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For Posterity's Sake 
A Royal
Canadian Navy Historical Project
HMCS
WASKESIU K330
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HMCS Waskesiu K330
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Battle honours and awards: Atlantic
1943-45, Arctic 1944,
Normandy 1944
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Laid down: 02 May 1942
Launched: 03
Apr 1942
Commissioned: 16
Jun 1943
Paid off: 29
Jan 1946
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Sold:
1947 to
India
Re-named:
Pilot Vessel Hooghley in 1950
Fate: Unknown
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The first frigate completed
on the west coast, Waskesiu was commissioned at Victoria on 16 Jun 1943, and left for Halifax on
08 Jul. She worked up in Bermuda the
following month, returning to Halifax on 11 Sep 1943, and late in Oct
1943 left for Londonderry to join EG 5, re-numbered EG 6 on
21 Nov 1943. Waskesiu severed chiefly in U.K. waters, but early in
1944 supported Gibraltar and Sierra Leone convoys. On 24 Feb 1944,
while escort to SC.153, she sank U 257, and in Apr 1944 made a trip to
North Russia to bring back convoy RA.59. On 28 Apr 1944, Waskesiu , Grou K518, Outremont K322 and Cape Breton K350
departed Kola Inlet with Convoy RA.59; arriving at Loch Ewe on 06
May 1944. She was present on D-Day.
On 14 Sep 1944 she left 'Derry with ONF.253 for Canada, and soon
after arriving began an extensive refit at Shelburne. On its
completion in Mar 1945, she proceeded to Bermuda to work up,
following which she sailed for Londonderry via Horta. She left
'Derry for Canada late in May 1945, proceeding to Esquimalt in Jun
1945 to
commence tropicalization refit, but work suspended in Aug 1945 and she
was paid off into reserve on 29 Jan 1946. She was sold to the
Indian government in 1947 for conversion to a pilot vessel, and
re-named Hooghly in 1950.
RCN Memories:
Life
on a WW 2 Frigate
Photos
and Documents The
Ship's Bell
An
Extract from MS of White Ensign, Black Pit - By Gary McGregor, LL.B.
George
Devonshire's Diary and Comments - 1942 to 1945
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Commanding Officers |
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LCdr John Hubert Smith MacDonald,
RCNR - 16 Jun 1943 - 04 Feb 1944
LCdr James Philip Fraser,
RCNR - 05 Feb 1944 - 13 Dec 1944 |
A/LCdr Lewis Denis Quick,
RCNR - 14 Dec 1944 - 22 Oct 1945 |
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In memory of those who have crossed the bar
They shall not be
forgotten |
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A-B |
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Adams,
Clifford Leslie
1923-2013 |
Boyle,
Thomas Brenden
1925-1986 |
Bullock,
Donald 1921-1983 |
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C-D |
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Devonshire,
George
Arthur
1923-2012
Served in Waskesiu 1943-1944.
Drafted off while in refit Sep 44 - Mar 45 |
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E-F |
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Esraelian,
Dick
____-2009 |
Fogg,
Walter A.
1921-2014 |
Fraser,
James P.
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G-H |
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Gibb,
William
1920-2004
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Green, C. Ross
____-2016
Served in Waskesiu Jan - Aug 1945
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I-J |
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Joyal,
Claude Edouard Roland
1920-2014
Commissioning Crew. Served in
Waskesiu until Jun 1945 |
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K-L |
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Kaija,
Andrew V.
1923-2002
Served in Waskesiu as a SD when HMS Tweed was sunk and later U-257
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Kirchin,
Clifford William
____-2007 |
Knox,
William Michael Victor
1923-2004
Oerlikon gunner during sinking of U-257 |
Lawrence,
James
____-1973 |
Lawrence,
Thomas Edward
1916-1944
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Leahy,
Gerry
Joseph
1913-2007
Served in Waskesiu during
sinking of U-257
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Lear,
Walter 1931-2010
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Lincoln,
John Hobart
1910-1993
Drafted to Waskesiu 16 Jun 1943
as Lt, RCNVR
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M-N |
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McGee,
Aubrey Francis
____-____
Served in Waskesiu in 1944 as a
A/PO |
McFarlane,
Ronald Hugh
____-2002 |
Miniely,
Lawrence E.
1923-2014 |
Nash,
Frank T.W.
1919-2010 |
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O-P |
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Oldland,
Gordon Robert
____-1999 |
Power,
Edmund Lawrence
1914-2009
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Q-R |
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Quick,
Lewis Dennis
1912-2001
3rd Commanding Officer |
Reid,
John McCammon
____-2013 |
Ritchie,
Walter Leggett
1920-2019
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Robinson,
Charles
Ernest
____-2011
Served in Waskesiu during her
transfer from Esquimalt to Halifax
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Rushton,
Harry
A.
____-2006
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S-T |
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Taylor,
George Wilfred
1920-2016 |
Thompson,
C.H.
1925-2009
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Tough,
William Francis
1924-2015
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Tustian,
Allan E. |
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U-V |
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Vachon,
Marcel
____-____ |
Venner,
Leslie Roy
____-2014
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W-X |
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Ward,
Tommy
____-2007 |
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Ship's Mascots |
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____-____ |
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U-Boats Sunk |
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U-257 (Kptlt
Heinz Rahe) sunk on 24 Feb 1944 by HMCS Waskesiu
K330 in position 47-19 N, 26-00 W. Of her crew of 51, there were 19
survivors. U-257 was a VIIC type U-boat built by Vegesacker Werft,
Vegesack, launched 19 Nov 41, commissioned 14 Jan 42, in service 25
months, with no record of sinking any ships, operated with the
Wolfpacks in 1942 with the "Luchs" group (1-7 Oct) &
attacked convoy HX 209, the "Falke" group (31 Dec-22 Jan
43). Some survivors were picked up by HMCS Nene.
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Former Crew Members
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Agnew,
Irving - 1943
Booth,
William, AB from Windsor, ON. - 1944
Burns,
William, Sto PO - 1944 
Dunnam,
Roderick, AB - 1944
Farmer,
James, Lt, (MID for actions during battle with U-257 - "For
good service in the destruction of an enemy submarine.")
Finch,
Jack, Sto - 1945 (of Winnipeg, MB)
Fortune,
M.G.T., PO - 1944 (MID for actions during battle with U-257 - "For
good service in the destruction of an enemy submarine.")
Extence,
Alan Barr, Lt (E), RCNVR - 17 May 1944
Glennon,
Bill - 1944 - 1946
Gordon,
Arnold - 1944
Hartley,
Bill - 1943
Hatch,
Carr, Lt, RCNVR - 10 May 1943 (Stand by) / 16 Jun 1943
Hodding,
Aubrey Vyvyan, A/Wt (E), RCNR - 16 Jun 1943
Holms,
John Edward Vandeleur, Lt, RCNVR - 16 Jun 1943
Irven,
Leonard Manley, Slt, RCNVR - 03 Mar 1945
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Klayh,
Arnold B.
Lanigan,
Clarence Hamilton, A/Lt, RCNVR - 01 Mar 1944
MacAulay,
Beverley Francis, Lt (El), RCNVR - 28 Jun 1943
MacDonald,
John Hubert Smith, LCdr, RCNR - 10 May 1943 (Stand by) / 16 Jun 1943
MacFarlane,
Robert Murray, A/Lt, RCNVR - 20 Feb 1945
Manson,
Lt - 1944
McLeod,
Lt - 1944
McPhee,
Lt - 1944
Meznies,
Bruce, ASDIC operator during sinking of U-257 - 1944
Montgomery,
Lt - 1944
Nares,
George Peter, Slt, RCNVR - 10 May 1943 (Stand by) / 16 Jun 1943
(Commissioning crew).
O'Brien,
J.G. - 1944 (MID for actions during battle with U-257 - "For
good service in the destruction of an enemy submarine.")
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Paterson,
Lt - 1944
Ravis,
Don
Rennie,
Fred, Lt - 1944
Rickard,
John H., LS - 1944 (DSM for actions during battle with U-257)
Russell,
John Leslie, Surg/Lt, RCNVR -30 Jun 1943
Saint
Louis, Joseph Albert, A/Lt, RCNVR - 01 Feb 1945
Stanley,
James D. (Jim), AB, ASDIC Operator
Stevenson
(??Stephanson),
Thomas, AB, Gunner during sinking of U-257 - 1944 (DSM for actions
during battle with U-257)
Stoner,
B.M., AB (DSM for actions during battle with U-257)
Taylor,
Gord - 1944
Wall,
Art, Gunner during sinking of U-257 - 1944
White,
Arthur, AB, from South Lancaster, ON - 1944
Williams,
William Edward, Lt, RCNR - 16 Jun 1943
Worsencroft,
Ken, Sig - 1944
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Photos
and Documents
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HMCS Waskesiu K330
DND / RCN photo Negative # F835-R |
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HMCS Waskesiu K330
Source: flickr photo collection of Ron
Bell |
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HMCS Waskesiu K330
Source: flickr photo collection of Ron
Bell |
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HMCS Waskesiu K330
Source: flickr photo collection of Ron
Bell |
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HMCS Waskesiu K330
Source: flickr photo collection of Ron
Bell |
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Newspaper article from a Hamilton
newspaper of HMCS Waskesiu sinking German sub
Courtesy of Doug Benson
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Newspaper article on HMCS Waskesiu K330
LIEUT.
JAMES FARMER, RCNVR, of Windsor, (left) well known rugby star, is one of the
officers aboard Waskesiu. The Number One Oerlikon gun crew is pictured at
the right. A.B. THOMAS STEPHENSON, Mount Dennis, is at the gun while his
loader, standing behind, is A.B. WILLIAM BOOTH, of Windsor.
Note:
Written on article "Seaman Herbert Parker is a member of crew"
Source:
City of Kawartha Lakes Digital Archives
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Oerlikon gun crew AB William Knox (left) and AB Arthur
White
Courtesy of Gavan Knox
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19 Germans Rescued after Sub Polished Off
Globe & Mail, 05 Apr 1944
Ottawa,
April 4 (CP) - Nineteen days after leaving a fitting-out berth as
the first Canadian frigate, HMCS Waskesiu -- pronounced Was-ka-sue
-- recently destroyed a German U-boat involved in the north Atlantic
and brought back nineteen survivors as evidence. If there were any
"stars" in the grim game which the Waskesiu played and won
they were the members of her No. 1 and No. 2 gun crews. Gunner on
the No. 1 gun was AB Thomas Stevenson, Mount Dennis, Ont. His loader
was AB William Booth, Windsor, Ont. On No. 2 gun were AB William
Knox, Calgary and AB Arthur White, South Lancaster, Ont.
(Transcription of article from the Globe & Mail)
Courtesy of Gavan Knox |
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Newspaper article on Herbert Parker, HMCS Waskesiu K330
Source: City
of Kawartha Lakes Digital Archives
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HMCS Waskesiu K330
Courtesy of the CFB
Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum
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Newest
mascot on board frigate HMCS Waskesiu - this is pert parakeet, a small
tropical parrot - but the bird will get some "leave" first before
fighting the Japs. So will its "boss," Stoker Jack Finch of
Winnipeg, shown here as he prepared to leave ship after her recent arrival
at a B.C. port for pre Pacific refit. Finch picked up the parakeet in Panama
while the ship was making a 7,000 mile trip through the Canal from Halifax
to the west coast. The sailor took the bird home with him but said he
intends to bring it back. Finch is a pacific volunteer.
The
Crow's Nest newspaper - Aug 1945
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