HMCS LABRADOR 50

Arctic Patrol Vessel

Laid down in the Marine Industries shipyard in Sorrel, Quebec, in January, 1949, she was 369 feet long, 63 feet, 6 inches at the beam, and displaced 6,490 tons. Powered by six 2,000 horsepower diesel engines, she was capable of 16 knots. Deep-drafted and round-bottomed, with big screws tucked away well below the plimsoll line out of reach of tumbling surface ice, she was fitted with retractable stabilizing fins and heeling tanks on the port and starboard sides capable of pumping water from side to side at the remarkable rate of 40,000 gallons a minute, allowing her to roll in pack ice. With a crew of 225 officers and men and three helicopters, the LABRADOR was not simply an ice-breaker. She was commissioned to patrol northern waters and show the flag, conduct hydrographic and scientific surveys and provide a rescue and salvage service.  On 23 Jul 1954 she sailed from Halifax on her maiden voyage and became the first warship to negotiate the Northwest Passage and, returning to Halifax on 21 Nov 1954 via the Panama Canal, the first to circumnavigate North America. In 1955 Canada and the USA began construction on the DEW line and HMCS LABRADOR's task was to chart and clear the passage in the Foxe Basin area so that equipment and supplies could be taken ashore by landing craft. In 1956, LABRADOR returned to the Arctic and during her time there aided the American ice breaker Edisto and getting a supply convoy from the Foxe Basin to the Bellot Strait. During this transit, the Edisto, which had become icebound and broke a screw, was rescued by HMCS LABRADOR. In Mar/Apr 1957, HMCS LABRADOR made a rare trip across the Atlantic and visited Portsmouth, Oslo and Copenhagen to show the flag. In the fall of 1957 three US Coast Guard Cutter, Storis, Bramble and Spar, were transiting the Northwest Passage. Due to the uncertainty of having a clear passage through the Bellot Strait, HMCS LABRADOR rendezvoused with the US squadron on the western end of the Bellot Strait, which turned out to be ice free, and escorted them through. Due to cost cutting measures for the RCN, LABRADOR was paid off for refit on 22 Nov 1957 and transferred to the Department of Transport. After that she was primarily used as an icebreaker in the St. Lawrence and embarked scientists for summer studies in the Arctic. She was sold for scrap in 1987 and broken up in 1989.

Photos and Documents          Ship's Company Photos

Captain T.C. Pullen, RCN: Polar Navigator by Graham Rowley          Navigator and hydrographer charted the Northwest Passage

Commanding Officers

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

Former Crew Members

Carson, Dennis - Supply Officer (CCGS LABRADOR)

Malott, Fred

Photos and Documents

(LAB001) HMCS Labrador’s mascot posing with the ship’s kisby ring while on the first voyage across the Northwest Passage in 1954. HMCS Labrador was the first RCN ship to transit the passage - it took over 60 days to cross  //  Courtesy of the Naval Museum of Halifax

(LAB002) HMCS LABRADOR 50 going alongside in HMC Dockyard, Halifax - undated  //  RCN photo  //  Courtesy of the Naval Museum of Halifax

(LAB003) HMCS LABRADOR //  Courtesy of the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum, photo number VR993.147.12

(LAB004) HMCS LABRADOR and HMCS WALLACEBURG in an ice field - date and location unknown  //  Courtesy of the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum, photo number 2004.471.102

(LAB005) HMCS LABRADOR 50 in heavy seas off Bermuda - date unknown

(LAB006-LAB007) HMCS LABRADOR 50 in heavy seas off Bermuda, date unknown  //  From the collection of Larry Zbitnew, LCdr, RCN  //  Courtesy of Dennis Cardy

(LAB008) HMCS LABRADOR 50

(LAB009) HMCS LABRADOR 50

(LAB010) Gale Left Labrador Virtual Ice Place  //  The Montreal Star, Wed., 29 Feb 1956  //  Courtesy of Robert Manzer

(LAB011) Article on Tony Law - HMCS LABRADOR'S C.O. and Artist  //  The Victoria Daily Times, 30 Sep 1957  //  Courtesy of Robert Manzer

(LAB012) HMCS LABRADOR alongside in Halifax, NS  //  From the collection of Don Merritt, P2LR, RCN

(LAB013) HMCS LABRADOR port visit to Copenhagen, Denmark in 1957.  The Danish Navy frigate Bellona F344 in the background on the right had side of the photo  //  Courtesy of Hugh Muir

(LAB014) Notes on the disposal of HMCS LABRADOR  //  Minutes of the 29/56 Meeting of Naval Staff, 23 October 1956, in fond of Peter Haydon  //  Courtesy of the Naval Museum of Halifax

(AM67) RCMP vessel Alexandra Fiord 7302

(AM76) Sled dog onboard HMCS LABRADOR

(AM77-AM78) Sled dogs onboard HMCS LABRADOR

(AM80) HMCS LABRADOR'S Helo

(AM84) Local vessel named "MONTE CARLO"

(AM86) Supplies being transferred from LABRADOR to smaller craft for local Eskimos

(AM86-AM87) Supplies being transferred from LABRADOR to smaller craft for local Eskimos

(AM89) Sailor from LABRADOR beside a sled dog pen that has a polar bear hide hanging on the fence

(AM90) HMCS LABRADOR'S boat - HMCS POGO

(AM91) Landing craft from LABRADOR taking supplies to isolated RCMP station (see AM92 & AM93)

(AM97) Archie MacArthur on left

(AM98) Franklin Expedition grave

(AM100 - AM101) Iceberg in the Hudson Strait - 1948

(AM102) Iceberg in the Hudson Strait - 1948

(AM103) Iceberg - 09 Sep 1948

(AM104) Iceberg - Wakeham Bay 09 Sep 1948

(AM105) HMCS LABRADOR'S helo

(AM106) USCGC EASTWIND W279 coming alongside HMCS LABRADOR

(AM107) USCGC EASTWIND W279 alongside HMCS LABRADOR

(AM108) Walrus on an ice flow

From the collection of CPO1 Archie MacArthur, RCN

Courtesy of Colleen Coons

HMCS LABRADOR 1955-1957

(RM01) Robert Manzer, RCN c1955

(RM02) Cd Bos'n Robert Manzer on HMCS LABRADOR

(RM03) HMCS LABRADOR

(RM04) LABRADOR crew ashore in the Eastern Arctic

(RM05) HMCS LABRADOR alongside in Halifax

(RM06) Chipping ice off HMCS LABRADOR

(RM07) Robert Manzer on HMCS LABRADOR, Eastern Arctic Mar 1957

(RM08-RM09) Robert Manzer on shore somewhere in the Eastern Arctic

From the collection of Robert Manzer, Lt*, RCN

Courtesy of Bob Manzer, Cdr, RCN, ret'd

(LZ16) HMCS LABRADOR 50

(LZ17 HMCS LABRADOR transiting an ice field - DND/RCN photo. Neg # LAB 2525

(LZ18) HMCS LABRADOR transiting an ice field - ship's helo hovering off bow - DND/RCN photo. Neg # LAB 2524

(LZ19) HMCS LABRADOR 50

(LZ20) Bell 47 Helo crash - DND/RCN Photo. Neg # LAB 2458

(LZ21) HMCS LABRADOR (foreground) and a US LSD (either USS Fort Mandan or USS San Marcos) In Aug - Sep 1956, HMCS LABRADOR assisted the US icebreaker Edisto in escorting a convoy westward through the Northwest Passage from Foxe Basin to the Bellot Strait - the Fort Mandan and San Marcos were part of that convoy.

(LZ22) USCGC Storis W38 coming alongside HMCS LABRADOR 50

(LZ23) (L-R) USCGC Spar, USCGC Bramble, USCGC Storis, HMCS LABRADOR

(LZ24) USCGC Spar, USCGC Bramble (middle) and USCGC Storis (furthest from camera)

(LZ25) USCGC Storis W38, USCGC Bramble and USCGC Spar being lead through the Bellot Strait by HMCS LABRADOR. Photo taken from the flight deck of HMCS LABRADOR

Note:  On 04 Sep 1957, HMCS LABRADOR rendezvoused with USCGC Storis (W38) USCGC Bramble (W 392) and USCGC Spar (W 403). These photos were taken during that rendezvous and the following transit of the Bellot Strait. The following link is to a write up of the voyage of the 3 US Coast Guard Vessels - Across the top of the World

(LZ26-LZ27) Convoy proceeding through the Bellot Strait led by HMCS LABRADOR. Photos taken from LABRADOR'S helo.

(LZ28) Unknown event on HMCS LABRADOR, possibly Crossing the Line Ceremony.  Note the officer with the rather large straight razor

(LZ29) HMCS LABRADOR in Europe, spring 1957 - port unknown

From the collection of Larry Zbitnew, LCdr, RCN

Courtesy of Dennis Cardy

(JH03) Invitation to the commissioning ceremony of HMCS LABRADOR

(JH04) HMCS LABRADOR cap tally

(JH05) HMCS LABRADOR'S Polar Bear flag

(JH06) L-R: AB George Stenabaugh; Harold Malone and John Holmes celebrate their birthday at sea during LABRADOR'S northern deployment

(JH07-JH08) Landing craft from LABRADOR delivering supplies to a remote RCMP station

(JH09) HMCS LABRADOR in an ice jam.  It is not know if they are taking samples or setting charges to break-up ice

(JH10) Article on John Holmes' trip to the top of the world aboard HMCS LABRADOR - published 27 Nov 1995

From the collection of Jack Holmes, RCN

Courtesy of Lance Holmes

(RVM011) "Bergy Bits" Vol 1 No. 58 - The final edition of HMCS LABRADOR'S shipboard newspaper for her northern deployment

(RVM012) Article on HMCS LABRADOR - A floating Laboratory

(RVM013) It Happened in Canada - HMCS LABRADOR transits the North West Passage

(RVM014) Ice Flow is Canvas for RCN Artist

(RVM015) HMCS LABRADOR sailor point to their route through the North West Passage on a globe.  The sailor on the right is named Paul.

(RVM016) The Order of the North West Passage Certificate for Robert Martin, HMCS LABRADOR 27 Jul 1954 

Three photo taken by Robert Martin aboard HMCS LABRADOR.

**  All photos below are official RCN / DND photos  **

(RVM017) "New Captain arriving onboard"

(RVM102) "An aerial view - Gulf of St Lawrence"

(RVM104) "Held fast in Ice - Gulf of St Lawrence"

(RVM109) "Bringing a ship into Seven Islands, Quebec (Sept-Isles, Quebec)

(RVM017 - RVM021) HMCS LABRADOR 50 in drydock

(RVM022) HMCS LABRADOR'S mascot sitting in from of the ship's kisby ring and badge during the 1954 northern deployment through the North West Passage

(RVM033) "RCMP station and radio station"

(RVM036) It appears to be Christmas Dinner on HMCS LABRADOR. It looks as though the sailor on the right has 2 pieces of tinsel hanging down above him

The next 52 photos are official photos but have no RCN negative #s written on them.  They may be from of the 1954 deployment through the North West Passage, or the 1955/56 DEW Line construction deployment, or a mixture of both.

(RVM109) "Pogo"

(RVM110) Church service onboard HMCS LABRADOR

(RVM111) "Church services in the cafeteria"

The caption on the back of the RVM127 says "Franklin's Grave" however, this is a memorial grave to Joseph René Bellot, French Arctic explorer, Nunavut, Canada

(RVM144) RCMP Vessel Alexandra Fiord alongside HMCS LABRADOR

**  HMCS LABRADOR's DEW Line Deployment - 1955  **

(RVM147) HMCS LABRADOR (right) and USS EDISTO.  In 1955 Canada and the USA began construction on the DEW line and HMCS LABRADOR's task was to chart and clear the passage in the Foxe Basin area so that equipment and supplies could be taken ashore by landing craft. In 1956, LABRADOR returned to the Arctic and during her time there aided the American ice breaker Edisto and getting a supply convoy from the Foxe Basin to the Bellot Strait. During this transit, the Edisto, which had become icebound and broke a screw, was rescued by HMCS LABRADOR.

(RVM153) HMCS LABRADOR 50 with USCGC EASTWIND W279 in the arctic 1955

(RVM1155-RVM156) "Beginning of a storm"

(RVM157) "Looking down from the bridge"

(RVM158) "Facing the bridge"

(RCM159) "Bird's ice view of one of the bollards"

(RVM160-RVM161) before and after chipping some of the ice off

(RVM162) "Starboard bridge wing"

(RVM163) "One of the guns, starboard bridge wing"

(RVM164-RVM165) "Erecting an Electronics Position Indicator"

(RVM177 "A beacon used to chart positions"

It is not known if the photos below were taken during the southern portion of the 1954 deployment or during some other cruise.

From the collection of  Robert Martin, Cook, RCN

Courtesy of Bonnie Reynolds