HMCS LONG BRANCH K487

 

Flower Class Corvette

 

 

HMCS LONG BRANCH K487

 

Laid down: 27 Feb 1943

Launched: 28 Sep 1943

Transferred to the RCN: Sep 1943

Commissioned: 5 Jan 1944

Paid off: 17 Jun 1945

Fate: Sold to commercial use, she was eventually scuttled off the east coast in 1966

 

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

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

 

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

Chief Puppy Officer Rivets

 

Ship's mascot of HMCS LONG BRANCH

 

Courtesy of the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum

Photo #VR2016.78.53

 

HMCS LONG BRANCH K487 Christmas Card

 

Courtesy of Hugh Muir

 

             

(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

 

RCN Branch 101 Lapel pin honouring HMCS LONG BRANCH K487

 

Courtesy of Doug Shunk

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

HMCS LONG BRANCH K487

 

From the collection of Ron Critchley

 

Courtesy of Diane Brown

Bollard, mascot of HMCS LONG BRANCH

 

Courtesy of the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum - photo # VR2016.78.131

 

 

HM01

HM02

HM03

HM04

HM05

(HM01-HM05) Officers of HMCS LONG BRANCH K487 - names unknown

 

HM06

HM07

HM08

(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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