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HMCS FRONTENAC K335
Flower Class Corvette
Built at Kingston, Ont., FRONTENAC was commissioned there on 26 Oct 1943. She arrived at Halifax in mid-Dec 1943 and carried out working-up exercises in St. Margaret's Bay in Jan 1944. She was then assigned to EG 9, Londonderry, and made the crossing in Mar 1944 as escort to convoy SC.154. It was decided, however, the EG 9 should be made up only of frigates, and FRONTENAC returned to St. John's where in May 1944 she joined EG C-1. She left Belfast 19 Dec 1944 to escort ON.273, her last westbound convoy. On 05 Jan 1945 she commenced refit at Liverpool, N.S. On completion on she was assigned to Halifax Force and sent to Bermuda to work up, but saw little further service before being paid off at Halifax on 22 Jul 1945. She was then taken to Sorel, but was sold in Oct 1945 to the United Ship Corp. of New York.
Photos and Documents Ship's company photos
Commanding Officers
A/LCdr E.T.F. Wennberg, RCNVR - 26 Oct 1943 - 15 Mar 1945
Lt Donald Richard Baker, RCNVR - 16 Mar 1945 - 22 Jul 1945
Captain for the Day
Captain for the day is a tradition in the RCN where during the ship's Christmas celebrations, the Commanding Officer changes places with the youngest member of the ship's company.
They shall not be forgotten
Former Crew Members
Photos and Documents
(FNC001) Commissioning crew photo with complete crew list and letter of thanks from the Commanding Officer of HMCS FRONTENAC to the people of Kingston, Ontario // The Kingston Whig-Standard 16 Nov 1943 // Courtesy of James Sturgess (FNC002) HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (FNC003) HMCS FRONTENAC K335 // From the collection of Tom Coyle, Sto 1c, RCNVR // Courtesy of Elaine Desnoyers (FNC004) HMCS FRONTENAC K335 // From the collection of Leonard Putnam // Courtesy of Stuart Graham (FNC005) HMCS FRONTENAC K335
(FNC006) The Three Sailors in the above picture have been selected from the H.M.C.S. "Cataraqui" crew for the crew of HMCS "Frontenac", the corvette sponsored by the City of Kingston and built here for the Royal Canadian Navy. From left to right, OS W. Lewis of Peterborough, AB. J. Sturgess of Whitby and OS D. F. Orr of Parry Sound. The three young boys trained at the local naval training centre. // the Kingston Whig-Standard, Friday, 19 Nov 1943 // Courtesy of James Sturgess (FNC007) Article on HMCS FRONTENAC'S wartime service // The Kingston Whig-Standard 13 Oct 1945 // Courtesy of James Sturgess
(FNC008) Unknown sailor standing beside Count Frontenac onboard HMCS FRONTENAC K335 // Courtesy of the Naval Museum of Halifax (FNC009) Count Frontenac enjoying a bit of down time onboard HMCS FRONTENAC K335 // Courtesy of the Naval Museum of Halifax (FCN010) Count Frontenac onboard HMCS FRONTENAC K335 // Courtesy of the Naval Museum of Halifax
(JB11) John Boothman on HMCS FRONTENAC (JB12) John Boothman on HMCS FRONTENAC, Dec 1944 (JB13) John Boothman and shipmates - Robert S. Brown 1st on right (JB14) Engineroom hatch on HMCS FRONTENAC, STBD side aft looking forward (JB15) HMCS FRONTENAC in bad weather - Port side mid ships looking aft
(JB16) Stan Matestead and John Boothman (JB17) Refit Base (JB18-JB19) HMCS FRONTENAC on the slips. FRONTENAC was in refit at Liverpool, NS from Jan to Mar 1945 (JB20) Troopship seen from HMCS FRONTENAC
(JB32) Depth charge exploding behind a corvette - believed to be HMCS FRONTENAC (JB33) Surrendered U-boats alongside an unknown frigate, Lisahalley, Lough Foyle, Northern Ireland (JB34) Escort Carrier, HMS PRETORIA CASTLE (JB35) Unknown corvette (JB36) Unknown corvette From the collection of John Boothman, Stoker, RCNVR Courtesy of Dave Boothman
(CS07) "Good fishing in Bermuda - 340 lbs" - Kenneth Munroe on HMCS FRONTENAC (CS08) Curt Soderstom on HMCS FRONTENAC (CS09) "My family" (CS10) Officers on HMCS FRONTENAC (CS11) Officers on HMCS FRONTENAC
(CS12) "Myself and a shipmate" on HMCS FRONTENAC (CS13) Unknown sailor in the engine room of HMCS FRONTENAC (CS14) Curt Soderstrom (left) and shipmate on HMCS FRONTENAC (CS15) "Flat tire" - Curt Soderstrom "stranded" with a flat tire (CS16) Curt Soderstrom, date and place unknown
(CS17) "Get that pose" - Curt Soderstrom, date and place unknown (CS18) HMCS FRONTENAC - "A picture of the ship. Lovely isn't it" From the collection of Curt Soderstrom Courtesy of Alan Soderstrom
(GS28) Allied Submarine P252 (GS29) Unknown allied sub (GS30) Unidentified officer on the bridge of HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (GS31) Unidentified FRONTENAC sailor ashore - location unknown (GS32) HMCS Halifax K237
(GS33) Unidentified sailors on HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (GS34) Unknown ship - possibly a troop ship (GS35) Unidentified sailor leaning on the rocket launcher on HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (GS36) Ships in convoy (GS37) Gilbert Smith (right) on HMCS FRONTENAC K335
(GS38) Gilbert Smith (2nd from right) and shipmates by the ship's sea boat on HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (GS39) Gilbert Smith by the ship's sea boat on HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (GS40) After signal lamp / searchlight tower and after gun tub on HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (GS41) Gilbert Smith (2nd from left) and shipmates on HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (GS42) Gilbert Smith on the 21-inch signal lamp on HMCS FRONTENAC K335
(GS43) Gilbert Smith (2nd from right) and shipmates on HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (GS44) Unidentified sailor on the after signal lamp / searchlight tower on HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (GS45) Unidentified sailor holding a machine gun on HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (GS46) US Landing Craft 621 (GS47) Coder Gilbert Smith with mascot "Count FRONTENAC" on HMCS FRONTENAC K335
(GS48) Coder Gilbert Smith (left) and shipmate with mascot "Count FRONTENAC" on HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (GS49) Unidentified sailors relaxing by the forward gun on HMCS FRONTENAC K335 - note convoy ships in background (GS50) Gilbert Smith (centre) and shipmates by depth charge thrower on HMCS FRONTENAC K335 (GS51-GS52) Sailors on duty boat either leaving from or returning to HMCS FRONTENAC K335
(GS53) Unidentified FRONTENAC sailor ashore (GS54) Unidentified FRONTENAC sailor ashore (GS55) Unidentified FRONTENAC sailor ashore (GS56) Unidentified FRONTENAC sailors ashore .... one has garnered the attention of a local monkey (GS57) Unidentified FRONTENAC sailors ashore
(GS58) Unknown torpedoed merchant ship - convoy escort to right of ship searching for / picking up survivors (GS59) Gilbert Smith (left) and shipmate ashore (GS60) Unidentified FRONTENAC sailors ashore (GS61) Unidentified FRONTENAC sailors ashore (GS62) Unidentified FRONTENAC sailors ashore
(GS63) Gilbert Smith ashore - location unknown (GS64) FRONTENAC sailors ashore - Gilbert Smith centre Photos from the collection of Coder Gilbert John Smith, RCNVR Courtesy of Sharon Wing
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In memory of those who have crossed the bar 
