HMCS BITTERSWEET K182 

 

Flower Class Corvette

 


 

HMCS Bittersweet K182

 

Laid down: 17 Apr 1940

Launched: 12 Sep 1940

Commissioned: 23 Jan 1941

Transferred to RCN: 15 May 1941

Commissioned: 15 May 1941

Paid off: 22 Jun 1945

Returned to RN: 22 Jun 1945

Fate: Broken up at Rosyth in 1946

 

Built at Sorel for the RN, she was launched on 12 Sep 1940. Bittersweet was towed to Liverpool, N.S. for completion so as not to be icebound. She was commissioned 23 Jan 1941 at Halifax as HMS Bittersweet K182. On 05 Mar 1941 left with convoy HX.113 for the Tyne. There, from 01 Apr 1941 to 06 Jun 1941, the finishing touches were carried out. During this refit, on 15 May 1941, she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned as HMCS Bittersweet K182. After working up at Tobermory she left for Iceland on 27 Jun 1941, having been assigned to Newfoundland Command. She was continuously employed as an ocean escort until 31 Dec 1941, when she arrived at Charleston, S.C., for refit, resuming her duties in Mar 1942. Bittersweet served with EG C-5 and C-3 until Oct 1943, one of her most strenuous convoys being ONS.192, which lost seven ships. She underwent refit at Baltimore, Md., from Oct 1943 to Nov 1943, which included the extension of her fo'c's'le, then proceeded to Pictou to work up. She then resumed her convoy duties, leaving Londonderry late in Oct 1944 to join her last convoy, ON.262. Upon arriving in Canada she went to Pictou to commence a refit that was completed at Halifax 10 Feb 1945. She was then assigned briefly to Halifax Force before transferring in April to Sydney Force, with which she remained until the end of the war. She was paid off and returned to the RN at Aberdeen on 22 Jun 1945, and broken up at Rosyth the following year.

 

(Note: Although the place & date of fo'c's'le extension for HMCS Bittersweet K182 as listed on 09 Nov 43, at Baltimore, MD, was obtained from official records, photographic evidence seems to prove this wrong. It is more likely that Bittersweet's fo'c's'le extension was completed between Dec 1941, & May 1942 at Charleston, SC. Source: RCN News Magazine)

 

 


 

Photos and Documents

 


My father, James Ronald Corbett served on the HMCS Bittersweet K-182. I have written a tribute song to honour him and all the many sailors who served - Rod Corbett

Bittersweet song (m4a format)

Lyrics and cords (pdf)


 

Commanding Officers

 

A/LCdr John Andrew Woods, RNVR - 01 Apr 1941 - 30 Nov 1942

LCdr Frederick Bancroft Brooks-Hill, RCNVR - 01 Dec 1942 - 09 Jul 1944

Lt Frederick Wilson Bogardus, RCNVR - 10 Jul 1944 - 07 Dec 1944

Skpr/Lt Frank Chalmers Smith, RCNVR - 17 Dec 1944 - 22 Jun 1945

 


 

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

 

ANSLEY, William C.

OS, RCNVR

died - 05 Jan 1942

MILLER, Lloyd K.

AB, RCNVR

killed - 20 Feb 1943

  


 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 


 

Former Crew Members

 

Finlay, Arthur Murray, Lt, RCNVR - 16 Feb 1944

 

Jeffries, Peter Parnell, Lt, RCNVR

 

Kingsmill, Walter Juchereau, Lt, RCNVR - 23 Jan 1941 / 06 Jun 1941

 

McMeekin, D.S. - Dec 1940

Ovenden, Hedley Allen, Mate, RCNR - 25 Jun 1941

 

Pare, Charles, Lt, RCNVR - 15 Feb 1944

 

Ronson, John Clifton, Lt, RCNVR - Jan 1945

 

Sharpe, John Winston, Ch/Skpr, RCNR - Jan 1941

Smitherman, James William, Stoker 

 

Sullivan, Joseph Edgar, SLt, RCNVR - 30 Jul 1942

 

Warren, Donald Cameron, Lt, RCNVR - 16 Feb 1944

 

Welch, Arnold Philip, Lt, RCNVR - 05 Feb 1945

 


 

Photos and Documents

 

HMCS BITTERSWEET K182

 

DND / RCN Photo

HMCS Bittersweet's gunshield art

Credit: Library and Archives of Canada

Gunner, HMCS Bittersweet's mascot

From the collection of Ross Maize

Courtesy of Wayne Maize

HMCS Bittersweet preparing to be towed by HMCS Skeena, May, 1943

The light line has just been passed in order to pass the heavy tow line

From the collection of Ross Maize

Courtesy of Wayne Maize

HMCS Bittersweet depth charge rails

From the collection of Ross Maize

Courtesy of Wayne Maize

 

HMCS Bittersweet's Starboard (top photo) and Port (bottom photo) depth charge throws

From the collection of Ross Maize

Courtesy of Wayne Maize

HMCS Bittersweet, aft, looking forward

From the collection of Ross Maize

Courtesy of Wayne Maize

HMCS Bittersweet at sea.  Port side looking forward

From the collection of Ross Maize

Courtesy of Wayne Maize

HMCS Bittersweet leaving St. John's Nfld

From the collection of Ross Maize

Courtesy of Wayne Maize

HMCS Bittersweet in the North Atlantic

Note the missile rack and hedgehog

From the collection of Ross Maize

Courtesy of Wayne Maize

HMCS Bittersweet in the North Atlantic

Stbd side aft, looking forward

From the collection of Ross Maize

Courtesy of Wayne Maize

Sailors on HMCS Bittersweet

L-R: Flowers, Pony, Bailey, Unknown

From the collection of Ross Maize

Courtesy of Wayne Maize

HMCS BITTERSWEET K182, St. John's, Newfoundland

From the collection of PO James McLaren

Courtesy of Catriona Linton

 


 

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