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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
DIGGINS, Jerry - was born and raised in St. Francis Harbour N.S. and enlisted in the RCN in Halifax at the age of 19. After serving on the DUNVEGAN, he was seconded to the Royal Navy as a gunner on the heavy cruiser HMS KENT based in Scapa Flow. He spent 2 years on the Kent escorting convoys to Murmansk, Russia. The conditions there were the most hostile of any naval operations during the war. He was drafted to HMCS ONTARIO which had just been launched in Belfast in 1944. The ONTARIO was sent to support the British Pacific Fleet during the liberation of Hong Kong. Jerry's WWII career ended in Esquimalt, B.C. in November 1945. Like many of his generation, he didn’t talk much about his experiences during the war. He got on with his life and became an incredible husband, dad, and grandfather.
Ships served in: HMS KENT
(JD01) Portrait of Seaman Jerry Diggins (JD02)
HMS KENT
(JD03) Field Marshal Montgomery addressing the crew of HMS KENT (JD04) Jerry Diggins' Crossing the Line (Arctic Circle) Certificate from HMS KENT (JD05-JD06) HRH King George VI, while inspecting the ship's company, is introduced to the rating who created HMS KENT'S Crossing the Line Certificate (JD07) County Class Destroyer HMS KENT D12, port visit Vancouver 1965. While in Vancouver, Jerry Diggins, former crew member of HMS KENT 54, predecessor of HMS KENT D12, was invited aboard for a reception by the ship's CO.
(JD08) Ship's company photo - HMS KENT - Scapa Flow
HMCS ONTARIO
Photos taken during HMCS ONTARIO's trip from the UK to Kong Kong, then Esquimalt, BC
(JD09) Souvenir map of the voyage of HMCS ONTARIO from the UK to Hong Kong then Esquimalt BC (JD10-JD12) HMCS ONTARIO crew/departmental photos (JD13) Unknown ONTARIO sailor by graves in Hong Kong
(JD14) Unknown Admiral with his staff (JD15) Sailors with rifles ... what could possibly go wrong? (JD16) Entertainment in a mess deck
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