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HMCS
ORKNEY K448
River
Class Frigate
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HMCS Orkney K448
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Battle honours and awards: Gulf of St.
Lawrence: 1944, North Sea 1945
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Laid down: 19 May 1943
Launched: 18
Sep 1943
Commissioned: 18
Apr 1944
Paid off: 22
Jan 1946
Sold:
1947
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Acquired
by Israeli Navy: 1952
Sold:
1959 to Sri Lankan Navy
Commissioned:
04 May 1959
Paid
off: 1964
Fate:
Sold for scrap on 31 May 1964
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Originally to be named HMCS
Yorkton to commemorate Yorkton, Sask., she was named HMCS Orkney to
avoid confusion with the USS Yorktown what was already in
commission. Laid down in Esquimalt, she was built by Yarrows Ltd. Commissioned on
14 Apr 1944,
at Victoria, Orkney arrived at Halifax 08 Jun 1944. After working up in
Bermuda she returned to Halifax in Aug 1944 to join EG 16, but was
transferred as Senior Officer's ship to EG 25 at Londonderry,
sailing late in Oct 1944 with eastbound convoy HX.317. She remained
on duty in U.K. waters until 13 Feb 1945 when she collided
with SS Blairnevis which sank with no loss of life. Orkney proceeded to Dunstaffnage, Scotland, for
repairs. At the time of the accident, Orkney was part of Escort Group 25, which was engaged in
escorting merchant shipping into Liverpool. The weather the time of the accident was foul with heavy
rain that further reduced visibility. Blairnevis was a new merchant
ship, loaded with valuable bauxite. She had to be grounded to avoid
her sinking and blocking the swept channel in the Mersey River
estuary. Following the collision, Orkney's repairs lasted until Apr
1945. Following a week's workups
at Tobermory, Orkney returned briefly to 'Derry, then sailed late in
May 1945 for home and tropicalization refit at Louisbourg. This was
completed on 20 Oct 1945, after which she served locally until paid
off 22 Jan 1946, to reserve in Bedford Basin.
Following service in WWII,
Orkney was disarmed & laid up in Bedford Basin shortly after the
end of the war & purchased in
early 1947. She was moved to a ship breaker's yard in Brooklyn, NY
where she was stripped down to the upper deck. Refitted to carry as
many passengers as possible she joined the sixty-two
other vessels operated by "Haganah"
to smuggle illegal Jewish immigrants to Palestine. With the
creation of the state of Israel on 14 May 1948, Violette was was laid up. In 1952,
she was re-acquired by the Israeli Navy, and re-armed as a warship. She was
then re-commissioned as the Mitvach K28, and for some time afterward, with former HMC Ships
Hallowell (Misnak) and Strathadam (Misgav) were the largest ships in the Israeli Navy.
In 1959, Mitvach was sold to the then- Royal Ceylon Navy and served
as Mahasena until 1964 when she was paid off and sold to a Hong Kong ship
breaker on 31 May 64.
Photos and Documents
Ship's
company photos The
Ship's Bell
Commanding Officers
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Lt Gordon Leslie MacKay,
RCNR - 18 Apr 1944 - 24 Jun 1944
A/Cdr Victor Browne,
RCNVR - 25 Jun 1944 - 28 Mar 1945
Cdr James Majoribanks Rowland,
RN - 29 Mar 1945 - 21 May 1945 |
Lt N.J. Castonguay,
RCNVR - 22 May 1945 - 02 Sep 1945
Lt Harry Romeyn Beck, RCN - 19 Oct
1945 - 22 Jan 1946
Cdr Rajah Proctor 04 May 1959 (HMCyS
Mahasena) |
In memory of those who have crossed the bar 
They shall not be
forgotten
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Anglin,
Crawford S.
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Beck,
Harry R.
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Chasse, Marcel
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Durning,
Leonard C.
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Friend,
James T.
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Gibson,
James E.
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Guay,
Alphonse
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Hogarth,
Robert
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Kirchin,
Clifford W.
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McEwen,
Dennis W. A. |
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Page,
Michael H. E.
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Plant,
Charles G.
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Purdy,
Clifford I.
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Sample,
William K.
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Schuck,
Sebastian J.
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Smith,
John
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Webb,
Cecil T.
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Former Crew Members
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Arthur,
Reg - 1944
Bayliss,
LS
Blakey,
Kenneth Bertrand, Lt, RCNVR - 27 Mar 1944 / 18 Apr 1944
Bradford,
Peter, Lt, RCNVR - 30 Mar 1944 / 18 Apr 1944
Brown,
Alan Michael Stuart, A/Lt, RCNVR - 27 Jul 1944
Brown,
Victor, A/LCdr, RCNVR - 18 Apr 1944
Carnduff,
Stewart, AB
Castonguay,
Nelson Jules, Lt, RCNVR - 15 Mar 1944 / 18 Apr 1944 / 22
May 1945, XO
Christianson
- 1944
Cory,
William Wallace, Lt, RCNVR - 01 Jun 1945
Cote,
Leslie, AB
Davies,
Stew - 1944
Dudney,
Chief E.A.
Fitchett,
George William, Lt, RCNVR - 13 Feb 1945
Fraser,
R., AB
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Gray,
Stwd
Guay,
Alphonse Joseph, Stwd
Harding,
William R., Chief, Cox'n
Herrington
- 1944
Hollett,,
C.E.R.A.
Hynes,
PO, Buffer (Chief Bos'ns Mate)
Johnston,
William Arnold, Lt, RCNVR - 04 Apr 1944 / 18 Apr 1944
Koytch,
Sam - 1944
Lovegrove,
Harold, PO, Torpedoman
MacAulay,
Donald, Lt (E), RCNR - 18 Apr 1944
MacKay,
George Leslie, Lt, RCNR - 18 Apr 1944
Meehan,
James Francis, A/Wt (E), RCNVR - 23 Jun 1945
Marostica,
Al, L/Writer - 1945
Mork,
A., AB
Moxam,
Scotty - 1944
Pearson,
Stwd
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Plager,
AB
Quimbee,
Ernie - 1944
Sanborn,
K., AB
Scott,
L/Stwd
Slater,
Anthony Herbert Murray, Lt, RCNR - 05 Jul 1944
Shedden,
Al, PO
Stansfield,
David, Paym/Lt, RCNVR - 04 Jul 1944
Stevens,
PO LSO
Swanee,
Rivers, AB
Taylor,
Stwd
Thomas,
Harry, Tel
Timelin,
Chief Stoker
Trotman,
A., Lt
Walford,
Robert Gordon, SLt (E), RCNVR - 08 Mar 1944 / 18 Apr 1944
Ward,
Stoker
Watson,
AB
Wilkes,
AB - 1945
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Photos and
Documents
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A weather worn White Ensign from HMCS Orkney
K448
Marcel Chasse brought this ensign home after
the war. It is proudly displayed by his son Robert
Courtesy of Robert Chasse |
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Notebook of Marcel Chasse
Though not highly detailed, this notebook
mentions some of the port visits by HMCS Orkney, ship's routine, the collision
with a merchant ship and the court martial of the CO. When she
collided with SS Blairnevis, Marcel Chasse was on watch on HMCS
Orkney as helmsman.
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse |
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HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Roy Cardy
Courtesy of Dennis Cardy |
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Depthcharge from HMCS Orkney K448 exploding somewhere
off the West coast of Canada
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
Webmaster's
note: This photo being on the west coast would put the timeframe between Apr
and May 1944. Also, judging from the spectators, this is a training
exercise.
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Crew members Willis, Brazier,
Colley, and Baston onboard HMCS Orkney
Source:
Cheryl's blog - On
The Sea - Photos from WWII - HMCS Orkney |
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Damage to the bow of HMCS
Orkney after her collision with SS Blairnevis on 13 Feb 45. SS
Blairnevis sank after the collision.
Source:
Cheryl's blog - On
The Sea - Photos from WWII - HMCS Orkney |
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LS Bayliss onboard HMCS Orkney
Source:
Cheryl's blog - On
The Sea - Photos from WWII - HMCS Orkney |
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Crew members Harris,
Jocky, Hogarth and Shuck
onboard HMCS Orkney
Source:
Cheryl's blog - On
The Sea - Photos from WWII - HMCS Orkney |
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Cdr J.M. Roland, DSO & Bar, takes aim onboard HCMS Orkney
Source:
Cheryl's blog - On
The Sea - Photos from WWII - HMCS Orkney |
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White Ensign at half-mast on
board HMCS Orkney for the death of President Roosevelt
Source:
Cheryl's blog - On
The Sea - Photos from WWII - HMCS Orkney |
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Depth charge exploding astern of HMCS Orkney
Source:
Cheryl's blog - On
The Sea - Photos from WWII - HMCS Orkney |
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HMCS Orkney crew loading
hedgehogs. Three crew members were killed from a hedgehog explosion
in Strathadam
Source:
Cheryl's blog - On
The Sea - Photos from WWII - HMCS Orkney |
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Two crew members of HMCS Orkney
Source:
Cheryl's blog - On
The Sea - Photos from WWII - HMCS Orkney |
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Crew of HMCS Orkney shooting at mines.
Source:
Cheryl's blog - On
The Sea - Photos from WWII - HMCS Orkney |
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HMCS Orkney Christmas Card from Jim Friend -
Dec 1944
From the collection of James Thorpe
Friend
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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Native dugouts, Cortina, Nicaragua - taken
during HMCS Orkney's transit from Esquimalt to Halifax, May-Jun 1944
From the collection of James Thorpe
Friend
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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Sourvenir photo taken at Club Atlantico, Panama
- taken during HMCS Orkney's transit from Esquimalt to Halifax,
May-Jun 1944
From the collection of James Thorpe
Friend
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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Wireless Station, HMS Malibar, Bermuda - taken
during HMCS Orkney's transit from Esquimalt to Halifax, May-Jun 1944
From the collection of James Thorpe
Friend
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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HM Dockyard, Bermuda - taken during HMCS
Orkney's transit from Esquimalt to Halifax, May-Jun 1944
From the collection of James Thorpe
Friend
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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St Georges, Bermuda (looking aft from bridge of
HMCS Orkney) - taken during HMCS Orkney's transit from Esquimalt to
Halifax, May-Jun 1944
From the collection of James Thorpe
Friend
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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Bermuda, HMS Mary Rose J360 visible on right of
photo - taken during HMCS Orkney's transit from Esquimalt to
Halifax, May-Jun 1944
From the collection of James Thorpe
Friend
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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HMCS Arvida K113 at Halifax - taken from HMCS
Orkney K448
From the collection of James Thorpe
Friend
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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Forward gun and bridge of HMCS Orkney - photo
taken from fo'c's'le of HMCS Orkney
From the collection of James Thorpe
Friend
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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(Escort Group) E.G. 16 on patrol - taken from
HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of James Thorpe
Friend
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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HMCS Charlottetown K244, HMCS Toronto K538 and
HMCS Stettler K681 - taken from HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of James Thorpe
Friend
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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Souvenir photo taken at the Copacabana night
club, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
(L-R) Herrington, Scotty Moxam, Stew Davies,
Jim Friend, Christianson, Sam Kotych, Reg Arthur, Ernie Quimbee
From the collection of James Thorpe Friend
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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INS Mivtach K28 - formerly HMCS Orkney
K448
Source:
ShipSpotter.com.
Photographer Emmanuel L.
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Battleship HMS King George V, Scapa Flow
Photo taken from HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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British aircraft carrier at Scapa Flow, 1941
Photo taken from HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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British aircraft carrier at Scapa Flow, 1941
Photo taken from HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Unknown Canadian corvette departing Sydney, NS
Photo taken from HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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A Canadian corvette we met on our way to Sydney, NS
Photo taken from HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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A British freighter sinking south of Newfoundland
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Gibraltar
Photo taken from HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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HMCS La Hulloise arriving at Gibraltar
Photo taken from HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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HMS
Redmill, an American built destroyer that was transferred to the Royal Navy
on 30 Nov 1943. On 27 Apr 1945 she was torpedoed off West Coast of Northern
Ireland by an acoustic torpedo fired from U-1105. 28 killed. 60 feet of her
stern blown off. She was towed by to Lisahally, N.I. She was declared a
constructive total loss.
Photo taken from HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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British Submarine P53 which was exercising with us in
Loch Alsh
Photo taken from HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Officers on the bridge of HMCS Orkney K448 during
evolutions
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Somewhere in the North Atlantic
Photo taken from HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Quarterdeck of HMCS Orkney K448 awash in heavy seas
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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"Our Maple Leaf on the funnel"
The funnel Maple Leaf of HMCS Orkney when she was part
of the 25th Escort Group
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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HMCS
Orkney K448 with her broken nose in dry dock at Dunstaffnage, Scotland after
her collision with the British freighter SS Blairnevis on 13 Feb 1945 in the
Mersey River estuary.
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Results of the collision - taken from inside the
Sickbay
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Graves of Dennis McEwan, Jimmy Friend, Clifford Purdy
Belfast City Cemetery, Belfast, Northern Ireland
"Graves of three of our shipmates who were killed on
HMCS Strathadam, 11 Apr 1945, when a hedgehog exploded during the attack on
U-1302"
From the collection of Marcel Chasse (HMCS Orkney K448)
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
In 2015, James Friend's daughter, Barbara Hamlin,
visited her father's grave. This photo shows the Belfast City Cemetery 70
years later. Photo taken 13 Aug 2015
Courtesy of Barbara Hamlin |
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Chief E.A. Dudney (known as the most un-pusser chief in
the Navy) on HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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The Three Chiefs
L-R: Chief Cox'n William R. Harding, Chief Stoker
Timelin, C.E.R.A. Hollett on HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Lt Macaulay playing the bag pipes on V.E. day in
Londonderry
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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A WREN trying to play the bag pipes on V.E. day in
Londonderry
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Surrendered U-boats at Londonderry after V.E. day
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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AB Watson, E.A. L. Durning, Stoker Ward, and PO
"Al" Shedden in the ship's whaler at Shelburne, NS
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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"Sea Boat Away"
Sea boat from HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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"Our Stokers" on HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Behind the 12-pdr shelter on HMCS Orkney on our way to
Sydney, NS
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Looking aft on HMCS Orkney from the Search Light
platform on the Port side. The bow of HMCS French Z23 is visible in the
background at Sydney, NS
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Looking aft on HMCS Orkney K448 from the Crow's
nest. The bow of HMCS French Z23 is visible in the background at
Sydney, NS
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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L/Writere "Al" Marostica and AB Wilkes on the
bridge of HMCS Orkney K448 in Sydney, NS. HMCS Chaudiere H99 across
the jetty in the background.
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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HMCS Orkney K448 - De-ammunitioning ship in Sydney, NS
before refit - circa Jun-Jul 1945
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Ammunitioning pendant flies above our "Lucky
Dolphin"
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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De-ammunitioning on the quarterdeck HMCS Orkney in
Sydney.
"By the looks of things, something much be going
wrong"
Lt A. Trotman, PO Bill Webb, AB Leslie Cote, AB Plager
and Marcel Chasse
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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HMCS Orkney K448 - Storing ship
Stwd Guay, AB K. Sanborn, AB A. Mork, and AB R. Fraser
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Stewards on HMCS Orkney K448
Front: L/Stwd Scott, Stwd Pearson
Back: Stwds Gray, Taylor and Guay
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
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Lt Nelson Jules Castonguay, (The Jimmy), The Buffer, PO
Hynes and PO LSO Stevens
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
Webmaster's note: Lt Nelson Castonguay later became the
Orkney's Commanding Officer from 22 May - 02 Sep 1945
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My OPal Quartermaster AB Stewart Carnduff and AB Rivers
Swanee on HMCS Orkney K448
From the collection of Marcel Chasse
Courtesy of Robert Chasse
Webmaster's note: possibly taken after return to Canada
after the war as the Quartermaster is not armed.
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Taylor and Al Guay (right), HMCS Orkney, Sydney, NS 10 Jun 1945
From the collection of Alphonse Guay
Courtesy of Lou Guay
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AMH015
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AMH016
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(AMH015-AMH016)
HMCS ORKNEY K448, seen from HMCS LA HULLOISE K668 after she collided with the SS BLAIRNEVIS on 13 Feb 1945.
At the time of the collision, ORKNEY was part of EG.25 escorting ships into
Liverpool in foul weather with reduced visibility. ORKNEY proceeded to
Dunstaffnage, Scotland, for repairs.
From the collection of
Murray
Howard, CPO ERA, RCNVR
Courtesy of Andrew Isbill
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