HMCS THETFORD MINES K459

 

River Class Frigate

 

 

HMCS THETFORD MINES K459

 

Battle honours and awards:  Gulf of St. Lawrence  1944,   Atlantic  1945

 

 

Laid down: 07 Jul 1943

Launched: 30 Oct 1943

Commissioned: 24 May 1944

Paid off: 18 Nov 1945

Sold: 03 Jan 1946

Fate: Unknown

 

Built by Morton Engineering & Dry Dock, Co., Quebec City, she was commissioned on 24 May 1944, at Quebec City. THETFORD MINES arrived in Bermuda on 12 Jul 1944 to work up, returning to Halifax on 16 Aug 1944. Soon afterward assigned to EG 25, she was transferred with the group to Londonderry in November, and served in U.K. waters from then until VE-Day, working out of 'Derry and for a time out of Rosyth. On 07 Mar 1945, she helped sink U 1302 in St. George's Channel, and on 23 Mar 1945, HMCS THETFORD MINES rescued 33 of the 47 crewmembers of U-1003 (sunk by HMCS NEW GLASGOW), 16 miles northwest of Innistrahull. Two of the rescued men later died. On 12 May 1945 she departed Moville and proceeded to Loch Alsh for Operation Commonwealth - the escort of eight surrendered U-Boats from Loch Alsh to Lough Foyle - arriving back at Lough Foyle on 14 May 1945. She returned home late in May 1945, was paid off 18 Nov 1945 at Sydney and laid up at Shelburne. In 1947 she was sold to a Honduran buyer who proposed converting her into a refrigerated fruit carrier.

 

U-Boats Sunk:  U-1302 (Kptlt Wolfgang Herwatz) a type VIIC/41 U-boat, sunk on 07 Mar 1945 by HMCS LA HULLOISE K668, HMCS THETFORD MINES K459 and HMCS STRATHADAM K682 in St. George's Channel, position 52-19 N, 05-23 W. Of her crew of 48 there were no survivors.

 

 

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos

 

ROP for Operation Commonwealth 13/14 May 1945 - The transfer/escort of 8 U-boats from Loch Alsh to Lough Foyle (Lisahally) - Researched by / Courtesy of Derek Waller, Air Commodore, RAF, Ret'd

 

 

Commanding Officers

 

LCdr John Alfred R. Allan, RCNVR - 04 May 1944  - 12 Jun 1945

Lt James Manley Scott Clark, RCNVR - 13 Jun 1945 - 30 Jun 1945

LCdr John Alfred R.Allan, RCNVR - 01 Jul 1945 - 20 Jul 1945

A/Cdr Thomas Gilmour, RCNR - 21 Jul 1945 - 18 Nov 1945

 

 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 

 

Former Crew Members

 

Archer, Allan Keith, SLt, RCNVR - 05 Jun 1944

 

Baker, Allan Aylesworth, Lt (E), RCNVR - 01 Apr 1944. Commissioning crew

 

Glass, Ogden, Lt, RCNVR - 01 Jul 1944

 

Harris, George Walter, Paym/Lt, RCNVR - 12 Jun 1944

 

Kitz, Joseph Russell, Lt (E), RCNVR - 11 Jun 1945

O'Grady, John Wesley 

 

Potts, Charles Powers, Lt, RCNVR - 29 May 1944

 

Snudden, George

 

Waller, Dalton McFarlane, A/Lt, RCNVR - 15 May 1944. Commissioning crew

 

 

Photos and Documents

 

Jacket patches from HMCS THETFORD MINES K459

 

From the collection of Charles Archie Esseltine

 

Courtesy of Bob Esseltine

Jacket patches from HMCS THETFORD MINES K459

 

From the collection of Frank Gawthorne

 

Courtesy  of Raymond Gawthorne

Newspaper article on the sinking of U-1302 by STRATHADAM, LA HULLOISE and THETFORD MINES

The Hamilton Spectator, 09 Jun 1945

Depth charge exploding astern of HMCS THETFORD MINES

From the collection of John (Jack) Davie Lyon

Courtesy of John Lyon

 

On 23 Mar 1945, HMCS THETFORD MINES rescued 33 of the 47 crewmembers of U-1003 (sunk by HMCS NEW GLASGOW), 16 miles northwest of Innistrahull. Two of the rescued men later died.

 

From the collection of Charles Archie Esseltine

Courtesy of Bob Esseltine

 

Click here to view a cropped version of the photo

HMS Duke of York

Photograph taken from HMCS THETFORD MINES

From the collection of Charles Archie Esseltine

Courtesy of Bob Esseltine

Two surrendered U-boats, Lough Foyle

 

On 11 May 1945 HMCS THETFORD MINES arrived in Lough Foyle as escort to eight surrendered U-Boats

 

From the collection of Charles Archie Esseltine

Courtesy of Bob Esseltine

 

  

 

Surrendered U-boats, Lough Foyle

 

On 11 May 1945 HMCS THETFORD MINES arrived in Lough Foyle as escort to eight surrendered U-Boats

 

From the collection of John (Jack) Davie Lyon

Courtesy of John Lyon

 

HMCS THETFORD MINES - believed to be taken at Lough Foyle

From the collection of John (Jack) Davie Lyon

Courtesy of John Lyon

HMCS THETFORD MINES (centre) - believed to be taken at Lough Foyle

From the collection of John (Jack) Davie Lyon

Courtesy of John Lyon

HMCS THETFORD MINES K459 at anchor in Bermuda

 

Photo taken after VE-day while THETFORD MINES was returning to Halifax. They were diverted to Bermuda to ease the congestion at Halifax caused by all the ships returning at the same time

 

From the collection of John (Jack) Davie Lyon

Courtesy of John Lyon

 

RB02

RB03

(RB02) Stokers on HMCS THETFORD MINES c1944. Ronald Biggers, front, 2nd from left

(RB03) Surrendered U-boats, Lough Foyle, Northern Ireland

From the collection of Stoker 1c Ronald Biggers, RCNVR

Courtesy of the Biggers Family

 

 

  

 

HMCS THETFORD MINES alongside at Quebec.

 

HMCS U-190 was also alongside with HMCS THETFORD MINES during this port visit.

 

Courtesy of the THETFORD MINES Archives Center / Centre d'achives de la région de Thetford

 

Note: the 2nd photo is double exposed, but shows people touring the ship.

 

Envelope with stamp of the Commanding Officer, HMCS THETFORD MINES

 

Courtesy of the THETFORD MINES Archives Center / Centre d'achives de la région de Thetford

HMCS THETFORD MINES K459

 

Kodachrome photo

 

Photo credit: Canadian Virtual Military Museum

 

 

TJ01

TJ02

(TJ01) HMCS THETFORD MINES K459

(TJ02) Article on sailor of HMCS THETFORD MINES returning to Canada for leave.  Mentioned in the article: AB Gordon Young of Hamilton, ON;  AB Doug Brown of Toronto, ON:  Stoker Ted Johnson of Parry Sound, ON;  and AB Howard Enoch of Moose Jaw, SK

From the collection of Ted Johnson, RCNVR

Courtesy of Thomas Johnson

 

 

HOME PAGE     SHIP INDEX      CONTACT