HMCS ST. CATHARINES K325 - For Posterity's Sake

HMCS ST CATHARINES K325

River Class Frigate

CCG ST CATHARINES

Weather Ship

HMCS St. Catharines K325

RCN Photo # GM-1146

Courtesy of the Comox RCAF Museum

Click on the above photo to view a larger image

Battle honours and awards: Atlantic 1943-44

Laid down: 02 May 1942

Launched: 05 Dec 1942

Commissioned: 31 Jul 1943

Paid off: 18 Nov 1945

Re-acquired by RCN: 1950 and transferred to Dept. of Transport as a weather ship

Fate: Broken up in Japan in 1968

Built by Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt, BC, she was commissioned on 31 Jul 1943, at Esquimalt. Departing Esquimalt soon after, she arrived at Halifax on 04 Oct 1943 and in Nov 1943 sailed for the U.K. as a member of EG C-2. She was continuously employed on convoy duty until Oct 1944, and from Feb to Sep 1944 she was Senior Officer's ship. With six other escorts of convoy HX.280, she took part in the destruction of U-744 on 06 Mar 1944. After refitting at Shelburne from Oct to Dec, 1944, she went to Bermuda to work up and, on her return to Halifax, commenced tropicalization refit there. By the time this was completed in Aug 1945, the war was over and the ship was paid off on 18 Nov 1945. In 1947 she was sold to Marine Industries Ltd. and laid up at Sorel. Later re-sold to Morton Engineering & Drydock Co., Quebec City, she was re-acquired in 1950 and converted to a weather ship. Transferred to the Department of Transport, she was taken round to the west coast to be stationed in the North Pacific as of July, 1952. Replaced in March, 1967, by CGS Vancouver, she was broken Japan in 1968.

U-Boats Sunk: U-744 (Oblt Heinz Blischke) a type VIIC U-boat, sunk on 06 Mar 1944 by HMCS St. Catharine K325, HMCS Chilliwack K131, HMCS Gatineau H61, HMCS Fennel K194, HMCS Chaudiere H99, HMS Icarus and HMS Keniworth Castle in position 52-01 N, 22-37 W. Of her crew of 51, there were 40 survivors.

Photos and Documents

Commanding Officers

LCdr Herbert Coates Reynard Davis, RCNR - 31 Jul 1943 - 14 Mar 1944

LCdr Anthony Fenwick Pickard, RCNR - 15 Mar 1944 - 13 Dec 1944

LCdr James Philip Fraser - 14 Dec 1944 - 24 May 1945

Lt Adair Bruce Swain, RCNVR - 25 May 1945 - 03 Aug 1945

LCdr Louis de la Chesnaye Audette, RCNVR - 04 Aug 1945 - 18 Nov 1945

In memory of those who have crossed the bar

They shall not be forgotten

Agnew, Jack B.

Atchison, Hugh

Audette, Louis de la C.

Hearns, Reginald E. J.

Patterson, Merville J.

Ship's Mascot

Former Crew Members

Annear, Ernest Arthur, Lt, RCNVR - 31 May 1945

Burnett, Philip Whitworth, Cdr, RN

Conlin, Ralph Herbert, Paym/Lt, RCNVR - 15 Apr 1944

Davis, Herbert Coates Reynard, LCdr, RCNR - 19 Apr 1943

Freeman, John Edward, SLt, RCNVR - Jan 1944

Gooderham, William George, Lt, RCNVR - 31 Jul 1943

Grudniski, Leo, Lt, O.St.J., CD, RCN - Served in Weathership St Catharines in the 1950s

Hillard, Thomas Richard, Lt, RCNVR - 01 Jul 1943 / 31 Jul 1943

Lawson, Thomas Duncan, Paym/Lt, RCNVR - 03 Feb 1945

McKee, George Eugene, Mate, RCNVR - 28 Apr 1943 / 31 Jul 1943

Munro, John Thomas, Lt (E), RCNVR - 10 Mar 1945

Parker, Rex Clement, Lt (E), RCNVR - 13 Jan 1943

Parsons, Keith Kenneth, Wt/Mech, RCN - 31 Jul 1943

Robertson, John M., Lt, RCNVR - 22 May 1944

Rowland, William John, Lt, RCNVR - 31 May 1945

Spicer, William Wright, Lt, RCNVR - 10 Jun 1943 / 31 Jul 1943

Swain, Adair Bruce, Lt, RCNVR - 31 Jul 1943

Photos and Documents

	Jacket patch for HMCS St Catharines K325 From the collection of Alvin Epp Courtesy of Steve Epp
	Alvin Epp with the ship's mascot of HMCS St. Catharines K325 circa 1945 From the collection of Alvin Epp Courtesy of Steve Epp
	HMCS St Catharines K325 circa 1943-1944 Photo taken from HMCS Kamloops K176 From the collection of Kenneth Medford, DSM Courtesy of Gary Medford
	Canadian Naval Craft Sink German U-boat The Halifax Chronicle 01 Jun 1944 Researched by / Courtesy of George Newbury Ships mentioned in the article: HMCS GATINEAU, HMCS CHAUDIERE, HMCS CHILLIWACK, HMCS FENNEL, HMCS ST CATHARINES, HMS ICARUS
	Canadian Warships Rescue U-Boat Crew Article on the rescue of survivors from U-744 The Halifax Chronicle 01 Jun 1944 Researched by / Courtesy of George Newbury Ships mentioned in the article: HMCS CHAUDIERE, HMCS CHILLIWACK, HMCS FENNEL, HMCS ST CATHARINES Sailors mentioned in the article: Lt Douglas S. Boyle, RCN of Revelstoke, BC (HMCS Chaudiere); Lt Charles Rathget, RCNVR of Toronto (HMCS Chaudiere); PO Stevenson; Lt W.W. Spicer, RCNVR of Regina, Sask
	Alvin Epp (Centre) with shipmates and ship's mascot on HMCS St Catharines K325 circa 1945 From the collection of Alvin Epp Courtesy of Steve Epp
	HMCS St Catharines K325 in dry dock at Saint John, NB circa spring 1945 From the collection of Ivan Chamberlain Courtesy of Dave Chamberlain
	HMCS St Catharines K325 (left) and HMCS Lindsay K338 (right) in dry dock at Saint John, NB circa spring 1945 From the collection of Ivan Chamberlain Courtesy of Dave Chamberlain
	HMCS St Catharines' mascot From the collection of Jack Agnew Courtesy of Kelly Boag