HMCS GLASGOW

Caution: This article contains dated, biased and/or racist language. 

On 5 June, 1943, a hull numbered CN-385 was launched from the yards of Yarrows Ltd. in Esquimalt, British Columbia.  This hull was destined to bear the name New Glasgow in honour of the coal and steel town of New Glasgow situated on the opposite coast of Canada, in the Province of Nova Scotia.

In December of the same year, the hull, now transformed into a ship, was subjected by the shipyard to various trials, such as basin, preliminary sea, full power, gun hedgehog and anchor trials.

Two days before Christmas, on 23 December, 1943, the shipyard’s house flag was lowered and the White Ensign and the jack were hoisted, the commissioning pennant was broken at the mast-head and the ship’s first Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Commander G. S. Hall, RCNR, was piped aboard.  The ship was now a unit of His Majesty’s Canadian Navy and the civilian workers, who had built her and sailed her on her trials, were replaced by a full ship’s company from the shore establishment, HMCS NADEN.

Let us look at HMCS NEW GLASGOW as the men who would sail her saw her on that day.

She was a “River” Class frigate having the dimensions, armament and machinery of her class:

Overall length…………………………………………………………..301′ 6″

Breadth…………………………………………………………………….36′ 7″

Mean draught……………………………………………………………12′ 11″

Displacement………………………………………………………….1445 tons

Propulsion Machinery…………………………Twin screw

Triple expansion, four-crank,

steam engine

Steam supplied by two Yarrow type,

three-drum, Water Tube, oil-fired

boilers at 225 lbs. pressure per

square inch.

Armament…………………………………………Two 4-inch guns twin-mounted forward

One 12-pounder aft

Eight Oerlikon guns in twin mountings

Two Bren guns

Since she had been built for service in the Atlantic, she received sailing orders for Halifax a month after commissioning.  On 24 January, 1944, she slipped at Esquimalt in company with the armed diesel yacht, HMCS SANS PEUR, who had been allocated as a training ship for the east coast.

The two ships made their way along the Pacific seaboard proceeding at a speed of thirteen knots.  Aside from heavy seas on the 25^th, with a following swell during the night, the passage was uneventful.

Balboa in the Canal Zone was raised on 6 February and the ships proceeded through the canal on the same day.  At the eastern end, in Cristobal, they secured alongside the jetty until the 8^th when they cast off lines and pointed their bows northward.

During the voyage, NEW GLASGOW developed trouble in her port condenser and, after arrival in Halifax on the 17^th, she was obliged to undergo repairs until 15 March, on which date steam was raised and she steamed out to sea in the position of Senior Officer of the Western Escort Force Group, W-10.  In her wake sailed the other members of the group, namely: the frigate STORMONT, the corvettes TRENTONIAN, LOUISBURG and DRUMHELLER, and the minesweeper TROIS RIVIERES.  Convoy HX-283 was met and escorted to Westomp.

On the 19^th, the group investigated a submarine contact made by a Canso aircraft.  Nothing was found by the ships and the operation was discontinued on the following day.

During this month of March 1944, there was considerable enemy activity in the waters off Halifax.  Several contacts were made on U-boats and one merchant ship. SS Watuka, in Convoy SH-125, was sunk by torpedo, fifteen miles from the Halifax Light Ship.  On the 24^th, the minesweeper SWIFT CURRENT sighted a surfaced U-boat about thirty miles south of Halifax.  The enemy submerged at once and the minesweeper began a search of the area.  Unfortunately, a troop transport appeared, steaming toward the position, and SWIFT CURRENT felt impelled to interrupt her search to warn it.  When she returned to the chase, she was unable to gain contact.  This position was investigated also by NEW GLASGOW and her group as well as by other ships and aircraft.

On 30 March, the corvette MATAPEDIA, while escorting HX-285, about 180 miles south of Halifax, attacked a probable U-boat.  MATAPEDIA remained in the vicinity searching for the raider and was later joined by NEW GLASGOW and the “Bangor” minesweeper NORANDA.

On 1 April, NEW GLASGOW sailed to Bermuda for her working-up exercises and retuned to Halifax on the 13^th.

A call was made at the port of Pictou, N.S., which is near the town of New Glasgow, to enable the people of the latter town to visit the ship.  Leaving Pictou, the ship joined others in a search around an oil patch.

Detaching from the search, she proceeded to St. John’s, Newfoundland.  She had already been allocated to Escort Group C-1 as Senior Officer to replace the lately torpedoed frigate VALLEYFIELD.

Other members of the group were the corvettes FREDERICTON, GIFFARD, HALIFAX, FRONTENAC and CHAMBLY.

The first convoy to be escorted across the ocean by C-1, under the orders of NEW GLASGOW, was one consisting of a hundred ships, HXS-291.  It was met at Westomp on 15 May and escorted without mishap.

The group was joined in Londonderry by the corvette ORANGEVILLE.  On 4 June, it sailed from the United Kingdom with ONS-239, a convoy of ninety-seven ships.  At Westomp on the 14^th, the group was relieved by the Western Escort Force group W-7, and the ships entered St. John’s harbour.

In St. John’s, C-1 was joined by the frigate CHEBOGUE which had arrived from Bermuda.  The group sailed the 23^rd.  HXF-296, a convoy of ninety-five ships, was screened en route to the United Kingdom and ONF-244, a convoy of fifty-seven ships, was escorted on the return trip.

The group sailed again for the United Kingdom with HXM-301 on 30 July.  During this crossing, CHEBOGUE took over from NEW GLASGOW the duties of Senior Officer.

The convoy consisted of 131 ships in seventeen columns.

CHEBOGUE did not return with the group when it sailed on 19 August with ONM-249, a convoy of 154 ships.  NEW GLASGOW reassumed the duties of Senior Officer.  HALIFAX was likewise out of the group, but the corvette ARNPRIOR had joined on 20 July.

The group was back in St. John’s on 28 August.  Before the group sailed to make a rendezvous with HXS-306, a convoy of 121 ships, it was joined by the frigate JOLIETTE.

There was considerable straggling during this crossing.  NEW GLASGOW reported that there was much bad station-keeping by many of the merchant ships.  While the speed of the convoy was fixed at 8.5 knots, many ships listed as capable of doing ten knots were among the worst offenders.  In some cases, straggling caused some of the columns to be over nine miles in length.

After escorting detached portions of HXS-306 to the Clyde, NEW GLASGOW proceeded to Londonderry.  Here, she had her boilers cleaned.  With the advent of October, she learned that her term of service with the mid-ocean group had terminated and that she would henceforth be a member of the Support Group, EG-26.

EG-26 was one of the “hunter-killer” groups which prowled about the waters, rocks and islands off the British Isles, in ceaseless search for hidden U-boats.  While such groups lent aid to convoys passing through areas which they patrolled, their principal task was the ferreting out and killing of the enemy, unhampered by the responsibilities of the close escort.

On 5 October, NEW GLASGOW left Londonderry and steamed down the River Foyle to Moville on the Lough Foyle.  With her were two other ships of EG-26, the frigates RIBBLE and JONQUIERE.  The three ships sailed from Moville the following day.  Their mission was to meet and lend support to NEW GLASGOW’s former mate and Senior Officer, CHEBOGUE, who had been torpedoed at 1147 on the 4^th.

CHEBOGUE had received a damaging blow, which was indeed to make her inoperative for the remainder of the war, but she did not sink.  When the frigates reached her at 2210 on the 7^th, she had already been towed some miles from the scene of her disaster by the corvette CHAMBLY and was then in tow by HM Frigate Mounsey.  Both she and Mounsey were being screened from further attack by RN Escort Group 15.

As the Canadian frigates steamed into the area, the British ships left.  RIBBLE, Senior Officer of the three, passed a tow to CHEBOGUE.  She was able to make, with CHEBOGUE heavy in her wake, a starting speed of 5.5 knots which she increased later to seven and finally nine knots.  The operation throughout was screened by NEW GLASGOW and JONQUIERE.

At 1730 on the 9^th, the deep-sea tug Earner appeared and the three Canadian frigates returned to Londonderry, leaving the tug to tow CHEBOGUE to Swansea Bay in the Bristol Channel.

All ships of EG-26 were frigates.  Besides NEW GLASGOW, JONQUIERE and RIBBLE, BEACON HILL Senior Officer and MONTREAL were in the group.

On 24 October, all these ships moved down the River Foyle to the American base at Lisahally.  On the following day, they proceeded out to sea.

Patrolling then began in the waters around Northern Ireland and Western Scotland.

Almost daily contacts were the rule.  The sea bottom was strewn with wrecks and it was always difficult to decide whether the contacts were made off the hulls of dead and broken friends (and sometimes, foes) or off those of very live enemies.  When the contact seemed to be promising, hedgehog and depth-charge attacks were made.  Often, as a result, oil slicks and the odour of gasoline were brought to the surface.  Sometimes, even bits of wearing apparel, food items and the like appeared floating after the sea had quieted.  Convictions that successful blows had been struck against the enemy were usually shattered by discouraging reports following soon afterward that the targets had been classified as wrecks.

Support was also lent to convoys passing through the group’s patrol areas.

While supporting Convoy ONSU-35, EG-26 acted in conjunction with RN group EG-1, HM Frigate Affleck, Senior Officer, and these two groups remained together afterwards to form Force 33, Affleck acting as its Senior Officer.

At 0210 on 1 November, 1944, HM Frigate Whitaker was torpedoed.  Shattered by the explosion, she became inert and helpless in the water but remained afloat.  HM Frigate Gore approached her to take off survivors, while EG-26 made a “box” search around her.

EG-9, HMC Frigate SWANSEA, Senior Officer, came to the aid of the force an hour after the torpedoing.  Affleck, a successful stalker of U-boats and fully accustomed to long hunts, led the force in sweeps for several days, particularly between Inishtrahull and Tory Island, both of which are in the seas off Northern Ireland.

On 3 November, EG-9 detached but the hunt went on.  On the 6^th, when an RN group, EG-20, came into the area, EG-26 detached in its turn for Moville.  On the 8^th, it returned to aid EG-20 which was still searching.

Force 33 continued to patrol the waters off Northern Ireland for the remainder of the month, although support of ONS-36 drew it temporarily out of its area, into the Atlantic south-west of England.

“Box” searches were made during the month around reported aircraft sightings of periscopes.  On the 17^th, during one such search, the weather became so severe that the force was obliged to heave to for several hours fifty-five miles off Tory Island.

During December 1944, the Group, no longer with Force 33, operated in areas which extended south of the Bristol Channel into the English Channel south of Cornwall and Devon as far east as Portland Bill in Dorset.

Floating mines were sunk and many wrecks, both charted and uncharted, were contacted.  On the 13^th, an oil slick and a sonobuoy contact off Portland Bill were reported by aircraft and investigated.

On the 18^th, BEACON HILL, NEW GLASGOW and JONQUIERE were following an elusive radar contact which they illuminated with starshell and rockets.  RIBBLE and MONTREAL, patrolling on their own, found enemy seamen struggling in the water off Wolf Rock, one of a series of rocks south of Land’s End.  These men were survivors from U-1209, which had sunk, apparently after striking against the rocks.

Thirty-seven survivors were picked up by the two frigates and landed at Plymouth.  Two of the men later died.

During the early part of January 1945, patrols were carried out in much the same areas as in December; but on the 17^th, the group shifted over to the Normandy coast, off Barfleur and the harbour of Cherbourg.

Mines were sunk, aircraft sightings investigated, and contacts made.  While screening the entrance into harbour of the Cherbourg section of Convoy CU-54, two heavy underwater explosions were heard.  There were no indications that charges were being dropped and, as the convoy entered without mishap, no action was taken.

In February 1945, the group returned to patrolling along the west Devon and Cornish coasts into the English Channel.  They proceeded as far as Portland Bill to investigate a contact made by the corvette, HMCS CALGARY, and, the day following, joined EG-6, the frigate HMCS NEW WATERFORD Senior Officer, to carry out a box search in Lyme Bay between the shores of Devon and Dorset.

The group continued its patrols in the same areas during March, and an odd accident on the 20^th, led it to bring its attention directly on the waters outside Lough Foyle.

Among the submarines lurking about the North Irish shores during the month of March, was the 500-ton U-boat, U-1003.

Its first patrol had been in the North Atlantic and it had been quite uneventful.  For this, its second, U-1003 had left Bergen, Norway, at dawn, 19 February, 1945, and had shaped course through the inky blackness below the surface of northern seas to the Shetland Islands.  Passing between these and the Faeroes, it had pressed on toward Northern Ireland.  In the waters off Donegal’s coast, the U-boat began to look for the victim who would justify the underwater raider’s existence.

U-1003’s Commanding Officer was Oberleutnant Zur See (Lieutenant) Struebing.  Struebing seems to have been a troubled man, one who was doubtful alike of the value of his own attack against the seemingly inexhaustible foe and of the wisdom of his superiors in continuing further resistance.  During the first patrol, he had been heard to state that the war was lost and that further action was useless.  One gathers the impression that his men had not a great deal of confidence in him, either as a leader or as a man of courage.

There seems to have existed also among the crew of the U-boat a too ready tendency to blame mechanical trouble on saboteurs.  Once while schnorkeling, for instance, it was found that the schnorkel had become plugged.  The screw securing the head had been left loose and this circumstance was blamed on saboteurs.  There was apparently no great confidence in the security of their bases.

While on patrol, at twenty-minute intervals for a space of two or three minutes, the diesel motors were stopped and an all-round sweep was made with the hydrophones.  This halt was necessary because the sound of the U-boat’s own engines was interfering with detection of the enemy.

On 8 or 9 March, a hydrophone bearing was obtained on a destroyer or light cruiser.  Fog intervened before torpedoes could be fired and the contact was lost.  Later, a convoy was sighted, but Struebing did not attack because, he stated, he had observed an escort vessel approaching.  This vessel was not heard over the hydrophones and the operator consequently suspected his commanding officer of cowardice.

The U-boat had been ordered to schnorkel only at night because of the extensive air coverage then being made of the Irish Sea.  The times chosen usually were 2200-0200 and 0500-0600.  During the operation, the U-boat proceeded at a speed of 4.5 knots.

On the night of 20 March, 1945, the submarine made its routine trip to the surface.  Shortly before midnight, a sudden, violent blow was struck against the hull.  The U-boat rolled over, listing thirty degrees to port.  Struebing immediately ordered the diesels stopped and the Engineer Officer then passed the word for the motors to proceed at half-speed ahead.  The U-boat dived for the bottom which it hit abruptly at sixty metres.

It is perhaps indicative of some slackening of discipline aboard the craft that, while the GSR operators had picked up a contact of strength four, they had failed to report it.

On the surface, before the U-boat had sustained the violent blow, EG-26 was steaming along line abreast on a northerly course.  From port to starboard, one mile apart, the ships were: RIBBLE, NEW GLASGOW, SUSSEXVALE and BEACON HILL.  They were proceeding at a speed of fifteen knots with cat gear streamed.

At 2317, the port look-out in NEW GLASGOW reported “low flying aircraft approaching”, this because the loud noise he heard was not unlike that made by aircraft.  Almost immediately afterward, he reported, “object in the water very close”.  In the moonlight which shafted across the scene, this object was seen to be formed both of a periscope and a schnorkel standing out on the surface between fifty and one hundred yards ahead on the port bow.  The schnorkel itself nosed about three feet above the water and was obscured by a heavy pall of thick yellow smoke which mushroomed out around it.  In a matter of seconds, NEW GLASGOW’s port side was struck and the periscope and schnorkel passed under her bridge from port to starboard.  So severe was the impact that a perceptible lift was felt in the frigate.

After the ramming, NEW GLASGOW’s immediate neighbours, SUSSEXVALE and RIBBLE, joined her.  The area was illuminated with star shell and rockets, but nothing was seen and no radar or asdic contacts were made.

The search went on.  At 0050 the 21^st, the group turned south.  Each ship dropped depth-charges every minute for sixteen minutes.  The group was joined at 1100 by nine ships from Escort Group C-4 and EG-25.

It was estimated that the U-boat could only have had about two and a half hours of schnorkeling and that, consequently, batteries could have been only partially recharged.  EG-26 therefore formed a four-mile “observant” around the original point of ramming with the object of facilitating radar detection should the quarry surface after dark.

While the hunters pawed about the hole through which their quarry had vanished, what was happening in the meantime in the darkness below?

The ominous shape clinging to the bottom was in trouble.  She bore a thirty-degree list to port, and when she had dived the conning tower hatch had not closed properly.  The sea had entered and the hatch had to be shut off from the control room which was knee-deep in water.  About three tons of water reached the rest of the boat through the voice pipe, but the flow was finally stopped.  Radio installations and various gauges were out of action.

Five minutes after the U-boat had bottomed, contacts were made on the hydrophones.  Twenty-five minutes after this, some thirty depth-charges were dropped, but only the first five fell in the vicinity.  These shook the U-boat violently.  After an hour or two, Struebing deemed it safe to proceed.

However unenterprising he may have been in attack, the commander fought hard to save his boat.  He ordered a course shaped to the westward.  For twenty-four hours, while they moved slowly along, they were accompanied without respite by the sounds made by ships’ screws, these up to strength five, but no further attack developed.

Batteries were running low and the air was bad.  At dusk on 21 March, Struebing ordered the boat surfaced.  Nosing its bow upward, the U-boat broke the surface.  The conning tower was entered and the hatch wrenched open with difficulty.  Now on the surface, the water was pumped out and the essential recharging of batteries begun.  When patrolling ships were detected in the vicinity, the submarine submerged again.  The next day, the motors were run slowly and the water kept in check by pumping.

The U-boat surfaced again at 0300-0400 the 22^nd, when batteries were charged for fifteen to thirty minutes and excess water was drained.  A contact being received, the U-boat dived to fifty metres.  For about an hour it proceeded slowly along, then headed for the bottom at eighty metres (262 feet).

Twenty hours on the bottom and a further one and a half hours on the motors, made it necessary to surface again at midnight, on 22-23 March.  Struebing now hoped to reach the Irish coast on the surface and if his vessel could not be repaired to abandon it there.

When the U-boat reached the surface, a contact was obtained at strength three on the port bow.  The batteries were practically dead, the pumps were no longer workable and surface ships were all around.  Struebing decided to scuttle at once.

The crew accordingly donned their life-jackets and came on deck.  Rubber dinghies were brought up. One of these, however, would not blow up and, once again, saboteurs were held to be responsible for the defect.

At 0430, the outboard vents in the bow compartment, the control room and stern compartment, were opened.  At 0730, the U-boat sank after rolling heavily over to port.

Too early abandonment of the vessel and submersion in the icy water accounted for sixteen members of the crew.  The remainder escaped in the dinghies.  Among the casualties was Struebing himself.

In the vicinity at the time was HMC Frigate THETFORD MINES.  Being in need of certain repairs she was steaming toward Londonderry.  As she passed the point where the U-boat had been scuttled, she observed the survivors floating in their dinghies.  She stopped and picked them up, thirty-one in all.

Thus ended the curious meeting of NEW GLASGOW and U-1003.  The frigate had sustained considerable damage herself in the ramming.  At first this was thought to be not serious.  It was noted, however, that flooding had taken place in the after ballast tank and spirit room and that a small leak had started in the after four-inch magazine.  In order that these defects could be put right, the ship was detached from the hunt at 1930 the 22^nd, after being relieved by JONQUIERE, to proceed to Londonderry.

On being docked on the 27^th in the North Irish port, a close examination disclosed that the ship had suffered more extensively than had at first been supposed.  Noted among her defects were: a bent tail shaft, four cracks in the hull plating, slight damage to fairing plates and severe damage to one of the propellers.

As Londonderry was a busy port where it would be inconvenient to have a ship in drydock for a lengthy period undergoing repairs, it was decided to sail NEW GLASGOW to Rosyth on the Firth of Forth where facilities were less strained.  Accordingly, she left Londonderry for Sheerness, arriving in the latter port on the 29^th, and then proceeded to Rosyth where she secured alongside at 1501 the 31^st March.  The war in Europe would be over by the time the frigate was fit to sail again.

NEW GLASGOW remained in Rosyth until 5 June when, at 0845, she sailed for Greenock on the Clyde.  Here she was instructed to embark naval personnel from HMCS NIOBE, the Canadian base in that town, for return to Canada.

She arrived in Greenock on the 6^th and departed the 8^th in the company of HMC Corvettes MIMICO and PRESCOTT.  An uneventful crossing was made.  After calling at St. John’s, Newfoundland, the ships continued on to Halifax where they arrived on the 15^th.

On 29 June, NEW GLASGOW sailed to Pictou, N.S., where a visit was paid to the ship by citizens of the town of New Glasgow.  The frigate left Pictou on 2 July, returned to Halifax, sailed for a visit to New York and was back in Halifax again on the 18^th.

On 3 August 1945, the ship was sailed to Digby where she became temporarily attached to HMCS CORNWALLIS, the training base near that town.  On 28 August, she sailed back to Halifax for auxiliary engine repairs.

NEW GLASGOW’s operational period was now closed.  Her services for the present were no longer required.  In September, she began her routine for paying off.  On the 14^th, she proceeded to Shelburne, N.S., where she landed her ammunition.  She returned to Halifax on the 15^th and the 27^th proceeded to Sydney to land stores.  On 21 October, she sailed from Sydney to Lunenburg to be “winterized”.  On 5 November, 1945, she arrived in Shelburne, and on the same day was paid off.

On 15 December, she was prepared for winter storage in Shelburne and on the 21^st, she was accepted by War Assets Corporation as regards (a) Winterization (Stage 1), (b) Stores and (c) Inboard Method of Securing Ship.  Under War Assets’ hands, she was depersonalized into a sales article under the designation of HMCS C.Y. 1422.

However, the Navy was not of a mind to let her go altogether.  It was decided that she, along with seventeen other frigates and twenty-one Bangor minesweepers, would be assigned to a category termed “strategic reserve” and would lie at anchor in Marine Industries Ltd. shipyards in Sorel, Quebec.  Accordingly, NEW GLASGOW was towed to Sorel the following year.  Although nominally sold to Marine Industries, she could not be disposed of save on the authority of the Department of National Defence.  It was understood also that she could be brought back into naval service at any time.

Such a time did come and it was dictated largely by Canada’s NATO requirements.  BEACON HILL had gone to the West Coast at the end of the war and was still serving there.  It was decided to replace her with a rejuvenated NEW GLASGOW.

On 9 July, 1951, a bill of sale was made out by Marine Industries Ltd.

Ante-dating the issuing of the actual bill of sale, NEW GLASGOW on 22 June was towed by tug from Sorel to Canadian Vickers Ltd. shipyards in Montreal.  The ship arrived and berthed on the 25^th.

A year and a half later, she was ready for her first trials which took place from 19 November to 7 December, 1953.  On the 11^th and 15^th, there were preliminary radio and radar inspections.  Davits, booms and derricks were also inspected.  During the morning of the 16^th, the ship moved out and proceeded down river for a trial trip to Murray Bay (La Malbaie).

In order that the ship would not become immobilized by the river ice, it was decided to complete the conversion at Halifax Shipyards Ltd. (Marine Slips), Dartmouth, N.S.  Five days prior to sailing, a party of surveyors from Dartmouth slipways arrived to find out what still had to be done to the ship.

Manned by Canadian Vickers, NEW GLASGOW sailed to Dartmouth in the company of the minesweeper THUNDER.

When she was ready for commissioning, NEW GLASGOW bore an appearance considerably changed from that she had had in the old “hunter-killer” days off British shores.  For her conversion into a “Prestonian” Class frigate, she had been stripped to the hull.  To the spectator, the most noticeable alternation would be that presented by her new flush deck.  There were internal changes as well.  Life would be more comfortable than formerly for those who sailed in her and improvements had been introduced in her armament and electronic gear.

Now a word should be said about the town of New Glasgow after which the ship is named.  It is situated on the East River, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, and is forty miles east of Truro, N.S.  The first settlers were mainly Scottish and they named the town after Glasgow in Scotland.  It was incorporated as a town in 1875.  It is noted for its coal and steel products.  It had a population in 1961 of 9,782.  The NEW GLASGOW’s wartime badge depicted the cartoon character Bugs Bunny holding a carrot in his right paw and in his left a crumpled U-boat.

The official badge was designed in 1953.  On a silver field and afloat on a base of five wavy bands, alternately azure and argent, is the hull of an ancient boat depicted broadside.  Standing amidships in this boat is an oak tree on the upper foliage of which a robin is perched.  On the foredeck is a signet ring erect, on the afterdeck an ancient hand-bell.

This badge is derived from the arms of the city of Glasgow and these in turn are based on a legend of St. Kentigern, the first bishop of Glasgow who died about AD 602.

The King of Cadzow, suspecting that his wife had given a ring she received from him to a certain knight, bided his time until he found an opportunity to take the ring from the knight while the latter lay asleep on the banks of the Clyde and throw it into the river.  He then demanded the ring from his wife, promising her death if she did not produce it.  The queen appealed for help to St. Kentigern who immediately sent his people to fish in the river.  One of these returned with a huge salmon.  In the mouth of the fish was the ring.  The bishop gave the ring to the queen thus saving her life.

In the badge, the tree represents a bough which St. Kentigern ignited by fiery words and which he used to rekindle the church lights which his enemies had put out.  The bird was a pet which the saint had restored to life.  The ring, of course, was that restored by the salmon.  The bell signifies the church and see of Glasgow founded by St. Kentigern.

The ship’s colours are white and green.

On 30 January, 1954, NEW GLASGOW returned to the Canadian Navy.  It was just ten years, one month and one week after her first commissioning during the Second World War.

On the jetty in HMC Dockyard, Halifax, the brief ceremony took place.  All services were represented and prominent civilian officials were present as well.  On the dais, among others, were Commander Georges A. Larue of Quebec City who had been appointed to the command of the ship, Alistair Fraser, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Nova Scotia and himself a native of New Glasgow, and Mayor Roy Bennett of New Glasgow who, on behalf of the town, presented the Commanding Officer with an engraved silver tray.

The following month of February was passed in making preparations for the forthcoming passage to Esquimalt.  On the morning of the 27^th of this month, the ship slipped.  Commander Larue, being ill, missed the sailing but rejoined the ship in Bermuda.

On 6 March, NEW GLASGOW arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Here, Commander Larue was presented with the keys of the city.  Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, reached on 11 March, was equally hospitable.

HMC Frigate STETTLER, who was also sailing to Esquimalt to take the place of the frigate ANTIGONISH, joined NEW GLASGOW near the southern end of the Windward Passage on the evening of the 15^th.  Both ships raised Colón on 17 March and passed through the canal to Balboa.  Sailing from this port on the 20^th, they arrived in San Diego, California, on the 28^th.  In harbour, a conference was held aboard NEW GLASGOW, with several RCAF officers attending, in which ship-air exercises to be undertaken en route from San Diego to Esquimalt, were discussed.

The ships sailed from San Diego on 29 March and arrived in Esquimalt, B.C., on 1 April, 1954.

April was passed by NEW GLASGOW in the carrying out of trials and evolutions, the latter executed in concert with STETTLER and, in several cases, with the co-operation of aircraft.

During May, the two frigates exercised and embarked cadets for training cruises.  On the 31^st, they sailed to meet the cruiser ONTARIO and the destroyer SIOUX off Race Rocks, southernmost point of Vancouver Island.  Together, these four ships composed Task Group 303.4.  Three days of exercising followed and were terminated with the arrival of the group in San Francisco on 3 June.  On entry into the Bay, a national salute of twenty-one guns was fired by ONTARIO.

On the 7^th, leaving San Francisco Bay, NEW GLASGOW, SIOUX and STETTLER formed a departure screen outside the buoyed channel until it had been cleared by ONTARIO.  NEW GLASGOW and STETTLER then detached for Esquimalt while ONTARIO and SIOUX continued down the coast to San Diego.

Cadet training and exercising followed for the rest of the month and during July.  In the middle of July, a trip was made to Long Beach, the naval port of Los Angeles.  Rough seas discouraged effective training exercises during the voyage.  The day following their arrival on the 15^th, NEW GLASGOW and STETTLER were joined by the destroyer IROQUOIS newly arrived from Panama.  On the 19^th, the frigates returned to Esquimalt while IROQUOIS sailed for Pearl Harbor.

On 28 July, NEW GLASGOW and STETTLER steamed out of Esquimalt to make a rendezvous with ONTARIO.  Aboard the cruiser were members of the Vancouver Board of Trade.  The object of the exercises which followed was to demonstrate to these people how ships in company operated.

Exercising with cadets aboard took up the early part of August and they remained in the ship when she visited Seattle on the 23^rd.  On the 26^th, the Canadian Ambassador to Japan boarded NEW GLASGOW while in Seattle to make the return passage to Esquimalt.

The RCAF station in Comox was visited during September.  The ship also took part in the annual exhibition in Powell River.

A visit was paid to Vancouver in the company of the aircraft carrier, HMCS MAGNIFICENT, and the destroyer, HMCS CRUSADER, on 1 November.

On 9 November, NEW GLASGOW slipped in Esquimalt in company with MAGNIFICENT and STETTLER. The aircraft carrier was sailing back to her home port of Halifax and it was intended that NEW GLASGOW would accompany her as plane guard as far as Balboa.  The frigate’s duty would be to be on hand to pick up pilots if any planes crashed into the sea.

At this time, Mr. John Farrow, motion picture director attached to Warner Brothers’ Studios in Hollywood and Honorary Commander RCN(R), was making a moving picture “The Sea Chase”.  Earlier, he had wished to enlist the aid of the destroyer ATHABASKAN at Victoria.  Later, however, he noted that photographic conditions were poor at Victoria and he requested instead that he might use NEW GLASGOW while she was on her return voyage from Balboa.  He would require the ship for three or four days and would assume all extra expenses such as fuel, berthing, etc.

At 1115, the two frigates formed a departure screen for MAGNIFICENT and the exercise was continued until 0700, 10 November, when STETTLER detached to return to Esquimalt.

On the 11^th, the starboard condenser in NEW GLASGOW developed trouble.  In Long Beach, the Engineer Officer from MAGNIFICENT came aboard to examine it.  He observed that temporary repairs could be made which would enable the ship to steam along at economical speed, but he deemed it inadvisable for her to continue further with MAGNIFICENT.  Consequently, the aircraft carrier sailed independently and, with her departure, it was decided that NEW GLASGOW should remain in California long enough to participate in the filming of “The Sea Chase” and then return to Esquimalt.

Accordingly, NEW GLASGOW proceeded to sea on 20, 22 and 23 November in order to perform before the camera.  This duty finished, she made the return journey to base.

The month of December was passed in Esquimalt undergoing repairs on the condensers.

On 6 January, 1955, the ship proceeded to the western approaches to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with personnel and equipment from the Pacific Naval Laboratory embarked.  A request was made by the senior scientist aboard that the ship should endeavour to find a sea that would produce a pronounced pitch, this being necessary for his researches, but as this could not be obtained due to unsuitable weather, the ship returned to Esquimalt the following day.

On 12-13 February, a trip was made to Seattle with thirty-eight Reserve officers, men and wrens aboard.  Back on the 13^th, the ship sailed to take part in “Exercise Valentine”.  STETTLER was met at 0100 on the 14^th, off Race Rocks, and both ships proceeded to the Strait of Juan de Fuca to take up their commencement positions for the exercise.  With the absence of Commander G. H. Davidson of ATHABASKAN, Commander Larue of NEW GLASGOW was designated Officer in Tactical Command.

This exercise involved sea and air operations against a theoretically surfaced submarine travelling at twelve knots.  The enemy craft was played by CRUSADER who was then moving southward on the first leg of the journey demanded by her transfer to the East Coast.

On 25 March, NEW GLASGOW was taken in hand by Yarrows, Ltd., for her annual refit.

Most of the post-refit trials were completed in May.  On the 23^rd, the ship transported the Queen’s Colour from Esquimalt to Victoria and returned, this in connection with the ceremonial observance of Her Majesty’s birthday.

At this time, tentative plans were made to have NEW GLASGOW sail to the Far East and relieve the destroyer SIOUX.  It was understood that, while there, she would be based on Yokosuka, Japan.  After the sailing of the ship in July, the matter received further discussion and was finally rejected.

June was taken up with ship trials and working-up exercises.

On 21 July, the ship sailed for Pearl Harbor, arriving there on the 29^th, and she returned to Esquimalt 25 August.  The news, received in Pearl Harbor that she was not to continue to Japan was a cause for disappointment to all.

A northern cruise was made in September to Queen Charlotte Sound.  A scheduled call at Ketchikan, Alaska, had to be cancelled owing to an outbreak of poliomyelitis in that place.  A visit was paid instead to Stewart on an inlet leading into the mainland from Queen Charlotte Sound.  Soundings in the inlet were taken.  Exercises were also carried out in the Dixon Entrance area.

From 3-15 October, NEW GLASGOW joined the Second Canadian Escort Squadron, the Twelfth Canadian Escort Squadron and the Second Canadian Minesweeping Squadron in the exercise series, “Fullhouse”.  These exercises, the largest peace-time manoeuvres conducted to that date by Canada’s Pacific fleet, covered various phases of escort squadron evolutions, screening exercises, and sortie and arrival screening, and were carried out both in the Strait of Georgia and off Cape Flattery in the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

NEW GLASGOW was a part of the escort, along with CAYUGA, STE THERESE, JONQUIERE and STETTER, when ATHABASKAN embarked Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal for passage to Vancouver.  A vice-admiral’s salute, in commemoration of the 150^th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and of Nelson’s death, was fired en route.

On 1 November, the ship sailed with the Second Escort Squadron for San Diego, to take part in the exercises known as PACTRAEX 56 L, in which 125 ships, ten of which were Canadian, 15,000 U.S. Marines and more than 300 aircraft, including planes of the RCAF, took part.

The ship left the naval base in Long Beach on the 16^th, and returned to home base with the other frigates of the Squadron on the 18^th.

After putting in a quiet December and taking part in exercises in the early weeks of January, NEW GLASGOW on 27 January, 1956, sailed for San Francisco with ONTARIO (who wore the flag of the Flag Officer Pacific Coast), CAYUGA, ATHABASKAN, SIOUX, STETTLER and JONQUIERE.

San Francsico was raised on the 30^th and on 2 February, the ships sailed from Treasure Island, the U.S. Naval Base in San Francisco Bay, for Pearl Harbor.  On the 8^th, off the Hawaiian Islands, the entry of the ships into harbour was opposed by two submarines.  NEW GLASGOW made first contact with the “enemy”, in each case sighting their periscopes.  The force entered Pearl Harbor the next day, ONTARIO firing the national salute and the personal salute to the U.S. Commander-in-Chief Pacific Fleet.  On the 13^th, ONTARIO and SIOUX sailed for Japan and the remainder of the force for Esquimalt where they arrived 20 February.

On 3 March, 1956, through a gale and heavy seas, NEW GLASGOW left Esquimalt with ships of the Second Canadian Escort Squadron, consisting at that time, besides herself, of CRESCENT, Senior Officer, STE THERESE and JONQUIERE.  San Diego was raised on the 7^th.  After exercises, CRESCENT left and proceeded ahead to Balboa, leaving NEW GLASGOW in charge.  The frigates embarked Canal Zone pilots and entered Balboa during the morning of the 17^th, rejoining CRESCENT.

The following day, the ships proceeded through the canal and secured at the Coco Solo Naval Base outside Cristobal.  Here they found the cruiser QUEBEC.  On the 20^th, they were joined by CAYUGA and all ships sailed out, turning their bows northward, QUEBEC, of course, becoming senior ship.

En route from the canal to the Southwest Road of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, the exercise “Big Hello” began.  It continued on arrival off the islands and lasted until 8 April.  Canadian naval ships from both oceans participated, dividing into opposing sides, the Red and the Blue.  To enliven the exercises, there were aircraft and submarine attacks by day and torpedo attacks by destroyers by night.

On 22 March, Captain Piers of QUEBEC called a conference to be held aboard his ship and, while the destroyers and frigates formed a circular screen, the various commanding officers were rowed over to the cruiser by whalers.

On the afternoon of 29 March, MAGNIFICENT, IROQUOIS, NEW GLASGOW and STE THERESE secured alongside in Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas for the Easter week-end.

On the morning of 9 April, 1956, the fleet dispersed.  The three frigates, NEW GLASGOW, STE THERESE and JONQUIERE, shaped their course for the historic harbour of Cartagena on the Columbian coast.

On the 12^th, by way of the narrow and tortuous entrance of Boca Chica, they entered the commodious Bay of Cartagena.

Visits were made and returned here.  The Canadian officers were entertained on board the senior Colombian frigate and at the Naval Officers Club.  In return, an official party was held by the Canadians on the quarter-deck of NEW GLASGOW with the other two frigates participating as co-hosts.

The frigates left Cartagena on 17 April and effected a rendezvous with CRESCENT and CAYUGA.  The transit of the canal was made on the 18^th.

On the 22^nd, the five ships left the Canal Zone and arrived in San Diego on the morning of 2 May where they secured alongside the South Boardway Pier.

The return to Esquimalt was effected 11 May, 1956.  On the 14^th, NEW GLASGOW was taken in hand for her annual refit.  This was completed on 29 June.

Trials followed during the early part of July 1956.  On the 14^th, NEW GLASGOW took up a fifteen-mile patrol line south of Bedwell Harbour, in order to perform Guard Ship duties for the International Power Boat Race from Seattle to Nanaimo.  A distress message brought her to the aid of the yacht Spartan. Here, she found the owner of the vessel and three members of the crew to be suffering from the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning.  After giving treatment to these people aboard the ship, it was found necessary to transfer one man to a U.S. Coast Guard cutter to be rushed to a doctor.  The others were returned to their yacht and were last seen heading off “in a cloud of carbon monoxide fumes”.

On 30 July, the ship embarked researchers from the National Fisheries Research Board and sailed out on Project “Norpac”.

As a part of this project, water and temperature samples were taken about every six hours or eighty miles.  With the arrival at Kodiak, Alaska, on 7 August, phase one was completed.  This represented a coverage of 2,239 miles and twenty-two oceanographic stations.  Phase two was completed when the ship arrived at Adak, Alaska, on 19 August.  This phase represented a coverage of 2,325 miles and twenty-eight oceanographic stations.

On 27 August, an Ordinary Seaman was stricken with acute appendicitis and, in order to secure proper attention for him, the ship was obliged to adjust course and speed to close the California coast with all possible despatch.  Meeting the San Francisco-bound transport, USNS General Hugh J. Gaffey, she transferred her stricken crew member to this ship where he was operated upon.

NEW GLASGOW returned to Esquimalt on 2 September and reverted to extended notice for steam.

From 20-30 September, 1956, NEW GLASGOW along with most of the ships in the Pacific Command, took part in “Cortex 1/56”, an anti-submarine exercise, under the orders of the Captain Second Canadian Escort Squadron in the destroyer, HMCS CRESCENT.  Aircraft from 407 Squadron, RCAF, and the submarine USS Tilefish also took part.  Most forms of operation were embraced and NEW GLASGOW found it a “’foggy’ but valuable period”.

Sailing under orders of Commander Task Unit 303.0.2 in the frigate, HMCS JONQUIERE, NEW GLASGOW steamed out of Esquimalt on 2 October, 1956, to participate in “Penetration 56”.  The purpose of this exercise was to find out if an enemy guided-missile cruiser, played by HMCS ONTARIO, could penetrate first a line composed of frigates and land-based aircraft, then one made up of three destroyer escorts, HMC Ships CRESCENT, SIOUX and ATHABASKAN, to reach a position approximately 150 miles off Esquimalt where she could launch her missiles.  NEW GLASGOW’s picket station was 160 miles to the north-west of Cape Cook on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

On the 21^st of the month, the frigate embarked Joint Maritime Warfare students and proceeded to sea for exercises with the destroyer escort task unit, 303.1.0.  Developing steam line defects she returned to harbour to effect repairs in the evening.  She rejoined the next day and continued exercising until the 26^th.

NEW GLASGOW and the frigate, HMCS SUSSEXVALE, sailed for a pilotage cruise on 6 November 1956.  The first phase took them to Oyster Bay, north of Comox, and the second to Tasu Sound on the west coast of Moresby Island, Queen Charlotte Islands.  In Tasu a prospecting camp was visited.  Cores from drilling were shown with ore yielding high percentages of iron and copper.

Before returning to Esquimalt, the frigates paid calls at Port Simpson and Prince Rupert.

There were exercises at the beginning of December.  On 14 January, 1957, NEW GLASGOW sailed for the Queen Charlotte Islands to conduct a sounding survey in the northern half of Rose Inlet.  This inlet is entered from the north side of Houston Stewart Channel, which separates Moresby and Kunghit Islands.  The fine weather experienced during the first week enabled the survey party to complete their task seven days ahead of schedule.

On the 20^th, the ship sailed to Muchalat Inlet on Nootka Sound, west coast of Vancouver Island.  The 24-hour period passed at anchor there was set aside for the benefit of the younger seamen under training.  Instructions were given in boat work and seamanship evolutions.

Exercising with aircraft on the outbound passage, NEW GLASGOW on 6 February 1957, left for a cruise to inlets on Vancouver Island and the mainland.  Visits were paid to Esperanza Inlet, Esperanza Sound, Kyoquot Sound and Quatsino Sound, all on the west coast of Vancouver Island.  Rose Inlet was visited again after a rough crossing of Queen Charlotte Strait.

NEW GLASGOW returned to the southward, proceeding through Johnstone Strait and passing down the mainland coast to Vancouver.  She was back in Esquimalt on the 15^th.  Three days later she joined the frigate, HMCS STE THERESE, and the submarine, USS Besugo, for anti-submarine exercises.

HMCS DISCOVERY, the reserve division at Vancouver, held a recruiting drive in February, and NEW GLASGOW proceeded to that port on the 22^nd, to take part in the programme.

In March, 1957, NEW GLASGOW and STE THERESE participated in a harbour defence exercise with US Navy and Coast Guard ships at Port Townsend, Washington.  In April, the frigate took the Algerine escort vessel, HMCS OSHAWA, under her orders and carried out sound-ranging experiments in the Canadian Pacific coastal areas.  There were more exercises and reserve officers and men from DISCOVERY and Queen’s Scouts were embarked, in the first case for training, in the second, for transport to Victoria.

On 6 May, 1957, ten University Naval Training Division cadets having joined the ship, NEW GLASGOW sailed with SUSSEXVALE and STE THERESE for the UNTD summer cruise “Alpha”.  First there were five days of training exercises in the Nanoose area, then the three frigates sailed for Pearl Harbor.  Before leaving for the Hawaiian Islands, twenty-four more UNTD cadets were embarked.  Arrival at Pearl Harbor was made on the 21^st.

Two days later, the frigates anchored in Kealakekua Bay where Captain Cook was killed on 14 February, 1779.  A brief memorial service was held in honour of the famous explorer.  Three days were then passed at Hilo on the island of Hawaii.  On the 27^th, the ships shaped course for San Francsico, arriving in the California port on 3 June, 1957.  They were back in their home port on the 10^th of that month.

Eighteen cadets were embarked at Esquimalt for “Bravo”, the second UNTD summer cruise.  The three frigates sailed again for the Nanoose area on the 17^th and then for Santa Barbara, California, four days later.

The first three days of July 1957 were passed at Santa Barbara.  The ships then slipped for exercises off the California coast and passage to Long Beach.  Good weather prevailed for advanced training activities such as astro-navigation and sea-boat drills.  Long Beach was visited on the 6^th and San Diego on the 12^th.

A variation in the routine occurred on the morning of the 17^th, when the ship went to the assistance of a US fishing vessel, the Happy Day, which had grounded on the eastern slope of San Clemente Island.  As no lives were in danger, the US Coast Guard was informed and the frigate withdrew.

The next day, a direct bombardment at almost point-blank range, was conducted on fixed range targets in the San Clemente Bombardment area.  The ships were back in Esquimalt on the 22^nd.

In August, 1957, the ship sailed for a cruise in coastal waters off the Queen Charlotte Islands.  On the 4^th, at Gowgaia Bay on the west side of Moresby Island, an officer engaged on a beach reconnaissance suffered injury in an accident.  As the officer’s condition worsened during the ensuing two days, it was decided to return to Esquimalt.  During the return passage, however, the ship was diverted to Port Hardy on Queen Charlotte Strait, and the officer evacuated by Naval aircraft for hospitalization in Victoria.

On the 7^th, NEW GLASGOW left Port Hardy and proceeded to Wadham’s Landing in Rivers Inlet off Queen Charlotte Sound.  She was back in Esquimalt on the 9^th.

An anti-submarine training cruise with JONQUIERE was taken on the 26^th in the Straits of Juan de Fuca.  During the afternoon the ship developed condenser trouble, and was obliged to return to Barry Bay near Victoria to effect repairs.  Although the ship’s speed was considerably reduced, she was able to go back to the exercise area and complete her programme successfully.

In September 1957, NEW GLASGOW sailed to Port Townsend, Washington, to join forces with the Commander Task Unit 91.3.4 in the US Coast Guard ship Winona.  During the period 3^rd-4^th, she participated in an exercise directed toward defending the Puget Sound area against submarine penetration.

In Esquimalt on the 10^th, the ship reverted to extended notice for steam and was placed in the hands of Yarrows Ltd. of Victoria for a refit.

The refit was completed on 6 November, 1957.  On the following day, NEW GLASGOW conducted a two-thirds full-power trial.  She joined the other ships of the Fourth Escort Squadron, six frigates in all under the orders of HMCS SUSSEXVALE.  It was an unusual event for all to be at sea at the same time.

On returning to harbour, the ship reverted to extended notice for paying-off.  Her stores were landed and, on the 15^th, paid off into a reserve category under dockyard control.  A brief ceremony marked the occasion.  It was attended among others by Rear-Admiral H. S. Rayner, DSC, CD, RCN, Flag Officer Pacific Coast.

The paying-off of the ship was brought about by unusual conditions being experienced at the time.  The Flag Officer Pacific Coast expected that no other ship would pay off “under the unusual circumstances encountered by NEW GLASGOW.  Due to shortage of manpower at the time, it was necessary she pay off on completion of refit in a civilian yard, having done only basic post refit trials”.

It is interesting to note that, during 1957, notice of approval was received by the ship for battle honours applied for during the previous year.  Thus NEW GLASGOW can now claim the following battle honour:

ATLANTIC 1944-45

On 5 May, 1958, NEW GLASGOW, having been brought forward by the Commodore Superintendent Pacific Coast, was at 1000 recommissioned in the Royal Canadian Navy.  A simple ceremony was held to mark the occasion.  The new Commanding Officer was Lieutenant-Commander A. R. Pickels, CD, RCN.

The ship required extensive cleaning after her months of lying in reserve.  Normal working-up programmes had to be sacrificed “as it was felt that the ship must be capable of being worked properly and that the training of the men will come later”.

Besides cleaning and storing, trials were carried out of the machinery equipment and weapons.  The ship was at sea for five days during the month.

On 9 June 1958, the ship sailed to carry out an operational patrol in the Queen Charlotte Islands area.

The frigate proceeded to Rose Inlet, which leads off Houston Stewart Channel between Moresby and Kunghit Islands, the two southerly islands of the group.  The Commanding Officer noted that this inlet had an excellent anchorage for up to four destroyers or frigates.  The beach at the head of the inlet provided a “reasonable recreational area except for two hours either side of high water.”

Louscoone and Flamingo Inlets, both also off the Channel, were visited.  Overnight anchorage was made in Gowgaia Bay on the latter inlet.

On the 14^th, the ship left the Queen Charlotte Islands and proceeded on a southerly course around the west coast of Vancouver Island to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  On the 16^th, she found anchorage in Miners Bay, Mayne Island, in the Strait of Georgia.  In that bay there were older residents who could recall a visit paid there in 1907 by the surveying vessel, HMS Egeria.

On the 19^th, NEW GLASGOW returned to Esquimalt.  She left harbour ten days later with HMCS STETTLER, detaching from her companion at 0400 the next morning to shape course for Tahsis Inlet in Nootka Sound.  She came to anchor at Tahsis, a company town owned by the Tahsis Lumber Co.  Entertainment was offered to the ship’s company and a platoon from the ship was landed to take part in a Dominion Day parade.

The frigate left Tahsis on 3 July, 1958, and was back in Esquimalt the next day.  On the 14^th, she slipped to anchor in nearby Royal Roads with other ships of the Pacific Command to be reviewed by HRH Princess Margaret, who was then visiting the province.  For the Review, which was held the next day, the NEW GLASGOW embarked some thirty-six guests and representatives of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.  During the evening of the 15^th, she and the other ships joined in an illumination and fireworks display.  The next day featured a sail-past off Beacon Hill Park.

In August 1958, NEW GLASGOW exercised with the other frigates and, with JONQUIERE and BEACON HILL, embarked 100 former members of the WRCNS for a five-hour cruise.  She also took part in a local British Columbia Centennial celebration at North Pender Island, south of Mayne Island.  Because of the severe forest fire hazard, many previously-planned activities on the island had to be cancelled.

In September 1958, the US submarine Aspro exercised with the Canadian ships in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean south-west of Cape Flattery.  Sharing operating time with the elusive underwater vessel were ships of the Second and Fourth Canadian Escort Squadrons and aircraft of 407 Squadron, RCAF.

With ships of the Fourth Squadron, NEW GLASGOW sailed to Seattle on the 20^th where, in the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, a pre-sailing conference was held for Operation “Slamex”.  The exercise lasted from the 22^nd to the 25^th.  Taking part, besides the Fourth Escort Squardron, were six ships of the Second Canadian Escort Squardon, four ships of the US Destroyer Division 32 and USS Yorktown.  Opposing them was a force of four submarines, US Ships Charr, Razorback, Rock and Caiman.

Among other exercises engaged in by the ship during October 1958, was one with the submarine, USS Volador.  JONQUIERE was NEW GLASGOW’s companion on the occasion, and the exercise was a part of the Joint Maritime Warfare course sea phase.  In November, the ship remained alongside at Esquimalt, carrying out leave and self-maintenance.  To round out the year, a cruise was taken by the Fourth Escort Squadron to San Francisco, five frigates including NEW GLASGOW, sailing on 1 December, 1958, to the California port.  They returned to Esquimalt on the 11^th.

NEW GLASGOW began the year 1959 with a patrol along the west coast of Vancouver Island and to northern British Columbia as far as Port Simpson.

Leaving 5 January, she shaped course for Barkley Sound.  She dropped anchor in San Mateo Bay.  The next day she proceeded east to Mayne Bay and Toquart Bay.  Steaming through the night, she arrived at the entrance to Nootka Sound at first light of the 7^th.  All the inlets of this sound were found to be easily navigated as the shores were steep-to and clearly defined.  Entrance was made into Muchalat Inlet and she continued along its deep waters as far as the logging community of Gold River.  This was another of the operations of the Tahsis Lumber Co.  Night anchorage was found in Tahsis Inlet.

Next day the ship proceeded to Esperanza Inlet and passed up Zeballos Inlet.  There was a deserted Indian village in the latter, but the water was too deep to provide a convenient anchorage.

Course was then shaped for Kyuquot Sound.  Care had to be taken in the approaches due to the scattered rocks and reefs forming the Barrier Islands.  Anchorage was made in Easy Inlet.

Koskimo Bay in Quatsino Sound was next to be visited.  On the 10^th, the ship shaped course for Quatsino.  Due to extremely high tides and heavy rains the channels were full of large logs, dead heads and trees, and extreme caution had to be exercised.  Near Quatsino a boat was sent away for the mail.  Course was then shaped for Port Alice where the ship came to a single anchor.

Shortly before midnight orders were received to procced and effect a rendezvous with the Canadian Government weather ship, Stonetown, to embark the body of an officer who had died on the ship.  There were heavy rains at the time, which gave only fair visibility, and there was a dearth of navigational lights ashore.  The Commanding Officer had reason to be thankful for having a well-trained blind-pilotage team.

The rendezvous was made about 700 miles off the coast shortly after the following midnight (the 12^th).  The weather ship had been ordered by the Department of Transport to proceed inshore from its customary site, 900 miles out, to meet the frigate.  As the weather at the time of meeting was unfavourable, both ships agreed to steam westward until daylight, as it was felt that the weather would moderate in that direction by morning.  After sunrise, although a heavy swell was running, the seas were slight.  The seaboat was launched and the body was brought back, along with a quartermaster who was suffering from the after effects of pleurisy.

NEW GLASGOW steamed to Esquimalt and left two days later, the 15^th, for Port Simpson.  A day was passed at that port and the ship then proceeded to Prince Rupert, where she remained for a week of self-maintenance.  The services of volunteers from the ship’s company were also offered to help volunteer labour from the city in work on a swimming pool being constructed in the Civic Centre.  They were accepted and twenty-five men went to work.

NEW GLASGOW visited Kitimat on the 24^th.  She arrived at the aluminum town at 1300 in a “very heavy” snowstorm.  Before the day was out, some two or three feet of snow had fallen on the ship.

The town was well-equipped to absorb men on short leave.  The ship slipped on the 26^th and, two days later on the west coast of Vancouver Island, made rendezvous with NEW WATERFORD.  The two frigates joined the submarine, USS Queenfish, and aircraft from 407 Squadron, RCAF, Comox, for anti-submarine exercises.  They were back in Esquimalt on the 30^th.

Squadron exercises opened the month of February 1959.  On the 23^rd of the month, NEW GLASGOW sailed again on a patrol.  Two days after slipping, she entered Rennell Sound on the west coast of Graham Island, Queen Charlotte Islands, coming to anchor in Shields Bay at the south-eastern end.  There was little activity to observe on the shores of the Sound other than timber operations on the north side of Clapp Basin.

The next day, the ship proceeded south to Houston Stewart Channel, and passed up Louscoone Inlet where she anchored.  This was a lonely spot.  Only a small fisherman’s shack was seen on the shore of a small inlet.  It was in good repair and was probably a refuge for fishermen in foul weather.

On the 28^th, the ship weighed anchor and proceeded to the west coast of Vancouver Island.  In Quatsino Sound on 1 March, 1959, she went up to Quatsino village for mail.  The night was spent at Winter Harbour.

An intense local storm was encountered by the frigate when she sailed the next morning.  It became violent and lasted in intensity for about four hours.  She anchored for the night in Tahsis Inlet in Nootka Sound.  The next day she explored Tlupana and Muchalat Inlets; then moving westward came to a single anchor in the Spanish Pilot group of islands at the entrance to Nootka Sound.  Several of the islands were investigated and the only signs of habitation were found to be some run-down fishermen’s shacks.  Weighing, the frigate returned to Esquimalt, arriving the next day.

On the 6^th, having embarked the men who were to form the ship’s company of the RCN’s newest ship, HMCS KOOTENAY, along with the band of HMCS NADEN, NEW GLASGOW proceeded to Vancouver.  In that port the next day, KOOTENAY was commissioned.  The ceremony was attended by the Commanding Officer of the frigate and his officers.

On the last day of the month, NEW GLASGOW slipped for still another patrol, this time on the west coast of Vancouver Island and along the British Columbia mainland.

Quatsino Sound was first visited.  Anchor was dropped in Forward Inlet.  This part of the sound was found to be quite deserted.  From there the ship steamed to Smith Sound off Queen Charlotte Sound.  In Takush Harbour there was a small Indian village but all the inhabitants were away fishing.  The village of Boswell on Boswell Inlet was also visited.  The ship then left Smith Sound and entered Fitz Hugh Sound.  After negotiating Morehouse Passage, she came to the fishing and canning community at Namu Harbour.

On the morning of 3 April, 1959, the frigate proceeded up Burke Channel, an inlet on the east side of Fitz Hugh Sound.  Leaving the Channel, she steamed along an inlet about nine miles long, then returned to continue along Burke Channel to the South Bentinck Arm.  The only activity noted in this area was near the end of the Arm, where some logging operations were being carried out.

A tiny Indian settlement was there, consisting of two or three buildings, with two small fishing vessels.  In the small bay a light squid firing was carried out by the ship along with a simulated sub-calibre 4-inch bombardment.

Returning to Burke Channel, NEW GLASGOW turned into North Bentinck Arm and went up to Bella Coola where she anchored overnight.

At first light on the 4^th, the ship went back along North Bentinck Arm to Dean Channel, then sailed up the Channel to Kimsquit.  There were signs of logging there; also the ruins of a canning company, along with some old piers and one or two houses.  A light squid firing and bombardment were carried out in this place, as in South Bentinck Arm.

Returning along Dean Channel, the ship entered Cascade Inlet.  This fiord was named by Captain George Vancouver because of the large number of its waterfalls.  It was steep-to, with sides reaching to a height of 4000 feet.  There was no suitable anchorage.

NEW GLASGOW anchored for a while in Elcho Harbour on Dean Channel.  A cairn on the shore commemorated the completion on 22 July, 1793, of Sir Alexander Mackenzie’s transcontinental journey of discovery.  The explorer left on a large rock an inscription, stating that he had arrived there “from Canada, by land” and giving the date.  A party was landed to inspect “Mackenzie’s Rock” and the cairn.

In the late afternoon the ship weighed and proceeded to the pulp and paper town of Ocean Falls on Cousins Inlet.  A day was spent there, then on the 6^th the ship proceeded along Cousins Inlet and Fisher Channel to Fitz Hugh Sound.  Entering Kwakshua Channel leading off the Sound, she went up to Pruth Bay where there was a radio telephone relay station.  From there she went to anchor at Safety Cove on the west side of Fitz Hugh Sound.

On 7 April, course was shaped to Cox and Lanz Islands of the Scott Island Group north of Cape Scott on Vancouver Island.  The anchor was dropped off Cox Island in the forenoon and the Commanding Officer sent a survey party ashore.  Because of the heavy ground swell and tidal currents, the ship was not permitted to remain longer than the period of low water slack, which was about two hours.  Even in fair weather these islands are hazardous to approach because of the tides and swell.

Steaming down the west coast, NEW GLASGOW went as far south as Nootka Sound, then proceeded up Tahsis Inlet to Tahsis, at the head of the inlet.  On the 8^th, she steamed about in the inlets of the sound.  Small parties were landed at Gold River in Muchalat Inlet, where there was a very modern logging camp and at Head Bay in Tlupana Inlet, where an iron ore mining operation was being carried out.  The ore there was exported to Japan.

On the 9^th the ship set course for the Strait of Juan de Fuca where she carried out a full-calibre shoot and, with the assistance of a target-towing aircraft from VU-33 Squadron a close-range anti-aircraft shoot.  She was back in Esquimalt the next day.

From 10 April to 15 May, 1959, the ship was on extended notice for steam for annual leave and self-maintenance.  There was some exercising from the 19^th and, on the 29^th, with yachting officials and newspapermen embarked, she carried out the duties of guardship for the Swiftsure Classic yacht race.

The period proved to be an active one for the officers of the watch and the operations room personnel.  The yachts were scattered over the entire course and identification was often difficult.  The morning of the 31^st proved the “real problem period”, for fog closed in during the early hours, reducing visibility to one cable.  This meant that all radar contacts had to be plotted and any showing speed of less than five knots had to be closed for positive identification.  Some assistance had to be rendered to the yachts in confirming their positions, one of them being found to be sailing in the wrong direction.

An incident which occurred earlier in the month, before the race, pointed up, in the Commanding Officer’s opinion, the value of general training for all branches.  An amateur yachtsman capsized his boat in the vicinity of the ship.  The Officer of the Day was the Supply Officer, and he directed the motor cutter crew to rescue the man.  The Leading Seaman of the watch was a Leading Seaman Communications Supplementary, while the Petty Officer of the Day in charge of the watch, was the Petty Officer Steward.  The operation went off most successfully and efficiently.

In June 1959, the Fourth Escort Squadron commenced a season of cadet training associated with the Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP).  On the 6^th, Division Forty-One of the Squadron–Commander in SUSSEXVALE, with NEW GLASGOW, STETTLER, BEACON HILL, and STE THERESE, — sailed on the first leg of a cruise.

After leaving harbour, the ships detached to carry out pilotage training.  NEW GLASGOW and STETTLER first steamed to Nanoose Harbour and Comox and then separated to exercise and train the cadets for two days.

After this, various exercises followed with ships of the squadron.  All ships returned to Esquimalt on the 16^th. They left the port on the 22^nd for the next leg of the cruise, which would take them to Mexico.

The Division arrived at Magdalena Bay on the 29^th, and remained there until 2 July, 1959, carrying out various exercises.  Manzanillo was visited on the 4^th.  They sailed from that western Mexican port two days later.  The weather was favourable for exercising, being spoiled only by occasional local squalls known as “chubascos”.  These carried severe winds and rains, but were short-lived.

NEW GLASGOW detached from the others to steam ahead to Balboa, she having aboard a patient from her own ship’s company and one from STETTLER, requiring hospitalization.  She reached the Canal Zone port on the 11^th.  The remainder of the division steamed into the harbour on the 13^th.

The return voyage began on the 17^th, when the division shaped course for San Diego.  During the forenoon of the 24^th, NEW GLASGOW again detached to go ahead.  Oddly enough, she once again had a patient from her own ship’s company and one from STETTLER requiring treatment.  She did not proceed immediately into San Diego, however, but transferred her patients to a helicopter in the approaches to the port, and then proceeded to rejoin her companions before entering harbour.

On 3 August, 1959, the division slipped and proceeded to the Santa Barbara Islands off Long Beach to carry out pilotage and anchorage training for the benefit of the cadets.  These exercises were finished on the 5^th, and the ships reformed to return to Esquimalt on the 10^th.

Exercises on a large scale were held in September 1959.  NEW GLASGOW sailed on the 14^th in company with ships of the Second and Fourth Canadian Escort Squadrons and the Second Canadian Minesweeping Squadron.  They were accompanied by three Canadian naval auxiliary vessels, the supply vessel LAYMORE, the oiler DUNDURN and the ocean tug Heatherton.  Aircraft from 407 Squadron RCAF and the RCN VU-33 Squadron joined the ships in various exercises, such as convoy screening, surface attack and air defence.

On the 17^th, NEW GLASGOW sailed in company with the Fourth Escort Squadron to Baynes Sound near Comox.  In the days that followed, various harbour and shore exercises were carried out, such as:  small arms familiarization, demolition exercises, landing parties, boatwork, sailing and anti-sabotage exercises.

The squadron returned to Esquimalt on the 25^th.

On 5 October, 1959, the squadron left its base for exercises in Barkley Sound.  NEW GLASGOW detached on the 9^th to carry out a patrol in the Queen Charlotte Islands.  She had aboard one officer, one non-commissioned officer and six other ranks of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.  These men were landed to carry out a search of shore areas in and around such places as Rose Inlet on the 10^th, Louscoone Inlet on the 11^th, Gowgaia Bay on the 12^th and Tasu Sound on the 14^th.

On the 12^th, the frigate rejoined other ships of the squadron for exercises and was back at the base on the 14^th.

At Prince Rupert on the 24^th, the Flag Officer Pacific Coast, Rear-Admiral Rayner, and his secretary, Commander D. C. McKinnon, CD, RCN, were embarked.  Elcho Harbour was visited so the Mackenzie cairn could be inspected.  Later the spectacular Cascade Inlet, with its sheer-rising mountains and snow-fed waterfalls, received the attention of the ship’s company.  A night anchorage was made at Namu Harbour.  The next day, the FOPC and his Secretary disembarked at Port Hardy, Queen Charlotte Straits, to return by air to Esquimalt.

NEW GLASGOW returned to Esquimalt herself on the 28^th, after making a rendezvous with her squadron.

Back on patrol, NEW GLASGOW, in company with ANTIGONISH, anchored overnight on 3 November, 1959, at Winter Harbour, Quatsino Sound.  San Josef Bay was visited the next day and Sea Otter Cove at the northern entrance of the bay was explored by a party in one of the ship’s boats.

For several days the two frigates followed a set routine of patrolling at sea during the night and entering the sounds and inlets in the daytime.  On the 5^th, after an overnight patrol, they went back into Quatsino Sound and came to anchor off the small settlement of Coal Harbour in Holberg Inlet.

On the following day they separated, NEW GLASGOW making entry into Kyoquot Sound, south of Quatsino Sound.  A large logging community was observed under construction at Fair Harbour.

Nootka Sound, further to the south, received attention on the 7^th.  An anchor was dropped in Head Bay in Tlupana Inlet.  The strip iron ore mining operation noticed there in April, appeared to have increased production since the former visit.

The next day the ship sailed into Sydney Inlet, south of Nootka Sound, where, after going up Holmes Inlet, she dropped anchor in Pretty Girl Cove.  The day following, a visit was paid to Cypress Bay in Clayoquot Sound.  On the 10^th, this time in company with ANTIGONISH, NEW GLASGOW returned to Pretty Girl Cove.  During the two days the ship lay at anchor in this cove, clearance divers carried out underwater searches.  They succeeded on locating a sunken hulk.  On the second visit, the capstan and other metal fittings were recovered.  They reported the hulk to be the remains of a three-masted sailing vessel which had been carrying a load of lumber.  The recovered articles were later turned over to the curator of the Maritime Museum, Esquimalt.  It was believed that the vessel was the schooner Favourite, which had been engaged in the sealing and lumber trades and had been lost about 1910.

NEW GLASGOW entered Esperanza Inlet on the 11^th.  During the morning, a service to commemorate Armistice Day was held on board while still underway.  The terminus of the highway joining the logging community of Fair Harbour in Quatsino Sound and Espinosa Arm in this inlet, was duly inspected.  Later, the ship went up to Tahsis.  A harbour plan of that settlement was obtained from the lumber company there, and inquiries were made regarding their plans for Fair Harbour and Espinosa.

The next day the ship joined ANTIGONISH to anchor in Mayne Bay, Barkley Sound.  They exercised together and, on the 13^th, made a rendezvous with SUSSEXVALE and STETTLER.  All ships then returned in company to Esquimalt.

NEW GLASGOW began the month of November 1959 with exercising and her annual inspection by the Squadron Commander.  The remainder of the month was passed in preparing for and beginning an annual refit.  This was completed on 4 March, 1960.  After trials, she was taken in hand by the Dockyard for the fitting of extra accommodation and facilities for the training of cadets.  On 16 May, 1960, she took part in the sail-past of the ships of the Pacific Command held on the occasion of the visit of Their Excellencies, the Governor-General of Canada, the Right Honourable George P. Vanier and Mme. Vanier, to Victoria.  The next day cadets from the universities and the Canadian Services Colleges began joining the ship.

The ROTP cadet pilotage training phase began on 4 June, 1960, when the squadron, with the Commander in SUSSEXVALE, left Esquimalt.  After manoeuvres, the ships dispersed.  NEW GLASGOW sailed for Ladysmith and, in the ensuing days, to various Vancouver Island ports.  The cadets, under the guidance of the navigating officer, planned each passage and selected the anchorages.  Towing exercises with other frigates, sailing and boat-pulling were included with the pilotage training.

The second phase, began on the 20^th, featured a cruise to Japan.  After carrying out 4-inch firing in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the squadron shaped course for Adak in the Aleutian Islands.  The poor weather encountered forced cancellation of most of the exercises en route.

Late during the middle watch on the 27^th, landfall was made on Chugul Island Light in the Aleutians, and, at 0755 the ships entered the harbour at Adak.  Before them lay an unwooded, volcanic island formation.  Low clouds covered the hill-tops and snow was still visible on the higher ground.  “It could never be a tourist attraction”.  The people there seemed to be happy, however, and they were most cooperative where they could help, particularly in the heavy programme of fuelling seven ships.

NEW GLASGOW had brought with her a young Canadian hemlock tree, and the Commanding Officer took the opportunity of presenting it the evening of arrival to the Base Commander for transplanting in the Adak National Forest.  The forest at that time numbered about twenty-one trees, all imported.

The ships left Adak on the night of the 28^th.  At noon they entered an area of fog which persisted for the rest of the month and into the opening days of July 1960.

The night of 2/3 July was a particularly “memorable” one for the Commanding Officer.  From about 2000 to 0600, the squadron proceeded through a series of fishing fleets.  There were many radar contacts, but nothing was seen, and many alterations of course and speed had to be made.  “Prayers at divisions in the morning took on a special meaning”.

Early in the middle watch of the 7^th, the coast of Japan was sighted.  Visibility was fair and the squadron set course so it could enter Tokyo Bay in the morning.  Fog closed in, however, and the passage up the bay was done with only the occasional visual fix.  NEW GLASGOW embarked a pilot off Yokohama, which is on the bay, and proceeded into harbour.  “My pilot was a terribly cautious man, and this, coupled with poor visibility, a slight language problem, and the multiplicity of ships and barges delayed our berthing”.

The habour was a busy one.  Merchantmen of most seagoing countries were there, and some ship was always on the move, either going out or coming in.  The traffic of barges, both self-propelled and towed, was also heavy.  The ship being close to an area where most of these craft were moored during the night, the Commanding Officer had a good opportunity to observe the life of the typical barge family, which “begins, continues and ends on the barge”.

The Japanese people in the city were almost embarrassingly helpful.  Most of the officers of the Maritime Self Defence Force could speak English to some extent, and “they all delighted in trying”.

The ships sailed from Yokohama on the 11^th.  The weather on leaving was much finer than it had been on arrival.  On the 18^th, the watch tower on Sand Island in the Midway Islands was raised, and the frigates altered to the north to pass through the reef leading to the lagoon.  Fifteen knots coped adequately with the strong set of the currents to the westward.

NEW GLASGOW’s Commanding Officer stated that he would describe Midway “firstly, as a bird-watcher’s paradise, and secondly as a naval operating base”.  Excellent facilities, he noted, existed for both, “and both United States Naval personnel and the birds were most cooperative”.

At 0800 on the 20^th, course was shaped for the Hawaiian Islands.  Landfall was made late in the morning watch of the 25^th, and by 1000, the squadron had entered the main channel leading into Pearl Harbor.

Two days later the ships steamed out to sea.  Following an anti-aircraft shoot, they shaped course for Canada.

Shortly after 0300 on 5 August, 1960, Tatoosh Island Light off Cape Flattery, Washington, was raised, and the squadron altered course to pass up the Strait of Juan de Fuca early in the morning watch.  They were back at their home base the same day.

A passing-out parade was held for the cadets on the 11^th.  By the end of the next two days, they had all left the ship to proceed on leave prior to returning to the Services colleges or universities.

Periodical trials and working-up exercises to “shake down” the ship following the cruise, took up most of the month of September 1960.  On the 27^th, the frigate joined in “Edwex 60”, an exercise designed to test various phases of war-time preparedness.

On 2 October, 1960, NEW GLASGOW with other ships of the Fourth Escort Squadron, visited Prince Rupert.  She was back in Esquimalt on the 5^th.

With BEACON HILL on the 14^th, she proceeded to Vancouver to take education officials and teachers from Alberta on a cruise in connection with the School Relations programme.  On the 23^rd, while returning to Esquimalt, she was beset for about 48 hours by stormy winds.  Gusts from 55 to 60 knots were encountered and extremely high seas knocked her about violently.  The upper deck was untenable and the ship at times became very difficult to steer.  Fortunately there resulted only minor damage to fittings on deck.

November 1960 was a month of exercising and of annual inspection, the last being held in Mayne Bay in Barkley Sound.  December passed with an annual leave period and some exercising and then, in January 1961, the ship prepared for a cruise to New Zealand and Australia.  Awnings were scrubbed and spare gear and stores embarked.  On the 7^th, ten RCN cadets and one Royal Belgian Navy cadet came aboard from the officer-training shore establishment, HMCS VENTURE.  Two days later, NEW GLASGOW left harbour with SUSSEXVALE, Senior Officer, and BEACON HILL.

En route to Pearl Harbor, bad frontal weather with high winds and rough seas was encountered.  Considerable minor upper deck damage resulted and arrival was delayed a day, the ships entering the Hawaiian port on the 18^th.  They remained there only a day.  Proceeding southwards from the islands, they got the weather they had hoped for.  During the passage to Suva, which formed the next leg of the voyage, they got in a large amount of training for the benefit of the cadets.  The equator was crossed on the 23^rd and the next day the usual crossing-the-line ceremonies took place.  On the 29^th, there were exercises with Sunderland Maritime Patrol aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, based near Suva, Fiji.

Suva came into view at daybreak next morning.  After passage was made through the reef the ships berthed at 1000.

The division left Suva on the morning of 1 February, 1961, and, four days later, came to anchor in Oke Bay, near the Bay of Islands in the North Island of New Zealand.  The next day, the ships weighed and proceeded to the Bay of Islands where, in the evening, ceremonies took place in connection with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.

The Commanding Officer of NEW GLASGOW found the ceremonies “most impressive”.  A forceful speech was delivered by the Minister of Maori Affairs, in which he urged closer integration of the Maori and the whites.  There was also a concert which included singing and dancing by Maori children and gymnastic displays by men of the New Zealand Navy.  During the latter part of the ceremonies all ships in the bay were illuminated.

The division weighed and proceeded to Auckland on the 7^th.  The harbour in this port was found to be a very “good-looking” one to enter.  The stream was full of merchantmen at anchor, while the docks appeared to be full and working to capacity.  The frigates secured alongside the Naval Dockyard at about 1000.

On the 11^th, the division proceeded out of harbour.  An hour later, the three ships parted company to begin the independent pilotage phase of the cruise.

On the 14^th, NEW GLASGOW entered Akaroa harbour on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand, anchoring off the town.  The day was spent completing arrangements for a visit to Dunedin, the city further to the south.  She weighed and proceeded at 1800.

The next day the ship stopped off Taiaroa Point at the approaches to Dunedin, and embarked the Harbour Master of the nearby Otago, who had offered his services as pilot.  His presence was welcome as the thirteen-mile run up to Dunedin presented many navigational problems.  The passage was an attractive one.  On arrival, it was found that entertainment and activities for the visitors had been well-organized.  Press coverage of the visit was complete, and the Commanding Officer as well as some cadets and men were featured on radio broadcasts.

When the ship left the port, the banks and verandahs along the harbour were lined with people, while cars followed along the road.  After dropping the pilot, the ship set course for the Stewart Islands area in the extreme south with the view of exercising pilotage and anchorage training there, but after two hours of pounding into a south-westerly gale and receiving a forecast predicting forty-eight more hours of the same sort of weather, the Commanding Officer considered that a more favourable area could be found to the north.

This decision was a fortunate one.  After the ship turned about and moved northward, the weather moderated, and by daybreak, when nearing Akaroa Head, it was quite pleasant.  The ship was sailed into Akaroa harbour.  It being Sunday afternoon, a large number of yachtsmen appeared from Christchruch, which was just over the hills.

The forenoon was spent in the harbour carrying out practice anchorages.  The ship then steamed north-westward to Port Underwood to anchor for the night.  There were no signs there of human settlement.

On the 23^rd, the ship went further north to Queen Charlotte Sound on the north coast of South Island.  This day and the next were spent cruising in and out of the many bays and coves in the sound and in Pelorus Sound to the westward.  It was fascinating country and provided excellent waters for pilotage training.  In one area, in a distance of about twelve miles, the ship was able to carry out practice anchorages in thirteen different coves.

NEW GLASGOW, SUSSEXVALE and BEACON HILL came together again in a bay off Cook Strait, between the North and South Islands.  They steamed in the strait all night and in the morning proceeded to Wellington at the south end of the North Island.  In this, the capital of New Zealand, they received a welcome even more overwhelming than that at Dunedin.  The visit of the ships was made in connection with the Festival of Wellington, the first of which had been held two years before.  Every kind of celebration was held in connection with the festival.  No ships of the New Zealand Navy took part, but the Australian frigate Swan was in harbour.  Like the Canadian ships, she was engaged in a cadet-training cruise.

The frigates exercised with Swan on 6 March, 1961.  The Australian ship parted company at 2300 and the Canadians then set course across the Tasman Sea to Australia.  They arrived in Sydney on the 13^th.  The Commanding Officer of NEW GLASGOW had the opportunity of confirming a previous impression that Sydney had “one of the most attractive and pretty harbours in the world”.  His first visit had been made in 1945 and he noted that many changes had taken place since then, particularly because of new construction.

The ships left the Australian port on the 21^st.  The voyage homeward was made via the island of Samoa.

On the 27^th-28^th, as on the outgoing voyage, simulated anti-submarine exercises were carried out in conjunction with Fiji-based Sunderland aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.  On the 29^th, a man-made satellite was sighted and observed for about five minutes tracking in a south-easterly direction.  On the 31^st, the division entered the harbour at Pago Pago, Tutuila Island, American Samoa.

Pleasant as was the voyaging in these seas, long associated with romance, it was accompanied by hard work.  The Commanding Officer noted that the ship was at that time a year out of refit – she had completed her last one in March 1960 – and defects were appearing frequently in the main and auxiliary machinery.  They kept the engineering and electrical branches busy.

On 2 April, 1961, Easter Sunday, the division left Pago Pago and shaped course for Pearl Harbor.  Exercises as usual were carried out en route.  On the 8^th, while making an exchange by boat of cadet training officers during competitive drills, BEACON HILL, in trying to clear the immediate area, came into slight collision with NEW GLASGOW’s starboard side.  The damage done did not effect the sea-keeping qualities of either ship.  Temporary repairs were made and the following day, the two ships detached from SUSSEXVALE to proceed directly to Pearl Harbor.  They arrived the next day and shipyard personnel descended upon them immediately to begin work on their wounds.  Explosive stores were removed as required and by 1130, work had commenced.  At about 2320, NEW GLASGOW had a watertight patch complete with two coats of paint.

SUSSEXVALE arrived on the morning of the 11^th, and all ships departed two days later.  On the 20^th, JONQUIERE and STE THERESE joined them to accompany them back to base.  Shortly before 0100 of the 21^st, Tatoosh Island Light off Cape Flattery was raised and, at about 0215, course was altered to enter the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  At 1110, the frigates were home again.  Repairs were begun on the collision damage and the cadets went ashore.

May 1961 was for the ship a month of leave, self-maintenance and repairs.  On 19 June, 1961, cadets having been embarked, the ship sailed with other frigates of the Fourth Canadian Escort Squadron, for the pilotage training phase of the Regular Officers Training Plan (ROTP).  As usual, after they had carried out a few manoeuvres together, the ships dispersed to work independently.

The pattern for several succeeding days was a fairly rigid one.  The ship weighed at 0830, anchored for lunch, and proceeded to another area for overnight anchorage.  Various harbours, sounds and bays on the south-east coast of Vancouver Island were visited in this manner.  Varying the routine for both cadets and the ship’s officers, were the hazards presented by the large number of vessels in these waters, including fishing boats, ferries and frigates.  One cadet was heard to observe that if he had learned nothing else, he had learned all about “the three F’s”.

NEW GLASGOW joined the other ships on the 24^th for cadet whaler races in Plumper Sound.  Independent pilotage training was then resumed until the end of the month.

The second phase of the ROTP sea training period began on 4 July, 1961, with the squadron sailing to Nanoose.  Three days later they crossed the Strait of Georgia for a formation anchorage in English Bay, Vancouver.  The city was holding celebrations at the time and in the evening each ship was illuminated with outline lighting.

On the 10^th, the squadron shaped course for the west coast of Vancouver Island to progress the training of cadets in astro-navigation.  On the 18^th, the final sea phase of the training period began with the squadron slipping at Esquimalt to proceed to San Francisco.  Three days later they entered the harbour of the California port virtually by blind pilotage, such was the fog at the approaches.  Once inside, however, the visibility improved.  When they left, they steamed out into weather that was poor for training purposes.  Once again there was fog in patches, with heavy cloud and overcast.

In both August and September 1961, NEW GLASGOW joined her squadron for exercises off the west coast of Vancouver Island and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  From 24 to 26 August, the submarine USS Diodon joined her and JONQUIERE for anti-submarine exercises.  A fleet regatta, held in September in Mayne Bay in Barkley Sound, found most of the ships of the Pacific Command competing against one another.  The ship paid a visit to Prince Rupert at the end of that month.

In October 1961, NEW GLASGOW had eleven days of exercising in the vicinity of Quatsino Sound.  In November she and other frigates exercised with the submarine, USS Menhaden.  She and ANTIGONISH also carried out a patrol off the west coast of Vancouver Island during the month.  In December, the submarine, HMCS GRILSE, who had been commissioned on 11 May, joined her, ANTIGONISH and JONQUIERE in exercises.  These were followed by a visit to Seattle.

On 8 January 1962, the ship was moved by tug to the yards of the Victoria Machinery Depot Co. Ltd., and there she was taken in hand for a refit.  This was completed on 6 April.  Post-refit trials and a working-up period followed at Nanoose Bay.  On the 25^th, the frigate received aboard the remains of the late Commander J. B. Wadsworth, MBE, CD, RCN, (Retired), which were taken to sea and buried with full naval honours.

NEW GLASGOW exercised on two occasions with GRILSE in May 1962.  A visit was paid to Vancouver in June, where she embarked delegates to the Naval Officers’ Associations of Canada convention, 64 persons in all, and took them out for a day at sea.  On the 13^th of the month, the frigate was designated host ship during the visit to Esquimalt of the Chilean Naval training ship, Esmeralda.

In July 1962, twenty-five cadets of the Regular Officers Training Plan came aboard, and NEW GLASGOW slipped with the rest of the squadron on the 9^th to proceed with the execution of the first phase of the ROTP cruise “Bravo”.  As usual, the ships dispersed for pilotage training, then reformed for a regatta in Plumper Sound.

On the 22^nd, the squadron entered upon the second phase of “Bravo”, shaping course for Long Beach, California.  Heavy overcast and patchy fog dogged the ships throughout.  With the sun and stars obscured, other studies had to be substituted for the scheduled astro-navigation.

Long Beach was raised on the 27^th and, four days later, course was shaped for Pearl Harbor.  Exercises were carried out daily in fine weather.  Outstanding among them were a practice anchorage executed by the ships in line abreast to starboard in a picturesque bay on the north-west side of Maui Island, Hawaiian Islands, and an indirect shore bombardment on Kahoolawe Island, also in the Hawaiian Islands.

The frigates remained in Pearl Harbor from 11 to 14 August and then left for Esquimalt, arriving 10 days later.

September 1962 was a month of semi-annual leave-taking and self-maintenance for the ship.  In October she exercised with other ships of the squadron.  In November, she took twenty-nine schoolteachers from the lower Vancouver Island area on the annual school relations cruise and then sailed to Mayne Bay, Barkley Sound, with SUSSEXVALE and ANTIGONISH for a week of exercising.  Her annual inspection took place on the 22^nd.

On 6 December, she and ANTIGONISH joined GRILSE and aircraft from 407 Squadron RCAF for anti-submarine exercises.  The poor visibility, however, forced the aircraft to return to base and, by mid-afternoon, it forced GRILSE to surface for her own safety.

A visit was paid to Port Angeles, Washington, from the 11^th to the 13^th.  It is a pulp and paper town and has a US Coast Guard station.

NEW GLASGOW remained alongside during January 1963.  In the following month, she joined STE THERESE, GRILSE and the destroyer escorts, OTTAWA and MARGAREE for anti-submarine exercises.  These lasted from the 4^th to the 8^th.  On the 19^th, she slipped again to take part in Exercise “Golf Club”.  This was a large-scale anti-submarine exercise involving the United States Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force as well as ships of the Royal Canadian Navy.  NEW GLASGOW was not back to base until 2 March, 1963.

The ship paid a visit to the USN Air Station on Whidbey Island in the Gulf of Georgia, in March 1963.  Before leaving Esquimalt, she embarked Commander D. J. Sheppard, DSC, CD, RCN, Executive Officer of HMCS VENTURE, along with six officers and 35 cadets, for air familiarization at the station.

In the following month, the West German frigates, Hipper and Graf Spee were visitors at Esquimalt.  NEW GLASGOW was designated as host ship on the occasion.  Members of the squadron had exercises with GRILSE and the ship took part in these.  On the 16^th, the frigate took STETTLER and STE THERESE under her orders and proceeded to Vancouver to transport just under 300 Queen’s Scouts to Victoria for presentation of certificates by the Lieutenant-Governor of the province.  After returning the scouts to Vancouver three days later, NEW GLASGOW and STE THERESE detached from STETTLER to proceed to carry out an inshore and offshore patrol in the Queen Charlotte Islands area.  Toward the end of the month, the patrol was interrupted so the ships could pay a visit to Juneau, Alaska.

In May 1963, the ship made preparations for the usual summer ROTP cruise.  A new sonar dome was fitted to replace the old one, which had a cracked seam.  Twenty-four cadets joined from the 3^rd to the 5^th and on the 27^th, the ship sailed with SUSSEXVALE, STE THERESE and STETTLER for the pilotage phase of cruise “Alpha”.  During the period, NEW GLASGOW anchored in various bays and inlets in the Gulf Islands in the Gulf of Georgia.

On 3 June, 1963, NEW GLASGOW sailed for Long Beach, California, in company with SUSSEXVALE, STE THERESE and STETTLER.  The passage was made in continuation of cruise “Alpha”.  On the 10^th, the frigates joined USN units to take part in an opposed sortie exercise off Long Beach.  The exercise finished at 1230, and the division then steamed out into the Pacific on the second part of the cruise.  Course was shaped for Pearl Harbor, which was reached on the 21^st.

On the 19^th, while underway, the frigates replenished from the fleet oiler, USS Chipola, and exercises were carried out with the nuclear-powered attack submarine, USS Plunger.  Off Pearl Harbor on the 24^th, another nuclear-powered submarine, USS Swordfish, was made available to the Canadians for a four-hour exercise period.

Following the latter exercise, the division shaped course for Esquimalt, which was reached on 2 July, 1963.  The cruise “A” cadets disembarked and were replaced by twenty cruise “B” cadets.  Another pilotage cruise followed in the Gulf Islands and, on the 22^nd, bows were turned southward again, the squadron choosing San Francisco this time for their first port of call.  Slipping from the Californian port on the 29^th, the frigates sailed for a rendezvous with GRILSE and a second visit to Pearl Harbor.

Five days were passed in Hawaii and the ships then returned to Esquimalt.  From her base on 22 August, NEW GLASGOW proceeded to Barkely Sound to anchor in Mayne Bay.  There the ship’s sides were cleaned.  The frigates then steamed to the Strait of Juan de Fuca where she experienced considerable trouble due to the presence of many fishing vessels and gill nets.  On two occasions she had to go astern to avoid damaging nets.  On the advice of a Canadian Fisheries Patrol vessel, she returned, steamed back for two miles and then proceeded along the US side, without experiencing these difficulties.

During September 1963, the ship lay alongside at Esquimalt at extended notice for leave and self-maintenance.  For much of the month of October she served as duty ship.  From the 23^rd to 28^th of the month, she carried out mortar firings and joined STE THERESE and JONQUIERE for anti-submarine exercises with the submarine, USS Bluegill, in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

In November 1963, there were more anti-submarine exercises with Bluegill.  A call was paid to Mayne Bay on the 20^th and landing and demolition parties landed for training.  The next day, she and SUSSEXVALE left the bay for Seattle, but, because of the tragic death by assassination of John F. Kennedy, President of the United States, on the 22^nd, the planned two-day visit was cancelled and both ships returned to Esquimalt.

In December NEW GLASGOW served as duty ship from the 14^th through the Christmas season.  She went to sea for two days, carrying out her annual full-power trial as well as degaussing runs and mortar firings.

With the entry into a new year, the frigate prepared herself for a refit.  Ammunition, fuel and stores were landed and armament removed.  On the 13^th, she was moved by tug to commence a refit in the shipyards of Yarrows Limited, at Esquimalt.

The refit is scheduled to be completed on 31 March, 1964.  Trials and working-up exercises will then follow for the ship.

HMCS NEW GLASGOW’s career has been an interesting and varied one.  Commissioned first at Esquimalt on 23 December,1943, she was twice paid off and twice recommissioned.  Though brought into the Navy relatively late in the Second World War, she played a worthy part in it, first as a convoy escort, then as a member of a support or “hunter-killer” group of frigates prowling about the shores of the United Kingdom.  While acting in the latter role, she rammed the submarine, U-1003, which later sank.  Her peacetime career has also been noteworthy.  Brought back into service on 30 January, 1954, she was sailed to Esquimalt where she has been stationed ever since.  There she serves principally as a training ship for cadets but sails also on oceanographic cruises, patrols and inspection voyages along the coasts of British Columbia and the offshore islands as far as Alaska.  In her training capacity, she has paid many visits to the Hawaiian Islands.  In July 1960, she visited Japan and, in February and March 1961, New Zealand and Australia.  She is not young, as modern ships go, but she wears her years gracefully and gives promise of many more years of useful service in familiarizing both officers and men with the intricacies of the Pacific coast and the broad reaches of the ocean itself.

COMMANDING OFFICERS HMCS NEW GLASGOW

23 December 1943  to Lieutenant-Commander G. S. Hall, RCNR.            23 July 1944

24 July 1944  to Lieutenant-Commander T. MacDuff, RCNR.         29 August 1944

30 August 1944  to Lieutenant-Commander R. M. Hanbury, RCNVR. 28 March 1945

29 March 1945  to Lieutenant-Commander E. T. P. Wennberg,          31 July 1945 RCNVR.

1 August 1945  to Lieutenant H. M. Palmer, RCNVR.           5 November 1945

30 January 1954  to Commander G. A. LaRue, CD, RCN.         27 March 1955

28 March 1955  to Lieutenant-Commander B. C. Hamilton, RCN.      22 May 1956

23 May 1956  to Lieutenant-Commander J. W. B. Buckingham, CD, 15 November 1957 RCN.

5 May 1958  to Lieutenant-Commander A. R. Pickels, CD, RCN.    6 January 1960

7 January 1960  to Lieutenant-Commander I. A. Macpherson, CD,     15 August 1961 RCN.

16 August 1961  to Lieutenant-Commander J. G. Mills, CD, RCN.        3 March 1963

4 March 1963  to Lieutenant-Commander J. S. Hertzberg, CD, RCN. Present.