Allied Warships

HMCS Wetaskiwin (K 175)

Corvette of the Flower class

NavyThe Royal Canadian Navy
TypeCorvette
ClassFlower 
PennantK 175 
Built byBurrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd. (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) 
Ordered14 Feb 1940 
Laid down11 Apr 1940 
Launched18 Jul 1940 
Commissioned17 Dec 1940 
End service19 Jun 1945 
History

Fo'c's'le extention at Galveston (Texas, U.S.A.) completed on 6 March 1944.

Decommissioned 19 June 1945.
Became the Venezuelan Victor in 1946.

 
Former nameHMCS Banff

Commands listed for HMCS Wetaskiwin (K 175)

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. Guy Stanley Windeyer, RCN17 Dec 19404 Nov 1942
2T/A/Lt.Cdr. John Richard Kidston, RCNVR5 Nov 194221 Mar 1944
3T/Lt. Arthur Walton, RCNR22 Mar 19446 Aug 1944
4T/A/Lt.Cdr. Mortimer Smith Duffus, RCNVR7 Aug 194415 Sep 1944
5T/Lt. Arthur Walton, RCNR16 Sep 194419 Jun 1945

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Notable events involving Wetaskiwin include:


3 May 1941
HMS Tribune (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) conducts A/S exercises with ships of the Royal Canadian Navy, HMCS Renard, HMCS St Croix (Cdr. H. Kingsley, RCN) and HMCS Wetaskiwin (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Windeyer, RCN) (1)

6 May 1941

Convoy HX 125

This convoy departed Halifax on 6 May 1941 in two sections, convoy HX 125A and convoy HX 125B. They merged in the afternoon of May 16th.

Convoy HX 125A was made up of the following merchant vessels;
Abraham Lincoln (British, 5740 GRT, built 1929), Armadale (British, 5066 GRT, built 1929), Athelknight (British (tanker), 8940 GRT, built 1930), Atlantic (British, 5414 GRT, built 1939), Baron Dunmore (British, 3938 GRT, built 1933), Bic Island (British, 4000 GRT, built 1917), British Cinfidence (British (tanker), 8494 GRT, built 1936), British Fortitude (British (tanker), 8482 GRT, built 1937), British Sincerity (British (tanker), 8538 GRT, built 1939), Clausina (British (tanker), 8083 GRT, built 1938), Dallington Court (British, 6889 GRT, built 1929), El Aleto (British (tanker), 7203 GRT, built 1927), Empire Confidence (British, 5023 GRT, built 1935), Eskbank (British, 5137 GRT, built 1937), Fjordheim (British, 4115 GRT, built 1930), Garonne (Norwegian (tanker), 7113 GRT, built 1921), Glenwood (British, 4897 GRT, built 1940), Harmala (British, 5730 GRT, built 1935), Harpagon (British, 5719 GRT, built 1935), Ingerfem (British, 3987 GRT, built 1912), King Neptune (British, 5224 GRT, built 1928), King William (British, 5274 GRT, built 1928), Lancastrian Prince (British, 1914 GRT, built 1940), Lucellum (British (tanker), 9425 GRT, built 1938), Luminetta (British (tanker), 6159 GRT, built 1927), Luxor (British (tanker), 6554 GRT, built 1930), O.A. Knudsen (Norwegian (tanker), 11007 GRT, built 1938), Port Nicholson (British, 8402 GRT, built 1919), Ramsay (British, 4855 GRT, built 1930), Robert F. Hand (British (tanker), 12197 GRT, built 1933), San Amado (British (tanker), 7316 GRT, built 1935), San Cipriano (British, 7966 GRT, built 1937), Silverelm (British, 4351 GRT, built 1924), Taron (British (tanker), 8054 GRT, built 1936), Temple Arch (British, 5138 GRT, built 1940), Temple Inn (British, 5218 GRT, built 1940), Topdalsfjord (Norwegian, 4271 GRT, built 1921), Trevilley (British, 5296 GRT, built 1940), Troubadour (Norwegian, 5808 GRT, built 1920) and Vancouver (British (tanker), 5729 GRT, built 1928).

On departure from Halifax convoy HX 125A was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Ascania (Capt.(Retd.) C.H. Ringrose-Wharton, RN) and the corvettes HMCS Cobalt (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.B. Campbell, RCNR) and HMCS Wetaskiwin (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Windeyer, RCN). The corvettes however soon returned to Halifax.

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Convoy HX 125B was made up of the following merchant vessels;
Breedijk (Dutch, 6861 GRT, built 1922), Briarwood (British, 4019 GRT, built 1930), British Destiny (British (tanker), 8470 GRT, built 1937), British Governor (British (tanker), 6840 GRT, built 1926), British Prestige (British (tanker), 7106 GRT, built 1931), Christian Holm (British (tanker), 9119 GRT, built 1927), City of Adelaide (British, 6589 GRT, built 1920), Clearpool (British, 5404 GRT, built 1935), Cockaponset (British, 5995 GRT, built 1919), Corrales (British, 5363 GRT, built 1930), Diloma (British (tanker), 8146 GRT, built 1939), Egyptian Prince (British, 3490 GRT, built 1922), Empire Barracuda (British, 4972 GRT, built 1919), Empire Hail (British, 7005 GRT, built 1941), Evgenia Chandris (Greek, 5317 GRT, built 1920), Frontenac (Norwegian (tanker), 7350 GRT, built 1928), Gold Shell (British (tanker), 8208 GRT, built 1931), Hellen (Norwegian, 5289 GRT, built 1921), Ida Knudsen (Norwegian (tanker), 8913 GRT, built 1925), Invincible (British, 7592 GRT, built 1918), Kelso (British, 3956 GRT, built 1924), Kent (British, 8697 GRT, built 1918), Lodestone (British, 4877 GRT, built 1938), Manchester Exporter (British, 5277 GRT, built 1918), Masunda (British, 5250 GRT, built 1929), Modavia (British, 4858 GRT, built 1927), Norfolk (British, 10948 GRT, built 1918) and Nyanza (British, 4974 GRT, built 1928).

On departure from Halifax convoy HX 125B was escorted by the sloop HMS Aberdeen (Lt. S.G. Rivers-Smith, RN).

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On 7 May 1941, the battleship HMS Revenge (Capt. E.R. Archer, RN) departed Halifax to provide cover for both sections of the convoy. She set course to return to Halifax around midnight during the night of 13/14 May 1941.

Four recently transferred US Coast Guard Cutters were also with the convoy, though these had not been rearmed and worked up. These were; HMS Banff (Lt.Cdr. P.S. Evans, RN), HMS Culver (Lt.Cdr. R.T. Gordon-Duff, RN), HMS Fishguard (Lt.Cdr. H.L. Pryse, RNR) and HMS Hartland ( A/Cdr. D.E.G. Wemyss, RN).

On the 16th the destroyers HMS Chelsea (Lt.Cdr. R.D.H.S. Pankhurst, RN), HMS Churchill (Cdr.(Retd.) G.R. Cousins, RN), HNoMS Mansfield (Cdr. F. Ulstrup, RNorN), HMS Verity (Cdr. R.H. Mills, RN), HMS Wolverine (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Rowland, RN) and the corvettes HMS Begonia (T/Lt. T.A.R. Muir, RNR), HMS Convolvulus (T/Lt. R.S. Connell, RNR) and HMS Larkspur (Lt. S.C.B. Hickman, RNR) joined the convoy coming from Iceland. They remained with the convoy until the 18th.

In the afternoon of the 16th, Convoys HX 125A and HX 125B merged into one big convoy.

Around 1330Z/18, HMS Ascania parted company with the convoy to proceed to Reykjavik.

On the 18th the destroyers HMS Ramsey (Lt.Cdr. R.B. Stannard, VC, RNR), HMS Ripley (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Agnew, RN), HMS Walker (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, DSO, RN), HMS Watchman (Lt.Cdr. E.C.L. Day, RN), sloop HMS Enchantress (Lt.Cdr. A.E.T. Christie, OBE, RN), corvettes HMS Bluebell (Lt.Cdr. R.E. Sherwood, RNR), HMS Candytuft (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) F.B. Collinson, RD, RNR), HMS Honeysuckle (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Gregorie, RNR), HMS Hydrangea (Lt. J.E. Woolfenden, RNR), HMS Tulip (Lt.Cdr. A. Wilkinson, RNR) and HMS Wallflower (Lt.Cdr. I.J. Tyson, RN), and the minesweeper HMS Salamander (Lt.Cdr. W.A. Cooke, RN) joined the convoy.

On the 19th the destroyer HMS Caldwell (Lt.Cdr. E.M. Mackay, RNR) joined on the 19th as did the minesweepers HMS Bramble (Capt. M.H. Evelegh, RN), HMS Gossamer (Lt.Cdr. A.D.H. Jay, RN), HMS Seagull ( Cdr.(Retd.) R.H.V. Sivewright, RN) and HMS Sharpshooter (Lt.Cdr. D. Lampen, RN) but apparently only for a short while.

The destroyers HMS Inglefield (Capt. P. Todd, DSO, RN) and HMS Escapade (Lt.Cdr. E.N.V. Currey, DSC, RN) joined the convoy on the 20th.

also on the 20th the corvettes HMS Tulip and HMS Wallflower were detached.

The destroyers HMS Inglefield and HMS Escapade were destached on the 21st as was the corvette HMS Honeysuckle.

The convoy arrived in British waters on 22 May 1941.

17 Oct 1941
The Norwegian merchant Barfonn is torpedoed and sunk in the North Atlantic in position 56°58'N, 25°04'W by German U-boat U-432. The Canadian corvette HMCS Wetaskiwin (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Windeyer, RCN) later picks up 24 survivors.

24 Jan 1942
HMCS Wetaskiwin (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Windeyer, RCN) started a refit at Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada.

31 Jul 1942
German U-boat U-588 was sunk in the North Atlantic, in position 49°59'N, 36°36'W, by depth charges from the Canadian corvette HMCS Wetaskiwin (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Windeyer, RCN) and the Canadian destroyer HMCS Skeena (A/Lt.Cdr. D.L. Dyer, RCN).

17 Sep 1942
HMS H 32 (Lt. J.R. Drummond, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Galt (T/Lt. A.D. Landles, RCNR), HMCS Agassiz (A/Lt.Cdr. B.D.L. Johnson, RCNR), HMCS Sackville (T/Lt. A.H. Easton, RCNR) and HMCS Wetaskiwin (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Windeyer, RCN). (2)

18 Sep 1942
HMS H 32 (Lt. J.R. Drummond, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Wetaskiwin (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Windeyer, RCN). (2)

8 Dec 1942
HMS H 34 (Lt. G.M. Noll, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Llandudno (T/Lt. E.M. Betts, RNR), HMS King Sol (Lt. P.A. Read, RNR), HMS Lulworth (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) C. Gwinner, DSO, RN), HMCS Prescott (Lt. W. McIsaac, RCNVR), HMCS Galt (T/Lt. A.D. Landles, RCNR) and HMCS Wetaskiwin (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.R. Kidston, RCNVR). (3)

9 Dec 1942
HMS H 34 (Lt. G.M. Noll, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Skeena (A/Lt.Cdr. K.L. Dyer, DSC, RCN) and HMCS Wetaskiwin (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.R. Kidston, RCNVR). (3)

9 Mar 1943
HMCS Wetaskiwin (A/Lt.Cdr. J.R. Kidston, RCNVR) completed a refit at Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada.

3 May 1943
HMS Upstart (Lt. P.C. Chapman, DSC and Bar, RN) conducted A/S exercises in Lough Foyle with HMS Winchelsea (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Gregorie, RD, RNR), HMCS Wetaskiwin (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.R. Kidston, RCNVR), HMS Sardonyx (Lt.Cdr. A.F.C. Gray, RD, RNR) and HMS Northern Wave (T/Lt. J.P. Kilbee, RNR). (4)

9 Jun 1943
HMS H 33 (Lt. J.A. Spender, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Kootenay (A/Lt.Cdr. K.L. Dyer, DSC, RCN), HMCS Ottawa (Cdr. H.F. Pullen, OBE, RCN), HMS Dianthus (T/A/Lt.Cdr. N.F. Israel, RNR), HMCS Arvida (T/Lt. D.G. King, RCNVR), HMCS Rosthern (T/Lt. R.J.G. Johnson, RCNVR) and HMCS Wetaskiwin (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.R. Kidston, RCNVR). (5)

16 Jul 1943
HMS H 34 (T/Lt. R.L. Willoughby, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Kitchener (T/A/Lt.Cdr. W. Evans, RCNVR), HMCS Wetaskiwin (T/Lt.Cdr. J.R. Kidston, RCNVR) and HMS Jonquil (T/Lt. R.W. Tretheway, RNR). (6)

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). (7)

12 Nov 1943
HMS H 32 (Lt. K.S. Renshaw, DSC, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Rosthern (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.J.G. Johnson, RCNVR) and HMCS Wetaskiwin (T/Lt.Cdr. J.R. Kidston, RCNVR). (8)

Media links


Corvettes of the Royal Canadian Navy, 1939-1945

MacPherson, Ken and Milner, Marc

Sources

  1. ADM 173/17065
  2. ADM 173/17217
  3. ADM 173/17244
  4. ADM 173/18373
  5. ADM 173/17783
  6. ADM 173/17796
  7. ADM 173/17831
  8. ADM 173/17776

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


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