HMCS NAPANEE K118

Flower Class Corvette

Commissioned at Montreal on 12 May 1941, NAPANEE arrived at Halifax on 17 May 1941. She was assigned initially to Sydney Force but transferred in Sep 1941 to Newfoundland Command, leaving Sydney for Iceland with convoy SC.47 on 29 Sep 1941. She served on that route until Jan 1942, when she sailed with SC.65, the first of many "Newfie-Derry" convoys she would escort until Aug 1944. The worst of them was ON.154, which lost 14 ships in Dec 1942, but NAPANEE assisted in sinking one of its attackers, U 356, on 27 Dec 1942. In Mar 1943, she made a side trip to Gibraltar with EG  C-1, which she had joined in Sep 1942. She arrived at Montreal 22 May 1943, for a five-month refit, including fo'c's'le extension, afterward working up at Pictou and joining EG C-3. She left 'Derry for the last time on 03 Aug 1944, refitted again at Pictou, then carried out three weeks' workup in Bermuda. On her return she joined EG W-2, on the "triangle run" until the end of the war.

On 03 Feb 1945 Venture GR.V #2266 of 145 Sqn (British) crashed near the convoy it was escorting in the Atlantic just off Halifax.  Sgt J.M. McColman, Sgt J.M. Northgrave RCAF (USA), F/O R.E. O'Connell and F/O J.M. Smith missing.  ML Q112 and HMCS NAPANEE closed the downed aircraft to search for survivors, but none were found.  The following are statements of the witnesses to the crash and the events immediately thereafter:

1) Lt Wallace Duggan, RCNVR, CO Q112;  2) Lt Herbert Dow, RCNVR, Q112;  3) AB RDIII Gerald Merette, RCNVR, Q112;  4) L/Ck E.I. Seigrig, RCNVR, Q112;  5) Lt George Powell, RCNVR, CO HMCS NAPANEE; 6)  B. DesCotes, RCNVR, HMCS NAPANEE;  and 7) AB Graeme Ferrier, HMCS NAPANEE

Paid off 12 Jul 1945, at Sorell, she was broken up at Hamilton in 1946.

U-Boats Sunk:  (1) U-356 sunk on 27 Dec 1942 by HMCS ST LAURENT H83, HMCS CHILLIWACK K131, HMCS BATTLEFORD K165 and HMCS NAPANEE K118 in position 45-30 N, 25-40 W

(2) U-163 (Korvkpt Kurt-Eduard Engelmann) a type IXC U-boat, on 13 Mar 1943 by HMCS NAPANEE K118 and HMCS PRESCOTT K161 in the Bay of Biscay. Of her crew of 57 there were no survivors.

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos          The Ship's Bell

Battle for Convoy BX-141          Battle for Convoy ONS-154          Battle for ONS 154

Commanding Officers

LCdr Andrew Hedley Dobson, RCNR - 12 May 1941 - 08 Dec 1941

Lt Stuart Henderson, RCNR - 09 Dec 1941 - 02 Jun 1944

A/LCdr George Alvin Powell, RCNVR - 03 Jun 1944 - 12 Jul 1945

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

Former Crew Members

Photos and Documents

(NAP001) Unidentified sailor on HMCS NAPANEE's gun deck with her gunshield art clearly visible  //  Courtesy of Roger Litwiller

(NAP002) HMCS NAPANEE K118  //  Source: Flickr photo collection of Ron Bell

(NAP003) Lt Stuart Henderson receiving a gift of appliances for HMCS NAPANEE after her refit in Montreal, Oct 1943  //  From the collection of Stuart Henderson, LCdr, RCN, ret'd  //  Courtesy of Rod Henderson

(NAP004) HMCS NAPANEE K113 - note her gunshield art  //  From the collection of Robert Macklem  //  Courtesy of Kelly Macklem

(NAP005) HMCS NAPANEE K118 (left) and HMCS Timmins K223 (right) at St. John's, Nfld  //  From the collection of Dalton Kaye, Tel, RCNVR  //  Courtesy of Steve Kaye

(PG05) Officer on HMCS NAPANEE K118

(PG06) Unknown PO by HMCS NAPANEE K118's gunshield art

(PG07) Philip Goodfellow at the chart table on HMCS NAPANEE K118

(PG08) Unknown sailors on HMCS NAPANEE K118

(PG09) HMCS NAPANEE K118 conducting a stern fueling

(PG06) A green officer getting his sea legs - Phillip Goodfellow on HMCS NAPANEE K118

(PG07) Philip Goodfellow (right) and unknown sailor on HMCS NAPANEE K118

(PG08) Unknown officer on HMCS NAPANEE K118

From the collection of Philip Goodfellow, LCdr, RCNR

Courtesy of Michael Goodfellow