Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

"H.M.C.S. THORLOCK"

Date Range From

1939

Date Range To

1945

Materials

FELT, DYE, THREAD

No. Pieces

1

Height

0.5

Length

17.2

Width

15.5

Description

NAVY BLUE FELT LAYERED WITH SMALLER PIECES OF WHITE, RED, GREEN AND YELLOW FELT ON TOP. STITCHING IN BLUE, BLACK, RED, GREEN, YELLOW AND WHITE THREAD. CENTRAL FIGURE HAS ROMAN GALEA AND CAPE. LEFT HAND HAS DAGGER WHILE RIGHT CRUSHES GERMAN SUBMARINE. MERMAIDS ON EITHER SIDE STAB AND THROW BARRELS AT SUBMARINE. SCENE IS FRAMED BY WHITE ABSTRACT LEAVES WITH CROWN AT TOP AND RED BANNER AT BOTTOM THAT READS, “HMCS THORLOCK.” REVERSE HAS LAYER OF LINEN THAT IS COMING AWAY FROM FELT DUE TO FAILING STITCHES AROUND EDGES. STAMPED IN THE CENTER WITH, “CREST CRAFT, SASKATOON SK.”

Subjects

PERSONAL SYMBOL

Historical Association

MILITARY

History

AS STATED IN AN E-MAIL FROM DONOR BRANDI CAMPISI AT THE TIME OF DONATION, “JOSEPH ‘BARTON’ WATSON GREW UP IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA WHERE HE LIVED IN FOREMOST AND SHAUGHNESSY AND SETTLED IN PICTURE BUTTE, ALBERTA JUST OUTSIDE OF LETHBRIDGE. BARTON WAS 28-YEARS OLD WHEN HE ENLISTED IN THE NAVY IN 1944. SINCE HE HAD A FEAR OF HEIGHTS THE AIRFORCE WASN’T AN OPTION, AND LIKE MANY PRAIRIE BOYS HE MAY HAVE HEARD THE HORRIBLE STORIES OF LIFE IN THE TRENCHES FROM THE GREAT WAR. HIS FAMILY BELIEVES THE FINAL FACTOR IN HIS DECISION TO JOIN THE NAVY WAS BECAUSE THE NAVY HAD AN EXCELLENT BASEBALL TEAM. BARTON WAS AN EXCELLENT BASEBALL PLAYER. HE ENLISTED IN CALGARY AND WAS SENT FOR TRAINING TO THE HMCS QUEEN IN REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN. THOUGH HE LIKED THE WATER HE NEVER LEARNED HOW TO SWIM. HIS NOTES FROM TRAINING SHOW HOW UNFAMILIAR A BOAT AND ITS PARTS WERE TO HIM. AFTER BASIC TRAINING IN REGINA, BARTON WAS COMMISSIONED TO THE HMCS THORLOCK AS SUPPLY ASSISTANT. THE THORLOCK SERVED ON THE HIGH SEAS IN THE ATLANTIC ZONE. THE HMCS THORLOCK WAS A CORVETTE OF THE FLOWER CLASS NAMED AFTER THOROLD, ONTARIO. ITS MAIN TASK WAS IN ANTI-SUBMARINE CONVOYS. ON THE FINAL LEG OF THE SHIPS FIVE CROSSINGS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, THE THORLOCK WAS DIVERTED ALONG WITH HMCS VICTORIAVILLE TO ACCEPT THE SURRENDER OF THE SUBMARINE U-190 ON MAY 12, 1945. THOUGH CAMERAS WERE OFFICIALLY NOT ALLOWED ON NAVAL VESSELS, BARTON WATSON HAD ONE. HIS PHOTOS DOCUMENT LIFE THROUGH THE EYES OF A SAILOR AND SIGNIFICANTLY, THE CLOSE-KNIT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SHIPMATES. MANY PHOTOS DEPICT THE THORLOCK’S CREW POSING PLAYFULLY IN GERMAN UNIFORMS AND NAZI FLAGS AFTER CAPTURING THE SURRENDERED SUBMARINE. BARTON WATSON WAS DEMOBILIZED ON NOVEMBER 7, 1945 AND RETURNED TO PICTURE BUTTE WHERE HE RAN A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS AND WAS EXTREMELY INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES.” THE FOLLOWING EXCERPT IS TAKEN FROM THE PICTURE BUTTE PROGRESS PUBLISHED ON JULY 12, 1945. THE ARTICLE IS TITLED “ACCOUNT OF SURRENDER OF U-190, FIRST GERMAN SUBMARINE ESCORTED INTO A NEWFOUNDLAND PORT” AND IS WRITTEN BY: G.B. LAITY, S.B.A., OF THE H.M.C.S. THORLOCK. “IT IS WITH PLEASURE THAT WE ARE PUBLISHING THIS ARTICLE, AS ONE OF THE HOME TOWN BOYS, BARTON WATSON IS ONE OF THE CREW MEMBERS OF THE H.M.C.S. THORLOCK. THE NIGHT OF FRIDAY, MAY 11, 1945 WAS WITNESS TO AN EXCITING EPISODE IN THE CAREER OF ONE OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY’S SHIPS, THE CORVETTE, H.M.C.S. THORLOCK, UNDER THE COMMAND OF LIEUT. J. E. FRANCOIS, R.C.N.R. IT WAS, ROT THAT MATTER A UNIQUE AND QUITE UNCOMMON EXPERIENCE IN THE HISTORY OF ANY OF CANADA’S FIGHTING SHIPS OF THIS WAR, AND EVEN MORE SO FOR THE THORLOCK, AS SHE HAS BEEN IN COMMISSION A MERE SIX MONTHS AND THE CREW, AS A UNIT, HAD BEEN AS YET VIRTUALLY UNTRIED. THIS GALLANT LITTLE CRAFT WAS ON CONVOY ESCORT DUTY, HOMEWARD BOUND FOR NEWFOUNDLAND. HOSTILITIES HAD CEASED IN EUROPE AND SPECULATION WAS HIGH AMONG MEMBERS OF THE CREW AS TO THE POSSIBILITIES OF FURTHER ASSIGNMENTS. JUST BEFORE NOON ON THE DAY OF OUR STORY, THE THORLOCK WAS ORDERED FROM THE CONVOY INCOMPANY WITH A FRIGATE, THE H.M.C.S. VICTORIAVILLE, TO PROCEED TO A CERTAIN LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE FOR RENDEZVOUS WITH A SURRENDERED GERMAN SUBMARINE WHICH HAD REPORTED HER POSITION TO SHORE. WHEELING ABOUT THEIR POSITIONS, THE THORLOCK AND THE VICTORIAVILLE LEFT THE ROUTINE WORK OF THE CONVOY AND SPED OVER A BEAUTIFUL CALM SEA ON THEIR NEW AND UNIQUE ASSIGNMENT. THE NOTATIONS ON THE SHIP’S DECK LOG, OF COURSE RELATE TO THE WHOLE ADVENTURE AS JUST ANOTHER JOB AS INDEED IT WAS. BUT – THE DECK LOG DOES NOT REVEAL THE MOUNTING ALERTNESS OF THE ENTIRE SHIP’S COMPANY. THE UNRELAXED VIGILANCE OF THE LOOKOUTS SHARPENED TO A GREATER KEENNESS AS DID THAT OF THE WHOLE CREW. DURING THE NINE HOUR INTERVAL BETWEEN LEAVING THE CONVOY AND THE ACTUAL CONTACT WITH THE SUBMARINE, THERE WAS MUCH TO DO. IT IS A CREDIT TO THE TRAINED DISCIPLINE OF THE NAVY ON THE WHOLE AND THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE THROLOCK IN PARTICULAR, THAT PREPARATIONS WERE MADE, COMPLETE TO THE LAST DETAIL, IN AN ORDERLY AND EFFICIENT MANNER. THE BOARDING PARTY WAS MUSTERED, GIVEN FINAL INSTRUCTIONS RELEVANT TO THE JOB THEY HAD BEEN CHOSEN AND TRAINED TO DO, AND THEIR ARMS, AMMUNITIONS AND EQUIPMENT WERE CHECKED. THE STOKERS’ MESS WAS CLEAN AND READY FOR OCCUPATION OF THE PRISONERS THAT WOULD BE COMING ABOARD. SHORTLY BEFORE EIGHT O’CLOCK THAT EVENING A STOKER, IN HIS EAGERNESS MOUNTED TO THE BRIDGE TO GAIN A HIGHER VANTAGE POINT FROM WHICH TO SCAN THE OCEAN FOR FIRST POSSIBLE GLIMPSE OF THE NOW HUMBLED ENEMY. AND IT WAS, INDEED THIS VERY STOKER, WHO ACTUALLY GOT THE FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE SUBMARINE. AS HE WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE THE BRIDGE HE NOTICED A LIGHT IN THE DISTANCE AND REPORTED IT TO THE SIGNALMAN ON WATCH, WHO IN RETURN REPORTED IT TO THE OFFICER OF THE WATCH. SO AS THE SHIP’S LOG WOULD RELATE AT 19:57 HOURS, - ACTION STATIONS – ALTERED COURSE TOWARDS SUSPICIOUS LIGHT. THERE WAS MUCH BEHIND THAT TERSE NOTION, HOWEVER, AS HAS BEEN ALREADY TOLD. A SIGNAL WAS THEN SENT BY WIRELESS TO THE H.M.C.S. VICTORIAVILLE THAT THE THORLOCK WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE SUBMARINE THE VICTORIAVILLE HAD, SOME HOURS BEFORE, TAKEN A COURSE OF HER OWN TO CHECK THE BEARING THEY HAD CALCULATED. THIS BEING DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF THE THORLOCK, THEY WERE SOME DISTANCE AWAY WHEN THE THORLOCK GAINED CONTACT. THE NEXT BRIEF NOTATION ON THE LOG WAS ‘SUBMARINE IN SIGHT ON SURFACE – ILLUMINATE WITH SEARCH LIGHT – 2017.’ IT IS NOT HARD TO PICTURE THE MIXED FEELING OF EXCITEMENT AND PRIDE OF THE ENTIRE CREW THAT LAYS BEHIND THAT EXCERPT FROM THE LOG. EVERYBODY WAS CLOSED UP AT HIS ACTION STATION. ALTHOUGH THE SEA WAS STILL CALM, A BLACK MOONLESS NIGHT HAD BLANKETED THE ENTIRE SCENE. DEAD AHEAD LAY THE SUPPOSEDLY HUMBLED GERMANS. THEY WERE AWAITING THE CORVETTE’S ARRIVAL, WITH THEIR NAVIGATION LIGHTS BURNING ACCORDING TO THE CONDITIONS OF SURRENDER. WOULD THEY CARRY OUT ALL THE CONDITIONS OF SURRENDER? WHAT WAS TO STOP THEM FROM BECOMING SUDDENLY ACTIVELY HOSTILE? WITH THESE AND OTHER RELEVANT QUESTIONS BURNING IN THEIR MINDS, THE THORLOCK CLOSED IN WITH ALL GUNS TRAINED ON THE LIGHTS. RECOGNITION SIGNALS WERE THEN SENT OUT IN CHALLENGE, SOME DIFFICULTY BEING EXPRESSED IN UNDERSTANDING THE GERMAN SIGNALS, AT FIRST. THE CAPTAIN THEN GAVE THE ORDER ‘ILLUMINATE THE TARGET.’ THE SHIP’S SEARCH LIGHT PROBED A FINGER OF LIGHT THROUGH THE DARK. THERE SHE LAY, LOOMING LARGE IN THE LIGHT’S BRILLIANT BEAM, FLYING THE BLACK FLAG AGREED UPON AS ANOTHER SURRENDER TOKEN, COMPLETELY SUBMISSIVE, AWAITING THE WILL OF HER CAPTORS. ‘STOP THE ENGINES!’ – ‘AWAY BOARDING PARTY!’ RANG OUT THE CAPTAIN’S VOICE. BRISKLY AND EFFICIENTLY THE BOARDING PARTY MANNED THE SEA BOAT AND WERE LOWERED OVER THE SHIP’S SIDE. WITHIN FIVE MINUTES THEY WERE AT THE SIDE OF THE SUBMARINE, THUS, AT 20:33 HRS. MAY 11, 1945, THE COMMANDER OF THE GERMAN SUBMARINE U-190 SURRENDERED HIMSELF AND HIS CREW TO LIEUT R.O. BLACHFORD, EXECUTIVE OFFICER IN-CHARGE OF THE FIRST CANADIAN NAVAL BOARDING PARTY TO BOARD A SURRENDERED GERMAN SUBMARINE IN THE NORTH-WESTERN ATLANTIC. THE IMPORTANT PART OF THE INCIDENT BEING OVER WITHOUT MISHAP, THE THROLOCK’S CREW BREATHED A SIGH OF RELIEF AND AWAITED THE APPROACH OF THE H.M.C.S. VICTORIAVILLE BEARING THE SENIOR OFFICER TO THE SCENE. AT 20:59 HRS. RADAR REPORTED TO THE BRIDGE, ‘ECHO BEARING 020, BEARING 15,000 YARDS’ AND SOON AFTER, THE VICTORIAVILLE CAME IN TO TAKE OVER DIRECTIONS OF FURTHER OPERATIONS AND TO AUGMENT THE PARTY OF CANADIANS ON THE U-BOAT. THE ROUTINE OF TRANSFERRING THE GERMANS TO THE TWO SHIPS WAS THEN UNDERTAKEN, THE SEA-BOATS BEING USED FOR THIS OPERATION. THE PRISONERS WERE VERY SUBMISSIVE AND, ON THE WHOLE, SEEMED QUITE HAPPY THAT THE WAR WAS OVER. THE RETURN TRIP TO NEWFOUNDLAND WAS UNEVENTFUL. THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF CURIOSITY ON THE PART OF THE CANADIAN SAILORS TO OBSERVE THE PRISONERS AT SUCH AN INTIMATE RANGE. POSSIBLY THE POINT OF MOST INTEREST WAS THE ALLERGY OF THE U-BOAT MEN TO THE ROLL OF A ‘CORVETTI’. AS THEY CALLED THE CORVETTE. A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF THEM SUSTAINED ANY INTEREST IN REGULAR MEALS. A FURTHER POINT OF INTEREST WAS THE PLEASURE OF THE GERMANS AT HAVING HOT WATER FOR WASHING AND SHAVING, THIS COMMODITY BEING APPARENTLY UNHEARD OF ABOARD THE SUBMARINE. THE MAJORITY OF THEM HAD BEARDS BUT SOME OF THESE WERE ONLY HAPPY TO SHAVE THEM OFF. BEING THE FIRST GERMAN SUBMARINE TO ENTER NEWFOUNDLAND PORT, THE PRIZE AND ITS ESCORT WERE ACCORDED A GREAT RECEPTION BY NEWSPAPER REPORTERS AND A NUMBER OF CIVILIANS WHO HAD RISEN AT AN EARLY HOUR TO BE WITNESS TO THIS EVENT IN NEWFOUNDLAND’S HISTORY. THEY WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED AT THE DISPLAY, FOR THE NAVY TOO HAD A RECEPTION COMMITTEE READY FOR THE TRIO OF VESSELS. TWO FAIRMILE MOTOR LAUNCHES FELL IN AS AN ADDITIONAL ESCORT AND CAPTAIN ‘D’ WAS PRESENT TO QUESTION THE PRISONERS ON THEIR ARRIVAL. THE THORLOCK AND THE VICTORIAVILLE TIED UP ALONGSIDE THE FRIGATE PRESTONIAN TO WHICH THE PRISONERS WERE NOON TRANSFERRED TO THEIR EVENTUAL TRANSPORT TO HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA. THE NAVAL GUARD FROM ASHORE, HAVING RELIEVED THE THORLOCK AND VICTORIAVILLE OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY THE LATEST JOB OF THE TWO SHIPS WAS COMPLETED AND THEY STEAMED QUIETLY FROM THE HARBOR FOR THEIR BASE, TO AWAIT ANOTHER ASSIGNMENT ANOTHER ‘JOB’ TO DO.” IN WATSON’S OBITUARY PRINTED BY THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD, “WATSON PASSED AWAY IN LETHBRIDGE ON SEPTEMBER 16, 1996 AT THE AGE OF 80 YEARS. WATSON’S RECORD OF SERVICE IN THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVAL SERVICE REVEALS THAT HE WAS ASSIGNED THE SERVICE NUMBER V-89229. HE ENLISTED ON JUNE 14TH 1944 AT CALGARY ALBERTA. WATSON RECEIVED ONE MONTH DRILL AND SEAMANSHIP TRAINING, ONE MONTH STORE’S ASSISTANT COURSE – ORDERING, STORING, ISSUING, ACCOUNTING FOR NAVAL STORES. WATSON IS DESCRIBED AS HAVING ‘HELD CONSIDERABLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ORDERING ISSUING AND STORING FOOD SUPPLIES FOR ENTIRE CREW OF A CORVETTE FOR 8 MONTHS – CONSIDERABLE CLERICAL DUTIES INVOLVED.’ WATSON SERVED IN THE H.M.C.S. THORLOCK FROM NOVEMBER 14, 1944 TO JUNE 15, 1945. HE WAS DISCHARGED WHEN HIS UNIT DEMOBILIZED ON NOVEMBER 7, 1945 AT CALGARY ALBERTA. WATSON WAS A RECIPIENT OF THE ATLANTIC STAR, VOLUNTEER SERVICE MEDAL AND CLASP, AND THE 1945 SERVICE MEDAL. FOR MORE INFORMATION, INCLUDING SERVICE RECORDS, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20110005007

Acquisition Date

2011-02

Collection

Museum

Less detail