Brian Mackie
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Brian Mackie
@brianmackie.bsky.social
680 followers 260 following 240 posts
WW2 Clyde history. HMCS Niobe / Royal Canadian Navy. Greenock Morton / In the Community. Slava Ukraini!
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St John’s is now a city of just over 100,000 people. It was less than half that size in the 1940s. Yet it was a favoured destination for sailors, who were well catered-for by a population who knew what it was to go to sea. And the locals are still just as welcoming – visit if you can!

13/End
St John's and the harbour viewed from Signal Hill, in the present day. It is a warm summer's day, and the water of the harbour is deep blue and calm. A tourist ship is visible moored in the centre of the harbour, with the town rising on the hillside behind it. Canadian coastguard ships are visible on the left side of the harbour.
November 9, 2025 at 2:47 AM
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The U-190’s periscope and items from the ship are preserved at the Crow’s Nest, a St John’s club established in January 1942 for seagoing Naval officers, that is unchanged to this day. The wall decorations, original to wartime, tell stories that only such artifacts can.

12/13
The periscope of the surrendered U-190, fixed in one corner of the Crow's Nest Officers club in St John's Newfoundland. The periscope can still be used to view above the building. Behind it is a cabinet full of artifacts from U-190. The Periscope is fixed to the floor and extends fifteen feet up to the ceiling and beyond, with brass control handles and an eyepiece at shoulder height. A view of the Crow's Nest Officers Club in St John's Newfoundland. Unchanged since it opened in 1942, the walls are covered in wartime artifacts, including many copies of gunshield art from Canadian corvettes and destroyers. In the foreground, a barber pole memento from the Canadian barber pole C3 and C5 escort groups is visible. At the rear of the picture is a bar, out of picture is a central seating area and fireplace.
November 9, 2025 at 2:43 AM
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Hundreds of convoys, each a battle in and of itself, were escorted from St John’s, primarily by the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Navy. At war’s end, one of their tormentors, U-190, was surrendered and brought into port.

11/13
A German U-boat, U-190, floats in the centre of St John's harbour in May 1945, surrounded by multiple small craft. Men are seen on the deck and in the conning tower. Others are rowing out to visit the ship. The buildings of the town of St John's are visible in the background, on a cloudy day, but where the sun is nevertheless trying to break through the clouds and partially lights up the water. Allied Naval officers and men on the conning tower of U-190, St John's Harbour, May 1945. A British Naval Jack is flying above the Nazi flag of the surrendered U-Boat. A sailor stands atop the conning tower and holds the end of the British flag, making sure it dominates the smaller German flag below for the picture. Ten officers and men look on from the conning tower.
November 9, 2025 at 2:35 AM
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The St John’s dockyard, owned by the Newfoundland Railway Corp, worked 7 days a week from 1940-45 and recorded no less than 1,312 ships repaired and upgraded over that time. Ships with torpedo, collision or weather damage were a common sight in harbour.

10/13
Crew members from the Destroyer HMCS Saguenay stand amidships in harbour in St John's, Newfoundland on November 18, 1942. They are looking at what would be the aft section of their ship, which has been sheared off. The ship is miraculously still afloat. HMCS Saguenay had been rammed in bad weather by the merchantman SS Ezra, and the ship's stern was lost when her depth charges exploded.
November 9, 2025 at 2:27 AM
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On March 4, 1942, U-587 attacked the old steamer ‘Terra Nova’, as the ship was leaving St John’s. One torpedo exploded below Fort Amherst’s gun battery, another was caught in the torpedo nets. A sunken ship would have caused severe problems to harbour access.

9/13
St John's from the air in wartime, viewed from above the entrance to the Narrows. Multiple ships are viewed at anchor in the harbour, and the building of the town are viewed rising from the shore on the far side of the harbour. Staggered torpedo nets are visible on both sides of the entry channel.
November 9, 2025 at 2:21 AM
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The Newfoundland Escort Force was assigned to the western North Atlantic, handing convoys over to escorts based at Londonderry, Northern Ireland in mid-ocean. Both bases were disconnected from the mainland and were smaller in scale than major ports. But they were ideal as convoy escort hubs.

8/13
River Class Frigate HMCS Montreal (K319) moored up in St John's in 1944, alongside other Canadian and Royal Navy small escort ships. A snowstorm is blowing, and the ship is partially obscured by falling snow. A forward 4-inch gun is visible, as is the central control tower and pennant number painted on the side of the ship. Royal Canadian Navy minesweepers moored alongside each other in St John's harbour. Four ships are visible moored side-by-side, including HMCS Milltown (J317) and HMCS Sault Ste Marie (J334). The Sault Ste Marie sits higher in the water and is a larger Algerine class minesweeper, the Milltown and two other ships are smaller Bangor class minesweepers. The Bangor class was primarily for coastal defence and was not designed for ocean-going escort duties. The Algerine class minesweepers were built to handle magnetic and acoustic mines and were equipped with more anti-submarine weapons, and were designed to be used in Arctic waters. Four inch guns are visible towards the bow of each ship, and a covered control tower is also visible on each. The smoke stack of the Sault Ste Marie is roughly 10-15 feet higher than that of the smaller vessels.
November 9, 2025 at 2:18 AM
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Concrete underground gun emplacements were built at Cape Spear, Newfoundland, with 10-inch naval guns in operation by January 1942. The site can be visited today and is reminiscent of similar, and perhaps more familiar, gun emplacements in north-west Europe.

7/13
A concrete underground bunker, excavated from within a hillside, viewed in the present day. The entrance has a large concrete overhang and is about twenty feet wide. Immediately outside, a large concrete circular bunker with steps all the way around leads down to the gun position of a 10-inch cannon. The gun barrel is rusting but still in place. The elevation mechanism has been removed. An underground corridor of the Cape Spear gun battery. The corridor is square, about eight feet wide and eight feet high. The walls, floor and ceiling are made entirely of smooth concrete. Along the corridor is the ammunition storage room, where 10 inch shells were stored in wartime. On the walls are wartime posters depicting soldiers, the Union flag and approaching aeroplanes and ships. The posters are headlined "Canada On Guard", "Defending Our Coast" and "Let 'Em Have It!" in both English and French.
November 9, 2025 at 2:01 AM
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Fort Cape Spear was first manned in June 1941, the same month that the Royal Canadian Navy based its ‘Newfoundland Escort Force’ at St John’s. The men of the 103rd Nova Scotia Coastal Battery staffed the fort, in all weathers, right through to the end of the war in 1945.

6/13
A soldier of the 103rd Nova Scotia coastal battery stands to attention as he guards a barrack building. The solider is wearing a white snow suit and carrying a pack, rifle and wearing a Canadian army helmet. Behind him, the building is half-hidden by a snow bank that is several feet high. Even the entrance to the building is semi-obscured by accumulated snow. Men of the 103rd Nova Scotia Coastal battery stand on parade. 25 men are visible (the unit stationed up to 300 men at any one time). They are smartly turned out, wearing khaki uniforms, carrying rifles and wearing army helmets. There is no snow visible. Behind them are two of the surface barrack buildings of the fort.
November 9, 2025 at 1:52 AM
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Beyond Fort Amherst is Cape Spear, the easterly-most point of North America. Just a 20-minute drive from St John’s, the lighthouse there has served as a directional beacon since 1836.

5/13
Cape Spear, pictured in the present day from the cliffs looking out to sea, in a panoramic view. The ground is barren and rocky. Towards the left of the picture is a lighthouse that has been in use for almost 200 years, guiding shipping into St John's. Beyond the cliffs is the grey-blue Atlantic Ocean, dominating all before it. The sky is blue but with frequent clouds providing shadow on the water.
November 9, 2025 at 1:45 AM
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The Narrows’ entrance was protected during the war by a US garrison on Signal Hill, now demolished, and by Fort Amherst, still visible today. The Fort, manned by Canadian Forces, featured two 4.7-inch guns, fired on several occasions to ward off merchant ships giving incorrect signals.

4/13
The entrance to the Narrows, taken from the East side above Fort Amherst, in the present day. The concrete buildings of the Fort are in a dilapidated state but still visible, and command the entrance way. The vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, beyond the entranceway, dominates the picture. Fort Amherst, viewed from the water looking up. The fort is situated above 40 feet of rocky cliffs. 1940s concrete buildings are constructed on areas that have clearly been flattened out from the cliffs for the purpose of construction. At the top, a lighthouse, still in operation, guides shipping. Above, thin foliage covers the rocky hills.
November 9, 2025 at 1:40 AM
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The 11-metre depth of the Narrows was created through wartime excavation of the submerged Merlin Rock, first reduced in the 19th century. The channel already required skill and care in large-ship piloting. The addition of multiple torpedo nets necessitated greater depth for safe passage.

3/13
A view of the St John's Narrows during the WW2 years from above. Three sets of torpedo nets are visible towards both the left and right side of the channel, making direct passage through impossible. Chain Rock, marking the narrowest point at 200 feet wide, is visible in the centre of the picture, with the rock about 15 feet out from steep coastal cliffs. Military and other buildings are visible. Snow is on the ground, covering flat surfaces and creating some ice in the water.
November 9, 2025 at 1:34 AM
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The St John’s harbour Narrows, just 61 metres (200 feet) wide and 11 metres (36 feet) deep, lead straight out into the North Atlantic. Ships in a storm report an immediate calm upon entering the Narrows, and the exact reverse when leaving.

2/13
A geographical map of the St John's harbour. The Narrows lead in from the bottom right corner of the map, with the harbour opening up from the centre of the diagram over to the left, in the shape of sideways cone. To the right of the entrance to the Narrows is Signal Hill, a well-known high-point, local landmark and Canadian national historical site. On the left of the entrance to the Narrows are the sparsely-populated Southside Hills. At the top right of the diagram is Quidi Vidi Lake, a local beauty spot and centre for outdoor water sports.
November 9, 2025 at 1:27 AM
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A narrow WW2 North Atlantic port entrance, protected by torpedo nets AND icebergs! We could only be in St John’s, Newfoundland.

Here is a thread of intertwined St John’s coastal and naval history, with views of both the past and the present.

#coastalhistory #navalhistory 🧵1/13
A view looking down from the coastal west side, out to sea, of the narrows that make up the entrance to the harbour of St John's, Newfoundland. The narrows are 200 feet wide and about 800 feet in length. Visible just beyond the entrance to the narrows are two icebergs. Within the narrows, several rows of torpedo nets are visible through surface floats. Military garrison buildings are mixed with local houses along the steep, rocky cliffs that surround the narrows. Pic from The Rooms, Newfoundland Archives.
November 9, 2025 at 1:19 AM
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Enjoying the World Series here in Toronto! We often get blue jays in our back garden, their colours remind me of thick coats needed in winter here.
A blue jay bird sits on a fence. The bird's beak is black, face white, but the head and back/wing plumage are various shades of primarily darker blue. The bird is quite small, only a few inches in height. Photo credit: Britannica
October 25, 2025 at 3:06 AM
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The Sackville Place monument, on the Halifax waterfront, that together with the ship acts as a memorial to the 96,000 members of the Royal Canadian Navy that served during WW2. Over 2,000 Canadian sailors did not return home.

20/End.
A statue of a Canadian sailor on the way to his ship, during WW2. It is sited on the waterfront in Halifax, immediately next to HMCS Sackville's mooring. The statue is larger than life size, mounted on a low platform. The sailor is carrying a large kit bag in his left hand and has his hammock slung over his right shoulder. He is wearing a naval hat with the letters "HMCS". (HIs Majesty's Canadian Ship). He is wearing a naval uniform, with wide-bottom trouser/pants and a sailor's top and shirt. He is looking into the distance, seemingly anticipating the future.
August 31, 2025 at 4:28 AM
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Left: HMCS Sackville’s badge: the ship was named after port towns in both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Right: Life belt. HMCS Sackville was restored in the early 1980s and recommissioned in 1985 as Canada's Naval Memorial.

19/20
HMCS Sackville's official badge, showing the word "Sackville" above a diamond shape that is coloured in multiple red, yellow, blue and white sections, and surrounded by a yellow rope. Above the word Sackville is a crown with two sails embedded within it. The badge is mounted on a wooden background. An HMCS Sackville lifebelt, with the name of the ship visible in block capitals on the white sections at tope and bottom, and Canadian maple leafs painted in red in the centre of two blue sections on the left and right.
August 31, 2025 at 4:23 AM
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Left: HMCS Sackville’s bell
Right: Gunplate art. As on US ‘Flying Fortress” bombers, Canadian WW2 ships featured art unique to each ship. In this case, a ‘Sackfull’ of U-Boats is pictured.

18/20
HMCS Sackville's bell, with the ship's name engraved in black letters on a brass-coloured bell. A woven white rope is suspended around the clapper beneath. HMSC Sackville's gunplate art. Shown is a large arm holding a brown sack, with multiple U-Boats trying and failing to escape from the sack.
August 31, 2025 at 4:18 AM
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Left: A rather cramped galley, serving over 100 men.
Right: The most important ration: throughout WW2 (and indeed until 1972), RCN sailors received a daily rum ration at the noon hour of 71 ml of rum, roughly a large shot glass full.

17/20
The ship's galley, a kitchen with roughly a 15-foot counter, drawers below, shelves above and a large stove. A large vent is suspended above the stove. A 1940s glamour calendar hangs from the far wall. Canned food items are on display. A large (1500 ml) bottle of rum, with "Royal Canadian Navy RUM" clearly noted on the label. The label goes on to say that the run is blended and bottled expressly for the Royal Canadian Navy by Captain Morgan Rum Distillers limited of Waterloo, Ontario. The bottle is full and is unopened, with a cork stopper and clear glass.
August 31, 2025 at 4:14 AM
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Left: Ship’s Carpentry shop. Right: Sick Bay.
For a small ship, a lot was packed in, allowing for basic services.

16/20
Ship's carpentry shop, located in a small room on the main deck. A range of metal and woodworking tools are on display, allowing for minor repairs when required. Ship's Sick Bay, with multiple shelves of medicines in racks, a small desk with medical instruments, a sink and various books, posters and notices. An officer's jacket hangs from a peg. Typically, corvette's were small enough that it was not practical to have a fully-trained medical officer on board, so a junior officer with some medical training would typically fulfill the role.
August 31, 2025 at 4:09 AM
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HMCS Sackville's auxiliary steering, located immediately above the rudder. With this, it would be possible to steer the ship, if other parts of the ship were damaged.

15/20
A small claustrophobic room located above the rudder, surrounded by the ship's metallic hull. A large steering wheel is visible, as is a large gear, that directly controls the ship's rudder and therefore steering. This room could be used to steer the ship in an emergency.
August 31, 2025 at 4:01 AM
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View from above of the Engine room. A suspension device allows access to several valves above the boilers, that are not accessible otherwise. Just above the sailor’s head is a metal canopy with portholes, allowing in light from the deck.

14/20
Engine room from above. Grey-painted boilers line the centre of the engine room, with valves above them only accessible from a sailor suspended from a metal rail above. Walking rails are visible on either side of the boilers. Large pipes are visible, trailing in every direction. Steps at the rear of the room allow for an exit. The roof is a simple metal canopy, with port holes allowing in a surprisingly large amount of light.
August 31, 2025 at 3:58 AM
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View from stern – the QF (quick-firing) 2-pounder 'pom-pom' anti-aircraft gun is visible at centre. The funnel is decorated with a Barber pole stripe, showing that HMCS Sackville had been a member of Mid-Ocean Escort group C3, on Atlantic convoy duty.

13/20
HMCS Sackville viewed from the stern (while sailing past on a small boat). The pennant number K 181 is visible, pained on the very rear, between the holes where rear depth charges would be rolled out. The painted funnel is prominent, with the barber-pole stripe clearly in view. Carley floats, stacked on top of each other, are visible on both sides of the deck. The anti-aircraft pom-pom gun is visible on a raised platform above the Carley floats, with a full 360-degree turning potential.
August 31, 2025 at 3:54 AM
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Left: Depth charge setting chart, with depths from 50 to 500 feet.
Right: Noise-maker, cast off and suspended from the stern to attract acoustic homing torpedoes away from the ship. These torpedoes, called GNATs by the allies, were used by U-Boats from September 1943 onwards.

12/20
A Blackboard showing depth charge depth settings, as follows: A -50 feet; B - 100 feet; C - 50 feet; D - 100 feet; E - 150 feet; F 250 feet; G - 350 feet; H - 500 feet; J - 500 feet. This is displayed immediately next to the stern depth charge rails. An anti-acoustic torpedo noisemaker. The GNAT (German Navy Acoustic Torpedo) homed in on engine noise and was devastating when first used in September 1943. However a simple solution was quickly developed - the device on the left, a collection of metal bars loosely attached to each other, was suspended from a long rope through the pulley, also displayed. This would be reeled out a couple of hundred feet to the stern of the ship, drawing torpedoes toward the clanking noise and away from the ship.
August 31, 2025 at 3:50 AM
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At the stern of the ship, two rails of depth charges, with seven depth charges in each, await a target. HMCS Sackville damaged two U-Boats during her wartime service.

11/20
At the very stern of the ship, two rails of depth charges are suspended in a metal rack at chest height. There are seven depth charges in each rail, ready to be rolled out through the stern of the ship. Ropes and brakes ensure that the depth charges are not released too soon. Above the rails is a flag pole bearing the White Ensign, used by the Royal Canadian Navy throughout WW2. This is a Royal Navy flag showing the red cross of St George with the Union flag in the top left section.
August 31, 2025 at 3:43 AM
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The starboard deck / gangway, with every space used. Immediately ahead, a depth charge launcher. Spare depth charges are stored on the deck. Suspended above are two Carley floats, in case of sinking. For rescue, scramble nets are immediately to hand, stored in a rack at head height.

10/20
View looking aft along the starboard deck. A depth charge launcher sticks out diagonally across 2/3 of the deck gangway. Spare depth charges are stored on the deck with surrounding wedges to ensure they do not roll away. Suspended high above on a metal rack are two Carley floats, used to rescue men in an emergency / if the ship sinks. In the foreground on the right is the name "SACKVILLE" in brass letters mounted on a wooden background plate. Immediately next to the name is a metal rack attached to the deck wall at head height, holding an 8-10 foot wide scrambling ladder, that would be suspended over the ship's side to rescue men stranded in the water.
August 31, 2025 at 3:37 AM