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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
HOLLANDS, Fred - joined the RCNVR during the war and served on HMCS NOOTKA, HMCS IROQUOIS and HMCS SKEENA.
In 1942 he was part of HMCS SKEENA'S crew when the ship was transferred to 3rd Canadian Escort Group and joined HMCS SAGUENAY, and the Corvettes HMCS WETASKIWIN, SACKVILLE, GAULT and CAMROSE for Ocean Escort of Atlantic convoys between St. John's Newfoundland and Londonderry, Northern Ireland. On July 31st of that year SKEENA shared credit for sinking U-588 with HMCS WETASKIWIN north East of St. John's Newfoundland during the defense of convoy HX115 against attacks by the boat.
He was part of the ship's Company on HMCS IROQUOIS when they provided an offensive role as well as convoy escort duties in the Bay of Biscay, the English Channel and off the French, Norwegian and North Russian coasts with the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla and Plymouth Command of the British Home Fleet.
He took a lot of photographs during his time in the Navy but the ones that survived are primarily from his days on the St. John's - Londonderry run.
Fred's brother Frank Holland also served in the Navy during the Second World War. Fred's son, also named Fred Holland served in the RCN from 1962 to 1970. Fred's father, Henry Holland, served in the RN and was a crew member of HMCS NIOBE when she sailed from England to Halifax in 1910.
Ships served in:
(FH01) Fred Hollands by gun mount on HMCS SKEENA (FH02) Fred Hollands (left) and unknown shipmate by the forward gun on HMCS SKEENA (FH03) A cold day at sea - Fred Hollands (left) and unknown shipmate on the fo'c's'le of HMCS SKEENA (FH04-FH05) Fred Hollands in a duffel coat on the fo'c's'le of HMCS SKEENA
(FH06) Fred Hollands with some buddies on leave in London - "The 4 Jacks" - L-R: Unknown, Unknown, Hollands, Galloway (FH07) Fred Hollands with some buddies in front of the Beaver Club in London - L-R: Fred Hollands, Landry, Galloway, Unknown (FH08) Fred Hollands on the fo'c's'le of HMCS SKEENA (FH09) Fred Hollands in a mess deck on HMCS SKEENA (FH10) "Jack and Hedgie" on the fo'c's'le of HMCS SKEENA - Fred Hollands (Hedgie) on the right wearing a USN sailors cap with his whites. Location possibly St. John's, NFLD
(FH11) Fred Hollands handling a hawser while in his white on the fo'c's'le of HMCS SKEENA. Location possibly St. John's, NFLD (DH12) Mable does his Dhobey on HMCS SKEENA (FH13) Fred Hollands wearing the CO's tunic and cap on HMCS SKEENA (FH14) Frank Hollands, Fred Hollands' brother, aboard HMCS SKEENA. They joined the Navy at the same time (FH15) PO Mullcaster on HMCS SKEENA
(FH16) "Mable, Smiles and Hambone" in a mess deck on HMCS SKEENA (FH17) "Fisher, Guns, Pings and Buck, in SKEENA mess deck" (FH18) PE on the quarterdeck of HMCS SKEENA (FH18-FH19) "Sunday Rest" - Sailors relaxing on the fo'c's'le of HMCS SKEENA while in Londonderry
(FH21) Sailors working on the tan aboard HMCS SKEENA (FH22) St. John's, NFLD - 1942 (FH23-FH24) Canada's Governor General Alexander Cambridge inspection at St. John's, NFLD
(FH25-FH29) Sailors off HMCS SKEENA at the RCN Rest Camp near St. John's, NFLD
(FH25) Beer and Snacks - Fred Hollands on the left (FH26) ANSON tent (FH27) Galley at the RCN Rest Camp (FH28) Fred Hollands at the swimming area at the RCN Rest Camp (FH29) Fred Hollands by the swimming area warning sign at the RCN Rest Camp
(FH30) Convoy mid Atlantic (FH31) Convoy mid Atlantic in the evening (FH32) Capsized life raft round mid ocean (FH33) Freighter at St. John's, NFLD with rudder blown off by torpedo (FH34) unknown person in dory inspecting torpedo damage to a freighter at St. John's, NFLD
(FH35) An evening at sea - SKEENA wake spreading out astern (FH36) HMCS SAGUENAY I19 (FH37) HMCS SAGUENAY I79 with unidentified corvette (FH38) HMCS SAGUENAY I79 "riding the rough Atlantic" (FH38) HMCS SKEENA with her A turret and guard rails iced up - Jan 1942
Webmaster's note: from the look of FH38 - it was possibly taken from the crow's nest of HMCS SKEENA
(FH39-FH40) HMCS ST FRANCIS I93 arriving at Londonderry, Northern Ireland (FH41) Bum Boat Free State Ireland , eggs, stockings and tomatoes to trade for smokes (FH42) Unidentified submarine in the River Foyle (FH43) Barrage Balloon - England 1942
(FH44-FH46) Recovery and inspection of a training torpedo by HMCS SKEENA (FH47) HMCS SKEENA launching depth charges (FH48) Depth charges exploding astern of HMCS SKEENA
(FH49) Boat drills - recovering the ships whaler (FH50) Fred Hollands on the Vickers Mark III .50 quad-mount AA gun on HMCS SKEENA (FH51) Kirk and Howatt on the Vickers Mark III .50 quad-mount AA gun on HMCS SKEENA (FH52) HMCS SAGUENAY I79 following astern of HMCS SKEENA
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