- Joined
- Oct 25, 2007
- Messages
- 80
HMCS ALBERNI was commissioned at Esquimalt, British Columbia on February 4, 1941 and she arrived at Halifax on April 13 in company with HMCS AGASSIZ. On 23 May 41, the two ships departed for St. John’s to join the recently formed Newfoundland Escort Force. ALBERNI left the following month with a convoy for Iceland, and served as a mid-ocean escort until May 42, when she was taken out of service to have a new boiler installed. In September, 1942, she had taken part in the defence of convoy SC.42, which lost 18 ships to as many U-boats. Assigned to duties in connection with the invasion of North Africa, she sailed for the U.K. in October with convoy HX.212, and until February, 1943, escorted Convoys between the U.K. and the Mediterranean. She returned to Halifax in March, 1943 and served briefly with WEEF before transferring to Quebec Force in May. For the next five months she escorted Quebec-Labrador convoys, leaving Gaspe on November 6 to undergo repairs at Liverpool, N.S. With repairs completed early in February, she proceeded to Bermuda to work up, and on her return to Halifax joined EG W-4. On April 24 she sailed for the U.K. for duties connected with the coming invasion, Normandy (D-Day) and was still engaged in these when, on August 21, 1944, she was torpedoed and sunk by U480, southeast of the Isle of Wight. Fifty-nine of her ship’s company lost their lives.
My Uncle was a salior on board and survived the U boat attack. U480 was the first sub to have a rubber coating to absorb radar detections in that era; like STEALTH as we know of to-day.
My Uncle was a salior on board and survived the U boat attack. U480 was the first sub to have a rubber coating to absorb radar detections in that era; like STEALTH as we know of to-day.
