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Historian Harold Wright is seeking information about the river
frigate HMCS Saint John, above, which took part in the D-Day invasion of
Normandy in 1944 and torpedoed a German submarine, U-309, off the coast of
Scotland in 1945. The U-boat's wreck was discovered last year.
Sub's remains spark search for HMCS Saint
John
BY NINA CHIARELLI
Telegraph-Journal
October 15/02
A local historian
whose greatest pleasure is connecting glimpses of Saint John's past is teaming
up with a British company to complete a book about the river frigate HMCS Saint
John.
When U-309, a sunken U-boat from the Second World
War, was discovered off the coast of eastern Scotland last year, a British
publishing company traced its demise to a Canadian naval river frigate named
for Canada's loyalist city.
The publishing, company also
tracked down local historian Harold E. Wright, the author of several books of
Saint John history, and asked if he would contribute research.
"I've been collecting anything and everything I can,"
said Mr. Wright, who declined to name the publishing company.
Mr. Wright said he initially agreed to contribute to the
book, expected out early next spring, because he had already begun a file on
the frigate through previous research into Saint John's shipbuilding industry
and Atlantic Canada's naval history.
First located May
17, 2001, the Uboat was a type VIIC submarine operated by the German navy
during the Second World War. She was detected and attacked in the North
Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 17, 1945. Today, she lies in about 62 metres of water
off Scotland, near Wick.
Mr. Wright has already some
valuable research with the help of the son of the frigate's skipper.
"I'm still looking for anybody with Information about the
vessel because 'not a lot is known about it," he said.
Built in Montreal in 1942, HMCS Saint John was part of
the D-Day landings in France in June of 1944. She also sank another U-boat,
U-247, on Sept. 1, 1944, with the help of HMCS Swansea.
"What I'm really hoping for is someone to come along who
was on Historian Harold Wright is seeking information about the river frigate
HMCS Saint John, above, which took part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy in
1944 and torpedoed a German. submarine, U-309, off the coast of Scotland in
1945. The U-boat's wreck was discovered last year. the ship, or whose father
was on the ship," he said.
Four men who served as crew
aboard the frigate when she torpedoed and sank U-309 in February 1945 have
already contacted Mr. Wright.
"So much of our history we
know so little about," he said.
"This book will give
credit to the men who served on this ship and to the ship. Their memories
deserve to be honoured."
HMCS Saint John made a final
stop here, when she was refitted at the Saint John shipyard between May and
October of 1945, on her way to the Pacific Ocean.
She was
scrapped in Sydney, N.S., in 1947.
"I'm just happy to be
able to make sure this part of the ship's history gets told so the community
knows about it," he said.
"It's important for everyone to have access to
this. "
As a result of his inclusion in the project, Mr.
Wright has received guarantees that copies of the book will be available for
sale in Canada.
In the meantime, Mr. Wright is asking that anyone in the
community who has ties to the ship contact him.
"You have
no idea of where you are walking tomorrow, unless you know where you have
walked yesterday," he said.
"(A project) like this really
brings that alive."
Harold E. Wright can be reached at
693-2598 or hfoulis@hotmail.com
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