In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar

 

George Martin (Wiggy) Bennett

 

Chief Petty Officer 1st Class

 

Engineering Mechanic, R12218, RCN(R)

 

Born: 28 Dec1914, Toronto, Ontario

 

Died: 17 Sep 1988

 

BENNETT, George Martin (Wiggy) - Suddenly at home on September 17, 1988. George beloved father of Sandra, Gail and Don. Loving grandfather of Kristen, Kurt, Darren, Jennifer and Michael. The family will received friends at the Turner & Porter Butler Chapel, 4933 Dundas St. W. for a service at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Cremation to follow. In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations to the Bob Rumble Centre for the Deaf.

 

George Bennett served in the RCNVR from 25 Oct 1933, commencing active service on 01 Sep 1939, until he was demobilized 09 Sep 1947 at the rank of Chief Stoker. On 26 Feb 1952 he joined the RCN(R) and served until 25 Feb 1957 attaining the rank of C1EM3

 

Ships served in:

TORONTO DIVISION RCNVR

HMCS SAGUENAY - Served in SAGUENAY 13 May 1935 - 21 Oct 1935 as Sto 2c, RCNVR

HMS DRAGON - Served in DRAGON 23 Jun 1936 - 30 Apr 1937

HMCS ST LAURENT - Served in ST LAURENT 01 May 1937 - 08 Jul 1938 as Sto 1c, RCNVR

HMCS SAGUENAY - Served in SAGUENAY 09 Jul 1938 - 01 Oct 1938 as Sto 1c, RCNVR

HMCS GASPÉ - Served in GASPE 15 Jul 1939 - 31 Aug 1939 as A/L/Sto, RCNVR

HMCS ULNA - Served in ULNA 16 Sep 1939 - 30 Dec 1939 and 09 Jan 1940 - 17 May 1940 as L/Sto

HMCS BRUNSWICKER

HMCS ANNAPOLIS - Served in ANNAPOLIS 24 Sep 1940 - 24 Jun 1942 as a L/Sto, A/Sto PO. and Sto PO, RCNVR

HMCS MAHONE - Served in MAHONE 10 Jul 42 - 02 Aug 1942 as a Sto PO, RCNVR

HMCS HURON - Served in HURON ( while under construction ) 07 Sep 1942 - 31 Dec 1942 as a Sto PO, RCNVR

HMCS ATHABASKAN - Served in ATHABASKAN 01 Jan 1943 - 31 Mar 1943 as a  Sto PO, RCNVR

HMCS IROQUOIS - Drafted to IROQUOIS 01 Apr 1943 as a Ch Sto, RCNVR

HMS GLASGOW - dates not listed on certificate of service

HMCS NIOBE - Drafted to NIOBE 31 Jul 1944 as a Ch. Sto

HMCS PEREGRINE - dates not listed on certificate of service

HMCS YORK - Drafted to YORK 14 Dec 1944 as a Ch Sto

HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 25 Aug 1947. Demobilized 09 Sep 1947

HMCS YORK - 26 Feb 1952 - Re-enlisted in RCN(R) (note: CPO Bennett served in HMCS YORK from his time in the RCN(R) with the exception of the 3 periods listed below)

PTC 716 - Served in 716 08 Oct 1953 - 12 Oct 1953

HMCS PORTAGE - Served in PORTAGE 20 May 1955 - 29 May 1955 as a C1EM3, RCN(R)

HMCS STAR - Served in STAR 30-31 May 1955

HMCS YORK - Honourably released 25 Feb 1957

 


 

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(GB00) Chief Stoker Bennett

(GB01) George's medals

(GB02) Leading Stoker Bennett

(GB03) Page from George's Certificate of Service RCNVR pre-WW2

(GB04) Page from George's Certificate of Service RCNVR, Active Service WW2

 

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 (GB05) Page from George's Certificate of Service RCN(R)

(GB06) George Bennett tells how the convoy they were escorting changed course to avoid the German Pocket Battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER which was engaging the convoy protected by the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS JERVIS BAY. George was serving in HMCS ANNAPOLIS at the time

(GB07) George's Certificate of Discharge dated 09 Sep 1947

(GB08-GB09) Service Summary

 

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(GB10) Article from the Halifax Mail 12 Feb 1941

(GB11) Letter of Service - Toronto Sea Cadet Corps Temeraire - dated 1934

(GB12) Letter of Reference from HMCS YORK dated 24 Sep 1947

GB13) YOUVILLE, tender to HMCS YORK at the jetty at HMCS YORK - 1968

(GB14) HMCS HAIDA as a museum in Toronto at the foot of Bay St.

 

(GB15) HMCS OTTAWA 229

(GB16) George Bennett with family

(GB17) George Bennett, Stationary Engineer, HMCS YORK late 1960s

(GB18) George Bennett (left) with Bob McKay, HMCS YORK boiler room

(GB19) RCN Tug YOUVILLE. HMCS YORK family picnic day, Toronto Island - 1966 

 

(GB189) Retirement notice for George Bennett from the Naval Officers' Association of Canada Toronto Branch Newsletter Vol. 4 No. 9, Jan 1979

 


 

Webmaster's note:  The photos below were sorted by image and any captions on the back. While efforts were made to put them in time sequence, some are likely out of place.

 


 

Sea Cadets

 

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(GB20) Sea Cadets on HMCS FESTUBERT - May 1930  (GB21) Sea Cadet George Bennett - 1930  (GB22) Sea Cadet George Bennett on the right  (GB23) Sea Cadet George Bennett - 1930

 

 


 

1934 - 1939

 

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(GB24) George Bennett in the middle.  Coming home - Montreal - Jun 1934  (GB25) George Bennett on the right

 

(GB26) HMCS SAGUENAY - 1935  (GB27) HMS CHAMPLAIN - 1935  (GB28) G.M. Bennett  (GB29) Bennett on HMCS SAGUENAY - 1935  (GB30) Sailors on HMCS SAGUENAY - 1935

 

(GB31) Unidentified sailor on HMCS SAGUENAY - 1935  (GB32) HMCS ST LAURENT H83 - foreground & HMCS SAGUENAY D79 in distance  (GB33) HMCS SAGUENAY coming up the Atlantic coast - 1935  (GB34) HMCS SKEENA D59 in dry dock   (GB35) HMCS SAGUENAY in dry dock at Saint John, NB

 

(GB36) "Norman Brumn Stoker 1/c of HMCS SAGUENAY standing under one of the four bladed propellers of HMCS SKEENA in Saint John dry dock  (GB37) HMCS SKEENA D59 and HMCS SAGUENAY D79 in dry dock at Saint John, NB - 1936  (GB38) HMCS SKEENA and HMCS SAGUENAY at anchor St. John's, Newfoundland - 1936  (GB39-GB40) HMCS SKEENA and HMCS SAGUENAY - war games - 1936  

 

(GB41) HMS DRAGON St. George's Bay, Newfoundland - 1936  (GB42) HMS DRAGON at Saint John, NB (GB43) HMS DRAGON, Pernambuco, Brazil  (GB44) Taken from my Mess table in our Mess deck where we eat and sleep  (GB45) "More stokers in my mess - resting on foc'sle deck - HMS DRAGON - 1936

 

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(GB46) George Bennett on HMS DRAGON - 1936  (GB47) Crossing the Line ceremony on HMS DRAGON - 1936  (GB48) Stokers on HMS DRAGON - 1936  (GB49) " My English chum"  Stoker Wells and Stoker Bennett (right) on HMS DRAGON - 1936  (GB50) Diver just entered water to search for the body of a boy seaman

 

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(GB51) Hamilton, Ontario - 1936  (GB52) George Bennett on right  (GB53) "HMCS SKEENA going into line ahead with HMCS SAGUENAY. Homeward bound from summer cruise Aug 1938 in the Atlantic"  (GB54-GB55) Royal Tour - 1939

 


 

WARTIME - 1939 - 1945

 

 

 

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(GB56) GB and 2 other stokers dress up for Halloween on HMCS ULNA

 

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(GB57) HMS/m SEAL  (GB58) HMS/m THETIS, sunk before the war, renamed "THUNDERBOLT" and the worlds largest submarine, the Free French Submarine "SURCOUF", Halifax, 1941  (GB59) Navy Tug St. Anne and Free French Submarine SURCOUF  (GB60) HMS/m CASHALOT  (GB61) HMS/m Porpoise N57

 

(GB62) HMS/m PORPOISE N57  (GB63-GB64) HMS Forth, Submarine Depot Ship  (GB65) United States Submarine S-49 at the old Terminal Warehouse Building, foot of Yorke St., Toronto  (GB66) "Four Stacker HMCS COLUMBIA on convoy outer flank - 1941"

 

(GB67) HMCS ST FRANCIS I93   (GB68) HMCS SANKATY - 1941  (GB69) HMCS ST CROIX turning around and HMCS NEW BRUNSWICKER going up the harbour - Mar 1941  (GB70) Minesweeper "GRANT" going to see - 1941  (GB71) HMS SEVERN leaving for sea - Mar 1941

 

Webmaster's notes: - (1) There was no ship in the RCN named NEW BRUNSWICKER.  HMCS NEW BRUNSWICKER was the naval reserve division at Saint John, New Brunswick.  (2) There was no minesweeper named GRANT in the RCN.  This ship is a former First World War Battle Class trawler that were used as gate vessels at Halifax during the Second World War

 

(GB72) HMS RAJPUTANA  (GB73) HMS RANPURA  (GB74) Canada's first Motor Torpedo Boat MTB-1 - Mar 1941  (GB75) HMCS SCATARIE patrol boat - Mar 1941  (GB76) HMS FURIOUS aircraft carrier, HMS REPULSE in the distance and a freighter to the left

 

(GB77) Raider HMS LETITIA aground after a storm - Feb 1941  (GB78) British freighter empty - going for cargo.  HMCS ST CROIX I81 in foreground

 

(GB79) Two Stokers - Scotty and Kitty besdie "B" gun  (GB80) Some of the boys on ship - HMCS ANNAPOLIS - Mar 1941  (GB81) Two of the boys and our stern AA gun - HMCS ANNAPOLIS  (GB82) Some of the boys - 4 stokers and a cook. Depth charge racks are empty while ship is being repairs in case of accident - HMCS ANNAPOLIS  (GB83) Some of the boys on HMCS ANNAPOLIS. The English sub "Thunderbolt" and French "Surcouf" in the background

 

(GB84) Looking aft on HMCS ANNAPOLIS from just forward of the torpedo tubes  (GB85) "HMCS ANNAPOLIS towing HMCS DUNVEGAN.  The night before HMCS DUNVEGAN broke down and rammed HMCS ANNAPOLIS"  (GB86) "Gun crew on watch - HMCS ANNAPOLIS on convoy 1941"  (GB87) "Roll Roll Roll and never stay still" HMCS ANNAPOLIS  (GB88) "HMCS ANNAPOLIS convoy and camouflage"

 

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(GB89-GB91) Unknown ship dropping depth charges.  The writing on the back of one photos says "The kill of a U-boat".

 

 (GB92) HMCS ANNAPOLIS "Riding out the hurricane"  (GB93) "Hurricane letting up" HMCS ANNAPOLIS  (GB94) HMCS ANNAPOLIS biting into a wave  (GB95) "Smashed boats and bent davit after hurricane. Motor boat jammed into searchlight platform"  (GB96) "Smashed Carley float after tail end of hurricane storm"

 

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(GB97) "Ed Morris' ship - ST CROIX"  (GB98) HMCS ST CROIX I81  (GB99) "Four Stacker ANNAPOLIS in dry dock"  (GB100) "Two four stackers in Saint John NB dry dock 1942"  HMCS ANNAPOLIS on right of photo  (GB101) HMCS ANNAPOLIS in dry dock in Saint John, NB

 

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(GB102) Screws of HMCS ANNAPOLIS while in dry dock at Saint John, NB  (GB103) "Corvette - Saint John NB dry dock - 1942"  (GB104) HMCS ANNAPOLIS - Starbaord side looking aft  (GB105) "Dirty Weather - 1942"  (GB106) "These old four stackers would roll in a coffee cup - Winter storms 1942"

 

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(GB107) HMCS ANNAPOLIS "Four Stackers stern depth charges 1941"  (GB108) Search light platform on HMCS ANNAPOLIS  (GB109) "Convoy on the way across from Halifax, NS  (GB110) "Iceberg in table form  (GB111) "More ice and most ships with no radar. Thank goodness it was daylight - 1942"

 

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(GB112) Unknown ships in Halifax  (GB113) Battleship HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN  (GB114) Battleship HMS RESOLUTION  (GB115) Battleship HMS REVENGE  (GB116) Battleship HMS MALAYA in Halifax. Photo taken from HMCS NIAGARA

 

(GB117) A battleship and a corvette in the distance  (GB118) Battleship HMS REVENGE (GB119) "An oil tanker with ice on her decks, heading for sea, following line of ships to form convoy leaving Halifax harbour - 1942  (GB120) Troopship - HMCS ANNAPOLIS in the foreground  (GB121) Troopship

 

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(GB122) Troopship  (GB123) Unknown ship  (GB124) Troopship - Empress of Britain  (GB125) "One of the lucky ones - torpedoed and still floating to get home. Imperial oil tanker - 1942  (GB126) Greek motorship leaving for sea - Mar 1941

 

(GB127) "Tail of hurricane and every man for himself. Merchant ship lost rudder. Trying to stand by but having rough time ourselves."  (GB128) "The first USA destroyer to take over convoy duty from Canadians on entry into the war - USS KEARNY receiving convoy orders by Kostin gun line from HMCS ANNAPOLIS.  USS KEARNY was sunk by u-boats"  (GB129) Minesweeper  HMCS MAHONE at the trot buoys in Halifax - Aug 1942  (GB130) Corvettes leaving Halifax to take up station - 1942  (GB131) Building corvettes at the Saint John Shipyard, NB - 1942

 

Webmaster's note: USS KEARNY was torpedoed by U-568 on the night of 16/17 Oct 1941 (before the USA entered the war). She survived the attacked and continued to serve in the USN until she was decommissioned on 07 Mar 1946.  She was struck from naval registers on 01 Jun 1971; sold on 06 Oct 1972 and broken up.

 

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(GB132) Corvettes  (GB 133-GB134) More dirty weather - 1942. Quarterdeck of HMCS ANNAPOLIS awash in heavy seas  (GB135) Corvette following astern of HMCS ANNAPOLIS  (GB136) Corvette HMCS GALT K163

 

(GB137) HMCS ANNAPOLIS "Ice on the bridge and forward gun. Naval barracks in the distance"  (GB138) HMCS ANNAPOLIS "Home with ice"  (GB139) HMCS ANNAPOLIS "A little ice on the depth charges after a heavy sea"  (GB140) Ice on HMCS ANNAPOLIS after winter convoy duty - 1942. George Bennett on left  (GB141) Four sailors by the iced-over forward gun on HMCS ANNAPOLIS. George Bennett 3rd from left

 

(GB142) HMCS ANNAPOLIS in Halifax after winter convoy. Ice on ready use ammunition cylinders. George Bennett 3rd from left  (GB143) HMCS ANNAPOLIS "Home after winter convoy".  George Bennett on left  (GB144) George Bennett by the stern AA gun on HMCS ANNAPOLIS  (GB145) George Bennett in the middle

 

(GB147) George Bennett  (GB148) George Bennett and Kitty  (GB149) George Bennett by the depth charge rails on HMCS ANNAPOLIS  (GB150) George Bennett on the right

 

(GB151) Lofty Beattie (left) and George Bennett  (GB152) George Bennett on left.  Ice can be seen over his right shoulder  (GB153) George Bennett (left) and Lofty Beattie  (BG154) CPO George Bennett standing, extreme right (possibly at HMCS NIOBE)

 

(GB155) "The last resting place of a Jerry Bomber. We climbed for hours to get to this spot - Greenock, Scotland - 1942." George Bennett 2nd from left  (GB156) "A few of my crew from HMCS NIOBE checking the sluice on Loch Tom, Greenock, Scotland, 1942. This is where our fresh water came from and we had to check for pollution and vandalism and enemy problems."  (GB157) Sto POs soccer team, HMCS NIOBE, Dec 1943.  Sto POs 0 - ERAs 4  (GB158) Tug of war, HMCS NIOBE, Jun 1943. George Bennett in crowd below black flag with white X  (GB159) Swimming pool at HMCS NIOBE

 

(GB160) Swimming pool at HMCS NIOBE  (GB161) Sto PO P.H. McVi "To my old Pal - George Bennett, Reg Chief Sto. HMCS NIOBE May 4th 1944"  (GB162) "CH ERA Jimmy Cameron, HMCS NIOBE, Greenock, Scotland, Xmas 1942. Looking for a suitable Xmas tree for the mess."  HMCS NIOBE in the background  (GB163) PO Popp, RCN;  G.M. Bennett, Ch Sto, RCN;  A/PO Ward, RCN; Ch Sto Mitchell, RN; A/PO, Hart, RCN - May 1943

 

(GB164-GB166) Sailors at the beach. Location unknown. George Bennett with cap in all three photos

 

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(GB167) Unidentified sailors on ship in dry dock  (GB168) George Bennett in dry dock "Building corvettes - 1942"  (GB169) "A welcome sight. Entrance to St. John's Newfoundland to oil up and then on to Halifax - 1941  (GB170) Unknown craft entering the channel into St. John's Newfoundland  (GB171) Convoy at sunset

 

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(GB172) Fred Best and depth charges  (GB173) Harold Hart, Sto PO in front of Marble Arch Gates from Hyde Park - Dec 12/13, 1942  (GB173) Catch of the day on unknown ship.  Possibly HMCS ANNAPOLIS

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill meet aboard the battleship HMS PRINCE OF WALES, Placentia Bay, Newfoundland 09 Aug 1941 (Webmaster's note: these were public relations / news release photos)

 


 

Picking up survivors from U-boat sunk by HMCS ST THOMAS

 

(GB178) Germans in life raft  (GB179) "Sea Cliff helping us pick up some of the survivors. They picked up 23 St Thomas 31. Total 59. Not Bad eh!"  (GB180) "German survivor swimming away. He didn't want ??? but we got him."  (GB181) "German survivors from sunken U-boat"

 

(GB182) "Taken from the foc'sle looking aft at prisoners coming up the side on the Q.D.  See Art looking out to sea  (GB183) "More Germans coming up the side"  (GB184-GB185) Germans prisoners on the quarterdeck of HMCS SEA CLIFF K344

 

Webmaster's notes:  (1) HMCS ST THOMAS K488 U-877 sunk on 27 Dec 1944 by HMCS St. Thomas K488 in position 46-25 N, 36-38 W

 

(2) According to his service file, George Bennett was serving in HMCS YORK, Toronto, Ontario when U-877 was sunk.  Its not known who he got the photos from.

 


 

Toronto Telegram

23 Aug 1944

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Toronto Telegram

23 Aug 1944

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Halifax Mail

12 Feb 1941

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(GB186) LCdr Frederick Brooks-Hill presented with Mentioned-in-Despatches by Commodore Cuthbert Taylor, RCN  (GB187) Article on RCN an RN ship losses  (GB188) Article on the Fishermen's Reserve and on Britain asking for destroyers from the USA 

 


 

 

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