HMCS QUESNEL K133

Flower Class Corvette

Named for the town of Quesnel, BC, she was built by Victoria Machinery Deport Co., Ltd, Victoria, BC and commissioned on 23 May 1941 at Esquimalt. She displaced 950 tons with a draught of  8'3" forward and 13' 5" aft when fully loaded. Her overall length was 205 feet with a beam of 33 feet. Her single steam reciprocating engine gave her a maximum speed of 16 knots. After her "shake down" cruise to Prince Rupert in June 1941, the remainder of the year was spent performing various duties such as ASW training, towing gunnery targets and providing sea training to junior officers from Royal Roads. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the QUESNEL was part of the rounding up of Japanese fishing vessels on the west coast of Vancouver Island. She also acted as a tender to the Battleship HMS WARSPITE when she was working up in the strait of Juan De Fuca and Nanoose Bay. In the spring of 1942, HMCS QUESNEL carried out A/S patrols in the Strait of George and in Queen Charlotte and Millbank Sounds. She also provided protection to individual ships from US ports to Alaska. During this time HMCS QUESNEL provided a screen to RMS Queen Elizabeth while she waited off Esquimalt for ideal tidal conditions to be dry docked in Feb 1942. In June 1942 HMCS QUESNEL provided escort to the US tanker Lombardi, arriving in Kodiak, Alaska on 16 Jun 1942. En route back to Esquimalt, on 20 Jun 1942, she intercepted a message intended for HMCS EDMUNDSTON, requiring immediate assistance for the Fort Camosun, torpedoed by a Japanese submarine, position 47 22 N 125 30 W, approx 70 miles south west of cape Flattery. Several Canadian and US ships responded but QUESNEL was first on the scene. On approaching the Fort Camosun HMCS QUESNEL picked up a contact and delivered a depth charge attack. Visible results were negative and contact was not regained. The entire crew of Fort Camosun, 51 men, were rescued by HMCS QUESNEL. With the assistance of HMCS EDMUNDSTON, HMCS VANCOUVER and tugs, the Fort Camosun was brought to anchor in Neah Bay for pumping out before eventually making to to Esquimalt for repairs. The balance of the summer of 1942 was spent on A/S patrol and intercepting unidentified ships in BC waters. On 13 Sep 1942, HMCS QUESNEL, in company with HMCS TIMMINS, HMCS DUNDAS, HMCS EDMUNDSTON and HMCS NEW WESTMINSTER departed Esquimalt for Halifax via the Panama Canal. She arrived in Halifax on 13 Oct 1942 and was assigned to Western Local Escort Force until Jun 1944. On 11 and 12 May 1943, while escorting convoy ON-180, QUESNEL gained a contact. A depth charge attack was made but no further contact was made. With the division of the force into escort groups in Jun 1943, she became a member of EG W-1. During this period she underwent a refit, including fo'c's'le extension, from early Sep to 23 Dec 1943, at Pictou. This refit was followed by workups in St. Margaret's Bay and Bermuda. In Jun 1944 QUESNEL joined Quebec Force and spent five months escorting Labrador-Quebec convoys. In Nov 1944 she was transferred to Halifax Force, going to Sydney for refit and, on completion late in Jan 1945, to Bermuda for workups. She resumed escort duty late in Mar 1945, temporarily attached to EG W-5 and W-8 of WLEF until the end of the war. While escorting her final convoy, HX-335, HMCS QUESNEL rescued 17 of the crew from the damaged Esso Pitsburg on 12 May 1945, arriving at Halifax on 25 May 1945. On 07 Jun 1945, she landed her ammunition at Shelburne, NS and two days later arrived at Sydney, NS to de-store. HMCS QUESNEL then proceeded to Sorel, Quebec where she was paid off on 03 Jul 1945. She was sold on 05 Oct 1945 to the United Steel and Metal Company, Hamilton, Ont., and was broken up there in 1946. During her time escorting convoys in the Atlantic, HMCS QUESNEL participated in 48 convoys and made ports of call at Goose Bay, Labrador; St. John's, Nfld; Sydney, NS; Halifax, NS; Saint John, NB; Boston, Mass; New York, NY; and several ports in Quebec.

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos          What happened to HMCS QUESNEL'S Thunderbird?

Commanding Officers

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

Former Crew Members

SP42 = Ship's Company Photo circa 1942      SC44 = Nominal list dated Sep 1944

Photos and Documents

(JS055) HMCS QUESNEL'S bell

(JS056 - JS057) Bill Godfrey posing with the gun shield art on HMCS QUESNEL, Jan 1943

(JS058) Gun shield art on HMCS QUESNEL  //   Jim Silvester designed and painted the eagle insignia while serving in HMCS QUESNEL. It was the crew's intention to paint this on QUESNEL'S gun shield, but this didn't happen.

(JS059) HMCS QUESNEL "under the White Ensign"

(JS060) Looking aft on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS061) After deck on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS062) Field Gun Crew from HMCS QUESNEL K133 on parade in Victoria, BC in 1941 - J. Silvester ABQR2; A.S. Hickes, OS; L.G. Moore, OS; N.L. Bourne, AB; A.Z. Kennedy, AB; E.M. Herbert, AB; F. Ticehurst, AB; Roger Twiss, AB; D.C. Motley, AB; Philip Petit; John Slessor, AB; Jerry Kennedy, AB; E.P. Murphy, AB; N. Agland, Sig; L.J. Montgomery, AB; L.A. Mohn, AB

(JS063) HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS064) Jack McKeown on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS065) "Tex" and "Cox'n" jacking around on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS066) LTO Lucas and mascots on HMCS QUESNEL K133 - Sep 1941

(JS067) HMCS QUESNEL'S mascots on a depth charge onboard HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS068) Jim Silvester by the 4-inch gun on HMCS QUESNEL

(JS069 - JS070) HMCS QUESNEL in rough seas in the Hecate Strait off the Queen Charlotte Islands, BC

(JS071) HMCS QUESNEL'S Thunderbird Jacket Patch

(JS072) HMCS QUESNEL'S Thunderbird - During the storm in the Hecate Strait the skipper pulled into Alert Bay. While there, a couple of ratings went ashore and came back with this Thunderbird which came off an Indian grave. It was in pretty bad shape with a lot of worm holes and the wings were missing Our Engine room crew made new wings and repainted it as close to the colours that were on it. The Thunderbird remained with QUESNEL the rest of the war. After the war she was paid off but we don't know what happened to it after that. It would be nice if we could find it again and return it to the grave it came from.

(JS073 - JS077) Photos and newspaper articles on HMCS QUESNEL'S Thunderbird

(JS078) Ball, Godfrey, Mahoney, Collins, Christopher and Asseltine with QUESNEL'S Thunderbird

(JS079) Unknown, Parker, Morton, Connolly, Mudi, Forbes, Graham, Healey with QUESNEL'S Thunderbird

(JS080) ASDIC rates - Murray, Neufeld, Collins, Marano, Graham, McCormick, Larusson  with QUESNEL'S Thunderbird

(JS081) Officers - Connolly, Brown, Ritchie, Laing (CO), Milledge (XO), Kitchener, Karr  with QUESNEL'S Thunderbird

(JS082) Sto POs and ERAs - Keating, Grant, Moynaugh, Morton, Symington, Lundhal, Mayo, Curry, McEwan  with QUESNEL'S Thunderbird

(JS083)  Moore, C. Ball, Asseltine, unknown, McCarron, P. Marano, McCormick with QUESNEL'S Thunderbird

(JS084 - JS086) Battleship HMS WARSPITE at the Nanoose Bay range, BC. Photos taken from HMCS QUESNEL K133 while she was tender to HMS WARSPITE

(JS087) CPR's "pocket liner" Princess Alice. Photo taken from HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS088 - JS091) RMS Queen Elizabeth - Photos taken from HMCS QUESNEL. HMCS QUESNEL was screening the Queen Elizabeth while she waited for the right tide conditions to enter dry dock.

(JS092) HMCS QUESNEL K133 rounds up Japanese fishing trawlers - Dec 1941

(JS093 - JS094)  4-inch gun of HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS095) A/S Barrett on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS096) Bill Agland on the Twin .5s on HMCS QUESNEL, Feb 1942

(JS097) Jack McKeown on HMCS QUESNEL K133 - Aug 1942

(JS098) Les, Bob and ? on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS099) Gas Mask Drill on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS100) Jack McKeown, Cox'n, HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS101) Heading out and returning from manouvers

(JS102 - JS106) A few photos of unknown sailors on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS107) Twin .5 on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS108) Frank Balbar on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS109) Dave Motley on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS110) Dave Motley in Forward Stores on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS111) Unknown sailor in forward stores on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS112) Bill Godfrey and Frank Grant on the fo'c's'le of HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS113) J. Retallick, Sto, E.P. Murphy, Tel and "Duke" Dawson on HMCS QUESNEL K133 - Dec 1941

(JS114) Looking down starboard side on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS115) Looking aft on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS116) Bud Bawden and Jim Silvester

(JS117) H.A. Maubert on HMCS QUESNEL K133 - Dec 1941

(JS118) Signalmen Harry Bloomfield and Les on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS119) Ernie Knott and Bud Bawden on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS120) QR3 Ed Healy, A/S Don Bosma, AND CPO TC Jack McKeown, Cox'n on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS121) HMCS QUESNEL'S Starboard Oerlikon firing

(JS122) HMCS QUESNEL'S After Oerlikon

(JS123) Lt John Mackay Laing, Commanding Officer, HMCS QUESNEL by the 4-inch gun

(JS124) Mr. Chips - Mascot of HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS125) Smoke Float astern of HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS126) HMCS QUESNEL laying a smoke screen

(JS127) HMCS QUESNEL K133 enroute "To Kodiak Alaska" - 16 Jun 1942

(JS128) HMCS QUESNEL K133 (foreground) escorting the US tanker Lombardi to Kodiak, Alaska

(JS129) HMCS QUESNEL Rescuing the crew of the Fort Camosun, 20 Jun 1942. All 52 crew were in these 2 lifeboat

(JS130) Doswell and Lucas on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS131) A. Donnet, C. Stevens and Robert Holland painting the funnel on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS132) Bud Bawden and Ernie Knott going up the stick on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS133) E. Healy and J. Slessor AA, practice kite flying from the stern of HMCS QUESNEL K133 - Jan 1942

(JS134) HMCS QUESNEL K133 heading south - 13 Sep 1942

(JS135-JS136) The transit from Esquimalt to Halifax - HMCS QUESNEL K133 entering San Diego, California - 18 Sep 1942

(JS137 - JS138) The transit from Esquimalt to Halifax - HMCS QUESNEL K133 entering Manzanillo, Mexico - 25 Sep 1942

(JS139 - JS140) The transit from Esquimalt to Halifax - HMCS QUESNEL K133, Balboa, Panama - 03 Oct 1942

(JS141) Dugan, Jim Silvester, Jeffries somewhere down south

(JS142) Breach of HMCS QUESNEL'S 4-inch gun

(JS143) Ken Bradley, Tommy Simpson and Bob Holland painting the gun deck on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS144) Escorts returning from convoy duty, Nov 1942

HMCS QUESNEL iced up after returning from convoy duty, Dec 1942

(JS145) 4-inch  gun

(JS146) the Bridge

(JS147) Lt Douty by the 4-inch gun

(JS148) the 12-pounder gun

(JS149) Starboard side just forward of the bridge, facing aft

HMCS QUESNEL iced up after returning from convoy duty, Dec 1942

(JS150) the 4-inch gun

(JS151) Jim with ice-up seaboat

(JS152) Bud Bawden

(JS153) Bridge and gun deck

(JS154) E. Neufeld sitting on the 4-inch gun

HMCS QUESNEL iced up after returning from convoy duty, Dec 1942

(JS155) R. Christopher and ??

(JS156) Bill Hayes

(JS157) Starboard side looking aft

(JS158) Bill Hayes

(JS159) Bill Godfrey

HMCS QUESNEL iced up after returning from convoy duty, Dec 1942

(JS160) Bill Godfrey

(JS161) Clearing ice off the Bridge

(JS162) Jim Silvester

(JS163 - JS164) Bridge and fo'c's'le, photo taken from ship alongside

HMCS QUESNEL iced up after returning from convoy duty, Dec 1942

(JS165) Harry Bloomfield by an ice covered signal light

(JS166) Bud Bawden and Bill Hayes

(JS167) Starboard side, looking aft

(JS168) Bill Godfrey

(JS169) Tommy Simpson

HMCS QUESNEL iced up after returning from convoy duty, Dec 1942

(JS170) Eddie Middleton

(JS171) H. Maubert on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS172) Ernie Knott on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS173) Coder G. Healy, R. Nixon and H. Bloomfield in Communication Mess on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS174) R. Nixon in the Communication Mess on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS175) Simpson and Godfrey on HMCS QUESNEL K133 - Jan 1943

(JS176) Paget on HMCS QUESNEL K133, Jan 1943

(JS177) Paget on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS178) Godfrey ashore in Pictou, NS - Oct 1943

(JS179 - J180) British sub at Pictou, NS - Mar 1942

(JS181) (L-R) Godfrey, McCarron, Bill Murray and unknown woman. Place unknown

(JS182) Wight, Richmond, Knott, MacKay, Sheddon, Healy on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS183) Cameron Poulton and Paget on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS184) Cameron Poulton on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS185) (Back) Jack McKeown  (Front) Jack, Les Lucas, Bill on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS186) Seamen's Mess on HMCS QUESNEL - H. Maubert on Guitar, R. Mousseau and Jim Silvester on Harmonica and MacKay in front - (Note: tag on photo says Bill Godfrey - this was corrected by Jim Silvester)

(JS187) Seamen's Mess on HMCS QUESNEL - Mackay, H. Maubert, Mousseau and Jim Silvester

(JS188) Jim Silvester, Central Park, New York, NY

(JS189) Bill Godfrey in New York, NY

(JS190) Gabby Grozdanich (left) and Gene Porier (right) in New York

(JS191) The Ace Club, Bermuda - Feb 1944

(JS192) St. Georges, Bermuda - 03 Feb 1944

(JS193) HMCS QUESNEL K133 transiting the Cape Cod Canal - Feb 1944

(JS194) Quebec City - Feb 1944

(JS195) Charlie Bedford, Bill Godfrey and Harry Chase on HMCS QUESNEL, Halifax - Mar 1944

(JS196) Bill Godfrey, Jim Silvester, Charlie Bedford on HMCS QUESNEL K133, Halifax - Mar 1944

(JS197) Albert Jeffries, Bob Duggan, Jim McCarron

(JS198) Unknown sailor on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS199) Theresè and Bob Kett in Quebec

(JS200) Bob Kett, Bill Godfrey, Jim Silvester

(JS201) Front: (L-R) Mac MacCarron and Bob Duggan, Rear: (L-R) Tommy Simpson, A. Jeffries, Ernie Knott, Hamilton, Bermuda - 02 Jun 1944

(JS202 - JS203) Escorting a convoy in the Strait of Belle Isle to Goose Bay - Jun 1944

(JS204) Ice Flows

(JS205) Icebergs in Forteau Bay, Labrador - 21 Jun 1944

(JS206) Icebergs in Forteau Bay, Labrador - 21 Jun 1944

(JS207 - JS209) Icebergs off Newfoundland

(JS210) "Mouse" Mousseau on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS211) E. Knott, A. Philips, S. Boroviak, E. Neufeld on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS212) E. Neufled, S. Boroviak, E. Knott, A. Philips on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS213) Knott, Dugan, "Newfie", Philips on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS214) Bob Dugan, Philips on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS215) Bob Kett

(JS216) Jim Silvester, Frank Hewlko and Adeline Bubella, US Wave

(JS217) Clarke, Knott, Grant, Bolding, Cairn, Bawden, Johnson

(JS218) A.G. Phillips on HMCS QUESNEL

(JS219) Bill Godfrey on HMCS QUESNEL, Jun 1944

(JS220) Howie Trawick beside a severely weather tattered White Ensign on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS221) Bill Hayes beside a severely weather tattered White Ensign on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS222) HMCS QUESNEL K133 in Cullingham Sound, Labrador, Aug 1944

(JS223 - JS224) HMCS QUESNEL K133 launches a depth charge from the port thrower - 02 Nov 1944

(JS225 - JS226) HMCS QUESNEL K133 dropping depth charge from the stern

(JS227) McCarron on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS228) Simpson

(JS229) Duggan

(JS230) Hayes and Godfrey

(JS231) Boat's crew - Mousseau and John (Jack) Quick - remainder unknown

(JS232) Boat's crew pulling past a smoke float dropped by an aircraft

(JS233) Mousseau and John Quick, Labrador

(JS234) Stan Noble standing Quartermaster duty

(JS235) HMCS QUESNEL alongside Goose Bay, Labrador

(JS236) CERA moving the Thunderbird.  Bud Bawden above the CERA. The CERA was a relief from the East coast

(JS237) Robert Robbins on the lamp

(JS238) Vickaryous and his new wife

(JS239) Sam Beaver and "Floof"

(JS240) HMCS QUESNEL, 10 Sep 1942, Position: 49.00 N / 126.03W - This photo is identified as being taken in Sep 1942.  Webmaster's note: QUESNEL did not get her extended fo'c's'le and main mast moved aft of the bridge till her refit Sep-Dec 1943.  This photo was taken in either 1944 or 1945.

(JS241) Gun and bridge of HMCS QUESNEL. Note the Thunderbird on the mast in front of the crow's nest.

(JS242) HMCS KAMLOOPS K176  (left) and HMCS SWIFT CURRENT J254 seen from HMCS QUESNEL K133

(JS243) The end is near - QUESNEL in Sorel after being paid off. Note that the Thunderbird is gone from the mast

From the collection of Jim Silvester, PO1, RCNVR, RCN

Courtesy of Jim Silvester

(DM001) HMCS QUESNEL K133

(DM002) Donald Roy McLennan (on the right holding the coke bottle) and his shipmates on HMCS QUESNEL K133

(DM003) HMCS QUESNEL K133 (foreground) with a merchant ship off in the distance

(DM004) Crew members of HMCS QUESNEL K133

(DM005) Two of HMCS QUESNEL'S crew ashore in New York

From the collection of Donald McLennan

Courtesy of Darrin Starchuk

Sto PO William Rose with QUESNEL'S Thunderbird - circa 1941-1943

From the collection of William Rose

Courtesy of Steve Rose