Wilfred David Stokvis, RCNVR

Born  19 Sep 1913Burnaby, BC, Canada
Died  24 May 2000(86)Vancouver, BC, Canada


Wilfred David Stokvis in 1942

Ranks

18 Aug 1941 T/Lt.

Decorations

Warship Commands listed for Wilfred David Stokvis, RCNVR


ShipRankTypeFromTo
HMCS Barrie (K 138)T/Lt.Corvette16 Jun 194426 Jun 1945

Career information

Wilfred David Stokvis was activated in the Royal Canadian Naval volunteer reserve (RCNVR) on 7 July 1941. Before the war he graduated from the University of B.C. with a BSc degree in 1939. He had worked as a motorman on two-car electric trains for the Electric Railway Co. on the Lower Mainland during vacations. This experience helped him with the tough questions in front of the Navy Examination Board when offering his services for the Navy.

Stokvis was executive officer on the Bangor class minesweeper HMCS Grandmere (J 258) and when her captain was injured he took over command. On 16 June 1944 he was given his own ship, the Flower class corvette HMCS Barrie (K 138). He commanded the corvette in the North Atlantic, supporting convoys and rescuing survivors.

Stokvis was offered a permanent position with the Navy at the end of the war but chose to resign after decommissioning his ship and was honourably discharged from the RCNVR on 27 Sept 1945 as Lieutenant. He briefly worked at an advertising agency before being appointed advertising manager of the Vancouver News-Herald, a position he held for 10 years. He then moved to the Pacific Press where he stayed until his retirement in 1978. In his retirement he became a well known bridge player in Vancouver circles.

Events related to this officer

Corvette HMCS Barrie (K 138)


3 Sep 1944
The British merchant Livingston is torpedoed and sunk northeast of Louisburg, Nova Scotia, Canada in position 46°15'N, 58°05'W by German U-boat U-541. The Canadian corvette HMCS Barrie (T/Lt. W.D. Stokvis) later picks up 14 survivors.


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