HMCS MATANE K444 - For Posterity's Sake

HMCS MATANE K444

River Class Frigate

HMCS MATANE K444

Source: Photo scrap book of Telegraphist Ron Bailey

Published with permission of Grant Bailey

Battle honours and awards; Atlantic 1944, Normandy 1944, Arctic 1945

Laid down: 23 Dec 1942

Launched: 29 May 1943

Commissioned: 22 Oct 1943

Paid off: 11 Feb 1946

Fate: Sold for scrap. Hulk was sunk as a breakwater in 1948

Launched at Montreal on 29 May 1943, she was commissioned there on 22 Oct 1943, MATANE arrived at Halifax 13 Nov 1943 and began working up in St. Margaret's Bay completing the process at Pictou. In Apr 1944, she joined EG 9, Londonderry, as Senior Officer's ship, thereafter serving mainly on escort and patrol duty in U.K. waters. On 22 Apr 1944 HMCS MATANE sunk German U-boat U-311 in the North Atlantic south west of Iceland in position 52°09'N, 19°07'W, by depth charges from the Canadian frigates HMCS MATANE (LCdr. A.F.C. Layard, DSO, RN) and HMCS SWANSEA (A/Cdr. C.A. King, DSO, DSC, RCNR). The fact that U-311 was destroyed by the depth charge attacks of MATANE and/or SWANSEA, was unknown until years after WWII, when German and British intelligence attributed the kill to these two ships, as opposed to attack by aircraft, the latter having been thought to be the case prior to the post-war analyses. She was present on D-Day. On 20 Jul 1944 she was hit by a German glider bomb off Brest and towed, badly damaged, to Plymouth by HMCS MEON. In Apr 1945, she completed eight and one-half months' repairs at Dunstaffnage, Scotland, working up at Tobermory and, on 12 May 1945, sailed from Greenock to escort convoy JW.67 to North Russia. She was detached on 14 May 1945, however, to help escort 14 surrendered U-boats from Trondheim to Loch Eriboll (click here to see photos in HMCS Monnow's gallery). In June, after one round trip to Gibraltar as convoy escort, she left Londonderry for Esquimalt via Halifax. She arrived at Esquimalt in Jul 1945 and on 11 Feb 1946, was paid off into reserve there. She was sold in 1947 and her hull sunk in 1948 as part of a breakwater at Oyster Bay, B.C.

U-Boats Sunk: U-311 (Kptlt Joachim Zander) sunk on 22 Apr 1944 by HMCS SWANSEA K328 and HMCS MATANE K444 in position 52-09 N, 19-07 W. Of her crew of 51 there were no survivors.

Photos and Documents Ship's company photos

Canadian Naval Officer Took Surrender of the German Submarine U-968 HMCS MATANE - A Remembrance Day Tribute by Grant Bailey

Protecting the Sea Lane by Martin Bondy

The Royal Canadian Navy and the Narvik U-Boats - May 1945 by Derek Waller, Air Commodore, RAF, ret'd

Commanding Officers

LCdr Alan H. Easton, DSC, RCNR - 22 Oct 1943 - 03 Apr 1944

A/Cdr Arthur F. C. Layard, DSC, RN - 04 Apr 1944 - 26 Jul 1944

A/LCdr Francis W. T. Lucas, RCNVR - 27 Jul 1944 - 19 Sep 1944

Lt J. M. Ruttan, RCNVR - 20 Sep 1944 - 03 Feb 1945

LCdr William R. Stacey, RCNVR - 04 Feb 1945 - 28 Mar 1945

A/LCdr Francis J. Jones, RCNVR - 29 Mar 1945 - 19 Jul 1945

LCdr Paul D. Taylor, RCNVR - 20 Jul 1945 - 27 Nov 1945

LCdr Charles P. Balfry, DSC, RCNR - dates unknown

In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice

Lest We Forget

AUCOIN, Amedee P.

Sto PO, RCNVR

died - 15 Jun 1944

AUCOIN, Paul Bert

Stwd, RCNR

MPK - 21 Jul 1944

COLE, John A.

ERA 3c, RCNVR

DOW - 21 Jul 1944

LAING, John M.

L/Sto, RCNVR

DOW - 20 Jul 1944

WATERHOUSE, Douglas

Sig, RCNVR

MPK - 21 Jul 1944

In memory of those who have crossed the bar

They shall not be forgotten

Montgomery, William L.

Former Crew Members

Abbott, William

Anton, John

Christie, Bob

Douglas, John Barry (Jack)

Ducheneau, Hubert Powell, Lt, RCNVR - Jan 1945

Forrest, Alan, L/Torpedoman

Giesler, Nig

Griffin, Vincent Oswald, Lt (E), RCNVR - 16 May 1945

Hodgson, Stu

Hunt, Frederick Raymond, Lt, RCNVR - 09 Feb 1944

Jessiman, Tam

Layard, Arthur Frank Capel, A/Cdr - 22 Jan 1944

Martin, Bob

MacDougal, "Mac"

Massey, Edwin, PO

McGurk, "Mac"

McNab, Edward Nelson, Lt (El), RCNVR - 15 Mar 1945

Lynch, William Peter, Lt, RCNVR - Jan 1945

Parish, William (Bill), Signalman

Pearce, Lorne Andrew

Pettis, Roland

Price, Rowland Herbert, Lt, RCNVR - 09 Feb 1944

Quist, Jack Ernest, SLt (El), RCNVR - Jan 1944

Rogers, Buck

Ross, Lewis Burns, Paym/Lt, RCNVR - 05 Mar 1945

Scully, Danny

Thompson, George Montgomery, Lt, RCNVR - 09 Feb 1945

Toban (Tobin), Gene (Jean), Yeoman

Tomlinson, Albert, Telegraphist

Travers, Junior

Washer, Douglas Earl

Wilde, Don

Wilson, "Flat Top"

Young, Ron

Yuill, Red

Photos and Documents

HMCS MATANE jacket patch

From the collection of Harold Stevens

Courtesy of Rob Stevens

HMCS MATANE jacket patch

Courtesy of David Freeman

HMCS MATANE K444 (foreground) towing HMCS SPRINGHILL K323

RCN Neg # GM-1442

Courtesy of the Naval Museum of Halifax

HMCS MATANE's Mascot - Erffie

From the collection of Ron Bailey

Courtesy of Grant Bailey

Ron Young with Erffie on HMCS MATANE K444

From the collection of Ron Bailey

Courtesy of Grant Bailey

Captain of HMCS MATANE boards German U-boat

From the collection of Ron Bailey

Courtesy of Grant Bailey

Roland Pettis and Junior Travers

From the collection of Ron Bailey

Courtesy of Grant Bailey

Red Yuill and Larry Ferguson

From the collection of Ron Bailey

Courtesy of Grant Bailey

Yeoman Gene Toban with Erffie

From the collection of Ron Bailey

Courtesy of Grant Bailey

A few crew members of HMCS MATANE

Front Row - Left to Right: Nig Giesler, Bob Martin, Bill Parish, Junior Travers, Danny Scully, Flat Top Wilson

Back Row - Left to Right: Buck Rogers, Don Wilde, Jean Tobin, Bob Christie, Ta
m Jessiman, Mac McGurk, Red Yuill, Larry Ferguson, Mac MacDougal, Roland Pettis

From the collection of Ron Bailey

Courtesy of Grant Bailey

The surrender of the German U-boats

From the collection of Ron Bailey

Courtesy of Grant Bailey

The photos below of HMCS MATANE K444 are from the WW II photo collection of Albert Tomlinson who served as a Telegraphist on board HMCS SWANSEA K328. These photos were taken from SWANSEA during one of the two time frames where MATANE and SWANSEA conducted Work-Ups off Halifax (29 Nov 43 - 08 Nov 43) or ASW training off Bermuda (08 Dec 43 - 23 Dec 43) together.

Courtesy of Stephen Tomlinson, Lt, RCN

Amedee Patrick Aucoin, died 15 Jun 1944, being buried at Londonderry Cemetery, Londonderry, Ireland. Standing beside the priest is Amedee's best friend, Paul Bert Aucoin. Paul was killed on 21 Jul 1944 when HMCS MATANE was hit by a glider bomb.

Courtesy of Lisa Haverty

Officers of HMCS MATANE K444 near Halifax, January 1944

LCdr Alan H. Easton in the light coloured pants

Also in photo (but not identified) Lt. Colin Carruthers

Photographer: Gilbert Milne

From the collection of Peter Cox

Courtesy of Gary Medford

LCdr Alan H. Easton smoking his pipe on the bridge of HMCS MATANE K444

From the collection of Peter Cox

Courtesy of Gary Medford

LCdr Alan H. Easton, while in command of HMCS MATANE, 1944

photo credit: LAC PA-206442

An unidentified sailor checking the stowage of depth charges at the stern of the frigate HMCS MATANE in heavy seas off Bermuda.

Source: Lt Gilbert Alexander Milne / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-134326.

Webmaster's note: This sailor in this photo has been identified as Telegraphist Ron Bailey - the source is a Remembrance Day project posted by his son Grant Bailey

HMCS MATANE list of causalities from the glider bomb attack on 02 Jul 1944

from the Hamilton Hamilton Spectator, May 29, 1945

Newspaper article on the glider bomb attack on HMCS MATANE on 02 Jul 1944

from the Hamilton Hamilton Spectator, May 29, 1945

HMCS MATANE K444 - date and location unknown

From the collection of Robert (Bob) Swarbrick

Courtesy of Bruce Swarbrick

Members of a boarding party from HMCS MATANE, seen aboard U-968 , Loch Eriboll, Scotland, May 1945. U-968 surrendered at Narvik, Norway, and was transferred to Loch Eriboll, Scotland, and then later to Loch Ryan for Operation Deadlight

(L-R): Signalman William Parish, Lieutenant J.J. Coates, Petty Officer Edwin Massey

Source: WO Leslie F. Sheraton / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-191030

Christmas card from HMCS MATANE

From the collection of Vic Mauro

Courtesy of Ken Mauro

Intercepted message to German U-boats

From the collection of Vic Mauro

Courtesy of Ken Mauro

Frederick Taylor (front right) with his shipmates on the jetty by HMCS MATANE K444

From the collection of Frederick Taylor

Courtesy of Stacey Briscoe

HMCS MATANE K444 seen from HMCS Swansea K328

From the collection Harry Swanson

Courtesy of Jason Belanger

HMCS MATANE Bell

This bell is not the ship's bell, but possibly a bell hung in the wardroom or outside of the mess decks to wake the crew

Courtesy of Ron Stevens

Stu Hodgson (left) and Vic Mauro after their visit to the remains of HMCS MATANE in 2007. Stu served in HMCS Monnow

Courtesy of Ken Mauro

J. Pratt with ship's mascot aboard HMCS MATANE K444

From the collection of J. Alphonse (Al) Cote, RCNVR

Courtesy of Al Cote (Jr.)

Sketch of HMCS MATANE K444 by Stephen Warech that Al Cote got at a crew reunion of HMCS MATANE in the late 1980s

From the collection of J. Alphonse (Al) Cote, RCNVR

Courtesy of Al Cote (Jr.)

The hulk of the former HMCS MATANE K444 at Oyster Bay, British Columbia circa 1960

Published with permission of Grant Bailey

The final remains of HMCS MATANE K444 at Oyster Bay, British Columbia. These pictures are published with the permission of copyright owner CR Fransen. Check out her page for an interesting read on the this wreck at Oyster Bay - Graveyard of the Canadian Navy

Ronald M. Bailey

Ron Bailey, was a Telegraphist who served aboard HMCS MATANE in World War II. Some of his photos of him time on HMCS MATANE have been published here with permission of his son, Grant Bailey.

This is an excerpt from Grant Bailey's Remembrance Day project honouring his father's war service.

Arguably the most significant event in the life of the H.M.C.S. MATANE is well detailed in my Dad’s scrapbook through pictures, officer's reports, and naval messages. On May 13th, 1945 she set sail from Greenoch, Scotland to escort convoy JW67 to Murmansk, Russia. On May 16th Coastal Command received a message from the Norwegian destroyer Stord stating “Have met German convoy steering 230 degrees speed 10 knots in Vestfjord consisting of 16 U-boats and 5 merchant ships. They say they are routed Narvik to Trondheim. Is this in order?” Shortly thereafter, a message was received from Admiralty, “Captain (D)17th is to detach one escort group forthwith to intercept convoy of 16 German U-boats and 5 merchant ships reported in Vestfjord. U-boats are to be escorted to Loch Eribol and merchant ships to be directed to Trondheim."

EG 9, including the MATANE were split away from convoy JW67 and sent to intercept the subs. Though hostilities in Europe had ended just days before, it was unclear what reaction the German U-boats would have to being intercepted. As it turned out, there were 15 U-boats and five merchant ships.

Two of the merchant ships were quite notable, one being the Aviso Grille, Hitler’s one time personal yacht, and another being the Stella Polaris, a luxury Norwegian cruise ship that had been seized by the Germans in 1940. The Germans surrendered peacefully.

Boarding parties were arranged and surrender terms were dictated to the German crews. The Senior German Officer of the convoy was Captain Suhren (Iron Cross and Oak Leaf 39) who on request stated that he was Senior Officer Arctic and Barents Sea and that this was the last of his command. Under orders of the German High Command he was withdrawing his Command from Narvik and proceeding to Trondheim. The Canadian boarding officer from the MATANE asked if the Senior German Officer had read and understood the terms of surrender and if his U-boat commanders also understood these terms. Captain Suhren stated that all ammunition had been landed, no mines were carried, pistols were removed from all torpedoes and that Commanding Officers of the U-boats would comply with the terms of surrender. He was then ordered to inform his U-boat commanders that if any attempted to scuttle or submerge, the boat would be destroyed and no mercy would be shown to the crew. Captain Suhren was granted one last request. He sent a final message to all of the U-boat commanders, “Farewell my U-boats, we have worked well together, don’t be downhearted. Goodbye. Suhren."

ML01

ML02

Award document (ML01) for the pilot credited with sinking HMCS MATANE with a glider bomb (ML02). Note: HMCS MATANE was damaged in the glider bomb attack, not sunk, but at some point the Germans believed she had been sunk.

(ML01) GARBE, Armin. (DOB: 07.07.20). (W.B.K. Chemnitz I). 01.03.43 promo to Lt.(Kr.O./Fl.). 20.07.44. Lt. in III./KG 100, credited with sinking an enemy destroyer this date (according to the Kommodore of KG 100).

The glider bomb in the photo is on display at the Berliner Technik Museum.

The pilot who scored the hit with the glider bomb ran out of luck. On the night of 8/9 August KG 100, equipped with 4 Do 217 MII, attacked the Canadian destroyer HMCS ST LAURENT. The attack was not successful and two planes were lost. This included Armin Garbe's plane.

09.08.44 Lt., 8./KG 100 MIA - Do 217 lost to unknown cause in the area of Les Sables. Source: DeZeng und Stankey "Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries

Photos and information courtesy of Maurice Laarman, Netherlands.

HOME PAGE SHIP INDEX CONTACT