HMCS QUINTE J166

Bangor Class Minesweeper

HMCS QUINTE J166

Laid down: 13 Dec 1940

Launched: 08 Mar 1941

Commissioned: 30 Aug 1941

Paid off: 25 Oct 1946

Fate: Broken up in 1947

Commissioned at Vancouver on 30 Aug 1941, QUINTE left Esquimalt 10 Oct 1941 for Halifax, arriving on 14 Nov 1941. She was assigned at first to WLEF, and then, in Jun 1942, to Halifax Force. On 28 Nov 1942, after completing a six-week refit at Lunenburg, she grounded, causing extensive damage to her bottom and had to be beached.

In the memoirs of L/Tel George Crewe, the CO had him send a message requesting permission to enter Halifax to oil as the ship was low on oil. Permission was denied and QUINTE was ordered to proceed without stopping at Halifax. As a result, she ran out of fuel oil, drifted and was driven ashore in a storm, grounding on 28 Nov 1942 on Horse Head Shoal and was beached near St. Peter’s, Cape Breton.

QUINTE was re-floated ten days later and moved to the wall at St. Peter’s Canal to continue pumping operations. The next day she took an unexpected list, rolling on her side and sank making her the only ship in the RCN to sink twice in 10 days.

Salvage work continued throughout most of the winter, and on 25 Apr 1943, she arrived at Pictou in tow for repairs, which were not completed until Jun 1944. She was then sent to HMCS CORNWALLIS as a training ship, arriving at Digby on 21 Aug 1944, and remained there until the end of 1945. In 1946 she was employed with the Naval Research Establishment at Halifax until paid off on 25 Oct 1946.

While HMCS QUINTE was employed with the NRE, Lt Beatrice Helen Worsley, WRCNS (WREN), was assigned to a research project on hull corrosion. In 1946 she spent 150 days at sea, the majority on HMCS QUINTE, setting a sea time record for a WREN that was never broken.

In August 1947, QUINTE sold to the Steel Co. of Canada, Hamilton, ON and was broken up at Sydney, NS, later that year.

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

Commanding Officers

Lt Charles Alexander Nicol, RCNR - 30 Aug 1941 - 17 Jan 1943

Lt I.B.B. Morrow, RCN - 10 Nov 1944 - 26 Nov 1944

Skpr/Lt C.C. Clattenburg, RCNR - 27 Nov 1944 - 14 Mar 1945

Lt Douglas Cluny MacPherson, RCNVR - 15 Mar 1945 - 17 Jul 1945

Lt Robert Berkeley Taylor, RCNVR - 20 Jul 1945 - 03 Aug 1945

Lt Lachlan McQuarrie, RCNR - 07 Mar 1946 - 25 Oct 1946

In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice

Lest We Forget

HEMSWORTH, Harold J.

ERA 5c, RCNVR

died - 08 Dec 1942

MCGILVRAY, Peter

WT (E), RCNR

died - 19 Apr 1942

In memory of those who have crossed the bar

They shall not be forgotten

Hammick, Laurence S.A.

Former Crew Members

Handfield, Louis Philippe, Lt (E), RCNVR - 30 May 1944

Loudon, Donald Edward, SLt, RCNVR - 07 Jul 1944

MacLean, Findlay Barnes, SLt, RCNVR - 20 Apr 1942

MacPhee, Finlay Angus, SLt, RCNVR - 08 Feb 1945

McPherson, Douglas Cluny, Lt, RCNVR - 27 Jun 1944

Morrow, Ian Bernard Buchanan, Lt, RCNVR - 01 Jun 1944

Ness, George Cairns, A/Wt (E), RCNR - 01 May 1942

Nicol, Donald Basil, SLt, RCNVR - 30 Jun 1944

Oliver, Hubert Galt, Lt, RCN(R) - 18 Feb 1946

Spears, John Walker, SLt, RCNVR - 13 Mar 1942

Valleau, Val (Howard), AB, 1944-1945

Walker, Frank Bibley, SLt, RCNVR - 15 Feb 1942

Photos and Documents

HMCS QUINTE J166 - RCN negative # NP1013

From the collection of Cdr Bernard Summers Lake, RCN

Courtesy of Barry Lake

"Shower time"

Sailors on HMCS QUINTE getting hosed down

George Crewe standing, 1st on right

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Three sailors in tropical rig on HMCS QUINTE J166

Possibly on the trip from Esquimalt to Halifax

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailors on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailors on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown Carrier

Photo taken from HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown four-stacker

Photo taken from HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown Sub

Photo taken from HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

George Crewe (centre) other two sailors unknown - HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailors on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor by forward gun on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor at AA gun on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor at AA gun on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailors on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailors on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Gun turret on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown Sub

Photo taken from HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

RCAF Crash boat

Photo taken from HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

A Convoy

Photo taken from HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

A Convoy

Photo taken from HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Webmaster's note: This convoy appears to have a battleship or battle-cruiser escort. Note the 5th ship from the right in the photo.

Unknown battleship or battle-cruiser (from the photo immediately above)

Photo taken from HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Fo'c's'le of HMCS QUINTE J166 "Iced-up"

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor amoungst the ice on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Three sailors chipping ice on the fo'c's'le of HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Same Three sailors chipping ice on the fo'c's'le of HMCS QUINTE J166. Note the spray from the wave about to hit them.

Webmaster's Note: Life in the North Atlantic was hard at the best of times. U-boats were not the only enemy in the North Atlantic. Ice made life for the sailors difficult to say the least. If too much ice built up, the ship would become top heavy and capsize.

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Gunnery drills on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Unknown sailor in his hammock on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Five sailors on HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Two sailors on the fo'c's'le of HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Sailors off HMCS QUINTE J166

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Ross Somerville, 2nd from left

Sailors from QUINTE enjoying some time ashore - place unknown - 1942

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Submitted by Bud Rose - This photo taken as the boys commenced their ride down Church Hill in the Donkey Cart towards Duckworth Street.

The five photos of "Sailors from QUINTE enjoying some time ashore" series were all taken within 1/2 mile of the RCN Dockyard.

Sailors from QUINTE enjoying some time ashore - 1942

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Submitted by Bud Rose - This photo taken on Church Hill also - in the same vicinity as the photo above. Note: Vehicles driving on ‘Left’ hand side of the road. Nfld did not switch to the ‘Right’ until 1947.

Sailors from QUINTE enjoying some time ashore - 1942

George Crewe is holding the reigns of the horse

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Submitted by Bud Rose - This photo was taken on Church Hill in St. John's Nfld. They are heading down towards Duckworth Street where photo below was taken. The large building in the background is the Methodist United Church; (Re-built after the original structure was destroyed in the great fire of 1892).

Sailors from QUINTE enjoying some time ashore - 1942

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Submitted by Bud Rose - This photo was taken on the South side of Duckworth St. in St. John's Nfld. The metal structure which the two sailors have climbed upon to mug for the camera, is a war time telephone wire support tower. These towers were installed between the Telephone exchange (located just behind the person who took the picture) and the Admiralty Building at the RCN Dockyard.

Sailors from QUINTE enjoying some time ashore - 1942

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Submitted by Bud Rose - In this photo the boys are having their picture taken with a constable of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. (Note the original policemen's fur hat and "Great Coat") The RNC is now the oldest police force in Canada, having been established prior to the Dominion Police in Ottawa and the RCMP. The building next to them is the original "Government Bond Store" where all the liquor was stored - hence the steel bars for the doors and windows. (This building still stands today with bars removed)

"Lost but never forgotten"

HMCS QUINTE J166

Commissioned: August 29, 1941

Lost: November 29, 1942

The photos above show HMCS QUINTE J166 sinking at the entrance to St. Peter's Channel. The final photo on the right shows her submerged, on her side. Below are the notes from the back of the above 5 photos. These photos are have been added here based on the number of the writing on the back of each photo, but it appears the the 3rd and 4th photo were taken during the salvage operations to raise the QUINTE.

HMCS QUINTE - Named after Bay of QUINTE in Ontario. Built by Burrard Dry Dock Vancouver in 1941. Commissioned on August 29, 1941 at Vancouver. Went on trial run to Prince Rupert. Left Esquimalt October 10, 1941 and arrived in Halifax Nov 15, 1941. Commenced convoy duty Jan 1942 and continued till October 1942 when she went to Lunenburg for refit. Left Lunenburg Nov 27 and headed for Pictou. On night of 27th we got in storm and trouble began. Galley stove was wrecked and then the L/F aerials were broken. About midnight Gyro compass blew out and fun commenced. Fog closed in and we became lost. Saturday we lost all boat oars and also 2 depth charges. Oil fuel ran low on Sunday and at 1830 we struck a reef and then jumped four more before finally stopping. A hole was torn in both boiler rooms and engine room. Number 1 room filled first but we used 2 until the engine room was abandoned. In meantime distress message was sent and we waited patiently for help. The Q090 received our distress and came to our rescue at 2330 on the night of 28th. The ship was sinking rapidly and at 2345 orders were given to get ready to abandon ship. The Q090 however managed to pass a rope and they started in tow us. At 0630 on 29th they beached us on a ledge at St. Peters, N.S. Everyone was so tired we just slept where it was dry. In the afternoon of 29th she began to settle and on the following day she began rolling over. Nearly everyone's gear was lost but no lives. On the Tuesday she sank, rolling completely over to port side.

From the collection of George Crewe

Courtesy of Catherine Crewe

Historical Note: QUINTE was salvaged over the winter of 1942 / 1943 and then repaired at Pictou from Apr 1943 - Jun 1944. She was then transferred to HMCS Cornwallis to serve as a training ship.