HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

River Class Frigate

Built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, Que., she was commissioned on 13 Dec 1943, at Montreal. She arrived at Halifax on 20 Dec 1943 and in Jan 1944, was sent to Bermuda to work up. On her return in Feb 1944 she was based for a short time at Halifax, but in Apr 1944 she was assigned to EG 9 in Londonderry. She departed Halifax on 28/29 Apr 1944 and joined C 3 as escort for convoy HX 289 for her transit to Londonderry, joining EG 9 on her arrival on 12 May 1944. She was present on D-Day. On 01 Sep 1944, she and Swansea sank U 247 off Land's End, and on 16 Feb 1945, SAINT JOHN destroyed U 309 in Moray Firth. In Dec 1944, she escorted convoys JW.62 and RA.62 on the North Russia run, to and from Kola Inlet. She arrived at Cardiff for repairs on 27 Feb 1945, and, when these were completed in Apr 1945, proceeded home for tropicalization refit at SAINT JOHN, from May to Oct 1945. She was paid off 27 Nov 1945, at Halifax and placed in reserve in Bedford Basin until sold and broken up at Sydney, NS in 1947.

U-Boats Sunk:  (1) U-247 sunk on 01 Sep 1944 by HMCS SAINT JOHN K456 and HMCS Swansea K328 in position 49-54 N, 05-49 W

(2)  U-309 (Oblt Herbert Loeder) Type VIIC sunk on 16 Feb 1945 by HMCS SAINT JOHN K456 in position 58-09 N, 02-23 W (Moray Firth). Of her crew of 47 there were no survivors.

Photos and Documents          The Ship's Bell

HMCS SAINT JOHN - Our Ship, Their Crew, Her Legacy

Commanding Officers

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

LIABØ, Halvor V.

CERA, RCNR

MPK - 29 Mar 1945

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

Former Crew Members

Photos and Documents

(SJN001) HMCS SAINT JOHN K466, Molefrey Bay, Wales  //  From the collection of Arthur James Clarke  //  Source:  The New Brunswick Museum

(SJN002) Newspaper article on the sinking of U-247 by HMCS SAINT JOHN K456 and HMCS Swansea K328  //  From the collection of Albert Tomlinson, Telegraphist, RCN, HMCS SWANSEA K328  //  Courtesy of Lt S. Tomlinson, RCN

(SJN003) HMCS SAINT JOHN K456 with HMCS STORMONT K327 in background in "Creeping Attack" practice  //  Photo taken from HMCS Port COLBORNE K326  //  From the collection of Harold Colgan  //  Courtesy of Randall Colgan

(SJN004) HMCS SAINT JOHN K456 at Jetty 3 in Halifax - Apr 1944  //  From the collection of François Messier, AB, RCNVR  //  Courtesy of Denis Messier

(CF021) History of HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF022) HMCS CHAUDIERE H99 coming alongside in Londonderry. Photo taken from HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF023) "Woody".  Webmaster's note: it is not known which sailor in the photo is Woody

(CF024) HMCS VALLEYFIELD K329 - photo taken from HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF025) HMCS SAINT JOHN K456 at Halifax

(CF026) Two unknown sailors on the the fo'c's'le of HMCS SAINT JOHN K456 at Halifax

(CF027) Gun crew of HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF028) HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF029) William (Bill) Royds (Centre).  Bill was later awarded the DSM.

(CF030) USN landing craft 355 on D-Day

(CF031) Unknown destroyer in the English Channel

(CF032) Unknown ship with 2 unknown Allied submarines alongside it in Scotland 1944

(CF033) HMS TRACKER in the English Channel 1944

(CF034) Officers on the bridge of HMCS SAINT JOHN K456 in the English Channel

(CF035) Looking down at the gun deck and fo'c's'le from the crow's nest on HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF036) Looking after from the crow's nest on HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF037) Submarine Detectors on HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF038) Crew of HMCS SAINT JOHN enjoying a break, Portland, England

(CF039) Boat crew securing HMCS SAINT JOHN to trot buoy - Scapa Flow

(CF040) unknown ships at Scapa Flow

(CF041) HMCS SAINT JOHN K456 preparing to raise ship's boat while underway at Scapa Flow

(CF042 - CF043) CO of HMCS SAINT JOHN addressing crew on quarterdeck - Scapa Flow 1944

(CF044) HMCS Port COLBORNE - photo taken from HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF045)  D-Day 06 Jun 1944 - Frigates leaving Plymouth in line astern of HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF046) Diver coming out of the water alongside HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF047) HMCS SAINT JOHN K456 entering or leaving port - location unknown

(CF048) Cole - Gunner's Mate on HMCS SAINT JOHN K456.  Webmaster's note: it is not known which sailor in the photo is Cole.

(CF049) Light line transfer between unknown frigate and HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF050)  LS Wilde on HMCS SAINT JOHN K456

(CF051) Gun crew on HMCS SAINT JOHN K456 cleaning one of the gun barrels

(CF052) Ducette (possibly Charles Doucette)

(CF053) Londonderry, Northern Ireland

(CF054) HMCS SAINT JOHN K456, outboard ship of ships nested at Halifax

(CF055 - CF056) Murmansk, Russia 7-10 Dec 1944

(CF057 - CF058) Gibraltar.  Note HMCS SAINT JOHN escorted Convoy MKS.74G to Gibraltar, arriving in Gibraltar 10 Jan 1945 

(CF059 - CF060) London, England

(CF061 - CF063) HMCS SAINT JOHN K456 at Cardiff, Wales for repairs in dry dock Feb-Apr 1945