HMCS HESPELER K489

 

Castle Class Corvette

 

 

HMCS HESPELER K489

RCN Photo # A-393

Courtesy of the Comox RCAF Museum

Click on the above photo to view a larger image

 

Laid down: 25 May 1943

Launched: 13 Nov 1943

Transferred to the RCN: 28 Feb 1944

Commissioned: 28 Feb 1944

Paid off: 15 Nov 1945

Fate: Gutted by fire 28 Jan 1966. Later broken up at La Spezia, Italy

 

Built at Leith, Scotland, she was laid down and launched as HMS Guildford Castle K378. On completion, she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned on 28 Feb 1944 as HMCS HESPELER K489 at Leith. Following workups at Tobermory she arrived at Londonderry in April to become a member of EG C-5. HESPELER sailed on 21 Apr 1944 to meet her first convoy, ONS.233, and for the next 11 months was employed as an ocean escort. On 23 Jul 1944, she left St. John's with EG C-5 to escort the largest convoy of the war, HXS.300. She left 'Derry for the last time on 08 Mar 1945, to escort ON.289 westward, and upon arriving at Halifax began a refit, completing it at Liverpool, N.S., in Jul 1945. She then sailed for the west coast and on 15 Nov 1945 was paid off into reserve at Esquimalt.

 

She was sold in 1946 to the Union Steamship Co., Vancouver, she was converted to a coastal passenger ship, SS Chilcotin. In 1958 she became the Liberian-flag Stella Maris and in 1965, the Greek Westar. She was sold again in 1965 to become an Alaskan Cruise Liner. A few days into her voyage to Vancouver, on 28 Jan 1966, a fuel line became disconnected spraying oil into the engine room.  An explosion and fire followed - the ship being declared a constructive loss. Alaskan Cruise Lines sold the hulk for scrapping at La Spezia, Italy, saving only the ship's bell.

 

 

Note: HMCS HESPELER and HMCS DUNVER were credited with the sinking of U-484.  However, post war analysis credits the sinking of U-484 to HMS PORTCHESTER CASTLE and HMS HELMSDALE.

 

In 2008, purported unpublished diary entries of a HESPELER sailor posted on a SUBSIM Radio Room online forum seem to support the Canadian claim: “(9/9/44) we left at 0015 and two hours later picked up a contact and went to ‘action stat.’ We dropped one pattern and nothing happened. The second caused explosions. Nothing the third. Fourth caused explosions and the fifth brought something up which the DUNVER said was a sub. We secured at 4:30 a.m…. (9/10/44) Tons of oil, wreckage, and bodies about.”

 

In a 2013 article in Starshell, the Naval Association of Canada magazine, retired navy commander Fraser McKee credits the Canadian ships with the sinking, noting the RN disputes the sinking “but without any better claim than the RCN’s.”

 

 

 

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos          Convoys escorted during WW2

 

 

Commanding Officers

 

LCdr Neville Spencer Charles Dickinson, RCNVR - 28 Feb 1944 - 15 Oct 1944

 

Lt George Percy Manning, RCNVR - 14 Nov 1944 - 24 Aug 1945

 

Lt William Glenn Brockie, RCNVR - OIC

 

 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 

 

Former Crew Members

 

Alliston, Fred - 1944

 

Archer, William Lee, SLt, RCNVR - 28 Feb 1944

 

Bishop, AB - 1944

 

Boyce, AB - 1944

 

Buttler, Louis Lorne, SLt, RCNVR - 28 Feb 1944

 

Crandall, AB - 1944

 

Dickinson, Neville Spencer Charles, LCdr, RCNVR - 21 Feb 1944 (Stand by) / 28 Feb 1944

 

Dorien, LS - 1944

Douglas, William Kennedy, Lt, RCNVR - 19 Mar 1945

 

Glover, AB. LRIII - 1944

 

Gravel, Louis Jean Marie, SLt, RCNVR - 28 Feb 1944

 

Hirst, William Leslie, Lt (E), RCNVR - 01 May 1945

 

Lodge, AB.AAIII - 1944

 

Meighen, Arthur Benson, SLt, RCNVR - 09 Apr 1945

 

Mulley, John Wallace, Lt, RCNVR - 15 Feb 1945

Ness, George Cairns, Cd (E), RCNR - 28 Feb 1944

 

Newton, Frank - WW II

 

Outhet, Murray McLaren, Lt, RCNVR - 28 Feb 1944

 

Parratt, Emmanuel, Wt (E), RCNR - 17 Jul 1944

 

Whyte, William Methvin, Lt, RCNVR - 28 Feb 1944

 

 

Photos and Documents

 

HMCS HESPELER K489

Photo taken from HMCS Runnymede K678

Photo from the WWII collection of Kirk Wipper

HMCS HESPELER K489

 

From the collection of Tom Coyle, Sto 1c, RCNVR

 

Courtesy of Elaine Desnoyers

Bridge of HMCS HESPELER K489

From the collection of Lt. G.P. Manning, RCNVR

Courtesy of Don Manning

Submitted by John Berard Jr.

Roger Mirault, Telegraphist at HMCS ST HYACINTHE.  Roger served as a Tel in HMCS HESPELER K489

 

Courtesy of Lucien Mirault

Dodging a greeny on HMCS HESPELER K489

From the collection of William C. Hill

Courtesy of Bill Hill

William Hill and shipmates on the quarterdeck of HMCS HESPELER K489

From the collection of William C. Hill

Courtesy of Bill Hill

Newspaper article on HMCS HESPELER and HMCS Dunver sinking a U-boat

 

From the collection of Ron Critchley

 

Courtesy of Diane Brown

 

Bob Enright on HMCS HESPELER K489

Written on the back of this photos is "Bob Enright, killed June 2/44" 

From the collection of Kenneth Marlatt

Courtesy of Judy Agis

 

Information provided by Judy's mother is as follows:  the boat was strafed by an enemy plane. Both the fellow who died and your father were on Pom Pom guns. My understanding was the man standing beside your father was shot and your father was hit by a piece of metal that took the top layer of skin off in a small area center chest just below the neck. It left a scar. The fellow who died was well liked. He often entertained below deck by step dancing. He was from some place on the east coast of Canada and it was from him that Ken learned step dancing. There were several shipmates from the east coast and Ken also picked up the vocabulary and accent of those from Newfoundland. The sailor was buried at sea.

 

Webmaster's note:  According to casualty records, HMCS HESPELER had no casualties (deaths) during her service career.  Additionally, there is no record of a Bob (or Robert) Enright killed in the RCN during WW2.  The only 2 Canadian (or Newfoundland) casualties during WW2 named Enright were both in the Army - one died on 07 Jun 1944 and the other on 31 Jun 1944 ashore in Europe.  Royal Navy casualty records for WW2 only list one person named Enright, and she was a Wren, killed in an accident.

 

If anyone can provide any information on Bob Enright shown in this photo, please send me an EMAIL

 

USN PT boat

Photo taken from HMCS HESPELER K489

From the collection of Kenneth Marlatt

Courtesy of Judy Agis

HMCS HESPELER K489 (left) and the aircraft carrier HMS GLORY R62 bring repatriated POWs to Esquimalt

From the collection of Kenneth Marlatt

Courtesy of Judy Agis

 

 

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(1) HMCS HESPELER'S bell - Original source unknown  (2) HMCS HESPELER  (3) HMCS HESPELER - Original source unknown  (4) Record of convoys that HMCS HESPELER took part in as escort  (5) Frank Newton on HMCS HESPELER

 

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(6) Newspaper article on the sinking of U-484 by HMCS HESPELER and HMCS DUNVER (7) Print of Londonderry during WW II - "The main European port of call in Ireland during World War II"

 

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(8-11) Survivors report of Premier-Maitre Emile Cloarec, soul survivor from the loss of the French submarine La Perle, who was picked up by HMCS HESPELER. Original source unknown

 

From the collection of John Berard

Courtesy of John Berard Jr.

 

 

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(1) Unknown sailors on HMCS HESPELER  (2) Unknown sailors on HMCS HESPELER  (3) Unknown sailors on HMCS HESPELER  (4) Unknown sailor on HMCS HESPELER  (5) Unknown sailor on HMCS HESPELER

 

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(6) Unknown sailor on HMCS HESPELER  (7) A couple sailors hamming it up while chipping ice on HMCS HESPELER  (8) Postcard of HMCS HESPELER K489  (9) Unknown ship photo taken from HMCS HESPELER  (10) Unknown ship photo taken from HMCS HESPELER

 

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(11) Unknown sailor on HMCS HESPELER  (12) Unknown sailor on HMCS HESPELER K489 - note merchant ship in background  (13) Unknown sailors on HMCS HESPELER (14) HMCS Dunver K03 - photo taken from HMCS HESPELER  (15) Casualty being taken ashore from HMCS HESPELER - location unknown

 

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(16) Unknown sailor on HMCS HESPELER

 

From the collection of S.J. Grabowski

Courtesy of Jennifer Henry

 

 

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(1) Empire class MAC (Merchant Aircraft Carrier)  (2-5) Rad and pals on HMCS HESPELER K489 (5) "Buddies, HMCS HESPELER, 1944"

 

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(6) Rad and shipmates on HMCS HESPELER (7) On stern deck HMCS HESPELER 1944  (8) Escort Group in line ahead. HMCS HESPELER in the foreground (9) Coast of Ireland.  Webmaster's note: the shore in the background looks like the entrance to St. John's Harbour, Newfoundland  (10) HMCS Runnymede K678 coming alongside

 

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(11) "HESPELER attacks, North Atlantic, 1944"  (12) Fred Alliston "taking the strain!" Newfie, July 1944  (13) Rad on the ship's helm  (14) Rad on jetty sentry duty somewhere overseas 1944  (15) "Ship's Doctor at sea", HMCS HESPELER, 1944 - Surg-Lt, Donald J. Van Wyck

 

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(16) Rad and friend, Londonderry, 1944  (17) L-R: AB Bishop, L/Sea Dorien, AB Higgins, AB Boyce, AB Crandall  (18) L-R: AB Lodge AAIII  (19) AB Glover LRIII  (19) Mess deck on HMCS HESPELER 1944

  

From the collection of Rad Hall

Courtesy of Harry Hall

 

 

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(1) From the bridge of HMCS HESPELER.  Note the squid launcher in the foreground  (2) Bridge of HMCS HESPELER as seen from the crow's nest  (3) Oerlikon mounts and quarterdeck of HMCS HESPELER  (4) Quarterdeck of HMCS HESPELER  (5) HMCS HESPELER's mascot - Sparky

 

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(6) Pepper and Sparky on HMCS HESPELER  (7) Ron Critchley on the AA mount on HMCS HESPELER  (8) Allison and Comish scrubbing the deck on HMCS HESPELER  (9) Beswick, Demers and unknown on HMCS HESPELER K489. Note: it is not known which sailor is Beswick or Demers.  (10) PO Red & Mackie on HMCS HESPELER

 

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(11) Two unknown sailors on HMCS HESPELER  (12) Campbell (left) and Cowen on HMCS HESPELER  (13) A/SLt Cowen on HMCS HESPELER  (14) Grabowski (top) and Demers on HMCS HESPELER

 

From the collection of Ron Critchley

Courtesy of Diane Brown

 

 

Convoys escorted during WW2

 

Convoy Desig.

Convoy Departs from

Arrives at

Join as escort

Depart Convoy 

ON.233

Liverpool

(20 Apr 1944)

New York City

(08 May 1944)

20 Apr 1945

03 May 1945

HX.290

New York City

(05 May 1944)

Liverpool

(19 May 1944)

10 May 1944

19 May 1944

ON.238

Liverpool

(26 May 1944)

New York City

(09 Jun 1944)

27 May 1944

03 Jun 1944

HX.295

New York City

(10 Jun 1944)

Liverpool

(24 Jun 1944)

15 Jun 1944

23 Jun 1944

ON.243

Liverpool

(03 Jul 1944)

New York City

(18 Jul 1944)

04 Jul 1944

12 Jul 1944

HX.300

New York City

(17 Jul 1944)

Liverpool

(03 Aug 1944)

24 Jul 1944

03 Aug 1944

ON.248S

Liverpool

(10 Aug 1944)

New York City

(27 Aug 1944)

11 Aug 1944

13 Aug 1944

HX.305

New York City

(25 Aug 1944)

Liverpool

(10 Sep 1944)

30 Aug 1944

08 Sep 1944

ON.255

Liverpool

(22 Sep 1944)

New York City

(09 Oct 1944)

23 Sep 1944

04 Oct 1944

HX.312

New York City

(05 Oct 1944)

Liverpool

(21 Oct 1944)

10 Oct 1944

19 Oct 1944

ON.263

Southend

(29 Oct 1944)

New York City

(15 Nov 1944)

01 Nov 1944

09 Nov 1944

SC.161

Halifax

(17 Nov 1944)

Liverpool

(04 Dec 1944)

19 Nov 1944

03 Dec 1944

ONS.38

Liverpool

(13 Dec 1944)

Halifax

(02 Jan 1945)

14 Dec 1944

27 Dec 1944

SC.164

Halifax

(01 Jan 1945)

Liverpool

(18 Jan 1945)

05 Jan 1945

17 Jan 1945

ON.281

Southend

(26 Jan 1945)

New York City

(12 Feb 1945)

27 Jan 1945

07 Feb 1945

HX.338

New York City

(12 Feb 1945)

Liverpool

(27 Feb 1945)

18 Feb 1945

27 Feb 1945

ON.289

Southend

(07 Mar 1945)

New York City

(25 Mar 1945)

08 Mar 1945

19 Mar 1945

 

 

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