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For Posterity's Sake
A Royal
Canadian Navy Historical Project
HMCS
CRESCENT R16 / 226
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Badge on commissioning |
HMCS Crescent R16
From the collection of H.J. Simmons
Courtesy of RCSCC Bowmanville
Click on the photo to view a larger image
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post 1948 badge
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Laid down: 16
Sep
1943
Launched: 20
Jul 1944
Commissioned: 10
Sep 1945
Paid
off: 25 Feb 1953 for Type 15 conversion refit
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Re-commissioned:
1956
Paid off: 01
Apr 1970
Fate:
Broken up in or after 1971
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In Jan 1945, after a year's discussion, the British Admiralty
agreed to lend the RCN a flotilla of "C" Class destroyers
for use against the Japanese. The Pacific war ended, however, before
any of the eight ships had been completed, and only two were
transferred. The previous ships to bear their names, Crescent and
Crusader, had been lost during the war as HMC Ships Fraser and
Ottawa; this time they retained their names although the transfer
was made permanent in 1951. Crescent
and Crusader were virtually identical to Algonquin and Sioux,
differing principally in having only one set of torpedo tubes and in
being armed with 4.5-inch guns instead of 4.7-inch. Both ships were
commissioned on the Clyde in 1945, Crescent on 10 Sep 1945 and
Crusader on 15 Nov 1945. Crescent
arrived at Esquimalt in Nov 1945, having made the journey via the Azores and the West
Indies.
In Feb 1949 HMCS Crescent was sent to China to
safeguard Canadian interests during the Chinese Civil War. She arrived
at Shanghai on 26 February - and then on 11 Mar 1949, entered Chinese waters
and sailed to Nanjing via the Yangtze River, arriving at Nanjing on 20 Mar
1949. Crescent remained on station until 23 Mar 1949 when she was relieved
at Nanjing by HMS Consort. She then sailed for Hong Kong and remained in the
area until May 1949 when she returned to Esquimalt. About a month after her
arrival on station 85 ratings staged a mutiny where they locked themselves
in the mess decks and refused to turn to until the Captain heard their
grievances.
Crescent
carried out training duties until taken in hand for a major
conversion in 1953. She emerged in 1956 as a "fast A/S frigate,"
following an RN pattern which entailed stripping her to deck level,
extending the fo'c's'le right aft, erecting new superstructure, and
fitting completely new armament. She was now a near-sister to
Algonquin, which had undergone similar transformation earlier. On 15
Jan 1958 HMCS Cayuga 218,
HMCS Crescent 226, HMCS Fraser 233, HMCS Margaree 230, HMCS Skeena
207 departed Esquimalt, BC, for a Far Eastern Training cruise. In
Feb 1959, HMCS Crescent and HMCS Assiniboine met at San Diego and exchanged
crews. Crescent was paid off at Esquimalt on 01 Apr 1970. She left
Victoria with Algonquin on 21 Apr 1971, for Taiwan, to be broken
up. She arrived at Taiwan on 15 May 1971.
Photos and Documents
The Ship's Bell
"To
Many Chiefs and Not Enough Seamen" - The case of HMCS Crescent, 1949
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Commanding Officers |
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LCdr Charles Patrick Nixon, DSC,
RCN - 10 Sep 1945 - 17 Dec 1946
LCdr J.C. O'Brien,
RCN - 18 Dec 1946 - 04 Jan 1948
LCdr John Alexander Charles,
RCN - 05 Jan 1948 - 15 Nov 1948
LCdr D.W. Groos, DSC,
RCN - 16 Nov 1948 - 01 Dec 1949
LCdr Godfrey Harry Hayes, DSC,
RCN - 26 Sep 1950 - 24 Sep 1951
Lt J.K. Hason, MBE,
RCN - 25 Sep 1951 - 12 Oct 1951
Cdr J.C. Littler,
RCN - 13 Oct 1951 - 14 Sep 1952
LCdr James Robert Boardman Coulter,
RCN - 15 Sep 1952 - 15 Feb 1953
LCdr Donald Lloyd Davies,
RCN - 16 Feb 1953 - 25 Feb 1953
Capt Paul Darymple Taylor, DSC,
RCN - 31 Oct 1955 - 10 Mar 1957 |
Capt Michael Grote Stirling,
RCN - 11 Mar 1957 - 17 May 1957
LCdr Lloyd Irwin Jones,
RCN - 18 May 1957 - 15 Aug 1957
Capt Michael Grote Stirling,
RCN - 16 Aug 1957 - 20 Jun 1958
Capt James Charles Pratt,
RCN - 21 Jun 1958 - 18 Feb 1959
Cdr James Robert Boardman Coulter,
RCN - 19 Feb 1959 - 14 Sep 1959
Capt R.W. Murdock,
RCN - 15 Sep 1959 - 11 Jun 1961
Cdr Peleg Howland Cayley,
RCN - 12 Jun 1961 - 11 Jul 1962
Capt Arthur David McPhee,
RCN - 12 Jul 1962 - 11 Apr 1963
Cdr Vincent John Murphy,
RCN - 12 Apr 1963 - 22 Oct 1964
Cdr H.C. LaRose,
RCN - 23 Oct 1964 - 12 Aug 1966 |
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In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice
Lest We Forget
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KELLY,
James Aubrey
LS, 3670,
RCN
MPK - 04 Nov 1946
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MASON,
John Kingsford Herbert
Lt, O-46990, RCN
died - 17 Apr 1952
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In memory of those who have crossed the bar
They shall not be
forgotten |
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A-B
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Abraham,
John E.
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Acheson,
Thomas Norman
1934-2018 |
Anderson, Hugh
L. |
Andrews,
James Kenneth
1928-2008 |
Anslow,
John R.B. ____-2009 |
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Bagshaw,
Lawrence Brian
1914-1998 |
Barlow,
Edgar
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Bernard, Pierre Yves
1918-2015 |
Berryman,
Bryan J.
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Birch-Jones,
Peter Meredith
1925-2009 |
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Blyth,
Tom, ERA
____-____
Served in Crusader in 1947 as an
ERA
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Boase, John B.
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Boggild,
Kai Hugh
____-2002
Served in Crescent in 1949 as Lt
(N), RCN, NavO
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Bond,
Jean-Noel
1931-2017 |
Bonoyer,
Roger Agenor 1922-2007
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Boucher,
Guy, J.R.
1937-2018
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Boughton,
Donald Ross
1931-2018
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Bourgeois,
Charles William
1920-1991
Served in Crescent 16 Feb 1959 - 18 Feb
1959
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Bowness,
Kendrick Warren
1928-2016
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Bradford,
Sydney Howard 1929-2016
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Bridges,
Richard J.B.
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Broster, G.
Arnold
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Brown, Donald
(Buster)
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C-D |
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Cairney,
John Dorrian
1929-2010 |
Campbell,
David
1928-2016
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Carpenter, John Aeneas
1924-2018 |
Cavenagh,
Orfeur John Alan
1925-2015
Served in Crescent in 1951 as
NavO |
Chalmers,
James Hunter
1930-2014
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Charles,
John A.
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Clackson,
Donald Richard
1935-2014
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Coady,
Francis E.M.
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Collier,
Russell Stanley
____-2018 |
Copeland,
Ken G.
____-1980
Served in Crescent in 1947 as an
ERA, RCN |
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Cormier,
Clarence Noel
1938-2016
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Cote, J.H.
Jacques
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Cote,
Joseph Jacques P.
1925-2018
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Coulter,
James Robert B.
1920-2004
8th Commanding Officer
15th Commanding Officer
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Crossley,
Sidney Ross
1920-2008
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Crowley,
Michael Joseph Patrick
1929-2015
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Davies,
Harold Lindsay
1936-2011
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Dee,
Stanley
1927-2017
Served in Crescent in 1964 as
LCdr, RCN, X.O.
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Down,
John Trenchard 1921-2003
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Driemel,
Harry H.
1927-2002
Served in Crescent 19 Jan 1948
- 08 Sep 1949 and 10 Jan 1958 - 19 Feb 1959
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Dubowski,
Steve John
1922-2013
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Dzeoba, Steve
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E-F |
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Eldridge,
Richard
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Emberton,
Ivor
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Etherington,
Jack E.
1932-2015
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Evans,
Hank
____-____
Served in Crescent in 1947 as an
ERA |
Fane,
Peter Edward 1925-2013 Served
n Crescent in 1951 |
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Fell,
Lloyd Allan
1927-2014 |
Fenn, Frank
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Flanagan,
Leonard G.
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G-H |
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Gammon,
Bryan T.
1929-2008 |
Gillard, George L. |
Good,
Jack Williamson
1938-2018 |
Graydon,
Leslie Patrick
1929-2015 |
Guy,
Rex Geoffrey ____-2006 |
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Halderson,
James
1930-2015 |
Hall,
John Drummond
1922-2018 |
Hayes,
Godfrey Harry 1919-2006 5th
Commanding Officer |
Hector,
James W. |
Hennis, John
1938-2013
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Hill, Gerald
H.
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Houghton,
Lawrence N.
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Hughes,
Victor Wesley
1929-2001 |
Hunt,
Raymond Charles
1933-2019 |
Hunter,
John David
1924-2008 |
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Hutchings,
Curwen John
1926-2014
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I-J |
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James,
Richard E.T.
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Jeffers,
William Cameron
____-2015 |
Johnson,
Kenneth E.
1931-2017 |
Johnson,
Malcolm
____-____ |
Jones,
Lloyd I.
1911-1991
Served in Crescent in 1956 as XO
12th Commanding Officer
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Jones,
Walter 1919-____
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Jupp,
Robert Hugh
1926-2014
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Justice,
David W.
1927-2018 |
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K-L |
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Kahler,
Lawrence John
1926-1985
Served in Crescent 05 Jan 1959
- 19 Feb 1959 as a P1WRH, RCN |
Kilbride,
Gerald
1931-2006 |
Kirby,
Richmond Hill
1929-2006
Served in Crescent in 1963 as
CCC1 SQN TAS Officer |
Krilow,
William J. |
Lambie,
Vincent Frederick
1927-2009
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Larsen,
Robert
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Leroux,
Lorne Emeril
1942-2011
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Little, Vernon
Earle
1924-1979
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M-N |
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MacBrien,
Joseph James
1925-2018
Served in Crescent in 1945 as
NavO |
MacDonald, John J.
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Mace,
Thomas
____-____
Served in Crescent in 1947 as
CERA, RCN |
MacFarlane,
George Richard
1922-2000
Drafted to Crescent 28 Jul 1947
as Lt, RCN, NavO |
Manifold, C. Robin |
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Marcus,
Daniel Leonard
____-2008 |
McArdle,
Christopher Charles
1934-2017 |
Melanson, Louis M. |
Melvin,
Dave Wallace
1928-2013 |
Morran,
Edward A.
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Morrison,
James G.
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Morton,
John P.
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Muncaster,
Douglas Albert
1925-2008 |
Munday,
Robert William
1938-2009
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Murphy,
Vincent
John
1923-2011
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Myers,
Frank S.
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Neale,
John
____-2010
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Nickel, Daniel
B.
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Nixon,
Charles P.
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O-P |
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O'Brien,
John Charles
1918-1996
2nd Commanding Officer |
O'Brien.
Joseph M.
1928-2002
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O'Sullivan,
James J.C.
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Paulson, Frank
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Peers,
Robert Claude Kenrick
1927-2017
Served in Crescent in 1949 |
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Pepper,
Christopher J.
____-2014
Served in Crescent in 1947 as an
ERA |
Peters,
Joseph Henry
1923-2009 |
Pinkney,
John William
1922-2010
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Pratt,
James Charles
____-1994
14th Commanding Officer
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Prokopow, Thomas
Knox
1931-2017
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Q-R |
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Rhymes,
Reginald Heber
1926-2006
Served
in Crescent 23 Nov 1964 - 04 Nov 1965 as a P1SN3, RCN
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Roberts,
Ralph
Donald
1931-2012
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Robertson,
James W. |
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S-T |
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Salaga,
Steven A.
1932-2018
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Sauder,
Wilton H.
1927-2016
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Scott, Gene R.
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Seright, Harry
1926-1994
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Simpson,
John B.
1939-2012
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Smedley,
Charles Stanley
1910-1969
Served in Crescent in 1947 as CD
Gunner (T)
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Smith,
David Albert
1937-2018
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Smith, Ronald Lorne
____-2014
Drafted to Crescent in 1957
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Spalding,
James Dixon
1938-2016
Served in Crescent in 1964 as Lt,
RCN, OpsO
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Squire,
Thomas Alan
1927-2009
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Staicue,
Roy
____-2017
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Stanbrook,
Wilfred Thomas
____-2000
Served in Crescent 20 Jan 1965 -
13 Jun 1965
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Stipkala, John
Bernard 1930-2018
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Strachan,
Jack Harold
1928-2019
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Stutter,
Clifford E.
1931-2018
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Sutherland,
George Ross
1927-2014
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Taylor,
Paul Dalrymple
1910-1989
10th Commanding Officer
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Taylor,
Robert Dewey
1920-2010
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Teeple,
Clarence Norman
1935-2015
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Thibadeau,
Charles C.E.
1930-2019
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Tilley,
Harold R.
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Todd,
Richard G.
1937-2018
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Tomkins,
Dennis Tyler
1924-2003
Served in Crescent in 1947 as an
ERA, RCN
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Trafford, Gerald
Raymond
1940-2018
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Tyre,
Douglas Stewart 1918-1992
Served in Crescent in 1947 as an
ERA, RCN
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U-V |
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Vassos,
Jack
1928-2014
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Volker,
William George
1932-2017 |
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W-X |
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Weigand,
Edwin Vernon
1926-2018 |
Whittaker,
James A.
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Whitley,
Lloyd Arnold
1939-2015
Served in Crescent as a PO Shipwright/Hull Tech
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Williams,
William Robert
1925-2001
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Witwicki,
Anthony 1927-2006 |
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Worth, Ernest G. |
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Y-Z
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Yeats,
Ronald Graham
1928-1996
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Former Crew Members
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Andrews, Harvey John, A/Bosn, RCN - 01 Jul 1945
Bennetts, Hank - 1948
Brown, Harry - 1948
Carr, Alister Gordon, A/Lt (L), RCN - 18 Jun 1951
Chambers, (Popeye) - 1948
Clements, Bob - 1948
Crump, David Ainslie, Slt, RCN - 28 Jul 1947
Denison, Frederick Edwin, Wt/Ord, RCN - 28 Jun 1948
Fell, Bud - c1948-1949
Gardner, Melvin Thomas, A/Lt, RCN - 28 Jun 1948
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German, Andrew Barry Carford, Lt, RCN - 19 Jun 1947
Greene, Justin Wilfred de Puisaye, Lt, RCN(R) - 01 Apr 1946 / 18 May
1946
Hunt, William George, Slt, RCN(R) - 26 Jun 1946
Jamieson, William Malcolm, Lt (S), RCN - 29 May 1948
Kruncki, Ned - 1948
Lawrence, Harold (Hal) Ernest Thomas, Lt (G), RCN - 26 May 1947
Malott, Fred
Moore,
Art D. - 04 Sep 1964
Olson,
Vern, OSCR1, 39334-E, RCN - 05 May 1958 - Feb 1959
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Power, George
Ridge, Samuel Archibald, A/Gnr (T) - 13 Apr 1946
Savory, John Alfred, LCdr (E), RCNVR - 29 May 1945 (Stand by)
Schleen, Donald C. 
Stewart, George Charles, Lt (E), RCN - 04 Jun 1949
Theriault, Robert (Bob), SG, RCN
Tofflemire, Bob, RP
Treherne, Thomas Claude, Lt (S), RCN - 13 Apr 1947
Turner, John Russell, Cd (E), RCN - 28 Jun 1946
Tuttle, Ernest, PO - 1949
Waters, Donald Mackenzie, Lt, RCN - 12 Jul 1945
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Photos and
Documents
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HMCS Crescent
Courtesy of Daniel Miller |
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HMCS Crescent R16
From the collection of Harry Seright
Courtesy of Sam Seright |
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HMCS Crescent R16
From the collection of John Carpenter
Courtesy of Brian Carpenter |
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HMCS Crescent R16
From the collection of Harry Seright
Courtesy of Sam Seright |
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ERAs on HMCS Crescent 1947
Ken Copeland, Chris Pepper, Doug Tyre, Dennis Tompkins,
Hank Evans, Lawrence (Peck) Houghton, Tom Blyth
Source: Chief and POs Association, Esquimalt newsletter
Courtesy of Steve Hlasny |
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William R. Williams, HMCS Crescent, Panama City, 1947
From the collection of William R. Williams
Courtesy of Brian Williams |
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William R. Williams on HMCS Crescent, 1947
From the collection of William R. Williams
Courtesy of Brian Williams |
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William R. Williams (on gun barrel) and shipmates on
HMCS Crescent, 1947
From the collection of William R. Williams
Courtesy of Brian Williams |
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Williams, Blater and Penny, HMCS Crescent, Panama City,
1947
From the collection of William R. Williams
Courtesy of Brian Williams |
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HMCS Crescent - 1948
From the collection of Tom
Smith, C2ET, RCN |
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Ernest Tuttle Pitches Navy Team To Win
Newspaper article from the Picton Gazette, Mar. 16,
1949
Source: Prince Edward County Archives Microfilm
collection
Researched and complied by: © John Lyons 2016 |
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It is not known if these two photos are our HMCS
Crescent or HMCS Crusader - circa 1950
From the collection of William C. Dziadyk
Courtesy of Bill Dziadyk |
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HMCS Crescent and HMCS Ontario, Esquimalt, BC circa
1950-1951
Courtesy of Gordon Howard |
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Second Canadian Escort Squadron - Spring Cruise 1958
HMCS Crescent, HMCS Cayuga, HMCS Skeena, HMCS Fraser,
HMCS Margaree
Courtesy of Dave Tyre |
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HMCS Crescent 226 after conversion |
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HMCS
Crescent 226 transiting the locks of the Panama Canal with HMCS
Algonquin 224 and HMCS Columbia 260 during the Halifax - Esquimalt
transfer Feb-Apr 1967. Photo taken from HMCS Algonquin. Courtesy
of Peter Magwood |
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HMCS Crescent in Amsterdam, 23-31 Mar 1962
Courtesy of Allan Briscoe |
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Newspaper article on the arrival of HMCS
Crescent at Esquimalt, BC
From the collection of H.J. Simmons
Courtesy of RCSCC Bowmanville
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Newspaper articles on the arrival of HMCS
Crescent at Esquimalt, BC
From the collection of H.J. Simmons
Courtesy of RCSCC Bowmanville |
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"Hello darling! Welcome home!
Newspaper article on the arrival of HMCS
Crescent at Esquimalt, BC
From the collection of H.J. Simmons
Courtesy of RCSCC Bowmanville |
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Newspaper article on the arrival of HMCS
Crescent at Esquimalt, BC
From the collection of H.J. Simmons
Courtesy of RCSCC Bowmanville |
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A Christmas card from HMCS Crescent
Courtesy of Art Moore |
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HMCS Crescent ship's company dance - 31 may
1957
From the collection of Vern Little
Courtesy of Don Little |
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HMCS Crescent – Feb 1959
Arriving at San Diego to tie up along side HMCS
Assiniboine for the crew swap
Courtesy of Stephen Hlasny |
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HMCS Assiniboine, and HMCS Crescent along side
for the Big Exchange – Feb 1959
"In an orderly fashion by messes we
exchanged ships while alongside inn San Diego. I actually preferred
the Crescent, older ship she had been converted with modernization
of the Operations department plus all the updated equipment, with
bunks similar to what the Yanks had for bunks, strapped
canvas."
Courtesy of Stephen Hlasny |
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Cadets Robert Rice (left) and Jack Cummer
(right) on the twin bofors on HMCS Crescent, 03 Sep 1946
From the collection of Robert Rice
Courtesy of J.D. Ford |
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Cadet Robert Rice leaning on the gun barrel on
HMCS Crescent, 03 Sep 1946
From the collection of Robert Rice
Courtesy of J.D. Ford |
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HMCS Crescent 1947 Calendar
From the collection of William R. Williams
Courtesy of Brian Williams |
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HMCS Crescent Fastball Champions 1948, West
Indies
From the collection of C1GI
Dick James, RCN
Courtesy of Rick James |
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P.O.s Boats Crew HMCS Crescent - 1948,
West Indies
Dick James - Hank Bennetts - Bob Clements - Ned
Kruncki - Harry Brown
"Popeye" Chambers (Cox)
From the collection of C1GI
Dick James, RCN
Courtesy of Rick James |
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HMCS Crescent sailors ashore - c 1948 - 1949
L-R Bud Fell, Harry Driemel, unknown
From the collection of Harry Driemel
Courtesy of Daryl Driemel |
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HMCS Crescent 226 - date unknown
Courtesy of Dave Shirlaw |
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HMCS Crescent 228 - date unknown
Courtesy of Jim Brannen |
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