HMCS FRENCH Z23

 


 

HMCS French, 1940

Source: The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910-1981 by Ken Macpherson and John Burgess

 

Built: 1938 

Commissioned: 18 Sep 1939

Paid off: 

Fate: Damaged in a hurricane on 15 Aug 1953. Abandoned to underwriters.

 

A former RCMP vessel, she was commissioned at Halifax on 18 Sep 1939, for local patrol work. By the spring of 1942, French was based at Mulgrave, N.S., as an examination vessel, and in Dec 1942 was transferred to Saint John N.B. Force.  In May 1943, she joined Sydney Force and returned to examination service work in the Gut of Canso, based once more at Mulgrave. For her actions as an Escort Vessel, she was awarded the Battle Honour 'GULF OF ST LAWRENCE 1942'. In Jan 1944, she rejoined Halifax Local Defence Force, but after completing a major refit at Lunenburg in Jul 1944 she returned again to Mulgrave. Sold to commercial interests after the war, French was operating out of Halifax as Le Francais as recently as 1953.  On 15 Aug 1953 she was badly damaged in a hurricane off Cape May, N.J., and abandoned to the underwriters. 

 


 

Photos and Documents

 


 

Commanding Officers

 

Lt John Willard Bonner, RCNR - 18 Sep 1939  -  20 Feb 1940

A/Skpr Walter Philpott, RCNR - 21 Feb 1940 - 26 Feb 1941

Lt Douglas Wharrie Main, RCNR - 27 Feb 1941 - 22 Jul 1941

Skpr/Lt Kenneth William Newman Hall, RCNR - 23 Jul 1941 - 22 Oct 1942

Skpr/Lt W.G. Kent, RCNR - 23 Oct 1942 - 20 Sep 1946

  


 

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

 

MORRIS, Blake

Able Seaman, RCNVR

died - 10 May 1941

 


 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 


 

 Former Crew Members

 

Ascah, James Felix A/Ch/Skpr, RCNR - 30 Apr 1940

 

Brown, John Quentin, SLt, RCNVR - 02 May 1943

 

Deveau, John Raymond, Skpr, RCNR - 03 May 1942

 

Dyer, Eric David Albert, SLt, RCNVR - 28 Apr 1941

 

Hall, Kenneth William, Skpr, RCNR - 20 Jan 1941

 

Henderson, John Ernest, SLt, RCNVR - Jan 1943

 

Jarvis, Edward Gilbert, SLt, RCNVR - 23 Jul 1941

 

Leonard, William Girvin, SLt, RCNVR - Jan 1942

 

MacKnight, David Llerelly (Tuffy), A/SLt, RCNVR - 22 Apr 1940

 

McCormack, Bernard Thomas, A/SLt, RCNVR - 29 Jul 1940

 

Ransom, William James, SLt, RCNVR - 17 Jul 1944

 

Stevenson, George Forest, SLt, RCNVR - 12 Mar 1945

 

 


 

Photos and Documents

 

HMCS French

Source: Queen's Co. Museum, Liverpool, NS

Courtesy of Don Smith

HMCS FRENCH

 

DND / RCN Photo

 


 

HOME PAGE     SHIP INDEX      CONTACT