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HMCS ASSINIBOINE seen in St. John's Harbour during
the Second World War. To the left can be seen a merchantman, presumably a
member of a convoy escorted by ASSINIBOINE. Jim Allison photo, courtesy of
Bill Croshaw. |
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On August 6, 1942, HMCS ASSINIBOINE was a member of
the C1 convoy escort group which was escorting convoy SC-94 from Sydney, Cape
Breton Island, Nova Scotia, to the UK. Of the 33 ships that set out with
this convoy, 11 were eventually sunk. One of the U-boats that attacked the
convoy was U 210, shown here during a battle with ASSINIBOINE that lasted
several hours. After the gun battle, during which members of both crews were
wounded and killed, ASSINIBOINE eventually rammed U 210 and sank her. Jim
Allison photo, courtesy of Bill Croshaw. |
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ASSINIBOINE suffered considerable damage to her bow
after ramming U 210, and was forced to withdraw to St. John's for repairs.
Eventually, she had to continue to Halifax for the repairs to be completed.
Two shell holes, resulting from the gun battle, can be seen just below the
forst porthole. Jim Allison photo, courtesy of Bill Croshaw. |
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HMS GEORGETOWN was one of 50 WWI-era destroyers lent
to the Royal and Royal Canadian Navies by the US during WWII. The RCN received
7 of these ships; all were intially used for convoy escort duty, but many
were later withdrawn from this service due to mechanical deficiences, and
were used for training purposes. They were not very good in heavy seas, and
had poor turning circles. This photo taken in St. John's also shows the corvette
HMCS TRAIL at right. Jim Allison photo, courtesy of Bill Croshaw. |
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Three corvettes alongside at Londonderry, with HMCS
GALT on the outside. When this photo was taken, all three were members of
the C1 convoy escort group. Jim Allison photo, courtesy of Bill Croshaw. |
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A corvette on the slip during a refit, possibly HMCS
CHILLIWACK. Jim Allison photo, courtesy of Bill Croshaw. |
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Fairmile launches, known as "Q boats", were used for
patrols on the coast and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Q 063 is shown here
entering St. John's Harbour, as taken from ASSINIBOINE. Jim Allison photo,
courtesy of Bill Croshaw. |
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Another picture of a Fairmile, this time Q 115. Courtesy
of Bill Dougherty. |
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HMCS KAPUSKASING, of the ALGERINE class, is shown
here refueling by the Astern method. This method was slow, but greatly helped
to increase the range of the convoy escorts. Photo Courtesy of Corvus Publishing
Group / Canada's Navy. |
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This shot was taken from the crow's nest of a TOWN
class destroyer, probably HAMILTON. Photo courtesy of Scott McMurdo. |
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This picture was taken from HMCS CHILLIWACK during
a battle with U 744, during which the latter was sunk. The sub is seen in
the middle, with three other surface ships to the sides. The ship on the right
is probably the destroyer HMCS CHAUDIERE, with the other two likely being
the frigate HMCS ST. CATHARINES at left and corvette HMCS FENNEL. Other ships
involved in the battle were HMCS GATINEAU, and HM Ships ICARUS and KENILWORTH
CASTLE. Photo courtesy of Scott McMurdo. |
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The revised FLOWER class corvette HMCS ATHOL
entering the harbour of St. John's, Newfoundland, in June of 1945. Victor
Borushynski photo, courtesy of Don Bjordahl.
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HMCS HALLOWELL, a RIVER class frigate, on
the Atlantic. Victor Borushynski photo, courtesy of Don Bjordahl.
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HMCS KENOGAMI, shown here, was one of the
original batch of corvettes to enter service with the RCN during the war.
In this photo she has received her extended fo'c's'le refit. Victor Borushynski
photo, courtesy of Don Bjordahl.
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HMCS LAUZON, another RIVER class frigate,
entering St. John's Harbour in June, 1945. Victor Borushynski photo, courtesy
of Don Bjordahl.
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HMCS SASKATCHEWAN (H70), a RIVER class destroyer,
leaving St. John's Harbour. Victor Borushynski photo, courtesy of Don Bjordahl.
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The revised FLOWER class corvette HMCS PETERBOROUGH.
Victor Borushynski photo, courtesy of Don Bjordahl.
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The CASTLE class corvette HMCS PETROLIA
entering St. John's Harbour, in June of 1945. Victor Borushynski photo, courtesy
of Don Bjordahl.
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