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HMCS NEW WESTMINSTER K228
Flower Class Corvette
Built at Victoria, she was commissioned there ON 31 Jan 1942, and assigned to Esquimalt Force until the threat of Japanese invasion had abated. Ordered to Halifax to release an east-coast corvette for Operation "Torch" service, she arrived there on 13 Oct 1942, a month after leaving Esquimalt. Assigned to WLEF, she operated on the "triangle run" until May 1943, when she began a major refit at Sydney. This refit included fo'c's'le extension and was not completed until 10 Dec 1943. The ship was then made a part of EG C-5, and in Jul 1944, sailed with HXS.300, the largest convoy of the war. She left Londonderry on 14 Dec 1944, for the last time, returning home to refit at Saint John until early Mar 1945. Allocated to Sydney Force until the end of hostilities, she was paid off at Sorel on 21 Jun 1945, and in 1947 sold for commercial purposes - became the mercantile Elisa in 1950; Portoviejo in 1952 and Azura in 1954. Sold in 1966 for breaking up at Tampa, Florida, U.S.A.
Photos and Documents The Ship's Bell
Commanding Officers
A/LCdr Ronald Orr McKenzie, RCNR - 31 Jan 1942 - 21 Jun 1945
They shall not be forgotten
Former Crew Members
Photos and Documents
These photos are from the collection of Hector Trotter while he served in HMCS New Westminster from Dec 1943 to circa May / Jun 1945.. They have been sorted by developer numbers on the backs of the photos along with any information written on the photos by Hector Trotter. There is no guarantee the photos are properly sequenced.
Photos 1 through 10 - misc. photos dated Jan 1944
(1) Gunshield art on HMCS New Westminster K228 - 06 Jan 1944 (2-4) HMCS New Westminster (foreground) and cable ship Lord Kelvin (5 & 6) Flying fish found on bridge of HMCS new Westminster (7) HMCS New Westminster (8) St. Pierre Harbour
Photos 9 through 27 - Work Ups (WUPS), St Margaret's Bay, NS - Jan 1944
(9-12) unknown corvette (13-15) HMCS Owen Sound K340 (16) unknown frigate (17-24) Royal Navy submarine HMS P554 - Note: HMS P554 was based at Halifax for anti-submarine training (25) ship's whaler under sail - minesweeper and frigate in background (26) ship's tied up at buoys (27) HMCS Cape Breton K350
Photos 28 through 31 - Undated photos - taken sometime after rocket launchers installed on forward gun
(28) HMCS New Westminster fires the Hedgehog (29-31) HMS New Westminster at a trot buoy. Note rocket launchers on side of 4" gun mount and gun shield art now painted over
Photos 32 through 59 - Officers and ratings of HMCS New Westminster K228 - 1944
Photos 60 through - 80 - Convoy SC.153 - Halifax to Liverpool - 13 Feb 1944 - 02 Mar 1944
Webmaster's note: The above photos were group by the developer's batch number on the back of the photos. Note that in photos 60 to 62 New Westminster does not yet have her rocket launchers on the side of the gun mount - but in photos 79 and 80 - her rocket launchers are visible. The oiler in both these photos are different from photos 60-64.. It is possible that photos 79 and 80 are from a later convoy.
Convoy ONS.31 - Liverpool to Halifax - 13 Mar 1944 - 30 Mar 1944
(81) HMCS Dauphin K157 in convoy ONS.31
Photos 82 through 93 - Convoy HX.285 - NYC to Liverpool 28 Mar 1944 - 12 Apr 1944
(82) Norwegian oiler Kaia Knudsen - convoy escort oiler (83-85) HMCS New Westminster fueling from Kaia Knudsen (86-90) ships of Convoy HX.285, Eastbound - Apr 1944 (92 & 92) Oiler Kaia Knudsen (93) Unknown merchantman
Photos 94 through 115 - Either the end of Convoy HX.285 or beginning of ON.233
Webmaster's note: The above photos were annotated April 1944 - but no indication of which convoy - JX.285 or O.233. As both convoys were at sea during some point in Apr 1944, they could be from either convoy.
"Nig" - Mascot of HMCS New Westminster K228 - Apr 1944
Photos 120 - 122 - Convoy ON.233 - Liverpool to NYC 20 Apr 1944 - 08 May 1944
(120 & 121) Iceberg on Grand Banks of Newfoundland - Apr 1944 (122) Convoy On.233 - Westbound - Apr 1944
Photos 123 through 146 - Escort Group C5 (EG.C5) - dated 1944
Webmaster's note: This batch of photos was dated 1944 with no indication of month or convoy. HMCS Hespeler K489 joined EG C5 in Apr 1944 and her first convoy was ON.233 - departing Liverpool on 23 Apr 1944. It is not known if these photos are from that convoy or a later convoy.
Photos 147 through 162 - Convoy HX.290 - NYC to Liverpool 05 - 19 May 1944
Photo 163 through 177 - Convoy HX.290 or Convoy ON.238
Webmaster's note. The above photos were in the same batch of photos labeled Convoy HX.290 and Convoy ON.238. These photos were labeled May 1944 with no indication of which convoy. As both convoys were at sea during some point in May 1944, they could be from either convoy.
Convoy ON.238 - Liverpool to NYC - 26 May 1944 - 09 Jun 1944
(178) Swordfish taking off MAC - May 1944 (179) Convoy ON.238 (180) Swordfish from MAC flying over Convoy ON.238 (181) Swordfish landing on MAC - May 1944
Webmaster's note: MACs listed in Convoy ON.238 were EMPIRE MACCOLL, EMPIRE MACKAY, EMPIRE MACRAE
Photo 181 - 184 - Misc photos - 1944
(181 & 182) MAC - 1944 - no indication of month or convoy (183 & 184) HMCS Huntsville K499
Webmaster's note: HMCS Hunstville K499 joined EG.C5 in Aug 1944
Photos 185 - 192 - Bermuda during sea Work-Ups - Feb 1945
(185) Dermot Moleska & Hector Trotter - St George's, Bermuda - Feb 1945 (165) Unknown sailor and Hector Trotter - St George's, Bermuda - Feb 1945 (187-191) A beach at Bermuda. Note: likely at or near St. Georges. (192) Hector Trotter ashore in Bermuda
From the collection of Hector Trotter Courtesy of Colin Trotter
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In memory of those who have crossed the bar 
