Page 37 - Caribou and Grandmere

ISSUE : Issue 46

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1987/8/1

Caribou and Grandmere continued from Back cover and in close proximity to the Canadian shore. (So you weren't there to serve as a minesweeper.) No--escort. Actually, at the time, the Caribou's speed, all out, would not enable us to do a prop? er AS sweep (antisubmarine sweep). Actual? ly, we should have been moving across the bow of the ship, ahead of her. But they opened her up, and all we could do was keep up. (How often did you travel with the Caribou?) I don't think we had too many (trips). Maybe 3 at the most. (Prior to that, had you travelled with another vessel?) Well, sure, in convoys, small con? voys. And what we would call "the Triangle Run"--anywhere from St. John's, Newfound? land, to New York City, It's what they call "the Triangle." (When you were escorting the Caribou, would she be fairly well in sight?) Oh, yeah. We were running pretty close. Rigby: You'd be able to see it quite easy, like, from here. You could just look over and you'd see it. Hedden: That night now, when the sub came up on the dark side of us and torpedoed .?' Welcome To Your Home Awsty From HomeS Our Bed and Breakfast program enables you to stay with Cape Breton families and experience the Island's famous hospitality first hand. Look for our welcoming signs all across the Island: in coastal fishing villages, in the scenic highlands, close to beaches, museums and shopping. We invite you to come and make new friends, explore special places, sleep soundly and enjoy home cooking. A list of B?d and Breakfast homes can be obtained at any Cape Breton Tourist Association Bureau. This project is supervised by the Cape Breton Development Corporation. More information can be obtained by writing: P. 0. Box 1750, Sydney. Nova Scotia, Canada BIP 6T7 Attention: Ray Peters. Cape Breton Bed and Breakfast WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME AWAY FROM HOME! jject of the Cape Breton Development Corporation her. And the captain (of the Grandmere) im- mediately veered over, and he made an at? tempt to ram the sub. She was on the sur? face, the sub. Rigby: He's talking about the Grandmere. Not the Caribou. The Cari? bou went down in about 3 minutes. (So you weren't that far away when it happened.) No. (But are you suggesting you were further a- way than usual?) Hedden: Unfortunate things about the Canadian Navy that a lot of people don't know: that we had very poor radar, for one thing. We were taking the dregs, when the American Navy and the British Navy were getting the best of eve? rything. So whether the radar man would ev? en have a blip on that submarine, we don't know. They-were putting a lot of ships out that didn't have proper equipment. Secret Document: 10th November. 1942. From the Com? manding Officer Atlantic Coast, H.M.C. Dockyard. Halifax, N. S. (Rear Admiral L. W. Murray, R.C.N.). to the Commander-in-Chief, U. S. Fleet. Navy De? partment. Washington. D. C.--"Report of Attack by H.M.C.S. GRANDMERE" ~ ~~ ...H.M.C.S. GRANDMERE had taken up screening posi? tion in accordance with W.A.C.I. diagram intended for use in the case of a single ship escorting a convoy. It is considered that on(e) escort vessel escort? ing a single ship would afford more effective pro? tection zig-zagging 2000 yds. to 3000 yds. ahead, or, if the relative speeds of the two ships per? mit, the escort should circle the merchant vessel at 15 knots at a distance of 3000.yards. It is the intention to issue instructions accord? ingly. None of the Bangors of the Sydney Force, of which H.M.C.S. GRANDMERE is one, is fitted with R.D.F. At present, priority in fitting this equipment is being given to ships of the Western Local Escort Force, but, subject to this, the ships of the Syd? ney Force will be equipped as soon as possible. (A normal night, escorting the Caribou, how would it go, what would your job be?) Hedden: Well, Number One, we would proceed at the sailing of the Caribou. We would go out and do what they call an antisubmarine sweep off of the harbour entrance, to start with. And then when she'd come up, we'd just pick her up and away we'd go. Superior Service: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Automatic Deiivery: | every 12 or 16 weeks Marketing a Complete Line of Propane Burning Appliances Superior Propane Off Hwy. #305, Leitches Creek, Sydney 539-1060

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