HMCS COPPER CLIFF K495

 

Castle Class Corvette

 


 

HMCS COPPER CLIFF K495

Click on the above photo to view a larger image

 

Laid down: 29 Jun 1943

Launched: 24 Feb 1944

Transferred to RCN: 25 Jul 1944

Commissioned: 25 Jul 1944

Paid off: 21 Nov 1945

Fate: Sold to Chinese interests. Final disposition unknown.

 

Built at Blyth, UK, she was laid down as HMS Hever Castle K521. After completion she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned at Blyth, U.K., on 25 Jul 1944, as HMCS COPPER CLIFF K495. After working up at Tobermory in August she was assigned to EG C-6 but in fact joined EG C-7 then forming at Londonderry, in Oct 1944 and was thereafter continuously employed as an ocean escort. COPPER CLIFF left Londonderry for her final westward crossing early in Jun 1945, and later that month sailed from Halifax for Esquimalt. There, on 21 Nov 1945, she was paid off into reserve. In 1946 she became the Chinese-flag merchant ship Ta Lung, soon afterward renamed Wan Lee, and was taken over by the Chinese Communist government in 1949.

 


 

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos

 

Convoys escorted during the Second World War

 

Greater Sudbury and the RCN - HMCS COPPER CLIFF and HMCS SUDBURY

 


 

Commanding Officers

 

LCdr Frank Goddard Hutchings, RCNR - 25 Jul 1944 - 03 Dec 1944

A/LCdr F.W. Bogardus, RCNVR - 04 Dec 1944 - 11 Jan 1945

LCdr Frank Goddard Hutchings, RCNR - 12 Jan 1945 - 25 Jul 1945

Lt W.M. Combe, RCNR - 20 Aug 1945 - 20 Sep 1945

  


 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 


 

Former Crew Members

 

Alston, Cal

 

Bruce-Robertson, Alan, Lt, RCNVR - 06 Apr 1945

 

Campbell, Vernon Angus, SLt, RCNVR - 1945

 

Carey, William J. (Bill) 

 

Corywell, John Warren, Lt, RCNVR - 06 Apr 1945

 

Day, Donald

Gordon, Arnold

 

Harrison, James Cochrane, Lt, RCNVR - 19 Apr 1944 / 25 Jul 1944

 

Hudson, Kenneth Ernest 

 

Larocque, Paul Joseph

 

Manning, Henry William Barry, Lt, RCNVR - 19 Apr 1944 / 25 Jul 1944

Payne, Robert, CPO

 

Reid, Harold

 

Ritchie, Arthur Dudley, Lt, RCNVR - 19 Apr 1944 / 25 Jul 1944

 

Sheppart, Howard Douglas, SLt, RCNVR - 26 Feb 1945

 

Stevens, Allan Wilday, Lt, RCNVR - 19 Apr 1944

 


 

Photos and Documents

 

CPR001

CPR002

CPR003

CPR004

(CPR001) HMCS COPPER CLIFF K495  //  RCN Photo # A-1703

(CPR002) Grant Greenaway (right) on HMCS COPPER CLIFF K495 with shipmate  //  From the collection of Grant Greenaway  //  Courtesy of Gail Young

(CPR003) Grant Greenaway (right) in the Owl Bar in San Diego 1945  //  From the collection of Grant Greenaway  //  Courtesy of Gail Young

(CPR004) HMCS COPPER CLIFF alongside HMCS MERRITTONIA at sea  //  From the wartime photo collection of Raymond Burton  //  This photo is not for reproduction, distribution or sale  //  Copyright Elizabeth Wagner

 


 

NV03

NV04

(NV03) HMCS COPPER CLIFF K495  //  This photo appears to be taken about the same time as photo #63 in the collection from William Carey

(NV04) HMCS COPPER CLIFF K495

From the collection of Nick Vukson

Courtesy of John Vukson

 


 

PL01

PL02

PL03

PL04

PL05

(PL04) L-R: unknown, PO Tom Carter, unknown, PO Tom Elstone

 

PL06

PL07

PL08

(PL06) John W. Hughes         

From the photo album of Paul Larocque from when he served in HMCS COPPER CLIFF K495

From the collection of Paul Larocque

Courtesy of Aimee Rusaw

 


 

Photos of, on and from HMCS COPPER CLIFF, from the collection of William (Bill) Carey while he served in HMCS COPPER CLIFF K495

 

None of the sailors in these photos are identified.  If you are able to identify any of them, please send an EMAIL to the webmaster

 

WC01

WC02

WC03

WC04

WC05

(WC01) HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC02) HMCS COPPER CLIFF Christmas card

(WC03) HMCS LOCH ALIVE K428 approaches HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC04) HMCS LANARK K669 pulling away from HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC05) Troopship Queen Mary

 

WC06

WC07

WC08

WV09

WC10

(WC06) Royal Navy sub HMS OTWAY N51

(WC07) Royal Navy sub N27 in the slips

(WC08) Unknown trawler

(WC09) Merchant Aircraft Carrier - MAC

(WC10) RCN Fairmile ML Q064

 

WC11

WC12

WC13

WC14

WC15

(WC11) Flower class corvette following astern of HMCS COPPER CLIFF through an ice field. Possibly HMCS SACKVILLE K181

(WC12) unknown ship

(WC13-WC14) HMCS LANARK K669

(WC15) unknown ship

 

WC16

WC17

WC18

WC19

WC20

(WC16) HMCS COPPER CLIFF conducting stern fueling from an oiler in convoy 

(WC17) North Atlantic convoy

(WC18) a sunrise or sunset at sea

(WC19) Unknown ship off the port quarter of HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC20) Unidentified ratings on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

 

WC21

WC22

WC23

WC24

WC25

(WC21) Unidentified sailor on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC22) Unidentified sailors on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC23) Unidentified sailor on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC24) Sailors from HMCS COPPER CLIFF ashore - location unknown

(WC25) HMCS SUSSEXVALE alongside the jetty

 

WC26

WC27

WC28

WC29

WC30

(WC26) Quarterdeck of HMCS COPPER CLIFF with convoy in background

(WC27) Mast of HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC28) Unknown shoreline

(WC29) Depth charge thrower on HMCS COPPER CLIFF with the sun directly behind

(WC30) Starboard bridge wing on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

 

WC31

WC32

WC33

WC334

WC35

(WC31) Unidentified sailors on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC32-WC35) Unidentified sailor on watch at AA gun on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

 

WC36

WC37

WC38

WC39

WC40

(WC36) Unidentified sailor on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC36) Unidentified sailor on the Quarter Deck of HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC38-WC39) Two unidentified sailors posing at the forward gun mount of HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC40) Unknown sailors on the quarterdeck of HMCS COPPER CLIFF with HMCS PORT COLBORNE alongside.  Sailor standing on the drums for coiling rope getting ready to take a photo

 

WC41

WC42

WC43

WC44

WC45

(WC41-WC44) sailors in a mess deck on HMCS COPPER CLIFF.  Based on the flags hung up it looks like its the communicator's mess deck.

(WC41) John Wray, behind and to the left of the sailor resting his head on his hand

(WC45) Time of a haircut on the quarterdeck

 

WC46

WC47

WC48

WC49

WC50

(WC46-WC47) Unidentified sailors on the quarter deck of HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC48) Depth charge exploding astern of HMCS COPPER CLIFF with a unknown destroyer in the background

(WC49) Hand cranked winch on HMCS COPPER CLIFF.  It is believed this is used for paying out and bringing in the C.A.T. gear 

(WC50) The C.A.T. gear on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

 

WC51

WC52

WC53

WC54

WC55

(WC51) STs and LTOs working on a torpedo. It is not known what ship as COPPER CLIFF did not have torpedo tubes

(WC52) Squid launder on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC53) Unidentified sailor on the starboard side of HMCS COPPER CLIFF just forward of the bridge wing supports

(WC54) Unidentified sailor on HMCS COPPER CLIFF paying close attention to whatever he is holding

(WC55) Unidentified sailor on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

 

WC56

WC57

WC58

WC59

WC60

(WC56) Unidentified sailor sitting in front of a Kisby ring on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC57) Unidentified sailor posing by starboard depth charge thrower on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC58) Unidentified sailor painting ship on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC59) John W. Hughes working on starboard depth charge thrower firing mechanism on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC60) Unidentified sailor at the helm in the wheelhouse of HMCS COPPER CLIFF

 

WC61

WC62

WC63

WC64

WC65

(WC61) Unidentified sailor on watch in an AA gun tub on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC62) Fo'c's'le of HMCS COPPER CLIFF see from the crow's nest

(WC63) HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC64) Looking after from the crow's nest on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

(WC65) Three unidentified sailors on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

 

WC66

WC67

WC68

WC69

WC70

(WC66-WC69) Unidentified sailor on HMCS COPPER CLIFF enjoying a bit of solitude in a quiet spot on the quarterdeck in rough seas

(WC70) Two unidentified sailors looking over an AA gun mount on HMCS COPPER CLIFF

 

WC71

WC72

WC73

WC74

WC75

(WC71-WC75) Launching of HMCS COPPER CLIFF'S sea boat

 

WC76

WC77

WC78

WC79

WC80

(WC76-WC80) Launching/recovery of HMCS COPPER CLIFF'S sea boat

 

WC81

WC82

WC83

WC84

WC85

(WC81-WC84) Smoke from burring tanker

(WC85) HMCS COPPER CLIFF steaming towards burning tanker

Courtesy of William (Bill) Carey via his nephew Jeff Tripp

 


 

Convoys escorted during the Second World War

 

Convoy Desig.

Convoy Departs from

Arrives at

Join as escort

Depart Convoy 

ON.258

Southend

(06 Oct 1944)

New York City

(24 Oct 1944)

08 Oct 1944

17 Oct 1944

HX.315

New York City

(20 Oct 1944)

Liverpool

(03 Nov 1944)

26 Oct 1944

03 Nov 1944

ON.266

Southend

(12 Nov 1944)

New York City

(03 Dec 1944)

15 Nov 1944

26 Nov 1944

SC.162

Halifax

(02 Dec 1944)

Liverpool

(17 Dec 1944)

06 Dec 1944

16 Dec 1944

ONS.39

Liverpool

(28 Dec 1944)

Halifax

(13 Jan 1945)

29 Dec 1945

09 Jan 1945

HX.332

New York City

(13 Jan 1945)

Liverpool

(28 Jan 1945)

18 Jan 1945

28 Jan 1945

ON.283

Southend

(05 Feb 1945)

New York City

(27 Feb 1945)

07 Feb 1945

21 Feb 1945

HX.340

New York City

(23 Feb 1945)

Liverpool

(10 Mar 1945)

28 Feb 1945

10 Mar 1945

OS.117 / KMS.91

Downs

(17 Mar 1945)

Gibraltar

(26 Mar 1945)

18 Mar 1945

21 Mar 1945

ON.251

Southend

(17 Mar 1945)

New York City

(06 Apr 1945)

22 Mar 1945

30 Mar 1945

HX.348

New York City

(03 Apr 1945)

Liverpool

(23 Apr 1945)

08 Apr 1945

20 Apr 1945

ON.299

Southend

(26 Apr1945)

New York City

(13 May 1945)

28 Apr 1945

07 May  1945

HX.356

New York City

(13 May 1945)

Liverpool

(26 May 1945)

17 May 1945

26 May 1945

 


 

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