Torpedo Class - 11 Jun 1943 - HMCS NADEN

 

Wm McComb - 3rd row - 1st on left

 

This photo is also posted on the new entry / trade course photo page for HMCS NADEN with sailors numbered for identification

 


 

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(WM09) Unknown frigate that William McComb was serving in. "Spring of '44. leaving the Dartmouth slips. That’s where we were when Mr. Ryan visited us."  (WM10) Unknown cruiser in drydock in Belfast, Northern Ireland  (WM11)William McComb (left) and unidentified shipmate - William served in several ships and it is not known which ship this photo was taken on.

 


 

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HMCS ASSINIBOINE'S battle with U-210 on 06 Aug 1942

 

(WM12-WM14) U-210 just before being rammed by HMCS ASSINIBOINE  (WM15) Crew of HMCS ASSINIBOINE fighting a fire on their boat deck caused by shells from U-210  (WM16) HMCS ASSINIBOINE'S boat crew rescuing survivors of U-210  (WM17) Burial at sea  of OS Kenneth Watson, killed in action during the battle against U-210  (WM18) Lt Subbs on the bridge of HMCS ASSINIBOINE - battle damage can be seen on the face of the bridge from U-210's gunfire

 


 

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HMCS EASTVIEW - Bermuda for Work-ups - Jul-Aug 1944

Note: HMCS EASTVIEW and HMCS JOLIETTE were conducting Work-ups in Bermuda at the same time

 

(WM19) Coming into harbour at Bermuda - unknown corvette astern  (WM20) "Lt. Commander Kirkpatrick from Windsor. Our Captain HMCS EASTVIEW at Bermuda"  (WM21) "Fellow on right is Lt. Woodcock our Navigator. Good looking, eh?" - Note: Lt Woodcock was the Navigator of HMCS EASTVIEW   (WM22) "Cal sitting down"  (WM23) Shark with Gunner's Mate PO Winters, RCN and L/Sea Gauthier  (WM24) Sailors posing with a shark that was caught.  2nd to left from shark is McComb

 

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HMCS EASTVIEW - Bermuda for Work-ups - Jul-Aug 1944

 

(WM25) Bermuda  (WM26) Eyetye (Italian) sub off Bermuda (Historical note: After Italy surrendered in 1943, its subs were turned over to the Allied forces. One sub, ONICE, was refitted and sent to Bermuda to be used as a training sub for anti-submarine exercises. ONICE arrived in Bermuda 16 Jul 1944 and remained there until Jan 1945.)  (WM27) St. George's Island, Bermuda - "We are moored to a buoy. You can see another ship astern of us, just coming in."  (WM28) "Bermuda. Even the locals stay in the shade."  (WM29) During Work-ups  (WM30) Departing Bermuda for Halifax

 

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(WM31) "Joliette, taken from Eastview, never thought I'd be on her in them days."  (WM32-35) "A 50 foot setting on that charge. They go off pretty close to you." HMCS EASTVIEW dropping a depth charge from the after rails  (WM36) Guns being cleared on HMCS EASTVIEW. Captain wearing dark glasses

 

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(WM37) HMCS EASTVIEW firing her guns  (WM38) Coxswain Bob Miller  (WM39) HMCS COPPER CLIFF K495  (WM40) HMCS MATAPEDIA K112 "between Iceland and Dorval"  (WM41)  HMS CELADINE K75  (WM42) Merchant Aircraft Carrier (MAC)

 

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(43) "A plane of a merchant carrier in the convoy, returning from a routine patrol from the convoy out from the port wing" of HMCS EASTVIEW  (WM44-WM46) "A bit rough 600 west of L'derry"  (WM47) "Seaboats crew away"  HMCS EASTVIEW preparing to lower sea boat  (WM48) "See convoy astern? Another picture after the storm. M.O. going to corvette"

 

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(WM49) "M.O. going aboard a corvette from our ship. Depth charge broke loose and rolled around and broke a mans arm when he tried to secure it. (Mid Ocean)" Note: Wm. McComb is 3rd from the left in sea boat. Just a wee bit taller than the rest.  (WM50-WM51) "Bringing an injured man from corvette in the background aboard our ship for treatment after the hurricane. (I think.)"  (WM52) Sea boat returning to HMCS EASTVIEW - "Capt. of this ship went mad 6 days out of Derry. We sent a boarding party over and put the mate in charge and put the Capt. in a straight jacket, some fun. He was a bit violent."  (WM53) Sunset at sea - can you see the convoy on the horizon  (WM54) Sunset at sea

 

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(WM55) "EG-C-6 That’s our group. Taken off the Quarterdeck on the Eastview, Tillsonburg astern, a castle class corvette & 3 more corvettes are behind her. We just left the convoy about 150 miles out and we just changed formation to line ahead to enter the gates of Newfie, Mid winter.  (WM56) "Full-ahead for Newfie after leaving the convoy to the local escort. That is our group in line ahead, behind us. See the wash, astern? We really have her tail up over her back there eh?"  (WM57) Surrendered German Type XX1 U-boat (possibly U-2502). Webmaster’s note: photo taken in Lough Foyle, N. Ireland between 6 and 13 June 1945 before HMCS EASTVIEW made her final departure from Londonderry for Canada (via Greenock in Scotland).

 


 

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(WM58) Quarterdeck of HMCS JOLIETTE - Bermuda for Work-ups - Jul-Aug 1944 (WM59) HMCS JOLIETTE's bell  (WM60) HMCS JOLIETTE's twin 4-inch guns  (WM61) Quarterdeck of HMCS JOLIETTE - looking forward  (WM62-WM63) HMCS JOLIETTE approaching another frigate

 

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(WM64 Depth charge exploding astern of HMCS JOLIETTE  (WM65) HMCS JOLIETTE conducting a night shoot  (WM66) "Curly Rawlins" "Ask Art if he knows this fellow. He used to sail on the "Island Prince" with Wes Alexander."

 

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HMCS JOLIETTE's grounding at Moville, Lough Foyle, on 22 Nov 1944 and dry dock repairs at  Belfast, Northern Ireland from 05 Dec 1944 - 05 Apr 1945

 

(WM67) HMCS JOLIETTE aground near Lough Foyle - 22 Oct 1944  (WM68-WM71) Damage to JOLIETTE being repaired in dry dock  (WM72) Looking up at JOLIETTE's bow from the dry dock  (WM73) Members of JOLIETTE's around the ship's screw while she is in dry dock in Londonderry.  "See our mascot? Curly has her in his arms. She died at sea and was buried off the coast of Larne"

 

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(WM74) Photo taken from the bridge of HMCS Joliette K418. The ships in the centre are HMCS Gatineau H61 (left) and HMS Tarbert K431 at Tobermory circa Apr 1945 (WM75) Fo'c's'le of HMCS JOLIETTE  (WM76) Allied sub alongside HMCS JOLIETTE  (WM77) Training sub at Tobermoray, Scotland (note: sub appears to be same sub as the one alongside JOLIETTE)  (WM78) Training sub off Scotland  (WM79) Training sub at Tobermoray, Scotland  (WM80) HMS BLACKSWAN - seen from HMCS JOLIETTE

 

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(WM81) Town of Tobermoray, Scotland  (WM82-WM83) Splice the Mainbrace - V.E. Day Celebrations on HMCS JOLIETTE

 

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(WM84-WM88) Surrendered German U-boats at Lisahally, Northern Ireland, May 1945

 

Photos courtesy of Sandra McComb

 


 

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