
HMCS LONG BRANCH K487
Flower
Class Corvette
HMCS LONG BRANCH K487
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Laid down: 27
Feb 1943 Launched: 28
Sep 1943
Transferred to the RCN:
Sep 1943
Commissioned: 5
Jan 1944
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Paid off: 17
Jun 1945
Fate:
Sold to commercial use, she was eventually scuttled off the east coast in 1966
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Built for the RN as HMS
Candytuft, she was launched on 28 Sep 1943. Transferred to the RCN
in Sep 1943 she was commissioned on 05 Jan 1944 as HMCS LONG BRANCH K487; named after a village near Toronto. In Apr 1944,
following a month's workups at Tobermory, LONG BRANCH joined EG C-5
at Londonderry, and sailed to pick up her maiden convoy, ONS.233.
She developed mechanical defects on the crossing and was under
repair at St. John's for six weeks. She left St. John's 14 Jun 1944 to
resume her duties, but returned from her next westbound convoy with
the assistance of HM tug Tenacity. Repaired, she left St. John's ON
23 Jul 1944 to join HXS.300, the largest convoy of the war, and
continued as an ocean escort until her final departure from
"Derry on 27 Jan 1945. Arriving at Halifax on 11 Feb 1945,
she commenced a refit on completion of which, in Apr 1945, she was
assigned to Halifax Force for local duties. On 17 Jun 1945 she was paid
off at Sorel for disposal. Sold for commercial use in 1947, she was
renamed Rexton Kent II (later dropping the "II") and
finally scuttled off the east coast in 1966.
Photos
and Documents Ship's
company photos The
Ship's Bell
Commanding Officers
A/LCdr Walter Juchereau Kingsmill,
RCNVR - 05 Jan 1944 - 21 Jun 1944
Cdr Edgar George Skinner, DSC,
RCNVR - 22 Jan 1944 - 02 Feb 1944
A/LCdr Allan Brown Taylor,
RCNR - 03 Feb 1944 - 14 Mar 1944
A/LCdr Walter Juchereau Kingsmill,
RCNVR - 15 Mar 1944 - 16 Apr 1944 |
LCdr Rendell James Godschall Johnson,
RCNVR - 17 Apr 1944 - 07 Oct 1944
A/LCdr John Barry O'Brien,
RCNVR - 08 Oct 1944 - 21 Feb 1945
Lt Kenneth Benjamin Culley,
RCNVR - 22 Feb 1945 - 17 Jun 1945 |
In memory of those who have crossed the bar
They shall not be
forgotten
Former Crew Members
Belair,
Paul, Lt, RCNVR - Jan1944
Bruce,
Alexander, Lt, RCNVR - Jan 1944
Busk,
Kenneth John, SLt, RCNVR - Jan 1944
Dowell,
John, ERA
Garnett,
William Jeremiah, Lt, RCNVR - Jan 1944
Glen,
Hugh, Slt, RCNVR - 19 Feb 1944
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Heard,
Dennis Lot, Lt (E), RCNR - 16 Apr 1944
Kerr,
Eugene Stanley, Lt, RCNVR - Jan 1944
Kroening,
Richard Alexander, SLt, RCNVR - 26 Feb 1945
MacGilchrist,
John Walker, Lt, RCNVR - Jan 1944
McDiarmid,
Evan Stanley, Lt, RCNVR - 17 Feb 1945 |
Morris,
Glen, Cook, Ck(S), RCNVR - Alive and well in 2020
Poulter,
Rod, ERA
Pratt,
Ewart Arthur, A/Lt, RCNVR - Jan 1945
Smith,
Robert Campbell, Lt, RCNVR - Jan 1944
Stevens,
David, Slt, RCNVR - Jan 1944
Sumner,
Bill, Stoker |
Photos and Documents

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HMCS LONG BRANCH K487 underway again
Photo
taken from HMCS ROSTHERN on 21 Apr 1944, 600 miles west of
Ireland. ROSTHERN had transferred a new spare air valve via
wire hook-up between ships. ROSTHERN provided protection to LONG BRANCH
while she effected the repairs - sitting motionless for 6
hours. Note the C5 Barber Pole on the LONG BRANCH'S funnel
From the collection of Reese Berwyn Davies, Lt,
RCNVR
Courtesy of Dale Davies
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Chief Puppy Officer Rivets
Ship's mascot of HMCS LONG BRANCH
Courtesy of the CFB Esquimalt Naval and
Military Museum
Photo #VR2016.78.53
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HMCS LONG BRANCH K487 Christmas Card
Courtesy of Hugh Muir
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(1)
Jack Shunk with friend. Jack is holding the ship's mascot (2)
Jack Shunk (3) L-R: Rip, Harry and Jack (4) Shipmates
ashore at "the rest camp" (5) Jack Shunk (1st on
right) with shipmates (6) Jack Shunk (1st on left) with
shipmates

(7) Engine Room gang on HMCS LONG BRANCH
(8) names on back of photo: Swain, Sparkes, Tug 2, Harry, Adams,
Jack, Wallis, Rip, Donaldson 2
Note: Jack Shunk is listed on the back of the
photo - but is not in the photo - he was the photographer

(9-13) Jack Shunk at various places ashore
From the collection of Jack Shunk
Courtesy of Lorne Shunk and Doug Shunk
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RCN Branch 101 Lapel pin honouring HMCS LONG BRANCH
K487
Courtesy of Doug Shunk
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Newspaper article from the Montreal Herald on
HMCS LONG BRANCH K487
Listed in the article: Stoker Bill Sumner, ERA
Jack Shunk, ERA Rod Polter and ERA John Dowell
Courtesy of Randy McKee (grandson of Jack Shunk)
and Doug Shunk
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HMCS LONG BRANCH K487
From the collection of Ron Critchley
Courtesy of Diane Brown
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Bollard, mascot of HMCS LONG BRANCH
Courtesy of the CFB Esquimalt Naval and
Military Museum - photo # VR2016.78.131
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(HM01-HM05) Officers of HMCS LONG BRANCH
K487 - names unknown
(HM06)
Irish - mascot of HMCS LONG BRANCH K487 (HM07) Unknown officer with
ship's mascot Irish on HMCS LONG BRANCH K487 (HM08) Dhobey (Laundry)
day aboard HMCS LONG BRANCH K487. Webmaster's note: These sailors look
a little too happy doing laundry. It appears to be a public relations
"staged" photo.
Courtesy of Hughie Muir
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