HMCS FERGUS K686

 

Flower Class Corvette

 


 

HMCS FERGUS K686

 

Laid down: 10 Dec 1943

Launched: 30 Aug 1944

Commissioned: 18 Nov 1944

Paid off: 14 Jul 1945

Fate: Wrecked of Cape Pine, Nfld., 22 Nov 1949

 

Commissioned at Collingwood on 18 Nov 1944, Fergus was the last corvette launched for the RCN. She arrived at Halifax in mid-Dec 1944, and early in Jan 1945, proceeded to Bermuda to work up. Arriving at St. John's on 02 Feb 1945, she joined EG C-9, with which she was to served on North Atlantic convoy duty until VE-day. She left Greenock early in Jun 1945 for return to Canada, was paid off on 14 July 1945 at Sydney and placed in reserve at Sorel. Sold for mercantile use in November, she was renamed Camco II and, in 1948, Harcourt Kent. She was wrecked on Cape Pine, Nfld., 22 Nov 1949.

 


 

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos

 


 

Commanding Officers

 

A/LCdr Harold Frederick Farncomb, RCNVR - 18 Nov 1944 - 14 Jul 1945

 


 

Captain for the day

 

Captain for the day is a tradition in the RCN where during the ship's Christmas celebrations, the Commanding Officer changes places with the youngest member of the ship's company.

 

OS R. Barry Robinson, RCNVR - Christmas 1944

 


 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 


 

Former Crew Members

 

James, Denis Noel Reynette, SLt, RCNVR - 06 Apr 1945

Lambert, Gerard

Vaudrey, Joseph Paul Eugene Hormidas, A/Wt (E), RCNR - 18 Jul 1944

 


 

Photos and Documents

 

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FER002 / KM04

(FER001) HMCS FERGUS K686

(FER002) HMCS Fergus K686  //  From the collection of Kenneth Marlatt  //  Courtesy of Judy Agis

 


 

The Life of HMCS FERGUS K686

 

This album details a bit of the life of HMCS FERGUS.  This scrapbook was put together by Lt. John Eccles, who also took most of the photos in the album..   Its is not known if it was given to crew members at the end of the war or perhaps at a post war reunion.

 

The albums pages were scanned at 800 dpi.  The images posted have been reduced to 96 DPI for viewing but you may open and save the 800 DPI version by clicking on "800 DPI version" below the photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the collection of John Goodier, A/RA 4c, RCNVR

 

Courtesy of John Goodier

 


 

The photos below, from the collection of Barry Robinson, were from the Life of HMCS FERGUS album above.  The were received as individual photos with captions added where possible.

 

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(RR02-RR03) The commissioning of HMCS FERGUS in Collingwood, ON on 18 Nov 1944

 

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(RR06) HMCS FERGUS K868  (RR07) HMCS WEST YORK K369 - photo taken from HMCS FERGUS K686

 

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(RR10) HMCS FERGUS K686 conducting a stern fueling

 

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(RR18) Signalmen at work on HMCS FERGUS K686  (RR19) HMCS FREDERICTON K245 - note her artwork on the bridge face

 

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(RR22) Unknown sailor on a powered twin Oerlikon on HMCS FERGUS K686  (RR23) Engineering Chiefs and Petty Officers holding the ship's badge for HMCS FERGUS K686

 

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(RR25) "Lt" Barry Robinson as Captain for the Day, HMCS FERGUS K686 - Christmas 1944  (RR26) "OS" Harold Farncomb and "Lt" Barry Robinson - Christmas Day 1994, HMCS FERGUS K686  

 

Its a RCN tradition, where on Christmas day, the Captain and the youngest sailor on ship exchange places for the day.  For Christmas 1944, OS Barry Robinson and Lt Harold Farncomb, CO of HMCS FERGUS K686 traded places.

 

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(RR27) Bridge and fo'c's'le as seen from the crow's nest of HMCS FERGUS K686  (RR28) HMCS FERGUS K86 looking aft from the crow's nest

 

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(RR33) OS Barry Robinson (right) peeling potatoes with Gerard Lambert

 

From the collection of R. Barry Robinson, RCNVR

 

Courtesy of Bruce Robinson

 

Photo credit: The collection of Barry Robinson had been donated to the Naval Museum of Manitoba.  My thanks to their webmaster, Mark Nelson, for providing scans of the photos to be shared here

 


 

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