PDA

View Full Version : HMCS Stormont (K327)


emason
07-01-2011, 19:49
HMCS Stormont (K327)

HMCS Stormont, a River Class Frigate, was named for the town Stormont, Ontario. Built by Vickers of Montreal, she was laid down on 23 December 1942, launched on 14 July 1943, and commissioned on 27 November 1943. Her Commander from 20 October 1942 to 7 November 1945 was Lieutenant George Abraham Myra, RCNR.

HMCS Stormont joined the RCN's Atlantic Fleet at Halifax, Nova Scotia and was assigned to Atlantic convoy escort operations. She also served as one of the 57 RCN vessels to support the D-Day landings on Juno beach. Later she escorted convoys to Russia including convoy JW 62 from Loch Ewe, Scotland, leaving on 15 August 1944 to the Kola Inlet, Russia, and the return convoy RA 62.

HMCS Stormont received battle honours for the Arctic 1944, Normandy 1944, English Channel 1944 and Atlantic 1944-1945. After the war, she was decommissioned on 9 November 1945 and placed in reserve.

In 1954, she was sold to the Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis for $34,000. She underwent an extensive refit (at an estimated cost of $4 million) as the luxury yacht Christina, named after his daughter. The conversion was carried out under the under the directions of the architect Caesar Pinnau in Kiel, Germany.

After Aristotle Onassis died in 1975, Christina inherited the yacht, and gave her to the Greek government as a presidential yacht in 1978. She was renamed the Argo for a number of years, but was eventually allowed to deteriorate. In 1998, she was purchased by another Greek shipowner, John Paul Papanicolaou, who restored her and renamed her Christina O. She continues to sail to this day.


91768 91769 91770 

Unfortunately, information and decent photographs are difficult to come by, so apologies for the paucity of detail and poor quality.

alanbenn
07-01-2011, 23:38
Bill, here is a slightly better version of the photo for you.

Regards
Alan

Pat in Halifax
08-01-2011, 12:51
This is an excerpt from an historical pamphlet I had done up for HMCS TORONTO for the Naval centennial:
Upon outbreak of war on the Korean peninsula in the early 1950s, Toronto, along with 22 other River class frigates received a reprieve, being modernized and outfitted as ‘Prestonian’ class frigates being employed in the Task Group escort role. Though a few other ex-RCN frigates saw post war careers in the merchant fleet and with smaller up and coming navies, today only one remains. At the end of World War II, an enterprising businessman purchased the surplus River class frigate HMCS Stormont. Following conversion to a personal yacht, the owner; Aristotle Onassis christened her the Christina-O and though she has passed through several owners since the 1940s, Christina-O still carries the rich and famous on cruises through the Mediterranean at a cost of 45,000 – 60,000 Euros per day!
I wonder what some of the veterens would think of this?!

Blackfly
08-01-2011, 13:44
http://www.charterworld.com/index.html?sub=yacht-charter&charter=luxury-yacht-christina-o-691


This is to see what has become of the old corvette.

Pat in Halifax
08-01-2011, 14:07
Again, what would some of the old "Frigate" sailors say! Slightly different circumstances under which she sails nowadays!

emason
08-01-2011, 16:51
Bill, here is a slightly better version of the photo for you.

Regards
Alan

Thanks Alan, that's much better.

(Could you correct the typos in the sentence below the photos please? "apoloogies fot" should read "apologies for".
Many thanks.

Matelot
08-01-2011, 17:05
I had the privilege of knowing two men who sailed in STORMONT, George Hedden and Bob Fraser, both of whom have "crossed the bar" in the past few years. George was a Coder and Bob was a P1 Engine Room Articifer. Emason, you might be able to see their names in the picture of the ship's company.

They both attended several reunions of the STORMONT Assc. and I know they were very proud of how their old ship had ended up. George left me some momentoes of the ship and when I get chance I will scan and post them. First of all I have to find them!:confused:

emason
08-01-2011, 17:17
I had the privilege of knowing two men who sailed in STORMONT, George Hedden and Bob Fraser, both of whom have "crossed the bar" in the past few years. George was a Coder and Bob was a P1 Engine Room Articifer. Emason, you might be able to see their names in the picture of the ship's company.

I have a 9"x7" photograph that I scanned, but unfortunately still cannot make out any of the names. The original resolution is simply too low.

astraltrader
08-01-2011, 23:23
I too have a worthwhile photo but because of my current problems am unable to upload it!!

alanbenn
08-01-2011, 23:28
(Could you correct the typos in the sentence below the photos please? "apoloogies fot" should read "apologies for".
Many thanks.
__________________
Regards, Bill




Corrected as requested Bill.

Regards
Alan

lodesman
05-12-2011, 20:54
2 photo's i took of 'Christina O' Ex H.M.C.S. Stormont, just prior to putting her Thames Pilot onboard on 24th September 2011.