Allied Warships

HMCS La Malbaie (K 273)

Corvette of the Flower class

Navy	The Royal Canadian Navy
Type	Corvette
Class	Flower
Pennant	K 273
Built by	Marine Industries Ltd. (Sorel, Quebec, Canada)
Ordered	20 Feb 1941
Laid down	22 Mar 1941
Launched	25 Oct 1941
Commissioned	28 Apr 1942
End service	28 Jun 1945
History	Decommissioned 28 June 1945. Sold on 17 October 1945.
Former name	HMCS Fort William, K 236

Commands listed for HMCS La Malbaie (K 273)

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.

	Commander	From	To
1	T/Lt. Ian Walker McTavish, RCNR	31 Mar 1942	11 Feb 1943
2	T/Lt. James Sinclair Davis, RCNVR	12 Feb 1943	7 Jun 1944
3	T/Lt. Ernest Frederick Piper, RCNVR	8 Jun 1944	21 Feb 1945
4	T/Lt. Timothy Hibbard Dunn, RCNVR	22 Feb 1945	28 Jun 1945

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Notable events involving La Malbaie include:

7 May 1943

Convoy HX 238.

This convoy departed New York on 7 May 1943.

It was made up of the following transports / tankers; Atlanta City (American, 5686 GRT, built 1921), Basil (British, 4913 GRT, built 1928), Bernard N. Baker (American, 7191 GRT, built 1943), Bralanta (Norwegian (tanker), 9608 GRT, built 1936), British Fidelity (British (tanker), 8465 GRT, built 1938), Cyrus Field (British (cable ship), 1288 GRT, built 1924), Daphnella (British (tanker), 8078 GRT, built 1938), Edward N. Hurley (American, 7191 GRT, built 1943), Edwin M. Stanton (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Egero (Norwegian (tanker), 7590 GRT, built 1929), Elizabeth Bakke (Norwegian, 5450 GRT, built 1937), Elmer A. Sperry (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Empire Nugget (British (tanker), 9807 GRT, built 1942), Evita (Norwegian (tanker), 6346 GRT, built 1927), Fort Acton (British, 7122 GRT, built 1942), Franz Klasen (Panamanian (tanker), 11194 GRT, built 1932), Glenogle (British, 9513 GRT, built 1920), Kaldfonn (Norwegian (tanker), 9931 GRT, built 1936), Levernbank (British, 5150 GRT, built 1925), Lista (British, 3671 GRT, built 1920), Miralda (British (tanker), 8013 GRT, built 1936), Montevideo (Norwegian, 4639 GRT, built 1928), Morgenen (Norwegian (tanker), 7093 GRT, built 1930), Noesaniwi (Dutch, 6737 GRT, built 1936), Norvinn (Panamanian, 6322 GRT, built 1930), O.B. Sorensen (Norwegian (tanker), 7919 GRT, built 1931), Pan-Maryland (American (tanker), 7701 GRT, built 1938), Philipp Barbour (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Ralph Waldo Emerson (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Robert E. Peary (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942), San Ambrosio (British (tanker), 7410 GRT, built 1935), Southern Sun (American (tanker), 8893 GRT, built 1931) and William J. Worth (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943).

The escort carrier HMS Fencer (Capt. E.W. Anstice, RN), carrying new aircraft was also part of the convoy. She was not able to operate aircraft.

On departure from New York the convoy was escorted by the corvettes HMCS Lethbridge (T/Lt.Cdr. W. Woods, RCNR), HMCS Oakville (T/Lt. H. Farncomb, RCNVR) and the minesweeper HMCS Brockville (Lt. R.C. Chenoweth, RCNVR).

On 9 May 1943, the following merchant vessels departed Halifax to join the convoy Aedanus Burke (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Alcedo (Panamanian, 1392 GRT, built 1937), Argolicos (Greek, 4786 GRT, built 1921), Bruarfoss (Icelandic, 1580 GRT, built 1927), Cavina (British, 6907 GRT, 1924), City of Glasgow (British, 5321 GRT, 1920), City of Kimberley (British, 6169 GRT, built 1925), Emma Willard (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Fort Abitibi (British, 7122 GRT, built 1942), Manchester Commerce (British, 5343 GRT, built 1925), Tjisalak (Dutch, 5787 GRT, built 1917) and Troubadour (Norwegian, 5808 GRT, built 1920).

They were escorted by the destroyer HMS Chelsea (Lt.Cdr. J.E.R. Wilford, RNR) and the corvettes HMCS Shawinigan (T/Lt. C.P. Balfry, RCNR), HMCS Sudbury (T/Lt. D.S. Martin, RCNR) and the minesweeper HMCS Milltown (A/Lt.Cdr. J.H. Marshall, RCNVR).

On these ships from Halifax joining, most likely on 10 May, the Cyrus Field parted company with the convoy to proceed, with the original escort, to Halifax where they arrived on 11 May 1943.

On 12 May 1943, the merchant vessels Stephen A. Douglas (American, 7219 GRT, built 1942) and Wendell Phillips (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942) sailed from St.John's, Newfoundland to join the convoy.

They were escorted by the destroyers HMCS Skeena (A/Lt.Cdr. E.E.G. Boak, RCN), corvettes HMCS Algoma (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J. Harding, RCNR), HMCS Bittersweet (T/Lt. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR), HMCS Eyebright (T/Lt. H.L. Quinn, RCNVR), HMCS Galt (T/Lt. A.M. Kirkpatrick, RCNVR), HMCS Mayflower (Lt. V. Browne, RCNR), HMCS Pictou (T/Lt. P.T. Byers, RCNR) and the A/S trawler HMS Northern Sun (T/Lt. W.G.N. Aplin, RNR). The rescue tug HMS Samsonia was also with them. They joined the convoy on 13 May 1943. On these ship joining HMS Chelsea, HMCS Shawinigan, HMCS Sudbury and HMCS Milltown were detached to proceed to St. John's.

On the 14th the destroyer HMS Burnham (Cdr. R.C. Medley, DSO, RN) and corvette HMCS La Malbaie (T/Lt. J.S. Davis, RCNVR) departed St. John's to overtake and join the convoy.

Around 0415A/20, HMS Fencer and HMCS Skeena to proceed to Belfast and Londonderry respectively.

The convoy arrived in U.K. waters on 21/22 May 1943.

1 Jun 1943
HMS H 33 (Lt. J.A. Spender, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS La Malbaie (T/Lt. J.S. Davis, RCNVR), HMCS Mayflower (Lt. V. Browne, RCNR) and HMCS Bittersweet (T/Lt. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR). (1)

8 Jul 1943
HMS H 32 (Lt. J.A.R. Troup, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Fame (Cdr. R. Heathcote, DSO, RN), HMS Warwick (Cdr. Y.M. Cleeves, DSO, DSC, RD, RNR), HMS Landguard (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) T.S.L. Fox-Pitt, RN), HMCS Bittersweet (T/Lt. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR), HMCS Mayflower (Lt. V. Browne, RCNR) and HMCS La Malbaie (T/Lt. J.S. Davis, RCNVR). (2)

23 Aug 1943
HMS H 50 (Lt. J.M. Michell, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS La Malbaie (T/Lt. J.S. Davis, RCNVR), HMCS Wetaskiwin (T/Lt.Cdr. J.R. Kidston, RCNVR) and HMS Crane (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Jenkins, RN). (3)

8 Mar 1944
HrMs O 9 (Lt. J.B.M.J. Maas, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMCS Snowberry (T/Lt. J.A. Dunn, RCNVR), HMCS Forrest Hill (T/Lt. E.U. Jones, RCNVR), an unidentified vessel (we are unable to read the name in the log of HrMs O 9) and HMCS La Malbaie (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.S. Davis, RCNVR). (4)

12 Apr 1944
HrMs O 9 (Lt. R.W. van Lynden, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMCS Bittersweet (T/A/Lt.Cdr. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR), HMCS La Malbaie (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.S. Davis, RCNVR), HMCS Prince Rupert (T/Lt.Cdr. R.W. Draney, RCNR), HMCS Saskatchewan (T/Lt.Cdr. A.H. Easton, DSC, RCNR), HMCS Eyebright (T/Lt. H.L. Quinn, RCNVR), HMCS Napanee (T/Lt. S. Henderson, RCNR) and HMCS Forrest Hill (T/Lt. E.U. Jones, RCNVR). (4)

13 Apr 1944
HrMs O 9 (Lt. R.W. van Lynden, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMCS Forrest Hill (T/Lt. E.U. Jones, RCNVR), HMCS Eyebright (T/Lt. H.L. Quinn, RCNVR), HMCS La Malbaie (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.S. Davis, RCNVR), HMCS Long Branch (T/A/Lt.Cdr. A.B. Taylor, RCNR) and HMS Keats (T/A/Lt.Cdr. N.F. Israel, RNR). (4)

31 Jul 1944
HMS Vulpine (T/Lt. P.S. Thirsk, DSC, RNR) conducted attack exercises off Larne with HMS Shakespeare (Lt. D. Swanston, DSC and Bar, RN). These were followed by A/S exercises with HMCS La Malbaie (T/Lt. E.F. Piper, RCNVR) and HMCS Forrest Hill (T/Lt. E.U. Jones, RCNVR). (5)