HMCS ST THOMAS K488

 

Castle Class Corvette

 

 

HMCS ST THOMAS K488

 

Laid down: 22 Jun 1943

Launched: 28 Dec 1943

Completed: 04 May 1944

Transferred to RCN:  04 May 1944

Commissioned: 04 May 1944

Paid off: 22 Nov 1945

Fate: Broken up in 1974

 

Built at Smith's Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees, UK, she was aid down and launched as HMS Sandgate Castle. On 04 May 1944 she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned at Middlesbrough as HMCS ST THOMAS K488. In Jun 1944 ST THOMAS carried out workups at Tobermory, leaving later that month for Londonderry where, in Jul 1944, she became part of EG C-3. She sailed on 03 Aug 1944 to join ON.247, her first convoy, and was employed as an ocean escort for the rest of the war. On 27 Dec 1944, while escorting HX.327, she sank U 877 in the North Atlantic; rescuing 35 of the U-boats crew - HMCS Sea Cliff rescued 21 of the U-boats crew. She left Londonderry for the last time on 11 Apr 1945, commencing refit on arrival at Halifax 30 Apr 1945. Following completion of the refit in Jul 1945 she sailed for the west coast and was paid off at Esquimalt on 22 Nov 1945. In 1946 she was sold to the Union Steamship Co., Vancouver, converted to a coastal passenger vessel, and renamed Camosun. She was renamed Chilcotin in 1958 and, later that year, Yukon Star. After several years idleness, she was broken up at Tacoma in 1974.

 

U-Boats Sunk:  U-877 sunk on 27 Dec 1944 by HMCS ST THOMAS K488 in position 46-25 N, 36-38 W

 

 

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

 

 

Commanding Officers

 

LCdr Leslie Perman Denny, RCNR - 04 May 1944 - 26 Jan 1945

 

A/LCdr Berkeley Hynes, RCNVR - 27 Jan 1945 - 26 Jun 1945

 

Lt John Rawson Kennedy Stewart, RCNVR - 21 Jun 1945 - 22 Nov 1945

 

 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 

 

Former Crew Members

 

Attwell, William George, War (E), RCN - Jan 1944 / Wt (E) 04 May 1944

 

Duval, Frederick Wardell, SLt, RCNVR - 07 May 1945

 

Eby, Robert Vernon, SLt, RCNVR - 07 Apr 1945

 

Gregory, George Frederick, Lt, RCNVR - 17 Mar 1944 / 04 May 1944

 

Logie, Donald, Lt, RCNVR - 22 Mar 1944 / 04 May 1944

 

McMichael, Arthur Albert, Lt, RCNVR - Jan 1945

 

Morrison, John Ross, A/Lt, RCNVR - 22 Mar 1944 / 04 May 1944

Oldfield, Stanley H., P/SLt, RCNVR - 01 May 1945

 

Ritchie, Donald Heatherington, Lt, RCNVR - 19 Mar 1945

 

Stewart, James Frederick, Lt, RCNVR - 29 Jan 1945

 

Tait, John Watterson, Lt, RCNVR - 11 Mar 1944 / 04 May 1944

 

Welch, Thomas Alen, Lt, RCNVR - 16 Apr 1944

 

Wilson, George Charles, A/Lt, RCNVR - 22 Mar 1944 / 04 May 1944

 

 

 

Photos and Documents

 

Newspaper article on the sinking of U-877 by HMCS ST THOMAS

 

Crow's Nest newspaper - Apr 1945

 

Officers, Chiefs and Petty Officers during Christmas celebrations on HMCS ST THOMAS K488 - Dec 1944

 

Source: The Memory Project - Gerald Wilkes

 

Click here to view the photo with individuals numbered for identification

 

Ratings having Christmas dinner in their mess on HMCS ST THOMAS K448 - Dec 1944

 

Source: The Memory Project / Gerald Wilkes

HMCS ST THOMAS K448

 

RCN Photo # MN-1997

 

 

WM43

WM44

WM45

WM46

WM47

(WM43) HMCS ST THOMAS alongside in (believed to be) St. John's, NFLD  (WM44) Unidentified sailor coming down from the bridge of HMCS ST THOMAS  (WM45-WM46) HMCS ST THOMAS - looking aft, then forward from the crow's nest  (WM47) HMCS ST THOMAS - looking a little weather beaten

 

WM48

WM49

WM50

WM51

(WM48-WM59) HMCS ST THOMAS taking a wave over the bow  (WM50) Stwd Bernier on the AA gun on HMCS ST THOMAS  (WM51) HMCS ST THOMAS transiting an ice field

 

WM52

WM53

WM54

(WM52-WM54) Survivors from U-877 being rescued - and onboard HMCS ST THOMAS - 27 Dec 1944

 

From the collection of Lt William J. Miller, RCNVR

 

Courtesy of Heather Edwards

 

 

RP01

RP02

(RP01) Ratings having Christmas dinner aboard HMCS ST THOMAS - 1944.  Roy Potter 1st on right  (RP02) HMCS ST THOMAS Christmas card that Roy had sent to his family

 

From the collection of Roy Potter, Sig, RCNVR

 

 

Convoys escorted during the Second World War

 

Convoy Desig.

Convoy Departs from

Arrives at

Join as escort

Depart Convoy 

ON.247

Liverpool

(02 Aug 1944)

New York City

(15 Aug 1944)

03 Aug 1944

10 Aug 1944

HX.304

New York City

(17 Aug 1944)

Liverpool

(01 Sep 1944)

23 Aug 1944

01 Sep 1944

ON.253

Liverpool

(13 Sep 1944)

New York City

(28 Sep 1944)

14 Sep 1944

25 Sep 1944

HX.311

New York City

(28 Sep 1944)

Liverpool

(14 Oct 1944)

03 Oct 1944

12 Oct 1944

ON.262

Southend

(24 Oct 1944)

New York City

(10 Nov 1944)

26 Oct 1944

05 Nov 1944

HX.319

New York City

(09 Nov 1944)

Liverpool

(25 Sep1944)

14 Nov 1944

25 Nov 1944

ON.270

Southend

(03 Dec 1944)

New York City

(22 Dec 1944)

05 Dec 1944

15 Dec 1944

HX.327

New York City

(19 Dec 1944)

Liverpool

(02 Jan 1945)

24 Dec 1944

02 Jan 1945

ON.278

Southend

(12 Jan 1945)

New York City

(31 Jan 1945)

13 Jan 1945

24 Jan 1945

SC.166

Halifax

(31 Jan 1945)

Liverpool

(13 Feb 1945)

04 Feb 1945

12 Feb 1945

ONS.43

Liverpool

(27 Feb 1945)

Halifax

(16 Mar 1945)

27 Feb 1945

13 Mar 1945

SC.170

Halifax

(17 Mar 1945)

Liverpool

(31 Mar 1945)

20 Mar 1945

30 Mar 1945

ON.296

Liverpool

(12 Apr 1945)

New York City

(30 Apr 1945)

12 Apr 1945

27 Apr 1945

ON.297

Liverpool

(17 Apr1945)

New York City

(02 May 1945)

29 Apr 1945

30 Apr 1945

MKS.100G

Gibraltar

(10 May 1945)

Liverpool

(17 May 1945)

15 May 1945

17 May 1945

 

 

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