| Notes |
- Wilfred was born Dec. 28 1921. Passed away Aug.27 1978. Buried in Colborne Cemetery (across from St. Peters.) He joined the Royal Canadian Navy Voluntary Reserve (RCNVR) in London Ont (at HMCS Prevost, 19 Becher St.) and went to HMCS Cornwallis, near Digby, Nova Scotia for his Basic Training. He served on the minesweeper HMCS Cowichan J-146 as RCNA (ABNA? Able Seaman Naval Armament?). He was deployed on the raid on the beaches of Normandy. The first minesweeper going in was destroyed, he was on the second minesweeper (HMCS Cowichan) and made it in & out and the third mineweeper was also destroyed. He was very lucky to ever have made it home. Quite an experience. He never talked about it much.
He was the greatest big brother to me. One week he would send a letter to Mom & Dad and the next week to me. All his mail was censored before sending by having certain parts cut out of them. Wish I had of kept them. He also sent me a $50.00 War bond and it felt like winning the lottery!
Wilfred sent the head shot picture to me in a cardboard frame in which it said (always thinking of you.) I forgot to send his Service Number was V45403 in the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR)
Wilfred's medals and decorations shown in order of precedence were: 1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp (awarded for 60 or more days service outside Canada) and The War Medal 1939-1945 and The Atlantic Star 1939-1945.
above written with Love by Betty (Beattie)Young 30 Nov 2011(with edits by Peter Etue)
During the war, the Ship's Captains of HMCS Cowichan were:
Lt. R. Jackson, RCNR 13 Jun 1941 to 20 Jun 1941
Lt. J.R. Kidstin, RCNVR 01 Jul 1941 to 6 Feb 1942
Skpr Lt. H.W. Stone RCNR 7 Feb 1942 to 25 Oct 1942
Skpr Lt. K.N.W. Hall RCNR 26 Oct 1942 to 09 Oct 1945. John would have served under one or more of the above mentioned Captains of HMCS Cowichan. After their arrival in Plymouth England 13 Mar 1944, Skpr Lt K.N.W. Hall RCNR took HMCS Cowichan on the D Day invasion of Normandy beaches in Jun 1944
HMCS - Her Majesty's Canadian Ship
RCN - Royal Canadian Nanvy Regular Force member
RCNR - Royal Canadian Navy Reserve member.
RCNVR - Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve member.
RCNA - Royal Canadian Navy ????
His friend was Lois Wendy Stewart Campbell 1932-2004.
The History of the COWICHAN (1st)
HMCS Cowichan (J146) was a Bangor-class minesweeper that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II. Commissioned at Vancouver on July 4, 1941, she sailed from Esquimalt for Halifax on August 6, arriving on September 10. After working up in Bermuda she was initially assigned to Halifax Local Defence Force, but was transferred in January, 1942, to Newfoundland Force and in September to WLEF. With WLEF'S division into escort groups in June, 1943, Cowichan became a member of EG W-6. She remained with the group until February, 1944, when she was order- ed to the U.K. for invasion duties. She left Halifax on February 19 with Caraquet, Malpeque and Vegreville via the Azores for Plymouth, arriving on March 13. Assigned to the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla, she was present on D-Day. Cowichan returned to Canada for refit late in February, 1945, but resumed her duties overseas in June 1945. Proceeding home in September 1945 she was paid off on October 9, 1945, and was placed in reserve at Shelburne, Nova Scotia. She was sold in 1946 to a New York buyer and converted for mercantile purposes under Greek flag, she still existed in 1956 under her original name.
Statistical Data
Pendant: J146
Type: Minesweeper
Class: BANGOR Class (39-40 Programme)
Displacement: 672 tonnes
Length: 180 ft
Width: 28.5 ft
Draught: 8.3 ft
Speed: 16 kts
Compliment: 6 Officers and 77 Crew
Arms: 1-4" Gun, 1-3" Gun, 2-20mm
Builder: North Van Ship Repairs Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.
Keel Laid: 24-Apr-40
Date Launched: 08-Sep-40
Date Commissioned: 4-Jul-41
Paid off: 09-Oct-45
31st Canadian Minesweeping Flotilla Commemorative Plaque
at Omaha Beach Normandy, France.
Minesweepers were vital to the success of Allied landings in Normandy. Bangor Class minesweepers of the Royal Canadian Navy, from the beginning of May until D-Day, 6 June 1944, opened up the channels for the Western Task Force landing on Omaha and Utah Beaches. HMCS Caraquet J38 (Commander A.H.G. "Tony" Storrs, RCNR), HMCS Cowichan J146, HMCS Mapleque J148, HMCS Fort William J311, HMCS Minas J185, HMCS Blairmore J314, HMCS Milltown J317, HMCS Wasaga J162, HMCS Bayfield J08 and HMCS Mulgrave J313 formed the 31st Canadian Minesweeping Flotilla. HMCS Thunder 156, HMCS Vegreville J257, HMCS Kenora J281, HMCS Guysborough J52, HMCS Georgian J144 and HMCS Canso J21 joined the British 4th, 14th and 16th Flotillas. Just after midnight on 6 June 1944, using electronic navigation aids of extreme precision, unable to take evasive action if under attack, sometimes within a mile and a half of the German coastal guns, and thus the spearhead for the landings, the 31st, 4th and 14th flotillas off Omaha Beach, and the 16th flotilla off Utah Beach, successfully cleared the assault channels, undetected by the enemy, in spite of moonlight that "provided ample illumination" for the defences of Germany's vaunted Atlantic Wall.
|
1921 - 1978 (56 years)
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set
