HMCS OSHAWA J330 / 174

Algerine Class Mine Sweeper

IN OMNIA PARATUS

READY FOR ALL THINGS

Post wartime badge

HMCS OSHAWA J330 circa 1943

From the World War II photo collection of Harold Douglas Fraser

Courtesy of Christopher Fraser

Battle honours and awards: Atlantic 1944-45

Laid down: 06 Oct 1942

Launched: 10 Jun 1943

Commissioned: 06 Jul 1944

Paid off: 28 Jul 1945

Re-commissioned: 24 Oct 1945

Paid off: 24 Feb 1946 at Esquimalt, BC

Re-designated: Algerine Coastal Escort

Re-commissioned: 11 Apr 1956

Paid off: 06 Nov 1958

Re-designated: 1958 as Oceanographic research vessel CNAV OSHAWA

Paid off: 1966

Fate: Broken up in 1966

Built by the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Port Arthur, ON, she was commissioned at Port Arthur on 06 Jul 1944. She arrived at Halifax on 18 Aug 1944 and after working-up in Bermuda in September, she was allocated to EG W-6 of Western Escort Force as Senior Officer's Ship. On 10 May 1945. as the senior warship of the convoy escort group, OSHAWA was dispatched to accept the surrender of U-889. Her escort group was disbanded in Jun 1945, and OSHAWA was paid off into maintenance reserve at Sydney on 28 Jul.

Ship's movements 06 Jul 1944 - 24 May 1945 from the diary of Edward Belsey, RCNVR:

- Commissioning Day, Port Arthur, Ontario 06 Jul 1944

- Departed Port Arthur, ON 11 Jul 1944 at 1100 // Arrived Windsor, ON 12 Jul 1944 at 1130

- Departed Windsor, ON 14 Jul 144 at 1230 // Arrived Toronto, ON 15 Jul 1944 at 1700

- Departed Toronto, ON 16 Jul 1944 at 0900 // Arrived Oshawa, ON 19 Jul 1944 at 1330

- Departed Oshawa, ON 20 Jul 1944 at 0800 // Arrived Kingston, ON 20 Jul 1944 at 1830

- Departed Kingston, ON 21 Jul 1944 at 0520 // Arrived Coteau, QC 21 Jul 1944 at 2030

- Departed Coteau, QC 22 Jul 1944 at 0620 // Arrived Montreal, QC 22 Jul 1944 at 1830

- Departed Montreal, QC 27 Jul 1944 at 0700 // Arrived Quebec, QC 27 Jul 1944 at 1730 (for fitting out)

- Departed Quebec, QC 15 Aug 1944 at 1730 // Arrived Halifax, NS 18 Aug 1944 at 1030

- Departed Halifax, NS 05 Sep 1944 at 0400 // Arrived St. Margaret's Bay, NS 05 Sep 1944 at 1030

- Departed St. Margaret's Bay, NS 06 Sep 1944 // Arrived Bermuda 09 Sep 1944 at 1300 (for Work-ups)

- Departed Bermuda 30 Sep 1944 at 1830 // Arrived Halifax, NS 05 Oct 1944 at 11:30

- Departed Halifax, NS 13 Oct 1944 at 2030 // Arrived New York, NY 18 Oct 1944 at 1100

- Departed New York, NY 25 Oct 1944 at 0030 // Arrived Halifax, NS 29 Oct 1944 at 0200

- Departed Halifax, NS 02 Nov 1944 at 0530 // Arrived Newfoundland 05 Nov 1944 at 1000

- Departed Newfoundland 08 Nov 1944 at 0800 // Arrived New York, NY 15 Nov 1944 at 1130

- Departed New York, NY 23 Nov 1944 at 0010 // Arrived Halifax, NS 27 Nov 1944 at 1130

- Departed Halifax, NS 02 Dec 1944 at 0830 // Arrived Newfoundland 06 Dec 1944 at 1030

- Departed Newfoundland 08 Dec 1944 at 1430 // Arrived New York, NY 15 Dec 1944 at 0215

- Departed New York, NY 24 Dec 1944 at 0105 // Arrived Halifax, NS 28 Dec 1944 at 0800

* Ted was on leave 30 Dec 1944 - 29 Jan 1945

- Departed Halifax 30 Jan 1945 at 1030 // Arrived Newfoundland 03 Feb 1945 at 0900

- Departed Newfoundland 06 Feb 1945 at 0900 // Arrived New York, NY 12 Feb 1945 at 1100

- Departed New York, NY 17 Feb 1945 at 2230 // Arrived Halifax 22 Feb 1945 at 1530

- Departed Halifax, NS 25 Feb 1945 // Arrived Halifax, NS 02 Mar 1945

- Departed Halifax, NS 07 Mar 1945 // Arrived Newfoundland 12 Mar 1945 at 1500

- Departed Newfoundland 13 Mar 1945 at 1900 // Arrived New York, NY 19 Mar at 1530

- Departed New York, NY 23 Mar 1945 at 0200 // Arrived Halifax, NS 28 Mar 1945 at 0500

- Departed Halifax, NS 08 Apr 1945 at 1000 // Arrived Newfoundland 09 Apr 1945 at 0930

- Departed Newfoundland 12 Apr 1945 at 0600 // Arrived New York, NY 20 Apr 1945 at 1130

- Departed New York, NY 23 Apr 1945 at 0300 // Arrived Halifax, NS 27 Apr 1945 at 0700

- Departed Halifax, NS 07 May 1945 at 1130

* Germany Surrendered 09 May 1945 at 0001 (08 May 1945 1901 our time)

* Sub surrendered to OSHAWA 10 May 1945 at 1630

* Sub left with ROCKCLIFFE and Corvette 10 May 1945 2000

- Arrived Newfoundland 11 May 1945 at 1130

- Departed Newfoundland 13 May 1945 at 0930 // Arrived Boston, MA 19 May 1945 at 1130

- Departed Boston, MA 22 May 1945 at 0930 // Arrived Halifax 24 May 1945 0930

* Ted was drafted off OSHAWA to SCOTIAN 26 May 1945

She was re-commissioned on 24 Oct 1945, and in Nov 1945 sailed for Esquimalt. She arrived there 21 Dec 1945 and on 24 Feb 1946, was paid off into reserve. During one more commission from 11 Apr 1956 to 07 Nov 1958 she was part of the Twelfth Canadian Escort Squadron before beginning her conversion to an oceanographic research vessel on 02 Nov 1956. She was extensively converted for oceanographic research and was manned by the RCN until 06 Nov 1958 when she was again paid off and re-designated as CNAV OSHAWA, manned by a civilian crew, a role in which she continued, until sold to Capital Iron and Metal, Victoria on 28 Aug 1966 and broken up in 1966-1967.

Photos and Documents Ship's company photos The Ship's Bell

Commanding Officers

A/LCdr James Charles Pratt, RCNVR - 06 Jul 1944 - 27 May 1945

A/LCdr Richard S. Williams, RCNVR - 28 May 1945 - 28 Jul 1945

Lt John Kincaid, RCNR - 24 Oct 1945 - 26 Feb 1946

LCdr Geoffrey H. Barrick, RCN - 11 Apr 1956 - 07 Nov 1958

In memory of those who have crossed the bar

They shall not be forgotten

Mathews/Matthews, James

Stanbrook, Wilfred T.

Stewardson, Donald R.

Waddington, Malcolm R.

Williams, Richard S.

Former Crew Members -

(889) = Mentioned in report on surrender of U-889

Baldwin, Frederick Alexander, A/Lt, RCNVR - 01 Jun 1945

Brennan, Michael Joseph, SLt, RCNVR - 06 Jul 1944

Craig, John Robert, SLt, RCNVR - 06 Jun 1944 / 06 Jul 1944

Gilmour, Douglas Wilson, Lt, RCNVR - 20 Mar 1944 / 06 Jul 1944

Grisdale, William Latimer, Lt (E), RCNVR - 19 Mar 1944 / 06 Jul 1944

Harmer, Harold (Hub), Torpedoman - Second World War

Johnson, Gerald

Jones, Ken, Tel - Second World War

Lehman, John, C.E.R.A., V19700, RCNVR - May 1945 (889)

Marquis, N., V9697, PO Tel, RCNVR - May 1945 (889)

Schuthe, George MacDonald, Lt, RCNVR - 31 May 1944 / 06 Jul 1944

Wood, Raymond Stratton, SLt, RCNVR - 27 Jan 1945

Photos and Documents

HMCS OSHAWA J330

DND / RCN Photo - Crown copyright

CA64

HMCS OSHAWA J330 photographed from HMCS FREDERICTON K245

From the collection of Charles Atkins, RCNVR

Courtesy of Lorne Atkins

LCdr (N) Pratt receives a plaque presented to HMCS OSHAWA from the city of Ottawa

From the collection of Robert Burns

Courtesy of Robert Burns (Jr)

Crew Members of HMCS OSHAWA J330

Harold Douglas Fraser, back row centre (with circle around face)

Photo from collection of Harold Fraser

Courtesy of Christopher Fraser

EB03

Petty Officer mess on HMCS OSHAWA J330. Ted Belsey second from left

From the collection of Edward (Ted) Belsey, PO, RCNVR

Courtesy of Debra Belsey

EB04

HMCS OSHAWA J330

From the collection of Edward (Ted) Belsey, PO, RCNVR

Courtesy of Debra Belsey

Robert Burns chipping ice on HMCS OSHAWA

From the collection of Robert Burns

Courtesy of Robert Burns (Jr)

Unknown submarine

Webmaster's note: This photo was identified as the surrender of U-889, but this sub is neither U-889 or U-190 as neither of the two U-boats that surrendered to the RCN had a forward deck gun. This sub appears to be an allied sub.

From the collection of Robert Burns

Courtesy of Robert Burns (Jr)

HMCS OSHAWA J330

From the collection of John C. Orr

Courtesy of John P. Orr

HMCS OSHAWA J330 departing Boston circa 1945

From the collection of John Edisforth Heward

Courtesy of Roger Heward

Lt. John E. Heward, HMCS Rockcliffe; Lt. Bob Hunter, HMCS Dunvegan; LCdr Richard (Dick) Williams, HMCS Saskatoon; LCDR Jim Pratt HMCS OSHAWA (OTC), on board U 889 in Halifax May 1945

From the collection of John Edisforth Heward

Courtesy of Roger Heward