In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar 

 

Douglas John Ford

 

Lieutenant-Commander, O-24400, RCN(R)

 

Born: 09 Aug 1917

 

Died: 18 May 1987, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

 

Ships served in:

CALGARY DIVISION RCNVR - A/SLt, Seniority 07 Sep 1939 (Navy List Mar 1940)

HMCS GIVENCHY

HMCS NORSAL

HMCS ALBERNI - Appointed to Alberni as a SLt, RCNVR (Navy List Mar 1941) note: no date of appointment listed

HMCS ST FRANCIS - Appointed to St. Francis 28 Jul 1941 as SLt, RCNVR (Navy List Aug 1941).  Appointed to Lt, RCNVR seniority 21 Sep 1941 (Navy List Oct 1941)

HMS VIXEN - Appointed to Vixen as a Lt, RCNVR (Navy List Feb 1944) note: no date of appointment listed

HMCS SIOUX - Appointed to Sioux 21 Feb 1944 as a Lt, RCNVR.  Commissioning crew  (Navy List Mar 1944)

HMCS WARRIOR - Served in Warrior during her transit from Halifax to Esquimalt via the Panama Canal.

HMCS NONSUCH - Appointed to Nonsuch 04 Feb 1947 as Lt, RCN(R) (Navy List Jan 1948)

RSCSS WARRIOR - Commanding Officer as LCdr

 

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(1) Douglas Ford on HMCS Sioux  (2) Letter from Dwight Eisenhower to the Allied Expeditionary Force  (3) Letter of Commendation for Lt Douglas Ford for jumping overboard at Gutter Sound attempting to save a sailor on 30 Dec 1944 while serving in HMCS Sioux. The sailor Lt Ford was trying to save was LS James Joseph William, who died that day, 30 Dec 1944, HMCS Sioux, Scapa Flow  (4) Statement of War Service Gratuity - Douglas Ford  (5) Base Divisions - date and place unknown (likely Esquimalt)  (6) Soldiers in unknown country  (7-8) SLt Douglas Ford ashore in an unknown country

 

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(9-12) The RCN on parade in Belfast, Ireland - 29 Nov 1940  (13) SS Lady Alexandra  (14-15) HMS Swift sinking after having struck a mine off Normandy - 24 Jun 1944. Photographer: S. Short, Fleet photographer  (16) Unknown officer. Written on back of photo GM.1670

 

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(17-19) D-Day / Normandy photos - photographer unknown

 


 

HMCS NORSAL

 

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(DF20-DF21) HMCS NORSAL

(DF22) Laundry day on HMCS NORSAL

(DF23) unidentified sailor on HMCS NORSAL

(DF24) Officer (SLt) on HMCS NORSAL. Written on back of photo - Stenning. Note that the ship's bell has been removed from the mast

 

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(DF25) Unknown vessel in BC coastal water. Photo taken from HMCS NORSAL

(DF26) Unknown vessel - in the right foreground is HMCS NORSAL.  Written on back of photo - Stenning

 

(DF27) Fishing vessels or possibly the Fisherman's Reserve. Photo taken from HMCS NORSAL

 


 

HMCS ALBERNI K103

 

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(DF27) Officers of HMCS ALBERNI at San Pedro, California, with actress Mary Pickford and other Hollywood stars - On 17 Mar 1941, HMCS ALBERNI, HMCS AGASSIZ and HMCS WETASKIWIN departed Esquimalt for Halifax. Enroute they stopped at San Pedro where actress Mary Pickford and her husband Douglas Fairbanks organized a party for the crews of the Canadian ships. Lt D. Ford is in the front row, 3rd from right

(DF28) Autographed photo of Actress Mary Pickford. given to Douglas Ford during HMCS ALBERNI'S visit to San Pedro, California

(DF29) Two crew operating the paravane which on HMCS ALBERNI

(DF30) Petty Officer West holding HMCS ALBERNI'S mascot

 


 

HMCS OTTAWA H60

 

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(DF031) Looking down from the crow's nest on HMCS Ottawa H60 - Nov 1939

(DF032) Breaking ice off the fo'c's'le - HMCS Ottawa H60

 


 

HMCS WARRIOR

 

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(DF033) Napkin ring from the Wardroom of HMCS WARRIOR

 


 

HMCS SIOUX

 

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(DJF034) HMCS SIOUX R64

(DFJ035) Wartime badge of HMCS SIOUX R64

(DJF036) Lt Doug Ford and shipmate  - date and place unknown

(DJF037) Lt Doug Ford, HMCS SIOUX R64 - The equipment in the photo is an older version of the GDO Vis (Gunnery Direction Officer - Visual). Determined bearing using the pelorus, and you can see a graduated arc at the base of the arm steadying the binoculars to determine elevation.

(DJF038) Lt Doug Ford by one of the guns on HMCS SIOUX R64

 

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(DJF039) His Majesty the King inspects the crew of HMCS SIOUX  //  CPO Andrews, front rank, 1st on right

(DJF040) His Majesty the King inspects the crew of HMCS SIOUX

(DJF041) His Majesty the King inspects the crew of HMCS SIOUX

(DJF042) The King Inspects Canadians during his Visit to the Home Fleet  //  Reprint from Canada's Weekly, 26 May 1944  //  (Compliments of Canadian Legion War Services)  //  Note: the destroyer being inspected in the top photos is HMCS SIOUX R64

(DJF043) His Majesty The King inspects the officers of HMCS SIOUX  //  Note: The King is shaking hands with Lt Ford, however, the Admiral of the Fleet is between the photographer and The King and all that can be seen of The King is right hand and foot.

 

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(DJF044) The Admiral of the Fleet inspects the men of HMCS SIOUX

(DJF045) Unknown casualty wrapped in White Ensign on HMCS SIOUX. It is not known if this is a casualty from D-Day who was brought on board, or from some other time frame.  //  Photographer: S. Short, Fleet photographer

(DJF046) HMCS SIOUX fires a torpedo  //  Photographer: S. Short, Fleet photographer

(DJF047) Preparing of D-Day on HMCS SIOUX  //  Photographer: S. Short, Fleet photographer

(DJF048) Gunnery Officer, HMCS SIOUX - Jun 1944

 

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(DJF049 - DJF051) Photos taken during the invasion of Normandy from HMCS SIOUX (not necessarily on D-Day)

 

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(DJF052 - DJF055) Photos taken during the invasion of Normandy from HMCS SIOUX (not necessarily on D-Day)

(DJF054) appears to be a Crown Colony class cruiser

(DJF055) The sinking of HMS SWIFT 24 Jun 1944

 

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(DJF056) Bridge and fo'c's'le of HMCS SIOUX

(DJF057) Two officers on HMCS SIOUX

(DJF058) Unknown officer on HMCS SIOUX

(DJF059) Two ships around unknown sub. Appears to be a boat and men in the water just past the submarine.  //  Photo believed to be taken from HMCS SIOUX. Written on back of photo - R-1057  //  Photographer: S. Short, Fleet photographer

 

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(DJF062) Officers in the wardroom of HMCS SIOUX

(DJF063) Officers in the wardroom of HMCS SIOUX

(DJF064) Officers on the fo'c's'le of HMCS SIOUX  //  (L-R) Francis John Rounthwaite (Joe), Midshipman (Snotty), No1 (XO), Fleet Photographer, Captain, "Sad" Miller (Doc)

 


 

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