Q054

 

Fairmile Motor Launch

 


 

ML Q054

Courtesy of Marc-Andre Morin

Click on the above photo to view a larger image

 

Laid down: 24 Mar 1941

Launched: 30 Aug 1941

Delivered to the RCN: 17 Oct 1941 

Removed from service: 06 Dec 1944

Fate: Final disposition unknown

 

Q054 was delivered to the RCN on 17 Oct 1941. While she flew the White Ensign, she was not commissioned into the RCN but instead was listed as a tender to HMCS SAMBRO, the depot ship for escorts (tenders were not commissioned vessels). This was the second Fairmile to terminate her naval service. The last commanding officer left this one on 06 Dec 1944. Q082 was first and Q108 was third. The rest were terminated in the summer of 1945.

 


 

Photos and Documents

 


 

Commanding Officers

 

Sub/Lt D.D. Morin, RCNVR - 17 Sep 1941 - ?? Dec 1941

Lt Samuel Owen Greening, RCNVR - 24 Mar 1942 - 30 Mar 1942

Lt Dudley Gawen King, RCNVR - 19 Apr 1942 - 29 Jun 1942

Lt William Campbell Rigney, RCNVR - 29 Jun 1942 - 10 Oct 1942

Lt Arthur Drysdale Stairs, RCNVR - 11 Oct 1942 - 01 Nov 1942

Lt W.C. Rigney, RCNVR - 02 Nov 1942 - 27 Mar 1943

Lt Howard Frederick Bartram, RCNVR - 22 Jul 1943 - 13 Apr 1944

Lt Charles Nesbit Blagrave, RCNVR - 14 Apr 1944 - 06 Dec 1944

 


 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

 


 

Former Crew Members

 

Drummond, David Barclay, SLt, RCNVR - 27 Mar 1943

 

Jessieman, Duncan James, SLt, RCNVR - 15 Jun 1943

 

Lewis, John McCullagh, SLt, RCNVR - 01 May 1942

 


 

Photos and Documents

 

ML Q054 underway after fitting out

 

From the collection of Richard (Dick) Pearson, Ottawa, Ont. - Richard was on board Q054 when this photo was taken

 

Jeffrey Read was kind enough to provide a bit of background information on his grandfather's involvement in the construction of the Fairmiles.

 

After retiring out of active service after WW1, Richard Pearson became a civil servant and went on to oversee the shipyard production of the Fairmile launches on the Canadian east coast. Richard Pearson was responsible for ensuring that Fairmile production was proceeding according to the schedule, so he went on site to the following shipyards for inspections as well: Marine Industries, Midland Boat Works, Greavette Boats, Hunter Boats, J. J. Taylor, Minett and LeBlanc Shipyards. Apparently, perhaps because my Grandfather was a somewhat diminutive man, a yard worker "twice his size" at the Marine shipyard took exception to him, picked a fight, and was promptly dispatched to the ground by my Grandfather who was an accomplished boxer! The yard workers enjoyed the show.

 

Courtesy of Jeffrey Read

ML Q054

 

Photographer: Roy T. Cardy

From the collection of Roy T. Cardy

Courtesy of Dennis Cardy

The launching of Q054, 30 Aug 1941

Source: Maritime History of the Great Lakes, Books, Scrapbooks, Jul to Dec 41, page 25

Courtesy of Marc-Andre Morin

 


 

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