Allied Warships

HMCS Sherbrooke (K 152)

Corvette of the Flower class

NavyThe Royal Canadian Navy
TypeCorvette
ClassFlower 
PennantK 152 
Built byMarine Industries Ltd. (Sorel, Quebec, Canada) 
Ordered22 Jan 1940 
Laid down5 Aug 1940 
Launched25 Oct 1940 
Commissioned5 Jun 1941 
End service28 Jun 1945 
History

Fo'c's'le extention at Liverpool (Nova Scotia, Canada) completed on 22 August 1944.

Decommissioned 28 June 1945.
Scrapped in Canada in May 1947.

 

Commands listed for HMCS Sherbrooke (K 152)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1Lt.Cdr. (retired) Eric George Mackay Donald, RN5 Jun 19412 Jul 1942
2T/Lt. Joseph Ange Maurice Levesque, RCNR3 Jul 194229 Aug 1943
3T/Lt. Robert A. Jarvis, RCNVR30 Aug 194330 Jul 1944
4T/Lt. David Armstrong Binmore, RCNVR31 Jul 194428 Jun 1945

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Notable events involving Sherbrooke include:


4 Sep 1941

Convoy HX 148.

This convoy departed Halifax on 4 September 1941.

On departure from Halifax the convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Acavus (British (tanker), 8010 GRT, built 1935), Anglo-Indian (British, 5609 GRT, built 1938), Ardenvohr (British, 5025 GRT, built 1940), Argos Hill (British, 7178 GRT, built 1939), Atlantian (British, 6549 GRT, built 1928), Beaverhill (British, 10041 GRT, built 1928), British Confidence (British (tanker), 8494 GRT, built 1936), British Faith (British (tanker), 6955 GRT, built 1928), Brittany (British, 4772 GRT, built 192), Celtic Star (British, 5575 GRT, built 1918), City of Barcelona (British, 5787 GRT, built 1930), Clan Alpine (British, 5442 GRT, built 1918), Corilla (Dutch (tanker), 8096 GRT, built 1939), Cornish City (British, 4952 GRT, built 1936), Diloma (British (tanker), 8146 GRT, built 1939), Edward F. Johnson (British (tanker), 10452 GRT, built 1937), Egda (Norwegian (tanker), 10050 GRT, built 1939), Empire Day (British, 7242 GRT, built 1941), Empire Hawk (British, 5033 GRT, built 1919), Empire Silver (British, 8602 GRT, built 1941), Gefion (Norwegian (tanker), 9475 GRT, built 1938), Grey County (Norwegian, 5194 GRT, built 1918), Harpasa (British, 5082 GRT, built 1934), Idefjord (Norwegian, 4287 GRT, built 1921), James Hawson (British (tanker), 6074 GRT, built 1930), Kaipaki (British, 7660 GRT, built 1939), Kars (British (tanker), 8888 GRT, built 1939), Laurelwood (British, 7347 GRT, built 1929), Leerdam (Dutch, 8815 GRT, built 1921), Lochkatrine (British, 9419 GRT, built 1922), Manchester Merchant (British, 7264 GRT, built 1940), Mirlo (Norwegian (tanker), 7455 GRT, built 1922), New Zealand Star (British, 10740 GRT, built 1935), Nicoya (British, 5364 GRT, built 1929), Norvinn (Panamanian (tanker), 6322 GRT, built 1930), Ornefjell (British, 1334 GRT, built 1937), Pomella (British (tanker), 6766 GRT, built 1937), San Demetrio (British (tanker), 8073 GRT, built 1938), Socony (British (tanker), 4404 GRT, built 1936), Stigstad (Norwegian (tanker), 5964 GRT, built 1927), Talthybius (British, 10254 GRT, built 1912), Tongariro (British, 8729 GRT, built 1925), Tornus (British (tanker), 8054 GRT, built 1936), Vancouver (British (tanker), 5729 GRT, built 1928), Vivi (Norwegian (tanker), 6546 GRT, built 1932) and Wayfarer (British, 5068 GRT, built 1925).

On departure from Halifax the convoy was escorted by HMS Alaunia (Capt.(Retd.) H.J. Woodward, DSO and Bar, RN) and the corvettes HMCS Lethbridge (T/Lt. R. Hocken, RCNR), HMCS Shediac (Lt. J.O. Every-Clayton, RCNR) and HMCS Sherbrooke (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) E.G.M. Donald, RN).

Around 0800P/5, the merchant vessel Tuscan Star (British, 11449 GRT, built 1930), which had sailed late from Halifax, joined the convoy.

Around 1000P/5, the merchant vessel Herbrand (Norwegian (tanker), 9108 GRT, built 1935), which had sailed late from Halifax, joined the convoy.

Around 0545P/7, the destroyer HMS Richmond (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) W.A. Moens, RN) and corvettes HMS Candytuft (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) F.B. Collinson, RD, RNR), HMCS Bittersweet (A/Lt.Cdr. J.A. Woods, RCNR) and HMCS Fennel (Lt. J.N. Smith, RCNR) joined company coming from St. Johns, Newfoundland. HMCS Lethbridge, HMCS Shediac and HMCS Sherbrooke then parted company.

Around 1000O/9, the convoy ran into thick for. By that time HMS Richmond and HMCS Fennel had already lost contact with the convoy.

Around 1040O/9, in position 51°06'N, 41°10'W, the Socony and Tongariro collided in the thick fog. HMCS Bittersweet was ordered to stand by them but the Socony soon foundered and sank. HMS Bittersweet picked up 18 survivors and the Tongariro 25. The Tongariro was holed beneath the waterline but was able to continue. She and HMCS Bittersweet rejoined the convoy around 1800O/9.

Around 1925Z/9, HMS Candytuft suffered a boiler explosion and dropped astern of the convoy. HMCS Bittersweet was ordered to stand by. Later HMS Candytuft reported that she could not steam and had many casualties and thus asked for medical aid. HMCS Bittersweet was then ordered to tow the stricken vessel to Newfoundland where they arrived on 14 September 1941.

Around this time the Mirlo also lost contact with the convoy. She arrived independently at Loch Ewe on 16 September.

HMS Richmond and HMCS Fennel did not manage to find the convoy due to the thick fog which lasted until 11 September.

Around 1215N/12, the destroyer HMS Montgomery (Lt.Cdr.(Emgy.) W.L. Puxley, RN) joined the convoy despite the thick fog the convoy again encountered.

Around 1830N/12, the corvette HMS Anemone (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Boys-Smith, DSO and Bar, RD, RNR) also joined.

At dawn the following morning, the destroyers HMS Whitehall (Lt.Cdr. A.B. Russell, RN), HMS Winchelsea (Lt.Cdr. W.A.F. Hawkins, OBE, DSC, RN), HMS Witch (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Holmes, RN), corvettes HMS Abelia (T/Lt. F. Ardern, RNR), HMS Veronica (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) D.F. White, RNR) and A/S trawler HMS St. Zeno (T/Lt. J.K. Craig, RNVR) were also seen to have joined the convoy during the evening / night. It was now also seen that the Argos Hill (arrived independently at Liverpool on 16 September), Celtic Star (arrived independently at Loch Ewe on 15 September), Grey County (arrived independently in Belfast Lough on 15 September) and Tuscan Star (arrived independently at Liverpool on 16 September) were not in company.

Around 1430N/13, in position 57°55'N, 18°20'W, the destroyers HMS Boadicea (Cdr. H.P. Henderson, RN) and HMS Beagle (Lt.Cdr. R.T. White, DSO and Bar, RN) joined the convoy. HMS Alaunia, HMS Montgomery, HMS Winchelsea, HMS Witch and HMS Whitehall parted company with the convoy to proceed direct to the U.K. These four destroyers all arrived at Londonderry on 15 September. HMS Alaunia coninued to Greenock where she also arrived on 15 September. During the passage, at 1300A/1, HMS Winchelsea and HMS Witch were detached to hunt a reported enemy submarine. At 1226B/14, the German submarine U-98 was attacked in approximate position 55°57'N, 11°45'W [German grid AM 4365] by a Hudson aircraft which dropped three bombs causing no damage. This was an RAF Hudson from 224 Sq. (aircraft R) which reported attacking an enemy submarine at 1129A/14 in position 56°08'N, 11°50'W. Then at 1515A/14, an RAF Catalina from 210 Sq. (aircraft J) reported attacking an enemy submarine in position 56°39'N, 12°22'W. This attack was on the German submarine U-95 which was attacked at 1551B/14 in approximate position 56°27'N, 012°48'W [German grid AM 0189]. She sustained heavy damage and was forced to abandon her war patrol. The British operational command of the Western Approaches thought that the two aircraft sightings referred to the same enemy submarine but this was not the case.

In the morning of the 14th, the destroyers HMS Sabre (Lt. P.W. Gretton, OBE, DSC, RN) and HMS Shikari (Lt.Cdr. H.N.A. Richardson, RN) also joined the convoy.

Around 1500A/15, the Loch Ewe section of the convoy parted company while the convoy was passing through the Minches. This section arrived at Loch Ewe on 15 September 1941 and was made up of the following merchant vessels;
Acavus, British Confidence, British Faith, Clan Alpine, Corilla, Empire Hawk, Empire Silver, Kars, Laurelwood, Nicoya, Pomella and Vancouver.

On 16 September 1941, the following merchant vessels arrived in the Clyde;
Cornish City, Edward F. Johnson, Norvinn and Talthybius.

On 16 September 1941, the following merchant vessels arrived in Belfast Lough;
Ardenvohr, Gefion, Herbrand, Idefjord, James Hawson, Leerdam, San Demetrio, Tongariro, Tornus and Vivi.

On 17 September 1941, the following merchant vessels arrived at Holyhead;
Beaverhill, Kaipaki and Manchester Merchant

On 17 September 1941, the following merchant vessels arrived at Liverpool;
Anglo-Indian, Atlantian, Brittany, City of Barcelone, Diloma, Egda, Empire Day, Harpasa, Lochkatrine, New Zealand Star, Ornefjell, Stigstad and Wayfarer.

The remaining escorts all arrived at Londonderry on 16 September 1941 except HMS Boadicea which arrived there on the 15th and HMS Shikari which arrived there on the 17th. (1)

15 Feb 1942
HMCS Sherbrooke (Lt.Cdr. E.G.M. Donald, RN) picks up 15 survivors from the Greek merchant Meropi that was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-566 off Halifax in position 44°14'N, 62°41'W.

4 Sep 1942
HMS H 32 (Lt. J.R. Drummond, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Amherst (T/Lt. H.G. Denyer, RCNR), HMCS St. Croix (A/Lt.Cdr. A.H. Dobson, DSC, RCNR), HMCS Ottawa (A/Lt.Cdr. C.A. Rutherford, RCN), HMCS Sherbrooke (T/Lt. J.A.M. Levesque, RCNR), HMCS Arvida (T/Lt. A.I. MacKay, RCNR) and HMCS Brandon (T/Lt. R.J.G. Johnson, RCNVR). (2)

10 Sep 1942
HMCS Sherbrooke (T/Lt J.A.M. Levesque, RCNR) picks up 39 survivors from the Norwegian tanker Sveve and 5 survivors from the Belgian merchant Elisabeth van Belgie that were torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-96 from the convoy ON-127 in the North Atlantic.

Media links


Corvettes of the Royal Canadian Navy, 1939-1945

MacPherson, Ken and Milner, Marc

Sources

  1. ADM 53/113545 + ADM 199/718 + ADM 199/1145 + ADM 199/2099
  2. ADM 173/17217

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


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