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HMCS INCH ARRAN K667 / 308
River Class / Prestonian Class Frigate
Built at Lauzon, Que, she was commissioned on 18 Nov 1944, at Quebec City. INCH ARRAN left for Halifax on 03 Dec 1944, visiting Dalhousie en route. In Jan 1945 she proceeded to Bermuda to work up, and on her return to Halifax on 04 Feb 1945, she was assigned to EG 28. She served for the rest of the war on A/S and supported duties out of Halifax, and on 13 May 1945 escorted the surrendered U 889 into Shelburne. Tropicalization refit, commenced on 06 Jun 1945 at Sydney, was suspended on 20 Aug 1945, and the ship was paid off on 28 Nov 1945. Placed in reserve at Shelburne, she was sold in 1946 to Marine Industries Ltd., but re-acquired in 1951 by the RCN for conversion to a Prestonian class ocean escort at Saint John. She was re-commissioned on 23 Aug 1954, serving on the east coast as a training ship until finally paid off on 23 June 1965. She was then acquired by the Kingston Mariners' Association for conversion to a nautical museum and youth club, but was eventually scrapped in 1970.
Photos and Documents The Ship's Bell
Commanding Officers
They shall not be forgotten
Former Crew Members
Photos and Documents
HMCS INCH ARRAN K667
(INH001) HMCS INCH ARRAN K667 // Courtesy of Jim Silvester, PO1, RCNVR / RCN
(INH002-INH004) - HMCS INCH ARRAN K667 // From the collection of H.S. (Tim) Lee // Courtesy of Ryan Lee (INH005) HMCS INCH ARRAN Christmas card from Jack Jacobs // Courtesy of Don Crackel (INH006) HMCS INCH ARRAN jacket patch - showing a serpent capturing a U-boat. // From the collection of Thomas Cotnam // Courtesy of Andrea Woods // Thomas Cotnam designed this patch when he was serving in HMCS INCH ARRAN during the Second World War. The patch depicts a serpent capturing a U-Boat. Since INCH ARRAN was not credited with any U-boat kills - this patch most likely refers to the surrender of U-889 in which HMCS INCH ARRAN was part of the EG that participated in the surrender.
HMCS INCH ARRAN 308
(INH100) HMCS INCH ARRAN 308 - undated // DND / RCN photo
(INH101) Reviewing officer inspects HMCS INCH ARRAN's commissioning guard. Guard officer - Lt Robert Whyte. LCdr Philip Cooke, CO, behind reviewing officer // From the collection of Philip Cooke // Courtesy of David Cooke, LT, RCN (INH102) Lt Alex Houston on HMCS INCH ARRAN // From the collection of Philip Cooke // Courtesy of David Cooke, Lt, RCN (INH103) Colours on board HMCS INCH ARRAN 308 // Believed to be at her post-refit re-commissioning in1959 at Point Edward Naval Station, Sydney, NS // Courtesy of David Cooke, Lt, RCN
(INH104) HMCS INCH ARRAN 308 - circa 1959-61 // From the collection of Philip Cooke // Courtesy of Robert Cooke (INH105) Bridge of HMCS INCH ARRAN - somewhere down south - circa 1959-61 // From the collection of Philip Cooke // Courtesy of Robert Cooke (ING106) Wedding Reception Karen and Robert Whyte (far right) in HMCS INCH ARRAN’s Wardroom - 21 Dec 1960 // From Left to right: Lt Peter Gardner (Supply Officer) and wife Jeanine, Lt Alex Houston (Communications Officer), Lt Howard Broe (Engineering Officer), Mrs. Thelma Houston, Officer unknown, LCdr William P. (Bill) Rikely (Executive Officer), Woman unknown, Officer unknown, Officer with glasses unknown, Woman in white dress unknown, LCdr Phil Cooke (Captain) Mrs. Margaret Cooke, Officer unknown, Mrs. Karen Whyte, Lt Robert Whyte (Operations Officer). (INH107) The Queen Mum visits HMCS INCH ARRAN 308 - This pic is from 13 June 1962 and was taken in Prescott On. HM the Queen Mother was on board for an afternoon cruise up the St. Lawrence Seaway, through a couple of locks to Prescott. It was an “afternoon off” so only one official was taken and it was as she departed, but not before requesting our C.O. to “splice the main brace” which of course he did!!! // Chuck O'Neill 1st in line, bottom right corner of photo // Courtesy of Charles (Chuck) O'Neill // Click here to read the article from the Jul/Aug 1962 edition of The Crowsnest magazine on the Queen Mum's Visit aboard HMCS INCH ARRAN 308
(INH108-INH109) HMCS INCH ARRAN - date unknown. Photos likely taken after she was paid off and being stripped before being broken up. She is not flying an ensign; there is a laker secured outboard of her; and her lines are not secured in a naval fashion. The "Lake Transport" was re-named Congor in 1967
(INH110) Former HMCS INCH ARRAN 308 // Photo taken some time after she was paid off. Her pendant number has been painted over with an X. Someone had painted R71 on the side of her bridge above the 308 // Courtesy of John Rochon (INH111) Former HMCS INCH ARRAN 308 // Her pendant number has been painted over with an X. Additionally, someone painted RMC 72 and PUEBLO on her hull. On her bridge above the 308, someone spray painted R71 // Courtesy of John Rochon
The Story Behind the Photos:
Asymmetric "Warfare"? Perhaps. by Doug Hincks, Capt, Ret'd
It was early March, 1968 when the Royal Military College (Kingston) awaited its American rivals from the West Point Military Academy for a weekend of friendly but hard-fought competition across many disciplines. While the West Pointers enjoyed a numerical advantage, RMC was known as a determined competitor that often surprised its rivals and punched above its weight.
In the preceding weeks the US Navy had lost one of its reconnaissance vessels, the Pueblo. It was captured and impounded in North Korean waters.
An alternative version from RMC folklore has it that RMC cadets from the Class of 1971 knew that the Pueblo was hiding in plain sight in Cataraqui Bay, on the north side of the LaSalle Causeway. Pedants might argue that it was actually the former HMCS Inch Arran, a paid-off Canadian frigate awaiting the scrap yard. However, the cadets knew that it was really the spy ship Pueblo in disguise.
Back in Kingston, wishing to put their US rival onto his back foot, in the dead of night a small group of first-year cadets quietly seized control of the Inch Arran. They completed the precarious task of painting PUEBLO in tall letters on the port hull. They then returned to the safety of the college and their bunks, totally undetected even to this day.
No doubt the skylark had an effect on the West Pointers as they arrived that weekend. The abandoned vessel was anchored at the mouth of the Cataraqui River, in full view from the LaSalle Causeway next to the RMC.
Equally impressed were several newspapers who carried the story soon after. It is said the stern-faced commandants of the RMC and West Point had "No comment". But rumour has it that there were more than just a few winks and stories shared in the mess, but not in public.
As a footnote, RMC gave no quarter - in a subsequent raid later that year the Class of 1972, inspired by their predecessors, added "RMC 72" as seen in the photo. Furthermore there had been a raid in the fall of 1967 when graffiti traced to members of the Class of 1971 had been painted "R71".
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In memory of those who have crossed the bar 
