HMS Newfoundland
Forgotten freedom by Steve Bartlett
British warship getting its due from St. John's after more than six decades

February 4, 2008

It's been a long time coming for the HMS Newfoundland. An accolade bestowed upon the Second World War British warship 64 years ago will finally be acknowledged at St. John's City Hall. The crew of the colony class cruiser was granted Freedom of the City in May 1944 and that distinction will soon be included on a plaque in the E.B. Foran Room that recognizes other recipients of the honour, including the Royal Newfoundland Regiment and Brad Gushue's 2001 world junior championship curling team. "It's good news," says Ron Windebank. He's an archivist with the British-based HMS Newfoundland Association, an organization of more than 500 people dedicated to preserving the ship's memory.

The Royal Navy ship visited her namesake colony just once. It docked at St. John's in mid-May 1944 while en route to Britain from Boston, where it had undergone major repairs after being torpedoed in the stern during a 1943 battle in the Mediterranean Sea. The stopover was met with a lot of fanfare, with the crew getting treatment that today would be reserved for rock stars or royalty.

It received the Freedom of the City and numerous other local gifts, including over £11,000 towards the cost of the ship's armament. The money came from a campaign organized by The Evening Telegram. But through the years, it appears the Freedom of the City award has been forgotten.

During a visit to St. John's in November 2006, members of the HMS Newfoundland Association - many of whom served on the ship - discovered the vessel wasn't on the roll of Freedom of the City recipients. They wondered if the honour had been bestowed officially. It was either that, or its presentation had simply slipped through the hourglass with the sands of time.

"I don't know what happened," says Ron Penney, the city's chief commissioner and solicitor. "And we really can't find anything in our records." The association provided Penney with background information some months ago. Included was an article published in The Evening Telegram May 15, 1944. It notes that St. John's expressed its welcome by extending the crew the Freedom of the City.

Based on the evidence, the city decided to acknowledge the honour and has an HMS Newfoundland addition on order for the present plaque. Penney expects it to be in place in a few weeks. "It's a nice gesture to have them finally recognized here," he says.

The association is over the moon about HMS Newfoundland finally finding its way to the walls at City Hall. It ties up another piece of the ship's history, says Alan Waite, the group's treasurer. There are other Newfoundland-related loose ends the organization would like to tie up, too.

Among the other gifts presented during the St. John's stopover were a silver replica of a Newfoundland caribou, a silver communion and a large silk white ensign (or flag). The silver caribou sits in Government House, but the other items are on the missing list. Lady Eileen Walwyn - wife of then governor Sir Humphrey Walwyn - presented the ensign on behalf of a group known as the Women's Patriotic Association.

A unique piece of history was attached to it as the Second World War ended. HMS Newfoundland flew the flag at its masthead as part of the Allied fleet assembled in Tokyo Bay to accept Japan's surrender in 1945. During the event, it sent a signal to Newfoundland that read, "Your ensign flying in Tokyo Bay today September 2nd. Warmest greetings to all who presented it." As well, the ensign was later flown from the masthead superior to a Japanese naval flag as the HMS Newfoundland entered the harbour at Sydney, Au., and headed to its base there.

The silver communion, which was presented by the Cathedral clergy, and the ensign were placed in safe storage after the ship was sold to the Peruvian Navy in 1958-59. The items were sold at auction years later, but despite making various inquiries, the association has been unable to determine the buyer or whereabouts.

When members of the association visited St. John's in 2006, a local Legionnaire told them the ensign was in Newfoundland. "He said, 'I can't tell you who has got it, but I know it's over here," recalls Windebank. If someone knows where the items are, they can contact the association at the web link below.

Interestingly, there are other items belonging to the HMS Newfoundland scattered around different St. John's locations. Among the artifacts is the ship's bell. It sits in Crow's Nest officers club with a backdrop of the harbour the HMS Newfoundland visited just once so many years ago.

(Reprinted with the permission of Steve Bartlett and The Telegram)

 



Page published Feb. 9, 2008