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HMCS GRANDMERE J258
Bangor Class Minesweeper
Built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, Que. GRANDMERE was commissioned at Montreal on 11 Dec 1941. En route to Halifax she broke down in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on 21 Dec 1941, and was towed to Sydney by HMCS KAMSACK. Later that month, while alongside at Sydney undergoing repairs, she suffered serious damage to her No.2 boiler, and was taken to Pictou for repairs, which were not completed until May 1942. She finally arrived at Halifax, her original destination, on 05 May 1942. She served for varying periods with WLEF, Sydney Force, Halifax Force, and Halifax Local Defence Force. On 14 Oct 1942, while with Sydney Force, she rescued 101 survivors of the passenger ferry Caribou, torpedoed in the Cabot Strait - 126 passengers and crew of the Caribou perished. In July 1943, she had a seven-week refit at Louisbourg and underwent a second major refit at Sydney and Halifax in Sep 1944, following which she worked up in Bermuda in Feb 1945. The ship was paid off at Sydney on 23 Oct 1945, and placed in reserve at Shelburne. Sold in 1947, she operated as the yacht Elda. In 1951, she was converted to a cargo vessel, 664 gt, and renamed Jack's Bay. She operated under British registry out of Nassau, Bahamas ports between Florida and Cuba. In 1961 she was renamed Proton. In Oct 1968, she was broken up at Pinto Island Metals Co., Mobile, Alabama.
Commanding Officers
Lt James Cuthbert, RCNR - 11 Dec 1941 - 20 Apr 1944
Lt Nelson Walter Winters, RCNVR - 21 Apr 1944 - 20 Jul 1945
Lt R.C. Hayden, RCNVR - 23 Aug 1945 - 23 Oct 1945
Sto 1c, RCNVR died - 05 Aug 1944
They shall not be forgotten
Former Crew Members
Photos and Documents
SLt William F. Harvey, RCNVR on HMCS GRANDMERE Crow's Nest newspaper - May 1944
(RDM051) A couple sailors relaxing on the gun deck of HMCS GRANDMERE J258, circa 1945 (RDM052) Looking forward at the gun deck and fo'c's'le of HMCS GRANDMERE J258, circa 1945 (RDM053) Oerlikon gun on HMCS GRANDMERE J258, circa 1945 (RDM054) Pilot boat coming alongside HMCS GRANDMERE J258 (RDM055) Tippy - ship's mascot of HMCS GRANDMERE J258 on the forward gun barrel
(RDM056) Buggs - ship's mascot of HMCS GRANDMERE J258 on the forward gun barrel (RDM057) ABSD Holder, from Windsor, Ontario, on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945 (RDM058) (L-R) Left P/O Writer, P/O Commando, Sto Bates, Sto 1/c Hibberd on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945 (RDM059) AB Johnnie Wheenan from Fort Francis, Ont on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945 (RDM060)AB Spike Jones, AB Thorstienson on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945
(RDM061) AB Jack Dyson from Toronto, Ontario, on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945 (RDM062) AB Jack Dyson on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945 (RDM063) AB Jack Dyson on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945 (RDM064) L/Sto Brady from Windsor, Ontario on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945 (RDM065) AB Russel and AB Donague on the jetty beside HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945
(RDM066) AB SD Nicholson of Vancouver, BC on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945 (RDM067) PO Stwd Frank Gadway from Winnipeg, MB on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945 (RDM068) PO LTO Cockell from Vancouver, BC on the jetty by HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945 (RDM069) L/Tel Withers from Sydney, Cape Breton, NS on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945 (RDM070) Buggs and cook peeling spuds on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945
(RDM071) L/Sig Yerbury on watch on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945 (RDM072) AB John Wise from Montreal, Quebec on HMCS GRANDMERE J258 circa 1945. HMCS DUNDURN Z41 in the background (RDM073) VA Wilson from Galt, Ontario on HMCS GRANDMERE J258, circa 1945 (RDM074) Robert Masters, duty as Quartermaster on HMCS GRANDMERE J258, circa 1945 (RDM075) Robert Masters by the forward gun of HMCS GRANDMERE J258, circa 1945
(RDM076) AB Dyson and AB Wheenan on HMCS GRANDMERE J258, circa 1945 From the collection of Robert David Masters, Signalman, RCNVR Courtesy of Cathy Masters
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In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice
Lest We Forget
