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HMCS CAPTOR II
Barge / Naval Barracks / Depot Ship
On the outbreak of war, office space was rented in the city, and, on 26 Sep 1941, Dredge No. 1, a disused barge of the Department of Public Works was taken over as a naval barracks. Renamed "CAPTOR II", it remained in service until the summer of 1942 when it was condemned by the medical authorities. Its name, however, lived on as that of the depot ship at Saint John. Wharfage was leased at Reed's Point, and a number of small sheds nearby were rented to provide storage space, workshops, and offices. In June 1942, the Naval Service approved plans to set up a small "naval centre" at Saint John which would occupy two buildings, one to contain administrative offices and officers' quarters, and the other to serve as a barracks and sick bay. Construction was not undertaken until the spring of 1943, however; and even then progress was very slow owing to the acute shortage of manpower, aggravated by an urgent need for longshoremen during that busy year. It was not until the end of January 1944 that the staff of HMCS CAPTOR II moved into the new barracks at Reed's Point. In September 1945, Captor II was merged with the naval reserve division HMCS BRUNSWICKER.
Photos and Documents
Newspaper article on HMCS Captor II's sports teams Crow's Nest newspaper - May 1945
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