North Bay Museum dedicates exhibit to Second World War ship named after city

Royal Canadian Navy veteran Tony Hardy, 98, is awed by naval artifacts.

So on Thursday when he walked into an exhibit dedicated to a ship named after the City of North Bay, his eyes lit up.

While he didn't serve on the HMCS North Bay, Hardy said it brings back the memory of life on deck during the height of the Second World War.

"I wanted to serve on corvettes,” Hardy said.

“I had mates that served on corvettes that didn’t come back and their names come back to me and I think about them.”

While North Bay’s Royal Canadian Navy history isn’t as rich compared to the Royal Canadian Air Force or the Canadian Armed Forces, it does have a very important ship: HMCS North Bay, a Second World War corvette cruiser.

On the 80th anniversary of her launch, the North Bay Museum opened an entire exhibit dedicated to her service.

"We want to think about the sacrifice our ancestors put in for our freedom," said museum steering committee member Bill Alexander.

The ship was commissioned Oct. 25, 1943, mainly as a convoy escort.

It was one of 123 Canadian corvettes and she served in the Battle of the Atlantic, often described as the longest, largest and most complex naval battle in history.

The main battleground was the waters between Canada and Europe.

During the war, Nazi Germany aimed to isolate Europe, especially Great Britain, from the rest of the world by sinking every passenger and cargo ship traveling to and from the British Isles.

While North Bay’s Royal Canadian Navy history isn’t as rich compared to the Royal Canadian Air Force or the Canadian Armed Forces, it does have a very important ship: HMCS North Bay, a Second World War corvette cruiser. (Eric Taschner/CTV News)

The aim was to cut off the supply of weapons, ammunition, food, medicine and, most importantly, troops. If this happened, the Germans would have had complete control of the ocean and Britain, Canada and other allies would have lost their ability to fight.

Convoy escort ships like HMCS North Bay were used to provide protection against German U-boats. HMCS North Bay helped sink one German submarine, but it was never given credit for it.

“It slogged its way through the war doing its duty,” said Alexander.

'IT WAS A WORKHORSE'

“It didn’t have any tragic consequences nor any great glories. It was a workhorse.”

When war broke out, the Canadian government at the time needed to motivate the public to help in the effort. One way was to have corvettes be adopted after communities to represent the people who took part in building them.

The citizens of North Bay donated money to see the ship built by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd.

The museum features a model of the ship, photographs of the crew who sailed as well as a navy uniform and cap.

Perhaps the highlight of the exhibit is the ship's bell, which was in possession by the North Bay Sea Cadets Corps Brilliant and was donated to be a part of the exhibit. (Eric Taschner/CTV News)

Perhaps the highlight of the exhibit is the ship's bell, which was in possession by the North Bay Sea Cadets Corps Brilliant and was donated to be a part of the exhibit.

“The bell was rung at different amounts at different times during the day,” explained Alexander.

“It sets the watches. It tells the sailors all over the ship what’s going on at what time.”

HMCS North Bay was sold for mercantile use in 1946. It went on to be renamed the Kent County lI, the Galloway Kent, and then the Bedford Il.

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The final fate of the ship is unknown.

The exhibit will be on display until May when the Battle of the Atlantic will be commemorated, ensuring HMCS North Bay won’t be forgotten in time.

“It means a lot to me,” smiled Hardy.