
HMCS RACCOON
S14
Armed
Yacht

HMCS RACCOON S14
Source: Canadian War Museum George Metcalf
Archival Collection
CWM
20070195-008b_front
Courtesy of the Canadian War Museum
Built: 1931
Acquired
by RCN: Mar 1940
|
Commissioned: 31
Dec 1940
Fate:
Sunk on 07 Sep 1942 |
Originally the yacht Halonia,
built in 1931 for Charles A. Thorne of Chicago, she was acquired by
the RCN in Mar 1940 , converted to an armed yacht and commissioned
as HMCS RACCOON. She was assigned to HMCS FORT RAMSAY near Gaspé,
Quebec on 25 May 1942 to patrol and escort convoys in the river and
Gulf of St. Lawrence. During the night of 06-07 Sep 1942, U-165 attacked Convoy QS-33, escorted
by the armed yacht HMCS RACCOON. Some time later, the ship
set out in search of the submarine, but disappeared after a loud
explosion. The other members of the convoy assumed that the
submarine had sunk the yacht. However, the explosion of the RACCOON may have been caused by its own depth charges. The yacht was not
very fast, and would not have had the time it needed to clear away
from the explosion site. There were no survivors.
Photos and Documents
Commanding Officers
LCdr John Lewis
Diver, RCNR - 17 May 1940 - 17 Oct 1940
Lt F.
Roberts, RCNR - 18 Oct 1940 - 16 Apr 1941
Lt Norman Garfield Bennett, RCNR - 17 Apr
1941 - 22 Jul 1941 |
Lt Douglas Wharrie Main, RCNR - 23 Jul 1941 - 16 Nov 1941
Lt A.H. Cassivi, RCNR - 17 Nov 1941 - 04 Dec
1941
LCdr John
Norman Smith, RCNR - 05 Dec 1941 - 07 Sep 1942 |
In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice
Lest We Forget

ADAMS, George
M.
M.M., RCNR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942
|

ALLEN,
John Henry
M.M., A2002, RCNR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942
|

ANDERSON,
James Crowe
Stwd, V23097, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

ASHMALL,
Royden George
Tel, V24241, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942
|

BELANGER,
Roger
AB, V3484, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

BOUDREAU,
John Jeremiah
LS, A1180, RCNR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

CHAMPION,
Charles Ray
AB, A697, RCNR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

CHERPETA,
John Edward
AB, V10368, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

COOK,
John Frederick
Lt, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942
Drafted to RACCOON 23 Jul 1941
as Lt, RCNR |

DILLABOUGH,
Guy
L/Sto, V27588, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

DUNCAN,
William
OS, V27362, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

FOWLER,
George
Chief M.M., V7795, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

FRALIC,
Owen W.
M.M., RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

GALLANT,
Frank James
Tel, V1427, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

HAMILTON,
William Couttie
OS, V22707, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

HARVIE,
William Aubrey
Cook, V25443, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

HENDERSON,
Robert Harry
Sig, V9707, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

HOLMES,
Arthur G.
AB, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

HOWE,
Ernest Frank
Sto, V18476, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 19422 |

HUGHES,
John Joseph
LS, A2128, RCNR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

LAFLAMME,
Joseph Wilbrod Guy
Ord. Sig, V3370, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

LUCAS,
Henry Baker
AB, V22131, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

MARTINDALE,
Ralph Omar
OS, V17891, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

MCCONNELL,
Russell H.
SLt, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942
|

MCDONALD,
John Hugh
AB, V26258, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

MONKLEY,
Harry Frederick
AB, V15121, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

MULLER,
Howard Joseph
L/Sto, V18431, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

PARSONS,
John George
OS, V18605, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

PAYNE,
Albert James
AB, V13454, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942
|

PROWSE,
Louis Henry
Sto, V1624, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

SHEFLIN,
John Edward
Supply Ass't, V27746, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |
SMITH,
John Norman
LCdr, RCNR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

STEWART,
Beverley George
AB, V16193, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

SWEENEY,
Michael
Tel, V23565, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

TAYLOR,
Glenwood L.
OS, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

THOMAS,
James Edward
Slt, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |

THOMAS, Percy Jack
Ord. Sig, V27122, RCNVR
MPK - 07 Sep 1942 |
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|
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In memory of those who have crossed the bar
They shall not be
forgotten
Former Crew Members
Chandler,
William Ralph, A/Skpr, RCNR - 17 May 1940
|
Fowlow,
Arthur, Ch/Skpr, RCNR - Jan 1941
Langille,
James Hope, Mate, RCNR - 17 May 1940 |
MacMillan, Walter Angus, A/Mate, RCNR -
Jan 1941 |
Photos and Documents

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HMCS RACCOON S14
Original source unknown
Courtesy of Erling Baldorf
|

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HMCS RACCOON S14
DND/RCN photo Neg # 2784
Courtesy of Erling Baldorf
|

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Newspaper article on the loss of HMCS RACCOON
Courtesy of Murt Howell
|

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Her Guns Were
Blazing As RACCOON Went Down Newspaper Article
from the Toronto Daily Star, 05 Oct 1942 Courtesy of
Murt Howell |

|
Newspaper article on the finding of the body of
Slt. Russell McConnell
Toronto Daily Star, 10 Oct 1942
Courtesy of Murt Howell |

|
These Toronto Sailors Are Reported Missing After Sub
Attack On RACCOON
Toronto Daily Star, 15 Sep 1942
Courtesy of Murt Howell
|

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Casualty List Released As Patrol Boat Is Sunk
Toronto Daily Star, 15 Sep
1942
Courtesy of Murt Howell
|

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Newspaper
article on the convoy battle in which HMCS RACCOON was lost
Toronto Daily Star, Sept. 15, 1942
Courtesy of Murt Howell
|

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RACCOON 8th Navy Loss For Dominion This War
Toronto Daily Star, 15 Sep 1942
Courtesy of Murt Howell
|

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Newspaper article on LCdr John N. Smith, Commanding
Officer of HMCS RACCOON when she was sunk
Toronto Daily Star, 16 Sep 1942
Courtesy of Murt Howell
|

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Newspaper
clipping of Michael Sweeney (on left in photo) who was lost on HMCS RACCOON and his brother Daniel who became a POW after the sinking of HMCS
Athabaskan G07
|

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Article on the loss of HMCS RACCOON and Casualty List
From the collection of François Messier, AB, RCNVR
Courtesy of Denis Messier
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