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HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497
Castle Class Corvette
Built at Glasgow, Scotland, she was laid down and launched as HMS Norham Castle. On completion she was transferred to the RCN and commissioned as HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 at Glasgow on 06 Sep 1944. After working up at Tobermory she arrived in October at Londonderry to join EG C-8, then forming. She left 'Derry 22 Oct 1944 to join convoy ON.261 for her first Atlantic crossing and continued in service as an ocean escort for the remainder of the war. HUMBERSTONE left Londonderry 12 May 1945, for her last convoy, ONS.50. On 13 May 1945 a Sunderland aircraft belonging to RCAF 423 Squadron spotted U-244 on the surface ahead of Convoy ONS-50. HMCS STONE TOWN and HMCS HUMBERSTONE were directed to investigate and made initial contact with U-244 before turning her over to HMS LOCH TARBERT and continuing as escort to Convoy ONS 50 (surrender of U-244 - summary). In Jun 1945 she sailed to Esquimalt where she was paid off on 17 Nov 1945. She was sold to Chinese owners in 1946 and converted for merchant service as Taiwei, subsequently undergoing five more name-changes before becoming the Korean South Ocean in 1954. She was broken up at Hong Kong in 1959.
The origin of the ship's badge: "It was the resourcefulness of Lieut. Goodfellow which produced a crest for the ship in time for the commissioning when it was found that it was not possible to obtain one from the town of HUMBERSTONE, Ont., after which the ship is named, in time for the ceremony. A little research by Lieut. Goodfellow revealed that HUMBERSTONE, Ont., was named after a Scottish town and that the HUMBERSTONE in Scotland had a crest of its own. This was the crest which had been adopted by HMCS HUMBERSTONE. In its final form it consists of a plaque showing a unicorn head over a shield, mounted on a large maple leaf."
Photos and Documents Ship's company photos
Convoys escorted during the Second World War
Report of Proceedings - Convoy ONS-50 - 27 May 1945
Commanding Officers
AB, RCNVR MPK - 04 Mar 1945
They shall not be forgotten
Former Crew Members
Photos and Documents
(HMB001) Article on the commissioning of HMCS HUMBERSTONE and the origin of the ship's badge // The Halifax Herald, Thurs, 02 Nov 1944 // Researched by - Courtesy of George Newbury (HMB002) Articles / crew photos on the commissioning of HMCS HUMBERSTONE // Courtesy of the Saskatoon Museum of Military Artifacts (HMB003) HMCS HUMBERSTONE jacket patch // From the collection of Murray Saunders // Courtesy of Doug Saunders (HMB004) HMCS HUMBERSTONE jacket patch // Courtesy of Brent Walker
(PG13) HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 in drydock (PG14) Lt Philip Goodfellow, HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG15) Sailors on deck of HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG16) Unknown evolution on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG17) Unknown sailors on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497
(PG18) Unknown sailor on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG19) Crew on deck of HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG20) Up the mast on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG21) Philip Goodfellow on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG22) Target practice on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497
(PG23) Philip Goodfellow (right) with unknown Petty Officer on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG24) Unknown Petty Officer from HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG25) Sailors on the depth charges on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG26) Unknown Square-Rig Petty Officer on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG27) Unknown sailor with the catch-of-the-day on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497
(PG28) Unknown sailors on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 circa 1945 (PG29) Unknown sailors on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 with the ship's mascot (PG30) Unknown Sailors on HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG31) Sailor holding a tattered White Ensign, HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 (PG32) HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 at St. John's, NFLD
(PG33) HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 at St. John's, NFLD (PG34) Surrendered U-244 with aircraft flying overhead off of Northern Ireland. Photo taken from HMCS HUMBERSTONE K497 From the collection of Philip Goodfellow, LCdr, RCN(R) Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow
Convoys escorted during the Second World War
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In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice
Lest We Forget 
