HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

 

Castle Class Corvette

 

 

HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

Click on the above photo to view a larger image

 

From the collection of Lt Richard (Dick) Simon

Courtesy of Rick Simon

 

Laid down: 30 Aug 1943

Launched: 12 Apr 1944

Transferred to RCN: 1944

Commissioned: 06 Sep 1944

Paid off: 17 Nov 1945

Fate: Broken up in 1959

 

Built at Glasgow, Scotland, she was laid down and launched as HMS Norham Castle. On completion she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned as HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 at Glasgow on 06 Sep 1944. After working up at Tobermory she arrived in October at Londonderry to join EG C-8, then forming. She left 'Derry 22 Oct 1944 to join convoy ON.261 for her first Atlantic crossing and continued in service as an ocean escort for the remainder of the war. HUMBERSTONE left Londonderry 12 May 1945, for her last convoy, ONS.50. On 13 May 1945 a Sunderland aircraft belonging to RCAF 423 Squadron spotted U-244 on the surface ahead of Convoy ONS-50. HMCS STONE TOWN and HMCS HUMBERSTONE were directed to investigate and made initial contact with U-244 before turning her over to HMS LOCH TARBERT and continuing as escort to Convoy ONS 50 (surrender of U-244 - summary). In Jun 1945 she sailed to Esquimalt where she was paid off on 17 Nov 1945. She was sold to Chinese owners in 1946 and converted for merchant service as Taiwei, subsequently undergoing five more name-changes before becoming the Korean South Ocean in 1954. She was broken up at Hong Kong in 1959.

 

The origin of the ship's badge:  "It was the resourcefulness of Lieut. Goodfellow which produced a crest for the ship in time for the commissioning when it was found that it was not possible to obtain one from the town of HUMBERSTONE, Ont., after which the ship is named, in time for the ceremony. A little research by Lieut. Goodfellow revealed that HUMBERSTONE, Ont., was named after a Scottish town and that the HUMBERSTONE in Scotland had a crest of its own. This was the crest which had been adopted by HMCS HUMBERSTONE. In its final form it consists of a plaque showing a unicorn head over a shield, mounted on a large maple leaf."

 

 

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos          Convoys escorted during WW2

 

Report of Proceedings - Convoy ONS-50 - 27 May 1945

 

Commanding Officers

 

LCdr H. Allen Boucher, RCNVR - 06 Sep 1944 - 15 Oct 1944

Lt C.L. Campbell, RCNVR - 16 Oct 1944 - 26 Nov 1944

LCdr H. Allen Boucher, RCNVR - 27 Nov 1944 - 15 Jun 1945

A/LCdr J.W. Golby, RCNVR - 19 Aug 1945 - 14 Oct 1945

  

 

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

 

MURRAY, James B.

AB, RCNVR

MPK - 04 Mar 1945

 

  

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 

 

Former Crew Members

 

Campbell, Gordon David, Lt, RCNVR - 19 Apr 1944 (Stand by) CO

 

Crothers, Robert John, Lt, RCNVR - 19 Apr 1944 (Stand by)

 

Douglas, Ralph Louis, SLt (E), RCNVR - 27 Jun 1944 (Stand by) /  Lt (E), RCNVR - 27 Jan 1945

 

Garlough, Philip Johnstone, Slt (El), RCNVR - 12 Mar 1945

Gray, George Henry, Lt (E), RCNR - 18 Apr 1944 (Stand by)

 

McDonald, Bob 

 

Riddell, George Gordon, A/Lt, RCNVR - 19 Apr 1944 (Stand by)

 

Simpson, John Sutton, Surg/Lt, RCNVR - 08 Mar 1945

Sobering, Arnold, Lt (E), RCNVR - 27 Jan 1945

 

Stewart, A.S Harold Lloyd (of North Battleford, SK)

 

Tooby, Norman David, A/Lt, RCNVR - 19 Apr 1944 (Stand by)

 

Vaillancourt, Jacques, A/Lt, RCNVR - 31 Jan 1945

 

Warwick, William, Lt, RCNVR - 19 Apr 1944 (Stand by)

 

 

Photos and Documents

 

Article on the commissioning of HMCS HUMBERSTONE and the origin of the ship's badge

The Halifax Herald, Thurs, 02 Nov 1944

Researched by / Courtesy of George Newbury

Articles / crew photos on the commissioning of HMCS HUMBERSTONE

 

Courtesy of the Saskatoon Museum of Military Artifacts

HMCS HUMBERSTONE jacket patch

From the collection of Murray Saunders

Courtesy of Doug Saunders

HMCS HUMBERSTONE jacket patch

 

Courtesy of Brent Walker

HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 in drydock

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Lt Philip Goodfellow, HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Sailors on deck of HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Unknown evolution on HMCS Humberston K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Unknown sailors on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Unknown sailor on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Crew on deck of HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Up the mast on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Philip Goodfellow on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Target practice on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Philip Goodfellow (right) with unknown Petty Officer on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Unknown Petty Officer from HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Sailors on the depth charges on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Unknown Square-Rig Petty Officer on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Unknown sailor with the catch-of-the-day on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Unknown sailors on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 circa 1945

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Unknown sailors on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 with the ship's mascot

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Unknown Sailors on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Sailor holding a tattered White Ensign, HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 at St. John's, NFLD

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 at St. John's, NFLD

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

Surrendered U-244 with aircraft flying overhead off of Northern Ireland

Photo taken from HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow

 

  

Autographs of HMCS HUMBERSTONE'S officers on the inside of a book found in an old bookstore in Islamabad, Pakistan (found 14 Nov 2020)

 

Geo H. Gray, Lieut (E), RCNR

 

Gordon Riddell, Toronto, Ontario  (* Lt, RCNVR)

 

Robert J. Crothers, Kingston, Ontario  (* Lt, RCNVR)

 

Phil Goodfellow, Montreal, Que  (* Lt, RCNVR)

 

George MacDonald, Toronto  (* Lt, RCNVR)

 

Ralph L. Douglas, Montreal, Canada  (* SLt (E), RCNVR)

 

Norman D. Tooby, Montreal (* A/Lt, RCNVR)

 

HMCS HUMBERSTONE 14 Sep 1944

 

Note: the info in the brackets was their rank according to the Navy List for Nov 1944)

 

Photos courtesy of Ehjaz Hussain

 

 

 

Convoys escorted during WW2

 

Convoy Desig.

Convoy Departs from

Arrives at

Join as escort

Depart Convoy 

ON.261

Southend

(20 Oct 1944)

New York City

(05 Nov 1944)

22 Oct 1944

31 Oct 1944

HX.318

New York City

(04 Nov 1944)

Liverpool

(19 Nov 1944)

10 Nov 1944

19 Nov 1944

ON.269

Liverpoo

(29 Nov 1944)

New York City

(15 Dec 1944)

30 Nov 1944

09 Dec 1944

ONS.40

Liverpool

(12 Jan 1945)

Halifax

(30 Jan 1945)

13 Jan 1945

25 Jan 1945

HX.335

New York City

(28 Jan 1945)

Liverpool

(10 Feb 1945)

02 Feb 1945

10 Feb 1945

ON.286

Liverpool

(21 Feb 1945)

New York City

(09 Mar 1945)

21 Feb 1945

04 Mar 1945

HX.343

New York City

(09 Mar 1945)

Liverpool

(24 Mar 1945)

14 Mar 1945

24 Mar 1945

ONS.46

Liverpool

(02 Apr 1945)

Halifax

(20 Apr 1945)

02 Apr 1945

26 Apr 1946

HX.351

New York City

(18 Apr 1945)

Liverpool

(03 May 1945)

24 Apr 1945

03 May 1945

ONS.50

Liverpool

(11 May 1945)

Halifax

(29 May 1945)

12 May 1945

25 May 1945

 

 

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