HMCS PRINCE HENRY F70
Armed Merchant Cruiser
Originally the Canadian National Steamship line SS Prince Henry, but later Clarke Steamship's SS North Star, she was bought on 11 Mar 1940, and given back her maiden name. Like her two sisters, Prince Henry was converted to an armed merchant cruiser, commissioning at Montreal on 04 Dec 1940. She arrived at Bermuda on 15 Jan 1941, to work up, afterward transiting the Panama Canal to take up patrol off Callao, Peru. On 01 Apr 1941 she intercepted the German freighters Munchen and Hermonthis, which scuttled themselves. In May she arrived at Esquimalt and engaged in patrols off the west coast until 24 Aug 1941 when she left for Halifax via Bermuda. In Jan 1942, after brief employment at St. John's as depot ship for Newfoundland Escort Force, she was assigned to patrol duties in the West Indies but was soon again ordered to Esquimalt. Arriving 07 May 1942, she served with Esquimalt Force until Mar 1943, except for the months of Sep and Oct 1942, when she served under USN control in the Aleutians. On 06 Mar 1943, she commenced rebuilding into an infantry landing ship, was re-commissioned on 06 Jan 1944, and left immediately for the U.K. She was present on D-Day as a member of Combined Operations Command and, like Prince David, next took part in the invasion of southern France. She remained in the Mediterranean until Mar 1945, then proceeded to London to refit in East India Dock. On 15 Apr 1945, during the refit, she was paid off, and used afterward by the RN as an accommodation ship first at Portsmouth and later at Falmouth. Sold to the Ministry of Wartime Transport in 1946, she was renamed Empire Parkeston and employed as a troopship between Harwich and the Hook of Holland. She was broken up in 1962 at La Spezia, Italy.
Photos and Documents Ship's company photos
John Beer's Adventures off Peru during the Second World War
The voyages of HMCS Prince Henry from the period 07 Jan 1944 till 29 Mar 1945
Burlington Second World War Veteran awarded Legion of Honour medal by France
The Three Princes - The Legion Magazine
Commanding Officers
In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice Lest We Forget
OS, RCNVR died - 19 Jan 1944
In memory of those who have crossed the bar They shall not be forgotten
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Mascots
Former Crew Members
SP43 = Ship's Company Photo March 1943
Photos and Documents
(MB02) 01 Apr 1941 - Bringing German POWs onboard HMCS PRINCE HENRY after she intercepted the German freighters Munchen and Hermonthis, which scuttled themselves. (MB03) Maurice wrote on the back of the photo "After bringing the Huns aboard, I happened to be on the guard, x marks me after changing. I wanted to kill them all first but later found them to be okay. You can see them bundled up on Starboard side. It happened to be a dark day." From the collection of Maurice E. Bartlett, RCNVR Courtesy of Blair Bartlett
Photos from John Beer's draft to HMCS Prince Henry in 1941
(1 & 2) HMCS Prince Henry in the St Lawrence near Sorel, QC (3) HMCS Prince Henry in Bermuda (4) John Beer (left) in Bermuda - 1941 (5) John and shipmate on HMCS Prince Henry in Bermuda
(6) Postcard John sent home from Bermuda (7) John Beer (left) and shipmate in Jamaica (8) Jamaica - 1941 (9) Crossing the line (Equator) ceremony on HMCS Prince Henry (10) by one of the boat davits on HMCS Prince Henry
(11) John Beer and shipmate on HMCS Prince Henry (12) Peruvian General visits HMCS Prince Henry while at Callao (13) Honour guard for the visit of the Peruvian General (14) German merchant ships off Callao, Peru
(15) German ship's sighted but already on fire (16 - 19) German merchant Hermonthis fire - crew from HMCS Prince Henry fighting the fire
(20) German merchant Hermonthis fire - crew from HMCS Prince Henry fighting the fire (21) HMCS Prince Henry officers with German POWs (22) German POW with their mascot Peesta (23) HMCS Prince Henry's depth charge rails (24) First sight of land since Peru. Arriving off BC - 46 days at sea.
Click here to read about John Beer's time on HMCS Prince Henry
Courtesy of Vivian Beer
(WR01) (WR12) Invitation to OS Wilfred Rafuse while serving in HMCS PRINCE HENRY to a Smoking Concert for Naval Personnel
(GR07) HMCS PRINCE HENRY in Bermuda (GR08-GR09) Holy stoning the gun deck on HMCS PRINCE HENRY (GR10) Sailors on the fo'c's'le of HMCS PRINCE HENRY (GR11) Secondary armament on HMCS PRINCE HENRY
From the collection of Wilfred Rafuse
Courtesy of Steve Rafuse
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