HMCS COWICHAN J146 - For Posterity's Sake

HMCS COWICHAN J146

Bangor Class Minesweeper

HMCS COWICHAN J146

Click on the above photo to view a larger image

Battle honours and awards: Atlantic 1941-43, Normandy 1944

Laid down: 24 Apr 1940

Launched: 08 Sep 1940

Commissioned: 04 Jul 1941

Paid off: 09 Oct 1945

Fate: Sold in 1946. Final disposition unknown

Built by North Vancouver Ship repairs Ltd., she was commissioned at Vancouver on 04 Jul 1941. She sailed from Esquimalt for Halifax on 06 Aug 1941 arriving on 10 Sep 1941. After working up in Bermuda she was initially assigned to Halifax Local Defence Force, but was transferred in Jan 1942, to Newfoundland Force and in September to WLEF. With WLEF's division into escort groups in Jun 1943, COWICHAN became a member of EG W-6. She remained with the group until Feb 1944, when she was ordered to the U.K. for invasion duties. She left Halifax on 19 Feb 1944 with CARAQUET, MALPEQUE and VEGREVILLE via the Azores for Plymouth, arriving on 13 Mar 1944. Assigned to the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla, she was present on D-Day. COWICHAN returned to Canada for refit late in 19 Feb 1945, but resumed her duties overseas in June. Proceeding home in Sep 1945, she was paid off on 09 Oct 1945, and placed in reserve at Shelburne. Sold in 1946 to a New York buyer and converted for mercantile purposes under Greek flag, she still existed in 1956 under her original name.

Photos and Documents Ship's Company Photos

Currie McMillan - A witness to history marks solemn day The Thirty-First Minesweeping Flotilla

Commanding Officers

Lt Ronald Jackson, RCNR - 13 Jun 1941 - 01 Dec 1941

Lt Richard Jackson, RCNR - 02 Dec 1941 - 14 Feb 1943

A/Lt John Richard Kidston, RCNVR - 15 Feb 1942 - 25 Oct 1942

A/LCdr Kenneth William N. Hall, RCNR - 26 Oct 1942 - 22 Apr 1945

Skpr/Lt Henry William Stone, RCNR - 23 Apr 1945 - 09 Oct 1945

In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice

Lest We Forget

O'LEARY, Stanley M.

SA, RCNVR

died - 13 Nov 1944

In memory of those who have crossed the bar

They shall not be forgotten

Johnston, George B. C.

Former Crew Members

Allen, William Graham, SLt, RCNVR - 02 May 1942

Artmont, Joseph Aloysius, SLt, RCNVR - 02 Apr 1945

Barbour, John, Wt (E), RCNR - 02 May 1945

Bolt, Lew (of St. Thomas, ON)

Calland, John Christopher Hatton, Lt, RCNVR - 02 Jul 1942

Carcaud, John James, Mate, RCNR - 01 Jul 1941

Collier, Bud, Sig

Douglas, James Forsyth, Lt (E), RCN(R) - 04 Jul 1941

Enright, Vern (of Ottburne, MB)

Feeban, Vince, Tel

Goddard, Perry, Coder

Graham, Adam Henry, SLt (E), RCNVR - 24 Jul 1943

Hare, Patrick David, Lt, RCNVR - 29 May 1945

Henshaw, Bill, Tel

Humphries, James Gordon, Lt, RCNVR - 19 Feb 1943 / 07 Mar 1945

Kelly, John, Coder

Kidston, John Richard, Lt, RCNVR - 01 Jul 1941 / 04 Jul 1941

Kimbo, Charles (of Newton Brook, ON)

Lane, Ken (of Verdun, QC)

Levitt, Rick, V33669, RCNVR - 26 Jan 1944

MacFarlane, Mel (of Calgary)

MacKenzie, Donald Allan, SLt, RCNVR - 01 Jul 1941 / 04 Jul 1941

Maxwell, Pat, Tel (of Winnipeg)

McVicer, John Anthony, SLt, RCNVR - 28 May 1945

Norman, Stan, Sig (of Toronto)

Slone, Al, L/Sig

Smith, Tom, L/Tel

Stock, Valentine Norbert, SLt, RCNVR - 24 Apr 1945

Stone, Henry William, Ch/Skpr, RCNR - 07 Feb 1942 / 31Jul 1943

Tait, John Cameron, SLt, RCNVR - 01 Jun 1945

Tarleton, Grafton Weedon, Lt, RCNVR 12 Feb 1944

Thomas, Gordon James, SLt, RCNVR

Wight, Bruce (of Winnipeg)

Photos and Documents

HMCS COWICHAN J146

DND / RCN Photo

HMCS COWICHAN J146

DND / RCN Photo

HMCS COWICHAN 31st Minesweeping Flotilla jacket patch

Courtesy of Ted Orlowski

JL01

JL02

JL03

JL04

JL05

(JL01) HMCS COWICHAN J146

(JL02) The totem pole of HMCS COWICHAN mounted on her bridge. This was given to the ship for good luck by the Cowichan First Nation and it was never to be painted.

(JL03) Sailors on HMCS COWICHAN J146 prepare her minesweeping gear. Other minesweepers visible astern

(JL04) Harold Hague by the 20-inch signal lamp on the bridge of HMCS COWICHAN J146

(JL05) Jim Leslie (left) and Pat Maxwell onboard HMCS COWICHAN J146