HMCS NIPIGON J154 / 188

 

Bangor Class Minesweeper

 


 

HMCS NIPIGON J154

 

Battle honours and awards:  Atlantic  1941-45,   Gulf of St. Lawrence  1942, 1944

 

 

Laid down: 04 Jul 1940

Launched: 01 Oct 1940

Commissioned: 08 Nov 1941

Paid off: 13 Oct 1945

Re-acquired by RCN: 1952

Transferred to the Turkish Navy: 29 Nov 1957

Paid off: 1972

Fate: Unknown

 

built by Dufferin Shipbuilding Co., Toronto, Ont, she was commissioned at Toronto on 11 Aug 1941. She arrived at Halifax on 05 Sep 1941 and was the first of the Bangor class to join Sydney Force, on 03 Oct 1941, and remained with it until her return to Halifax on 17 Jan 1942. She was then assigned for varying periods to WLEF, Halifax Force, and Newfoundland Force. She was again attached to WLEF when, in Jun 1943, that force was divided into escort groups, and she commenced a major refit at Lunenburg and Liverpool, N.S., on completion of which she sailed in May 1944 to work up in Bermuda. Returning in mid-Jun 1944, she was assigned to Halifax Force until it was disbanded a year later, afterward performing various duties on the Atlantic coast. NIPIGON was paid off at Sydney on 13 Oct 1945, and laid up at Shelburne. She was placed in strategic reserve at Sorel in 1946 but was re-acquired and refitted in 1952, though not re-commissioned. She was transferred to the Turkish Navy on 29 Nov 1957 and served a Bafra until 1972.

 


 

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos

 


 

Commanding Officers

 

LCdr Arthur Truman Morrell, RCNR - 11 Aug 1941 - 14 Feb 1942

A/LCdr Clarence Aubrey King, RCNR - 15 Feb 1942 - 11 May 1942

Lt John Brock, RCNVR - 12 May 1942 - 04 Oct 1942

Lt W.J. Piercy, RCNVR - 05 Oct 1942 - 28 Mar 1944

Lt William Turner, RCNR - 29 Mar 1944 -  11 Apr 1944

Lt Donald Richard Baker, RCNVR - 12 Apr 1944 -  04 Feb 1945

Lt John Russell Brown, RCNVR - 05 Feb 1945 - 13 Oct 1945

 


 

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

 

HAY, James C.

AB, RCNVR

killed - 03 May 1943

 


 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 


 

Former Crew Members

 

Bechtel, Willard Hagey, SLt (E), RCNVR - 04 Apr 1945

 

Buckingham, Gordon Cameron, Skpr, RCNR - 22 Mar 1941

 

Cambell, Robert Lorne, Lt (E), RCNVR - Jan 1944

 

Dalton, Cuthbert Frederick Robert, Lt, RCNVR - 03 May 1941

 

Dunn, Robert Wesley Ault, SLt, RCNVR - 21 Jun 1942

 

Garland, Robert Dunlap, SLt, RCNVR - 26 Mar 1945

 

Hamill, Frank William, Lt, RCNVR - 15 May 1943

 

Hepburn, Bernard Rickart, SLt (E), RCNVR - 15 Jul 1942

Kirkwood, John Regan, SLt (E), RCNVR - 04 Apr 1944

 

Lavoie, Joseph Charles Barrome, Skp/Lt, RCNR - 22 Apr 1944

 

MacDonald, Ian Huntley, Lt, RCNVR - 04 Feb 1942

 

Maxwell, Thomas William, SLt, RCNVR - 21 Feb 1944

 

McAuley, Alfred Joseph, SLt, RCNVR - 28 Jan 1945

 

Miller, Robert Dean, Lt, RCNVR - 16 Feb 1943

 

Minoque, Howard Douglas, SLt (E), RCNVR - 15 Feb 1943

Morris, Norman Campbell, SLt, RCNVR - 28 Jun 1943

 

Nickerson, Donald Earle, SLt, RCNVR - 0 Feb 1942

 

O'Kelly, Edward Ross, SLt, RCNVR - 09 Mar 1942

 

Price, James Edwin, SLt, RCNVR - 21 Mar 1945

 

Swackhamer, James William, SLt, RCNVR - Jan 1944

 

Turnhill, Eric Stanley, SLt, RCNVR - 15 Feb 1944

 


 

Photos and Documents

 

HMCS NIPIGON J154 jacket patch

 

This patch is 9 inches across and was likely meant for the back of a jacket

 

From the collection of David Aikenhead

 

Courtesy of Jim Aikenhead

HMCS NIPIGON J154

 

From the collection of William Connor

 

Courtesy of Jason Slater

 


 

JC01

JC02

JC03

JC04

JC05

(JC01) HMCS NIPIGON J154

(JC02) HMCS NIPIGON'S Q.F. 12 pdr (3-inch gun)

(JC03-JC04) Fo'c's'le of HMCS NIPIGON J154 - 1943

(JC05) HMCS NIPIGON J154 - iced-up - Christmas Day 1943

 

JC06

JC07

(JC06) HMCS NIPIGON J154 - a half hour after de-icing - Christmas Day 1943

(JC07) Officers and ratings on the quarter deck of a minesweeper. Lt Orr - rear centre. It is not known if this photo was taken on HMCS NIPIGON J154 or HMCS UNGAVA J149 - Lt John Orr served in both ships.

 

From the collection of John C. Orr

Courtesy of John P. Orr

 


 

BL01

BL02

BL03

BL04

BL05

(BL01) HMCS NIPIGON J154 under construction

(BL02) Unknown sailor on the fo'c's'le of HMCS NIPIGON J154

(BL03) Looking aft down the starboard side of HMCS NIPIGON J154

(BL04) Looking aft from the starboard side boat deck to the quarterdeck of HMCS NIPIGON J154

(BL05...) Looking aft at the depth charge thrower and minesweeping paravane on the starboard side of the quarterdeck with of HMCS NIPIGON J154

 

BL06

BL07

BL08

BL09

BL10

(BL06) HMCS NIPIGON J154

(BL07) Looking forward from the quarterdeck at the after gun tub on HMCS NIPIGON J154

(BL08) Looking aft from the boat deck on HMCS NIPIGON J154

(BL09) Quarterdeck of HMCS NIPIGON J154

(BL10) 4-inch gun on HMCS NIPIGON J154

 

 

BL11

BL12

 

(BL11) Unknown RCNR SLt on HMCS NIPIGON J154

(BL12) HMCS NIPIGON J154 iced-up - 1942.  Sailors in bridge windows having a smoke unidentified

 

From the collection of Cdr Bernard Summers Lake, RCN

 

Courtesy of Barry Lake

 


 

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