HMCS LOCKEPORT J100

 

Bangor Class Minesweeper

 


 

HMCS LOCKEPORT J100

 

Laid down: 17 Jun 1941

Launched: 22 Aug 1941

Transferred to the RCN

Commissioned: 27 May 1942

Paid off: 02 Jul 1945

Returned to the RN: 02 Jul 1945

Fate: Broken up in 1948

 

Built for the RN by North Vancouver Ship Repairs Ltd., at Vancouver but transferred to the RCN for manning. She was commissioned on 27 May 1942, and served with Esquimalt Force until 17 March 1943, when she left for Halifax. On her arrival there on 30 Apr 1943 she was assigned briefly to WLEF and, in Jun 1943, to Halifax Force. In Nov and Dec 1943, she was lent to Newfoundland Force but was withdrawn owing to engine trouble. On 09 Jan 1944, while en route to Baltimore for refit, her engines broke down in a storm, and she made 190 miles under improvised sail before being towed the rest of the way to her destination. 

 

The story of HMCS Lockport's miraculous trip under sail appears to be more of wartime propaganda than actual fact - at least according to one LOCKEPORT sailor, Bill Tom.  You can read his version of events on The Memory Project

 

Upon her return to Halifax in Apr 1944, LOCKEPORT was ordered to Bermuda to work up, and on the homeward journey she escorted the boats of the 78th Motor Launch Flotilla. Returning to Sydney Force in May 1944, she was frequently an escort to the Port-aux-Basques/Sydney ferry. She left Canada on 27 May 1945, for the U.K., and was returned to the RN at Sheerness on 02 Jul 1945, to be broken up three years later at Dorkin, Gateshead.

 


 

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos

 


 

Commanding Officers

 

Lt Douglas Trail, RCNR - 07 May 1942 / 27 May 1942 - 11 Aug 1942

LCdr A.T. Morrell, RCNR - 12 Aug 1942 - 18 Aug 1942

Lt Douglas Trail, RCNR - 19 Aug 1942 - 21 Aug 1943

Lt Ralph Marcus Wallace, RCNVR - 22 Aug 1943 - 23 Jun 1944

Lt Charles Alexander Nicol, RCNR - 24 June 1944 - 02 Jul 1945

 


 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 

 


 

Former Crew Members

 

Anderson, James Douglas, SLt (E), RCNVR - 11 Apr 1944

 

Armstrong, James E. CPO, Cox'n - May 1944

 

Carmichael, Angus Hector, Ch/Skpr, RCNR - 04 Apr 1944

 

Collins, Robert, LS - May 1944

 

Fulton, Archibald Robert (Archie), ERA, 27 May 1943 - 19 Jan 1945

 

Gallery, John William, Wt (E), RN - 27 May 1942

 

Hale, Jeffrey Amherst, SLt, RCNVR - 18 Feb 1945

 

Jones, Hubert Taylor, Lt (E), RCNVR - 12 May 1943 

 

Kerr, W. Alex, Coder - May 1944

 

Lait, Wilfred John, Lt, RCNVR - 05 May 1945

McDonald, James, Tel - May 1944

 

McLocklin, Osborne Kindersley, Lt, RCNVR - 27 May 1942

 

Millar, Charles Kenneth, SLt, RCNVR - 31 May 1943

 

Pratt, David, L/Sto - May 1944

 

Sangster, Bruce, SLt, RCNVR - 28 Jun 1943

 

Seaborn, Edward Arthur, Lt, RCNVR - 28 Jun 1943

 

Smithaniuk, William, Tel - May 1944

 

Stratford, Harold Reginald, Ch/Skpr, RCNR - 01 Jun 1942

 

Sweeting, William John, Skpr, RCNR - 01 Mar 1943

Thomas, Pete, Sig - May 1944

 

Thomson, Woodburn Stratford, Lt, RCNVR - 27 May 1942

 

Tom, Bill - 1944

 

Travers, Ford Mark, Lt, RCNVR - 15 Mar 1943 

 

Wallace, John Henry, Lt, RCNVR - 25 May 1942 / 27 May 1942

 

Willis, James Walter, SLt, RCNVR

 

Woods, William (Slinger), PO - May 1944

 


 

Photos and Documents

 

 

 

        

Newspaper clippings from the Vancouver Sun 03 May 1944 on HMCS LOCKEPORT's use of a sail at sea

 

     

Three newspaper clippings from the Vancouver Daily Province 03 May 1944 on HMCS LOCKEPORT's use of a sail at sea

 

Courtesy of Jane Dunne

Unknown HMCS LOCKEPORT crew member with the ship's mascot

 

From the collection of John (Scotty) Cartmill

 

Courtesy of Paul Cartmill

Two unknown HMCS LOCKEPORT crew members

 

From the collection of John (Scotty) Cartmill

 

Courtesy of Paul Cartmill

Two unknown HMCS LOCKEPORT crew members

 

From the collection of John (Scotty) Cartmill

 

Courtesy of Paul Cartmill

Unknown HMCS LOCKEPORT crew members

 

From the collection of John (Scotty) Cartmill

 

Courtesy of Paul Cartmill

Unknown HMCS LOCKEPORT crew members

 

From the collection of John (Scotty) Cartmill

 

Courtesy of Paul Cartmill

Unknown HMCS LOCKEPORT crew member

 

From the collection of John (Scotty) Cartmill

 

Courtesy of Paul Cartmill

Two soon-to-be HMCS LOCKEPORT crew members at HMCS Naden, Esquimalt, BC

 

From the collection of John (Scotty) Cartmill

 

Courtesy of Paul Cartmill

 

HMCS LOCKEPORT J100

 

From the collection of George (Paddy) Steward

 

Courtesy of Ken Nowicki

HMCS LOCKEPORT J100

 

RCN Photo # S-348

 

Courtesy of the Comox RCAF Museum

HMCS LOCKEPORT J100 with a wee bit of ice

 

From the collection of William (Bill) Dougall, LTO (LP), RCNVR

 

Courtesy of Grant Dougall

 


 

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(BH04) Newspaper article on minesweepers clearing the approaches to St. John's, Newfoundland. Ships mentioned:  HMCS SARNIA, HMCS STRATFORD, HMCS LOCKEPORT, HMCS MEDICINE HAT, HMCS GRANDMERE, HMCS VEGREVILLE, HMCS CANSO, HMCS BURLINGTON, HMCS CARAQUET and ML Q091 is the Fairmile mentioned that towed in the mines.

 

Sailors mentioned:  Lt George Rundle of Montreal, QC;  PO J.W. Wells of Grand Bay, NFLD and Lt George Gordon McClelland ML Q091

 

(BH05) HMCS LOCKEPORT pennant  (BH06) Sailors on HMCS LOCKEPORT.  Bert Honer standing, 2nd from left  (BH07) Sailors on HMCS LOCKEPORT.  Bert Horner, 1st on right  (BH08) Bert Horner on HMCS LOCKEPORT at St. John's, NFLD

 

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(BH09) HMCS LOCKEPORT departing  St. John's, NFLD  (BH10) Unknown sailor on HMCS LOCKEPORT  (BH11) Unknown sailor on HMCS LOCKEPORT  (BH12) Bert Horner on HMCS LOCKEPORT  (BH13) Unknown sailors on HMCS LOCKEPORT

 

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(BH14) Unknown minesweeper seen from HMCS LOCKEPORT  (BH15) Unknown CPO on HMCS LOCKEPORT  (BH16) Unknown sailor on HMCS LOCKEPORT  (BH17) Minesweeping gear on the sweep deck/quarterdeck of HMCS LOCKEPORT  (BH18) Unknown sailor on HMCS LOCKEPORT

 

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(BH19) Quarterdeck of HMCS LOCKPORT.  Unknown vessel in drydock at St. John's, Nfld - Signal Hill in the background

 

From the collection of Bert Horner, RCNVR

 

Courtesy of Bruce Horner

 


 

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