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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
SOMERVILLE, Ross Alfred - It is with great sadness that family announce the peacefully passing of Ross at his home on Friday, May 24, 2002, in his 81st year. beloved husband of Valerie. Predeceased by wife Mary. Loving father of John and Kathy and step-father of Bob and Debbie Curran, Bill and Sharon Curran, Kathy and Roger Caron, Cameron and Darlene Curran, Susan and Michael Hampson. Cherished papa of Sandy, Justin, Jenny, Chris, Bobby, Stephanie, Andrew, Mackenzie, Beshele, Katie, Nikki, Cameron, Meaghan, Veronica and Ethan. Dear brother of Dick and Vi, Lois and Norma. Predeceased by sisters, Hazel and Jeanne and by brother Bill. Ross was a Veteran of WWII where he served with the Canadian Navy. He was also a longtime employee of Stelco. Many thanks to nurse Joanne Norwood and caregiver Mila. Special thanks to Pat O'Connor. Visitation will be held at the Cresmount Funeral Home, 322 Fennell Avenue East on Monday from 7-9 p.m. and on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral Service will be held in the Chapel of the Funeral Home on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. Cremation to follow. Memorial donations made to the War Amps would be appreciated.
Ships served in: HAMILTON DIVISION RCNVR - Enlisted 04 Feb 1941 * Commenced Active Service 30 Apr 1941 as an Ordinary Seaman, RCNVR HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 18 Jun 1941 HMC SIGNAL SCHOOL - Drafted to HMC SIGNAL SCHOOL 01 Jul 1941 HMCS ST HYACINTHE - Drafted to ST HYACINTHE 01 Oct 1941 * Rated Coder, RCNVR 19 Dec 1941 HMCS VENTURE - Drafted to VENTURE 28 Dec 1941 HMCS QUINTE - Drafted to QUINTE 02 Jan 1942 * Rated Coder, RCNVR 28 Jan 1942 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 08 Dec 1942 HMCS MORDEN - Drafted to MORDEN 12 Dec 1942 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 08 Nov 1943 * Rated Acting Leading Coder 01 Dec 1943 HMCS NIOBE - Drafted to NIOBE 27 Dec 1943 HMCS ST THOMAS - Drafted to ST THOMAS 05 May 1944 HMCS AVALON - Drafted to AVALON 14 Aug 1944 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 01 Sep 1944 HMCS PEREGRINE - Drafted to PEREGRINE 01 Oct 1944 * Rated Leading Coder 01 Dec 1944 HMCS STETTLER - Drafted to STETTLER 24 Jan 1945 HMCS STAR - Drafted to STAR 24 Jul 1945 * Demobilized 14 Sep 1945
(...) Alan Pierce, Ross Somerville, Harry Brodie Trafalgar Square - it is not known which ship Ross was serving in when this photo was taken (...) Two unknown (presumably) sailors. It is not know what ship they are off of. (...) Ross (Sandy) Somerville (left) ashore with an unknown friend / shipmate. Location unknown
Levis, Quebec Photos taken while Ross Somerville was travelling on leave
STADACONA II / HMC SIGNAL SCHOOL
HMCS ST HYACINTHE
(...) "Donnie and Mac out for air" at HMCS ST HYACINTHE (...) "Line up" at HMCS ST HYACINTHE (...) Ernie at HMCS ST HYACINTHE (...) Hank at HMCS ST HYACINTHE (...) Len and Johnnie at HMCS ST HYACINTHE
Halifax / Dartmouth, NS
(...) Posing for photos at the barracks construction site - believed to be at HMCS PEREGRINE. Note the smokestack in the background at Piercy's Supplies Ltd in Halifax. A fire broke out at Piercy's in 1944 and destroyed the 8-facility. (...) Posing for photos at the barracks construction site - believed to be at HMCS PEREGRINE - Ross Somerville on the right (...-...) Photos of the fire that destroyed Piercy's Supplies Ltd on 09 Sep 1944 // Source: Nova Scotia Archives
(...) Two unknown sailors on HMCS QUINTE J166 in tropical rig. This photo was likely taken on the trip from Esquimalt to Halifax before Ross Somerville joined the ship. (...) Sailors off HMCS QUINTE J166 at the Public Gardens in Halifax, NS
(...) HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Ross Somerville sitting on HMCS QUINTE'S 4-inch gun (...) Halifax harbour. Photo taken from HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Fo'c's'le and 4-inch gun on HMCS QUINTE J166. Photo taken from the bridge (...) Looking aft from the bridge towards HMCS QUINTE'S quarterdeck. The ship's funnel is on the left hand side of the photo
(...) Ronnie in the crow's nest on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) North Atlantic convoy seen from HMCS QUINTE J166 * (...) North Atlantic convoy astern of HMCS QUINTE J166 * (...) Depth Charge Thrower on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) HMCS QUINTE J166 at anchor at Sydney, Cape Breton, NS.
* Webmaster's note: QUINTE was part of the WLEF and for the trans-Atlantic convoys served as an escort from Halifax to the mid-ocean rendezvous point 500 miles east of St. John's, Nfld and down to Boston, MA, USA
(...) Sailors chipping ice chipping ice off the port side of the bridge on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) "A wet one." Sailors on the fo'c's'le of HMCS QUINTE J166 chipping ice while shipping seas over the bow (...) "Chippin the deck." Sailors on HMCS QUINTE J166 breaking ice off the deck around the base of the bridge and on the fo'c's'le (...) "another!" Spray for waves encasing HMCS QUINTE J166 in ice (...) "Gordie on the starboard rail" on HMCS QUINTE J166
(...) Convoy see from HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) unknown destroyers - appears to be 2 River Class and 1 Town Class - photo taken from HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) "Sunset on the Atlantic" Unknown ship following astern of HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Sailors on HMCS QUINTE J166 receive letters from home (...) Sailors "Spinning Dips" on HMCS QUINTE J166. Note that this is in the same spot as the 'sailors receive letter from home' photo
(...) HMCS QUINTE J166 - location unknown (...) Tot time on HMCS QUINTE J166. The Rum Bos'ns are lining up.
(...) British Submarine (...) Dutch Submarine (...) Dutch Submarine (...) Unknown ship pendant # S03 (...) "What am I looking at?" Seen from HMCS QUINTE - The first ship is a Town Class destroyer; then with 17P is the French Submarine Surcouf; followed by the funnel of an unknown ship; and finally what appears to be 3 more town class destroyers. As the Surcouf disappears 18 Feb 1942, this photo was taken before that point.
(...) A Battle Class trawler as a gate vessel at the Halifax harbour entrance at Mauger's beach (...) A Battle Class trawler as a gate vessel at the Halifax harbour entrance at Mauger's beach. Mauger's Beach lighthouse in the background. (...) HMCS ST LAURENT H83 secured to a buoy (...) Fairmile Motor Launch ML Q058 "Bill's Skiff" (...) HMS INDOMITABLE
(...) HMCS QUINTE J166 at sea. Starboard side aft looking forward up to the boat deck (...) A twin .50 calibre Vickers machine gun mount on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) "A Beauty!" HMCS QUINTE J166 in heavy seas (...-...) An Atlantic convoy changing course seen from HMCS QUINTE J166
(...) A merchant ship that appears to be heading out to sea (...) The ship's bell of HMCS QUINTE J166 . . . with ships of a convoy in the back ground
(...) A Battle Class trawler used as a Gate Vessel at the entrance to Halifax Harbour (...) Unknown vessel - possibly a landing craft - in the approaches to Halifax harbour (...-...) HMS LINCOLN G42 at St. John's, Nfld (...) A barge being moved by several tugs in Halifax, NS
(...) A Town class 4-stacker destroyers seen from HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Two Town Class destroyers (...) An unknown warship barely visible on the horizon directly above the right hand side of the fire hose on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) HMCS HAMILTON I24 seen through a port hole on HMCS QUINTE J166
(...-...) An unknown corvette seen off the port bow of HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) A convoy in the fog. Depth charge thrower on HMCS QUINTE J166 in the foreground (...) Merchant ships in harbour at St. John's, Nfld awaiting a convoy (...) Look aft from the bridge on HMCS QUINTE J166 down the port side
(...)
HMCS RESTIGOUCHE H00 at Halifax, NS (...) The ship's bell for HMCS QUINTE J166 . . . with a convoy visible in the background (...) Buildings in HMC Dockyard Halifax c1941/42 (...) Looking forward from just aft the gun deck on HMCS QUINTE J166, starboard side
(...) Unknown sailor getting a haircut on HMCS QUINTE J166. The sailor on the right looks like L/Tel Mac. (...) Unknown sailor (who is also in the previous haircut photo) on HMCS QUINTE J166. This sailor looks like L/Tel Mac. (...) Leading Telegraphist "Mac" on the quarterdeck of HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) The Cox'n "working out" on the quarterdeck of HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Aircraft Carrier USS WASP
(...) Harry (left) and Hammy by one of the minesweeping davits on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Unknown sailor by one of the minesweeping davits on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Ross (Sandy) Somerville (left) and Cush by a minesweeping paravane on the quarterdeck of HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Harry by one of the minesweeping davits on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Ross (Sandy) Somerville by one of the minesweeping davits on HMCS QUINTE J166
(...-...) Ross (Sandy) Somerville just aft the funnel on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Unknown sailor standing just aft the funnel on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Unknown sailor dumping "Gannet bait" over the side of HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Unknown sailor dumping "Slops" bucket over the side of HMCS QUINTE J166
(...) Gunner Crutch on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Unknown sailors on the aft end of the bridge, starboard side, on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) "The Gang" posing by the Vicker's Twin .50 cal machine gun on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...-...) Unknown sailor "on the receiving end" of the gunnery control headset on HMCS QUINTE J166 AT St. John's, Nfld
(...) Unknown sailor on the Vickers twin .50 cal machine gun on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Ross (Sandy) Somerville on the Vickers twin .50 cal machine gun on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Ross (Sandy) Somerville on the Vickers twin .50 cal machine gun on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Unknown sailors on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Alex on HMCS QUINTE J166
(...) Unknown sailors on the quarterdeck of HMCS QUINTEJ166 at St. John's, Nfld (...) George (Georgie) Crewe painting the ship's side of HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) QUINTE'S Cox'n skipping rope on the quarterdeck of HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Flag deck area behind the bridge on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Sailors on HMCS QUINTE J166 relaxing on the canvas cover that protects the winch and cables for minesweeping
Waterfront at St. John's, Newfoundland
(...) St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, St. John's, Nfld (...) "and this is the main one, too!" Gower Street United Church, St. John's, Nfld (...) Two sailors off HMCS QUINTE J166 getting a ride in a donkey cart at St. John's, Nfld - George Crew holding the reigns, the other is unknown (...) Two unknown sailors off HMCS QUINTE J166 climbing some form of lattice structure ashore at St. John's, Nfld
(...) Ronnie with a bandolier of .50 cal ammo on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Ronnie (left) and Lewie warped up in a bandolier of .50 cal ammo on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Ronnie (right) feeding the ammo into the box for the Vicker's twin .50 cal machine gun on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Crutch (right) feeding the ammo into the box for the Vicker's twin .50 cal machine gun on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Crutch with a bandolier of .50 cal ammo on HMCS QUINTE J166
(...) Lewis with a bandolier of .50 cal ammo on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Ross (Sandy) Somerville at the Vicker's twin .50 cal machine gun on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Unknown sailors on HMCS QUINTE J166. By the looks of it, the sailor on the hatch cover is dancing a jig (...) George Crewe sitting in an air intake on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Ross (Sandy) Somerville by the 4-inch gun on HMCS QUINTE J166
HMCS QUINTE J166 aground after hitting Horse Head Shoal near St. Peter's, NS with ML Q090 secured to her starboard quarter
HMCS QUINTE J166 aground after hitting Horse Head Shoal near St. Peter's, NS (...) George Crewe by the 4-inch gun on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Unknown sailor by the 4-inch gun on HMCS QUINTE J166 (...) Sailors on the quarterdeck of HMCS QUINTE J166. Ronnie front right - remainder unknown (...) Unknown sailors on the quarterdeck of HMCS QUINTE J166
(...) St. Peter's, NS postcard that Ross sent to his mother's while QUINTE was at St. Peter's, NS dated 01 Dec 1942 (...) Postard of the Radio Hotel in St. Peter's, NS that Ross sent to his mother's while QUINTE was at St. Peter's, NS dated 01 Dec 1942
HMCS MORDEN
(...) "Slumpy" - Captain for the Day on HMCS MORDEN K170, Christmas 1942 (...) Christmas 1942 on HMCS MORDEN K170 (...) New Years 1943 in a mess deck on HMCS MORDEN K170
(...) Ross (Sandy) Somerville posing on a fencepost - location unknown (... / GEC024) Ross (Sandy) Somerville on the bridge of HMCS MORDEN K170 - from the collection of George Crew, Leading Telegraphist, RCN (...) Ross (Sandy) Somerville on the bridge of HMCS MORDEN K170 (...) Ross (Sandy) Somerville, Fergie and Bill McGrath on the brdige of HMCS MORDEN K170
(...) An unknown sailor standing in from of the gunshield art on HMCS MORDEN K170 (...) Sub-Lieutenant Walker on the bridge of HMCS MORDEN K170
(...) On leave in London, Mar 1943, Ross (Sandy) Somerville - top right (...) On leave in London, Mar 1943, Pippingford Park - Ross (Sandy) Somerville - centre (...) On leave in London, Mar 1943, Pippingford Park - Ross (Sandy) Somerville (...) On leave in London, Mar 1943, Pippingford Park - L-R: Stan, Ross (Sandy) Somerville, Scotty and Jack
(...) The Rock of Gibraltar seen from HMCS MORDEN K170 (...) HMS CLACTON J151 with unknown carrier astern at Gibraltar (...) Royal Navy Signal Station at Gibraltar
(...) HMCS MORDEN K170 passing by HMS SHERWOOD I80. SHERWOOD is flying 2 black balls signaling that she is not under control. It is not known if MORDEN towed or attempted to tow her; providing A/S protection while awaiting a ship to tow her or until she got underway again. SHERWOOD and MORDEN were both part of the convoy escort for Operation Torch Convoy KMS.11G and MKS.10 Photos possibly taken in that time frame.
(...-...) HMS DUKE OF YORK - King George V Class Battleship - seen in the Mediterranean from HMCS MORDEN K170 while escort for Operator Torch KMS-11G and MKS-10 Convoys Mar 1943
(...-...) HMS FORMIDABLE - Illustrious Class Aircraft Carrier - seen in the Mediterranean from HMCS MORDEN K170 while escort for Operator Torch KMS-11G and MKS-10 Convoys Mar 1943
(...) Unknown Escort Carrier (...) HMS MALAYA - Queen Elizabeth Class Battleship (...) Unknown Escort Carrier (...) Unknown Escort Carrier (...) The coast of Algiers
(...) The White Ensign flying on HMCS MORDEN K170 (...) Sailors in the aft gun tub on HMCS MORDEN K170. Ross (Sandy) Somerville 3rd from left. Remainder unknown (...) Sailors in the aft gun tub on HMCS MORDEN K170. Ross (Sandy) Somerville, standing 3rd from left. Remainder unknown (...) Buck Rogers, Carl Halstead and Ross (Sandy) Somerville relaxing on HMCS MORDEN K170
(...) ORP ORKAN G90, formerly HMS MYMIDON, was an M-class destroyer of the Polish Navy during World War II. Orkan is Polish for "hurricane". Historical note: At 07.05 hours on 8 October 1943, Orkan, under Lt. Stanislaw Hryniewiecki, serving as one of the escorts of the convoy SC 143, was hit by a GNAT homing torpedo from U-378 while escorting the convoy SC 143 and sank within a few minutes. One officer and 43 ratings were rescued by HMS Musketeer. The sinking of Orkan was the biggest life loss of Polish Navy resulting from a single incident in its entire history
(...)
(...) Ice building up on HMCS MORDEN K170 (...) An unknown sailor on the uppers being given a drink ... possibly a cuppa Kye*
* Kye was a hot drink made from chocolate, sugar, and milk. Ingredients: A block of coarse chocolate, scoops of sugar, and canned milk. Preparation: Break the chocolate into pieces, place in a saucepan with hot water, melt the chocolate, add the condensed milk, bring to a boil, and serve in mugs
(...) Sailors on HMCS MORDEN K170 moving what looks like a spare depth charge rack/rails (...) "Fergie" by the signal lamp on the bridge wing of HMCS MORDEN K170
HMCS ST THOMAS
V.E. Day and post V.E. Day Messages saved by Leading Coder Ross Somerville from his time on HMCS ST THOMAS (RAS001) Surrender of German High Command - From Admiralty - 080012 May 1945 (RAS002) General Message of Congratulations and Thanks from Field Marshall Montgomery to First Sea Lord and the First Sea Lord's reply - 080418B May 1945 (RAS003) Splice the Mainbrace - From Admiralty - 081500B May 1945 (RAS004) Instructions for dealing U-boats that have not surrendered - From CINC W.A. - 271132B May 1945
(...-...) British Escort Carrier. Possibly HMS RAVAGER
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