HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 / 307 - For Posterity's Sake

HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 / 307

River Class / Prestonian Class Frigate

HMCS Prestonian K662 - Bahamas - West Indies - Jan 1945

From the collection of Leo Drouillard

Courtesy of Margaret & Duane Drouillard

Laid down: 01 Feb 1943

Launched: 22 Jun 1944

Commissioned: 13 Sep 1944

Paid off: 09 Nov 1945

Re-commissioned: 22 Aug 1953

Paid off: 24 Apr 1956

Loaned/Transferred to the Norwegian Navy: 24 Apr 1956

Re-commissioned: 24 Apr 1956 as HNoMS Troll

Re-classed / Re-Named: 1965 as HNoMS Horten

Paid off: 1972

Fate: Broken up 1972

Named to commemorate Preston, Ontario, she was named Prestonian as there was an RN ship, HMS Preston already in commission. Commissioned 13 Sep 1944 at Quebec City, Prestonian arrived at Halifax the following month in need of repairs, and it was early Jan 1945, before she could go to Bermuda to work up. On her return to Canada she was assigned to EG 28, based at Halifax, and employed locally until VE-Day. She then underwent tropicalization at Halifax, completing 20 Aug 1945, and on 09 Nov 1945 was paid off and sold to Marine Industries Ltd. Later re-acquired by the RCN, she was rebuilt to become the name-ship of the Prestonian ocean escort class. She was re-commissioned on 22 Aug 1953, and finally paid off on 24 Apr 1956, having been lent to the Norwegian navy. Re-named Troll, she was transferred outright in 1959, and in 1965 reclassified as a submarine depot ship and re-named Horten. She was discarded in 1972 and broken up same year.

Photos and Documents Ship's company photos

Commanding Officers

LCdr Ian Angus, RCNVR - 13 Sep 1944 - 01 Apr 1945

LCdr George Norval Downey, RCNR - 02 Apr 1945 - 18 Jul 1945

Lt Edward Middlemas More, RCNR - 19 Jul 1945 - 09 Nov 1945

LCdr Wylie Carlyle Spicer, RCN - 22 Aug 1953 - 09 Jun 1955

Cdr William Moncur Kidd, RCN - 10 Jun 1955 - 24 Apr 1956

In memory of those who have crossed the bar

They shall not be forgotten

Drouillard, Leo J. A.

Stokes

Former Crew Members

Bonnell, Henry Nathan, LCdr (E), RCNR - 02 Jun 1945

Clark, James Randall Elliot, SLt (E), RCNR - 03 Apr 1945

Cunningham, John Francis A/Lt, RCNVR - 03 Apr 1945

Jamieson, Thomas Alexander Barbour, Surg/Lt, RCNVR - 08 Feb 1945

Keefer, Frank Noel, SLt, RCNVR - 11 Feb 1945

McLennan, Trevor McKee, Surg/LCdr, RCNVR - 26 Apr 1945

Munro, John Thomas, Lt (E), RCNVR - 15 Jun 1944

Paddell, Douglas Whittaker, Lt (S), RCNVR - 05 Jul 1945

Patterson, Stuart W. (Skip) - 1944-1945

Salmon, Kenneth Waterbury, Lt (E), RCNVR - 01 May 1944

Scott, Charles James Douglas, Lt (SB), RCNVR - 02 Apr 1945

Sibilleau, Romeo

Speight, Lenn, Bos'n, RCN - 15 Mar 1945

Thomas, Charles Humbert, Lt, RCNVR - 11 Feb 1945

Wade, John Howard, Lt, RCNVR - 15 Mar 1945

Wall, Thomas Athur - Commissioning Crew

White, Mel, PO - 1944

Photos and Documents

Unofficial wartime badge of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662

On the back of the badge is what appears to be an alternate version with Bugs holding a bomb.

From the collection of Vincent J. Wesley, CHP Shpt, RCNVR

HMCS PRESTONIAN K662

DND / RCN Photo - Crown copyright

Lift jacket and bed roll for Robert Alvin Johnson (Al). Al slept with his life jacket at the ready at all times in case his ship was torpedoed.

Courtesy of Beth Ratchford Johnson

Souvenir from Jack Dempsey's Lounge, New York City

From the collection of James Edward Lowe, Cook, RCN

Courtesy of Kathleen Lowe

HMCS Prestonian circa 1944-45

From the collection of James Edward Lowe, Cook, RCN

Courtesy of Kathleen Lowe

Petty Office Mel White (left) and Chief Petty Officer James Lowe of HMCS Prestonian at Jack Dempsey's, New York City - 26 Nov 1944

From the collection of James Edward Lowe, Cook, RCN

Courtesy of Kathleen Lowe

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LD02

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LD04

LD05

LD06

(LC01) Leo Drouillard by the depth charge thrower on HMCS Prestonian K662 (LD02) Leo Drouillard (front) with shipmates on HMCS Prestonian K662. "They said no one would see me behind the shill. All laughing" (LD03) Leo Drouillard with Stokes (ship's mascot) on HMCS Prestonian K662 - 10 Jun 1945 LD0(4) The Quartermaster and Short (Leo Drouillard) on HMCS Prestonian K662 (LD05 & LD06) Leo Drouillard on HMCS Prestonian K662

From the collection of Leo Drouillard

Courtesy of Margaret & Duane Drouillard

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DJ02

DJ03

DJ04

(DJ01-DJ03) Radioroom of HMCS Prestonian K662 (JD04) Ashtray from HMCS Prestonian K662

From the collection of Donald C. Jackson, Tel, RCNVR

Courtesy of Donna (Jackson) Oviatt

HMCS Prestonian K662

From the collection of Leo Drouillard

Courtesy of Margaret & Duane Drouillard

HMCS PRESTONIAN 307

DND / RCN Photo - Crown copyright

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(JVW162) HMCS PRESTONIAN Christmas card (JVW163) Vincent Wesley's Station Card for HMCS PRESTONIAN (JVW164) HMCS PRESTONIAN'S gunshield art (JVW165) HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 pennant (JVW166) V.E. Day ribbon - HMCS PRESTONIAN - First ship to deliver German prisoners to Canada

JVW167

JVW168

JVW169

HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 in the Dartmouth slips for repairs - Oct 1944

(JVW167) CPO Vincent Wesley by the propeller shaft bracket of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 while undergoing repairs in the Dartmouth slips (JVW168-JVW169) CPO Vincent Wesley (left) with unknown PO by the ship's rudder of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 while undergoing repairs in the Dartmouth slips

Note: Commissioned in Quebec City on 13 Sep 1944, HMCS PRESTONIAN arrived in Halifax in Oct 1944 in need of repairs and it was not until Jan 1945 before she could go to Bermuda for work-ups.

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JVW171

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JVW174

(JVW170) HMCS STE THERESE K366 (JVW171) Unknown sailor standing on the ice-covered fo'c's'le of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 (JVW172) Unknown sailor between the barrels of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 (JVW173) Ice partially cleared off of the gun deck and face of the bridge of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 (JVW174) Unknown sailor on the ice-covered port side of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662. Photo after looking forward.

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JVW179

(JVW175) HMCS INCH ARRAN K667 (JVW176-JVW177) HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 conducting a light line transfer with HMCS INCH ARRAN K667. From the angle of the photos - they were taken from the crow's nest of HMCS PRESTONIAN (JVW178) HMCS INCH ARRAN K667 conducting a transfer with HMCS PRESTONIAN K662. It looks like fuel line is rigged between the ships (JVW179) Hands to bathe - sailors on HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 going for a swim

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(JVW180) HMCS ST BONIFACE J332 (JVW181) Unknown warship (JVW182) Unknown warship (JVW183) Unknown warship following astern of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662. Based on her wake, PRESTONIAN is travelling at a high rate of speed (JVW184) CPO Vincent Wesley with a bandaged up right arm aboard HMCS PRESTONIAN K662

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JVW189

(JVW185) HMCS PRESTONIAN'S mascot (JVW186) depth charge exploding astern of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 (JVW187) CPO Vincent Wesley by the after gun mount of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 (JVW188) Quarterdeck of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 showing a bit of ice build-up (JAVW189) HMCS PRESTONIAN K662, port side looking forward. the ship is showing a bit of ice build-up

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(JVW190) Sailors on the after gun platform on HMCS PRESTONIAN K662. CPO Vincent Wesley, standing, 1st on left (JAV191) Sailors on the after gun / gun platform on HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 (JVW192) Three unknown sailors on HMCS PRESTONIAN K662. The sailor on the right has a PO rank badge and 1st good conduct stripe on his jacket (JVW194) Unknown corvette (JVW195) HMCS STE THERESE K366

JVW195

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JVW199

(JVW195) Convoy off in the distance (JVW196) Unknown sailor on watch as look-out on HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 (JVW197) HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 making good speed - her wake is disappearing in the distance (JVW198) Unknown hospital ship (JVW199) Depth charge explodes starboard side aft of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662

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(JVW200-JVW202) Quarterdeck of HMCS PRESTONIAN K662 awash in heavy seas

From the collection of J. Vincent Wesley, CPO Shipwright, RCNVR

Courtesy of Marilynn Taylor

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