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HMCS BAYFIELD
J08
Bangor
Class Minesweeper
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HMCS Bayfield's
gunshield art
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HMCS BAYFIELD J08
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Laid down: 30
Dec
1940
Launched: 26 May 1941
Transferred to the
RCN:
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Commissioned: 26
Feb 1942
Paid off: 24
Sep 1945
Fate: Broken up
in 1948
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Named for the village of Bayfield, N.S., she was
built at Vancouver for the RN but transferred to the RCN for
manning, and commissioned on 26 Feb 1942. After working up, BAYFIELD joined Esquimalt Force in May 1942 but was transferred to Prince
Rupert Force in Nov 1942, returning to Esquimalt in Mar 1943, for
re-assignment to the east coast. She left Esquimalt on 18 Mar 1943,
arriving at Halifax on 30 Apr 1943 and, after a major refit at
Baltimore, Md., joined Halifax force until ordered to the U.K. for
invasion duties.
On 18 Feb 1944, with
GEORGIAN, MULGRAVE and THUNDER, she left Halifax for Plymouth via the Azores, arriving on
07 Mar 1944. Allocated to the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla on 07 Mar 1944, her CO, Lt, Pierce was the SO
of the flotilla. She was
present on D-Day, and she remained with Plymouth Command until paid
off on 24 Sep 1945. When departing for Normandy to sweep the channel
for D-Day, BAYFIELD suffered minor damage to her bow when WASAGA, moving
astern, hit her. The BAYFIELD shored it up with bedding and lumber and put
to sea to complete the mission.
BAYFIELD
was returned to the RN, she was placed in
reserve at Sheerness until 1948, when she was broken up at Gateshead.
Photos and Documents
Ship's
company photos The
Ship's Bell
The
Thirty-First Minesweeping Flotilla
Commanding Officers
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Lt Douglas Wharrie Main,
RCNR - 26 Feb 1942 - 03 Nov 1942
Lt A.H. Gosse,
RCNR - 04 Nov 1942 - 31 Dec 1942
Lt Douglas Wharrie Main,
RCNR - 01 Jan 1943 - 19 Jan 1944
Lt Stanley Pierce,
RCNR - 20 Jan 1944 - 15 Oct 1944 |
Lt J.C.K. McNaught,
RCNVR - 16 Oct 1944 - 22 Dec 1944
Lt F.A. Cunningham,
RCNVR - 23 Dec 1944 - 01 Sep 1945
Lt J.G. Kingsmill,
RCNVR - 02 Sep 1945 - 24 Sep 1945 |
Captain for the day
Captain
for the day is a tradition in the RCN where during the ship's
Christmas celebrations, the Commanding Officer changes places with
the youngest member of the ship's company.
Clayton, Sto 1c - 1944 
In memory of those who have crossed the bar 
They shall not be
forgotten
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Appleby,
F.
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Campbell,
Aloysius D. |
Clark,
Ernest W.
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Clark,
William G.
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Cormier,
Joseph P.
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Fraser,
Frank L.
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Frazer,
Herbert A. |
Fryer,
J. Douglas
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Gillespie,
Charles N.
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Heffer,
Clifford W.
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Hogan,
James A. |
Isaac,
Clifford H.
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Lafrance, Lionel E.
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Langfeld,
Leslie B.
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Lewis,
William S. |
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Lynch,
Donald
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Main,
Douglas W.
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Optiz,
William J.
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Patterson,
Henry W.
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Rashbrook,
Gerald W.
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Richardson,
Stanley
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Roy,
Donald K. |
Thomas, John C. D.
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Walker,
William F.
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Yeldon, Jim
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Former Crew Members
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Aitchison, R
Arter,
Donald McKay, A/Wt (E), RCNR - 18 May 1943
Berube,
Joseph Benoit Aurele, Lt, RCNVR - 25 Jun 1943
Brochu, A., Sto 1c, RCNVR - Aug 1944
Buckley, J.
Burgess,
Gerald Francis, Ch/Skpr, RCNR - 01 Feb 1944
Capper,
John Alexander, SLt, RCNVR - 12 Jul 1943
Clayton, Sto 1c - 1944 - 1945
Dodds, H., AB, RCNVR - Aug 1944
Gregoire, M., Cox'n
Grundy,
Harry Thomas, SLt, RCNVR - 26 Feb 1942
Gundry-White, F., L/Tel, RCNVR - Aug 1944
Hamilton, G., Sig, RCNVR - Aug 1944
Heyes,
Frederick Anthony, DSC, War/Mech, RN - 14 Feb 1942 / Wt/Mech - 26
Feb 1942
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Higgins, (??), Seaman
Holder,
Gordon Githrier Keith, Lt, RCNVR - 26 Feb 42
Iannone, L., AB, RCNVR - Aug 1944
Mahoney,
Richard Alexander, Lt, RCNVR - 18 Feb 1944
Maynard,
Murray Renoug, LT(E), RCNVR - 28 Jan 1944
McKee,
Walter Albert, SLt, RCNVR - 09 May 1942
Nazar, F., Sto 1c, RCNVR - Aug 1944
Ostennud, Ossie
Patterson,
Henry Winthrop, SLt, RCNVR - 27 Apr 1942
Plasky, Mike, Seaman
Rikstad, C., LS, RCNVR - Aug 1944
Rimmer, D., L/S.A., RCNVR - Aug 1944
Robitaille,
Jean Paul, SLt, RCNVR - 26 Feb 1942
Rose, E., Seaman
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Rowsell, B., Seaman
Ruyman, A., Tel, RCNVR - Aug 1944
Saunders, G. Seaman
Sanderson, Adrian Bruce, Lt, RCNVR - 31 Jul
1942
Schultz, B., Seaman
Scott, A., CERA, RCNVR - Aug 1944
Scott,
David Mahood, Lt, RCNVR - 18 May 1943
Thorpe,
Jack
Tonnellier, S., Sig, RCNVR - Aug 1944
Wahl, M., Seaman
Walker, W.
Whitaker, Terry, AB
Wilson, B.
Wilson, R., OS, RCNVR - Aug 1944
Wozny, A.
Yasek, F., LS, RCNVR - Aug 1944
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Photos and
Documents
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HMCS Bayfield J08
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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HMCS Bayfield J08 in the English Channel
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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HMCS Bayfield J08 in the English Channel
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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HMCS Bayfield J08 in the English Channel
From the collection of John Thomas, DSM
Courtesy of Rick Thomas
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At work on HMCS Bayfield J08
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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HMCS Bayfield J08 - aft looking forward
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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AB Wilson in front of gun mount on HMCS
Bayfield J08
Note the "Little Joe" gunshield art
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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AB Terry Whitaker in front of gun mount on HMCS
Bayfield J08
Note the "Little Joe" gunshield art
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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HMCS Bayfield J08 off the French coast
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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Heavy seas wash over the depth charge throwers
on HMCS Bayfield J08
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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Looking aft from the crowsnest on HMCS Bayfield
J08
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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Depth charge from HMCS Bayfield J08 exploding
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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Radio shack on HMCS Bayfield J08
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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Photos of other ships taken from HMCS Bayfield
J08
Left
to right: (1) Troopship Queen Elizabeth (2) HMS Hart at
Plymouth (3) HMS Plucky (4) HMS Queen of Thanet
(5) USN battleship in the Mediterranean (6) HMCS Iroquois at
Plymouth, Dec 1944 (7) Canadian Minesweepers at Plymouth, Jan
1945 (8) HMS Revenge at Plymouth, Jan 1945
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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The Azores as seen from HMCS Bayfield J08, Nov
1944
From the collection of William George Clark
Courtesy of Suzanne Clark
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Sailors (and one WREN) on HMCS Bayfield J08,
Christmas Day 1944
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Captain for the Day - Sto 1c Clayton, HMCS
Bayfield J08, Christmas Day 1944
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Men of Minesweepers Feel Lucky to Be Alive
Newspaper article from the Saskatoon
Star-Phoenix, Monday, 14 Aug 1944
From the collection Clifford
Isaac
Courtesy of Laureen
Duerksen
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Lt. Cunningham's thank you letter to the
Bayfield's crew for his departing gift and their friendship
From the collection Clifford
Isaac
Courtesy of Laureen
Duerksen |
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HMCS Bayfield Christmas card
From the collection Clifford
Isaac
Courtesy of Laureen
Duerksen |
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Unknown HMCS Bayfield crew member
From the collection Clifford
Isaac
Courtesy of Laureen
Duerksen |
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Unknown HMCS Bayfield crew member
From the collection Clifford
Isaac
Courtesy of Laureen
Duerksen |
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"Navy Buddies"
Unknown HMCS Bayfield crew members
From the collection Clifford
Isaac
Courtesy of Laureen
Duerksen |
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A few shipmates on HMCS Bayfield
(L-R) G. Saunders, Montreal; M. Gregoire
(Cox'n), Niagara Falls; Heiffer, Moncton, NB; M. Plasky, Ft
Williams, Ont
Note the artwork on the front of the gun shield
From the collection of James Hogan
Courtesy of Eileen St. Coeur
Webmaster's Note: Heiffer's surname is actually
Heffer |
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Blue Watch
Seamen Mike Plasky and Ossie Ostennud on HMCS
Bayfield
From the collection of James Hogan
Courtesy of Eileen St. Coeur |
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Seaman Ossie Ostennud
From the collection of James Hogan
Courtesy of Eileen St. Coeur |
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Sailors on HMCS Bayfield
Back row (L-R) R. Aitchison, Toronto, Ont;
E. Rose, Sault Ste Marie; A. Wozny, Vancouver; B.
Wilson, Saskatoon; J. Buckley, Toronto
Front row (L-R) W. Walker, St. John, NB,
M. Gregoire, Niagara Falls; G. Saunders, Montreal
From the collection of James Hogan
Courtesy of Eileen St. Coeur |
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James Hogan on HMCS Bayfield
From the collection of James Hogan
Courtesy of Eileen St. Coeur
Webmaster's note: not sure what is happening in
this photo, charged fire hose, coils of rope and boxes laying about.
Its enough to send the buffer into a fit of rage. |
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Sailors on HMCS Bayfield (all seamen!)
Back row (L-R) B. Schultz, Chalk River, BC;
Higgins, Vancouver, BC; G. Saunders, Montreal; E. Rose,
Sault St. Marie; M. Wahl, Whitehorse, Yukon
Front row (L-R) M. Gregoire, Niagara
Falls; B. Rowsell, Harrington Harbour, Quebec
From the collection of James Hogan
Courtesy of Eileen St. Coeur |
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Mike Plasky, B. J. Buckley, James Hogan on HMCS
Bayfield
From the collection of James Hogan
Courtesy of Eileen St. Coeur |
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HMCS Bayfield J08
From the collection Clifford
Isaac
Courtesy of Laureen
Duerksen |
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Unknown sailor with mascot on HMCS Bayfield J08
From the collection of Jim Yeldon
Courtesy of Kyle Scott |
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Unknown sailor on HMCS Bayfield J08
From the collection of John Thomas, DSM
Courtesy of Rick Thomas |
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