Several men who served on HMCS Stone Town during World War II 65 years ago are planning to attend the Canada Day celebration in Cadzow Park on July 1.
The veterans, as well as family of some other Stone Town crew members, will be introduced by Mayor Jamie Hahn at 1 p.m during the official part of the ceremonies, immediately following the flag raising and the National Anthem.
In the last years of World War II, the Royal Canadian Navy began to use frigates to supplement the work of the famous, but smaller and less powerful, corvettes.
Designed specifically for ocean escort duty, frigates had two reciprocating corvette engines and were originally called “twin-screw corvettes.” HMCS Stone Town was commissioned in July 1944 and was on duty in the North Atlantic until May 1945.
Stone Town had a crew of 141 men, was 301 feet long and could reach speeds of 19 knots.
Canadian warships were named for towns and cities and early in 1944, the Department of National Defence asked St. Marys Town Council to submit three names of local geographical significance so that a new vessel could be named for the Town of St. Marys (the actual name St. Marys was similar to one already assigned to a Royal Navy vessel and could not be considered).
Town Council offered the names Stone Town, Blanshard and Little Falls. Word was received in March 1944 that Stone Town was the name selected.
However, HMCS Stone Town was almost not to be. The County of Glengarry had also made a request to have its name used for a warship. The Naval Board of Canada approved the new name and proposed to change the name for the new frigate from Stone Town to Glengarry.
As King George V1 had the final say in the naming of all naval vessels, several telegrams were sent to and from England concerning a name change. The King did approve the change to Glengarry but the notice did not reach Canada until April 1, 1944 – three days after Stone Town had been christened and launched.
The Museum is hosting a reception for HMCS Stone Town veterans and their families.