HMCS PICTOU K146

Flower Class Corvette

Commissioned at Quebec City on 29 Apr 1941, PICTOU arrived at Halifax on 12 May 1941. She joined Newfoundland Command and left St. John's on 06 Jun 1941 with HX.131 for Iceland, one of the first two corvettes to escort an HX convoy. She remained on the St. John's-Iceland run for the rest of the year. After brief repairs at Halifax she returned to St. John's, where breakdowns forced her to turn back from three successive convoys. She finally crossed with H.180 in Mar 1942, to Londonderry, carried out further repairs at Liverpool and, on completion early in Jun 1942, join EG C-4. On 05 Aug 1942, while escorting convoy ON.116, she was rammed in a fog near St. John's by the Norwegian SS Hindanger, suffering severe damage to her stern. After completing repairs at Halifax on 20 Sep 1942, she joined EG C-2. On her return from the U.K. with ON.149 in Dec 1942, she required further repairs at Halifax, followed immediately by refit at Liverpool, N.S. In May 1943, she joined EG C-3, and on 17 Dec 1943 left Londonderry for the last time. From early Jan to 31 Mar 1944, she was refitting at New York, incidentally receiving her extended fo'c's'le. She then proceeded to Bermuda for three weeks' working-up, returning in mid-Jun 1944 to join EG W-5, Western Escort Force. Paid off on 12 Jul 1945, at Sorel, she was sold for conversion to a whale-catcher, entering service in 1950 as the Honduran-flag Olympic Chaser. Again sold in 1956, she served at Otori Maru No. 7 until converted to a barge in 1962.

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos

Commanding Officers

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

Former Crew Members

Photos and Documents

(PTU001) HMCS PICTOU K146

(PTU002) Depth charge being fired from HMCS PICTOU, March, 1942  //  Source: Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-116838

(PTU003) CERA Porter painting the gunshield of HMCS PICTOU, and Cd (E) Sam Clarke, RCNR circa September 1942  //  The Griffon on the gunshield was based on the family badge for Tony Griffin, PICTOU's CO in 1942  //  Source: Flower Class Corvette Forums

(PTU004 - PTU005) HMCS PICTOU K146 alongside HMCS Cobalt K124 while convoy escort (note convoy ships on horizon)  //  From the collection of Edmund Ferris  //  Courtesy of Edmund Ferris

(PTU006) Christmas Day in 1942, HMCS PICTOU, Lieutenant Anthony Griffin, right, traded uniforms with the youngest sailor aboard his ship.  Source: The Globe and Mail 18 Oct 2015 

(PTU007) HMCS PICTOU's gunshield art  //  Photo taken at St. John's, NFLD - 1943  //  Courtesy of Roger Litwiller

(PTU008) HMCS PICTOU Christmas card - 1944  //  From the collection of William Rose  //  Courtesy of Steve Rose

(PTU009) The PICTOU's Last Stand  //  Newspaper article on HMCS PICTOU's port visit to PICTOU, NS prior to being paid off - 11 Jun 1945  //  From the collection of William Rose  //  Courtesy of Steve Rose

(PTU010) Sto PO Rose by the gun mount on HMCS PICTOU K146 circa winter 1944-45  //  From the collection of William Rose  //  Courtesy of Steve Rose

(PTU011) Sailors of HMCS PICTOU K146 doing a bit of boat work  //  DND/ RCN Photo

(PTU012) HMCS PICTOU K146  //  DND-RCN photo  //  From the collection of Lionel Saundes, Coder, RCNVR  //  Courtesy of Douglas Saunders

(PTU013) HMCS PICTOU K146, Londonderry  //  From the collection of LS Bernard (Bunny) Brewster  //  Courtesy of Gord Brewster