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HMCS DAUPHIN K157
Flower Class Corvette
Built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, she was commissioned at Montreal on 17 May 1941 and arrived at Halifax on 24 May 1941. She joined Sydney Force late in Jun 1941 and in Sep 1941 transferred to Newfoundland Command. She left Sydney on 05 Sep 1941 to join her maiden convoy, SC.43, continuing on to the U.K. for further workups at Tobermory and returning to mid-ocean service in mid-Oct 1941. DAUPHIN was almost continuously employed as an ocean escort until Aug 1944, after Dec 1942 as a member of EG A-3, (re-designated C-5 in Jun 1943). She escorted three particularly strenuous convoys: SC.100 (Sep 1942), On.166 (Feb 1943), and SC.121 (Mar 1943). In the course of a major refit at Pictou from Apr to Sep 1943, her fo'c's'le was lengthened. DAUPHIN left Londonderry for the last time on 11 Aug 1944, underwent refit at Liverpool, N.S., then proceeded to Bermuda to work up. Returning in Jan 1945, she was assigned to EG W-7, Western Escort Force, for the balance of the war. She was paid off at Sorel on 20 Jun 1945, and sold for conversion to a merchant ship. DAUPHIN was converted to a merchant ship at the yards of Steel and Engine Products, Liverpool, NS. Named Dundas Kent, just as she neared completion she caught fire and burned at the pier. Repair, she entered service in 1949 as the Honduran Cortes. She became the Ecuadorian flagged vessel San Antonio in 1955. she was still listed in Lloyd's Register in 1977-78.
Photos and Documents The Ship's Bell
Commanding Officers
LCdr Robert Aubern Stuart McNeil, OBE, RCNR - 17 May 1941 - 17 Jan 1943
A/LCdr Matthew Howard Wallace, RCNR - 18 Jan 1943 - 10 Oct 1944
Lt Edward Ross O'Kelly, RCNVR - 11 Oct 1944 - 20 Jun 1945
They shall not be forgotten
Former Crew Members
Photos and Documents
(DAU001) Lieutenant Commander RAS MacNeil and an unknown Sub Lieutenant standing next to their ship, HMCS DAUPHIN. Both men left the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to join the Navy. November, 1942 // © IWM # A-12845 (DAU002) Ronald Grant on the twin .5's of HMCS DAUPHIN in 1943 // Source: Flickr photo collection of Ron Bell (DAU003) "Jiggs" - HMCS DAUPHIN's mascot (DAU004) HMCS DAUPHIN 157 (2nd from the jetty), during her refit at Thompson Brothers' yard in Liverpool NS - Aug 1944 - Jan 1945 // Courtesy of Tim MacDonald (DAU005) M.V. Dundas Kent, formerly the corvette DAUPHIN, converted to a freighter by Steel and Engine Products of Liverpool, NS, burns at the wharf in Liverpool a few days before ready for sea. // Click here to read the back of the photo // From the collection of Hector Dunlop // Courtesy of Jane Dunlop Stevenson, Liverpool, NS
(DAU006) HMCS DAUPHIN K157 - RCN photo
(JW01) Ginger the Survival Cat with Tubs on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW02) John Westell asleep on the upper deck of HMCS DAUPHIN (JW03) John Westell on a iced-up signal projector on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW04) "A motley crew" on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW05) L/Tel Bruce Todd and Tel Henry Graves on HMCS DAUPHIN
(JW06) "Mac" on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW07) Unidentified sailors painting on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW08) Chuck Hawkins on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW09) Unidentified sailors from HMCS DAUPHIN on the jetty in St. John's, Newfoundland (JW10) John Westell on HMCS DAUPHIN
(JW11) Norwegian Captain rescued from sinking ship (JW12) Officer of the Watch on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW13) Quartermaster at the wheel on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW14) Reloading the depth charge rails on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW15) Gun deck and Bridge of HMCS DAUPHIN
(JW16) Tubs Yarrow on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW17) Norwegian sailors rescued from sinking ship (JW18-JW19) Survivors from SS EMPIRE TRADER on HMCS DAUPHIN
Historical Note: On 21 Feb 1943 the Empire Trader was ordered sail for the Azores with HMCS DAUPHIN (K 157) (Lt R.A.S. MacNeil, RCNR) after the ship straggled from convoy ON-166. At 22.25 hours on 21 February, U-92 fired two spreads of two torpedoes from a distance of 5000 metres at the Empire Trader (Master Eric Thomas Baker) north of the Azores. One torpedo of the first spread hit on the port side at #1 hold. The vessel continued at 5 knots, but had to be abandoned the next day and the corvette tried to scuttle her with gunfire on Admiralty orders at 20.00 hours in 48°27N/29°47W. On 23 February, the drifting wreck was last seen by aircraft in 47°40N/28°46W. The master, 89 crew members and 16 gunners were picked up by the British rescue ship Stockport (Master Thomas Ernest Fea, OBE), transferred to HMCS DAUPHIN (K 157) and landed at St. Johns. (Source: The U-Boat Net)
(JW20) Submarine Detector (name not known) on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW21) Ritchie as Quartermaster on HMCS DAUPHIN (WJ22) "All Smiles" on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW23) SLt Mckenzie on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW24) Corvettes alongside. The pendent number is not clear but it is possible K157 - HMCS DAUPHIN
(JW25) HMCS DAUPHIN iced up (JW26) Unidentified officer on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW27) Salty Russell Rusch on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW28) Signalman Richard on HMCS DAUPHIN (JW29) HMCS DAUPHIN iced up
From the collection of John Westell, RCNVR / RCN / C.A.F.
Courtesy of Ian Westell
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In memory of those who have crossed the bar 
