HMCS NIPIGON J154 / 188

Bangor Class Minesweeper

HMCS NIPIGON J154

Battle honours and awards: Atlantic 1941-45, Gulf of St. Lawrence 1942, 1944

Laid down: 04 Jul 1940

Launched: 01 Oct 1940

Commissioned: 08 Nov 1941

Paid off: 13 Oct 1945

Re-acquired by RCN: 1952

Transferred to the Turkish Navy: 29 Nov 1957

Paid off: 1972

Fate: Unknown

built by Dufferin Shipbuilding Co., Toronto, Ont, she was commissioned at Toronto on 11 Aug 1941. She arrived at Halifax on 05 Sep 1941 and was the first of the Bangor class to join Sydney Force, on 03 Oct 1941, and remained with it until her return to Halifax on 17 Jan 1942. She was then assigned for varying periods to WLEF, Halifax Force, and Newfoundland Force. She was again attached to WLEF when, in Jun 1943, that force was divided into escort groups, and she commenced a major refit at Lunenburg and Liverpool, N.S., on completion of which she sailed in May 1944 to work up in Bermuda. Returning in mid-Jun 1944, she was assigned to Halifax Force until it was disbanded a year later, afterward performing various duties on the Atlantic coast. NIPIGON was paid off at Sydney on 13 Oct 1945, and laid up at Shelburne. She was placed in strategic reserve at Sorel in 1946 but was re-acquired and refitted in 1952, though not re-commissioned. She was transferred to the Turkish Navy on 29 Nov 1957 and served a Bafra until 1972.

Photos and Documents Ship's company photos

Commanding Officers

LCdr Arthur Truman Morrell, RCNR - 11 Aug 1941 - 14 Feb 1942

A/LCdr Clarence Aubrey King, RCNR - 15 Feb 1942 - 11 May 1942

Lt John Brock, RCNVR - 12 May 1942 - 04 Oct 1942

Lt W.J. Piercy, RCNVR - 05 Oct 1942 - 28 Mar 1944

Lt William Turner, RCNR - 29 Mar 1944 - 11 Apr 1944

Lt Donald Richard Baker, RCNVR - 12 Apr 1944 - 04 Feb 1945

Lt John Russell Brown, RCNVR - 05 Feb 1945 - 13 Oct 1945

In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice

Lest We Forget

HAY, James C.

AB, RCNVR

killed - 03 May 1943

In memory of those who have crossed the bar

They shall not be forgotten

Former Crew Members

Bechtel, Willard Hagey, SLt (E), RCNVR - 04 Apr 1945

Buckingham, Gordon Cameron, Skpr, RCNR - 22 Mar 1941

Cambell, Robert Lorne, Lt (E), RCNVR - Jan 1944

Dalton, Cuthbert Frederick Robert, Lt, RCNVR - 03 May 1941

Dunn, Robert Wesley Ault, SLt, RCNVR - 21 Jun 1942

Garland, Robert Dunlap, SLt, RCNVR - 26 Mar 1945

Hamill, Frank William, Lt, RCNVR - 15 May 1943

Hepburn, Bernard Rickart, SLt (E), RCNVR - 15 Jul 1942

Kirkwood, John Regan, SLt (E), RCNVR - 04 Apr 1944

Lavoie, Joseph Charles Barrome, Skp/Lt, RCNR - 22 Apr 1944

MacDonald, Ian Huntley, Lt, RCNVR - 04 Feb 1942

Maxwell, Thomas William, SLt, RCNVR - 21 Feb 1944

McAuley, Alfred Joseph, SLt, RCNVR - 28 Jan 1945

Miller, Robert Dean, Lt, RCNVR - 16 Feb 1943

Minoque, Howard Douglas, SLt (E), RCNVR - 15 Feb 1943

Morris, Norman Campbell, SLt, RCNVR - 28 Jun 1943

Nickerson, Donald Earle, SLt, RCNVR - 0 Feb 1942

O'Kelly, Edward Ross, SLt, RCNVR - 09 Mar 1942

Price, James Edwin, SLt, RCNVR - 21 Mar 1945

Swackhamer, James William, SLt, RCNVR - Jan 1944

Turnhill, Eric Stanley, SLt, RCNVR - 15 Feb 1944

Photos and Documents

HMCS NIPIGON J154 jacket patch

This patch is 9 inches across and was likely meant for the back of a jacket

From the collection of David Aikenhead

Courtesy of Jim Aikenhead

HMCS NIPIGON J154

From the collection of William Connor

Courtesy of Jason Slater

JC01

JC02

JC03

JC04

JC05

(JC01) HMCS NIPIGON J154

(JC02) HMCS NIPIGON'S Q.F. 12 pdr (3-inch gun)

(JC03-JC04) Fo'c's'le of HMCS NIPIGON J154 - 1943

(JC05) HMCS NIPIGON J154 - iced-up - Christmas Day 1943

JC06

JC07

(JC06) HMCS NIPIGON J154 - a half hour after de-icing - Christmas Day 1943

(JC07) Officers and ratings on the quarter deck of a minesweeper. Lt Orr - rear centre. It is not known if this photo was taken on HMCS NIPIGON J154 or HMCS UNGAVA J149 - Lt John Orr served in both ships.

From the collection of John C. Orr

Courtesy of John P. Orr