HMCS BATTLEFORD K165

Flower Class Corvette

From the collection of John Wood (Jack) Gibson

Courtesy of Jack Gibson

Click on the above photo to view a larger image

Laid down: 30 Sep 1940

Launched: 15 Apr 1941

Commissioned: 31 Jul 1941

Paid off: 18 July1945

Sold: 1946 to Venezuelan Navy

Fate: Wrecked on 12 Apr 1949

Built at Collingwood, Ont., she was launched on 15 Apr 1941. Commissioned at Montreal on 31 Jul 1941, she arrived at Halifax on 04 Aug 1941, remaining there for six weeks while undergoing repairs, radar installation, and workups. Briefly a member of Sydney Force, BATTLEFORD transferred to NEW and left Sydney on 28 Nov 1941 to escort convoy SC.57 to Iceland. Returning to Halifax on 07 Jan 1942, she went to Liverpool, N.S., for a refit that kept her idle until the end of Mar 1942. Arriving in the U.K. with a convoy early in May 1942, she completed further repairs at Cardiff in mid-Jun 1942, then carried out workups at Tobermory. From July 1942 to May 1943 she was a member of EG C-1. In Dec 1942 she was escort to convoy ONS.154, which was badly mauled, losing 14 ships. On 28 Dec, BATTLEFORD, while investigating a radar contact, found 4 U-boats on the surface preparing a concentrated attack on Convoy ONS-154. Assisted by HMCS CHILLIWACK, they attacked with gunfire, forcing U-664 & U-662 to lose contact with the convoy. She participated with other RCN escorts in the destruction of U 356 on 27 Dec 1942. Arriving at Halifax on 23 Apr 1943, with her last ocean convoy, ONS.2, she commenced a two-month refit at Liverpool, N.S., joining EG W-4 of WLEF in mid-Jun 1943. Early in Apr 1944, she commenced a long refit at Sydney, including fo'c's'le extension, which was completed 31 Jul 1944, following which she proceeded to Bermuda to work up. Returning to Halifax, she was employed for the balance of the war as a local escort with EG W-3 and was paid off at Sorel 18 Jul 1945. Sold to the Venezuelan Navy in 1946 and renamed Libertad, she was wrecked 12 Apr 1949.

U-Boats Sunk: U-356 sunk on 27 Dec 1942 by HMCS ST LAURENT H83, HMCS CHILLIWACK K131, HMCS BATTLEFORD K165 and HMCS NAPANEE K118 in position 45-30 N, 25-40 W

Photos and Documents Ship's company photos

Battle for Convoy ONS-154 Battle for Convoy ONS 154

Commanding Officers

Lt Roland Joel Roberts, RCNVR - 31 Jul 1941 - 05 Oct 1942

Lt Frederick Allan Beck, RCNR - 06 Oct 1942 - 05 Jul 1943

LCdr Alan Herbert Easton, RCNVR - 06 Jul 1943 - 20 Aug 1943

Lt F.A. Beck, RCNVR - 21 Aug 1943 - 07 May 1944

Lt Hugh Hathaway Turnbull, RCNVR - 08 May 1944 - 19 Jun 1944

Lt Phillippe Albert F. Langlois, RCNVR - 20 Jun 1944 - 23 May 1945

Lt Francis Dudley Wickett, RCNVR - 24 May 1945 - 18 Jul 1945

In memory of those who have crossed the bar

They shall not be forgotten

Nicholson, Walter J. M.

Walker, Douglas W. J.

Mascot - name unknown

Former Crew Members

Abbott, Ralph Patrick, Lt, RCNVR - 22 Jul 1943

Aselton, John Reginald, SLt, RCNVR - 27 Jul 1943

Baker, William George, SLt, RCNVR - Jan 1945

Barker, William Crichlow Lamond, Lt, RCNVR

Bland, Ward Farrow, SLt, RCNVR - 26 Feb 1944

Elkin, Frederick Gerald, SLt, RCNVR - Jan 1942

Fisher, Eric Gerald Tice, Lt, RCNVR - 19 Apr 1945

Graft, Eddie, Stoker

Harcourt, Percy William Edward, Wt (E), RCNVR - 19 Jul 1944

Hawkins, Art

Hay, Jack Leslie, War (E), RCNVR - 01 Feb 1945 / Wt (E), RCNVR - 19 Jun 1945

Mann, Roger James, Lt, RCNR - 20 Feb 1944

McCormack, Bernard Thomas, Lt, RCNVR - 06 Apr 1942

McIsaac, Wilfred, Lt, RCNVR - 31 Jul 1941

Miller, Lawrence Joseph, AB

Murphy, William Patrick, Mate, RCNR - 17 Jul 1941 / 31 Jul 1941

Roberts, Roland Joel, Lt, RCNR - 20 Jun 1941 / 31 Jul 1941

Short, Peter William, SLt, RCNVR - 19 Jun 1944

Sibilleau, Romeo

Thomas, Charles Humbert SLt, RCNVR - Jan 1944

Thompson, John William, Lt, RCNVR - 02 Apr 1942

Photos and Documents

BTL001

BTL002

BTL003

BTL004

BTL005

(BTL001) HMCS BATTLEFORD K165 - RCN photo

(BTL002) HMCS BATTLEFORD off the U.S. east coast - 05 Oct 1943 // Collection of Mr. Donald M. McPherson, Corte Madera, California // Copyright Owner: Naval History and Heritage Command. Catalog # NH 75588

(BTL003) "Gunnery Cat" - HMCS BATTLEFORD'S mascot appears to be doing cleanliness checks on the ship's gun barrel // From the collection of Frederick Keegan // Courtesy of Fritz Keegan

(BTL004) Fred Keegan manning BATTLEFORD'S gun // From the collection of Frederick Keegan // Courtesy of Fritz Keegan

(BRL005) HMCS BATTLEFORD K165 // Source: The Flickr photo collection of Ron Bell

JG01

JG02

JG03

JG04

JG05

(JG01) HMCS BATTLEFORD K165

(JG02) Aircraft flying towards HMCS BATTLEFORD K165. Note: the photo caption reads "German Aircraft", but one would think that if this was a German aircraft, then the sky would be full of tracer fire and AA flak.

(JG03) Sailors on HMCS BATTLEFORD K165 enjoying a beer or Christmas Day, Dec 1943 - Note the gunshield art in the background. Frank (Francis) Boyle sitting in back directly below the gunshield art with his beer bottle tipped up

(JG04) Christmas Day on HMCS BATTLEFORD K165

(JG05) MacDonald on HMCS BATTLEFORD K165, Newfoundland - Feb 1944