HMCS GIFFARD K402

 

Flower Class Corvette

 

 

HMCS GIFFARD K402

 

Laid down: 30 Nov 1942

Launched: 19 Jun 1943

Transferred to the RCN: 10 Nov 1943

Commissioned: 10 Nov 1943

Paid off: 05 Jul 1945

Fate: Broken up in 1952

 

Laid down and launched as HMS Buddleia, she was renamed HMCS GIFFARD K402 in Sep 1943. On 10 Nov 1943, she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned as HMCS GIFFARD K402; named after a town in Quebec. After working-up at Tobermory GIFFARD joined EG C-1 at Londonderry and on 15 Feb 1944, sailed to join her first convoy, ON.224. On 07 May 1944 she rescued 49 survivors of the torpedoed VALLEYFIELD, and the following week resumed her duties as an ocean escort until 27 Nov 1944, when she left Halifax for Liverpool, N.S., to undergo a major refit. Completed in Mar 1945, this was followed by workups in Bermuda, when she arrived in St. John's on 15 Apr 1945, to be employed locally until  her departure on 13 May 1945 with convoy HX.335 for the U.K. GIFFARD left Greenock early in Jun 1945 on her final westward voyage, was paid off on 05 Jul 1945 and laid up at Sorel to await disposal. She was broken up in 1952 in Hamilton.

 

 

Photos and Documents

 

Tim Pollock's account of the rescue of the VALLEYFIELD'S survivors by HMCS GIFFORD

 

 

Commanding Officers

 

A/LCdr Charles Peterson, RCNR - 10 Nov 1943 - 09 May 1944

 

Lt George Henry Matheson, RCNR - 10 May 1944 - 05 Jul 1945

 

 

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

 

LANGTON, Thomas L.

Stoker, RCNVR

died - 11 Jun 1944

OTTAWAY, Eric S.

Stoker 1c, RCNVR

died - 24 Jul 1944

 

 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 

 

Former Crew Members

 

Auld, Elmer, SD, RCNVR

 

Bailey, Howard, L/SBA (of Saint John, NB) 

 

Coleman, Charles, Sto (of Victoria, BC) - 1944

 

Cover, Evan Alfred, SLt, RCNVR - 29 Feb 1944

 

Dunn, George William, Lt, RCNVR - 31 Jan 1945

Edgar, Douglas, LS (of Swift Current, SK) - 1944

 

Flitton, Ralph, Lt (of Mount Royal, QC) - 1944

 

Landry, David Michael, A/Lt, RCNVR - 20 Feb 1945

 

Lawrie, James Chester, SLt, RCNVR - 05 Feb 1945

Marks, Donald, AB (of Halifax, NS) - 1944

 

Pickering, Robert John (Pick)

 

Robertson, David Allen, Wt (E), RCNVR - 10 Jun 1944 / 16 Jun 1944

 

 

Photos and Documents

 

GIF001

GIF002

GIF003

GIF004

(GIF001) HMCS GIFFARD K402

(GIF002) HMCS GIFFARD K402

(GIF003) Ken Gough on HMCS GIFFARD K402  //  From the collection of Ken Gough  //  Courtesy of Kate Hyland

(GIF004) Five sailors from HMCS GIFFARD rescue HMCS VALLEYFIELD survivors  //  Halifax Morning Chronicle, 23 May 1944  //  Researched by / Courtesy of George Newbury  //  Sailors mentioned in the article:  Lt Ralph Flitton, of Mount Royal, QC;  LS Douglas Edgar of Swift Current, SK;  AB Donald Marks of Halifax, NS;  Stoker Charles Coleman of Victoria, BC

 

GIF005

(GIF005) Awards to sailors after the sinking of HMCS VALLEYFIELD

 

From the Windsor Star, 02 Jan 1945

 

AB Joseph Emile Rene Baulne, HMCS VALLEYFIELD, of Hull, QC - BEM

 

LS David Brown, Roseland, ON, HMCS VALLEYFIELD - MID (Posthumous)

 

Tel Harry Norman, HMCS VALLEYFIELD - MID (Posthumous)

 

AB David Edgar Brown, , HMCS VALLEYFIELD,  of Eburne, BC - MID (Posthumous)

 

LCdr Charlese Peterson, HMCS GIFFARD, of Victoria, BC - MID

 

Lt Ralph Johnston Flitton, HMCS GIFFARD, of Mount Royal, QC - MID

 

Yeoman of Signals Irving Jack Kaplan, HMCS VALLEYFIELD, of Montreal - MID

 

AB George John  McDoanld, HMCS GIFFARD, of Paris, ON - MID

 

Leading Air Fitter Edward George Grinsted, HMCS GIFFARD - MID

 

Stoker First Class, Charles Robert Coleman, HMCS GIFFARD, of Victoria, BC - MID

 

Sub-Lt Donald Harold Godwin, HMCS VALLEYFIELD, of Hamilton, ON - MID

 

 

 

HOME PAGE     SHIP INDEX      CONTACT