HMCS Cayuga, Ship's Company, 1951-52.
Many thanks to Russell Hodgkin who sent me this photo. He said in part: " Dad (CPO William Phillip Hodgkin) was also on board the Cayuga twice. The first time when she sailed in company with the Athabaskan, the Crescent, the Antigonish, and the Ontario, to Hawaii in Oct 1948. (The purpose of this voyage is still unknown to me.) His second time assigned to the Cayuga -- June 1951 to August 1952 -- was for her second tour in Korea. I believe this was the first time she sailed with the new hull number 218. Which helps me then determine that the photo of the ship's crew which I recently discovered among my Father's effects, is from Korea and not Hawaii.
" As the senior Canadian ship on the tour, they were responsible for carrying the RCN doctor on board. Before the tour was over, this fellow was revealed to be the imposter Ferdinand Demara, posing as Dr. Joseph Cyr. My Father mentioned having late night conversations with this man, although no suspicion as to his true identity ever arose until the benefit of hindsight was employed. Point being, if the crew photo was taken before the ship sailed, it might be probable that Demara's visage may also be somewhere among the group. " [Editor's note: being an officer, he would have been in the front row. Comparison of on-line images of Demara with the Cayuga's officers fails to find an obvious match, but two possibilities are 4th from the left or 2nd from the right.]
" My Dad is the handsome fellow in the third row (from the front, 5th from the left), with the big grin . . . . There are three autographs on the print, (Ken Fisher, Mike Kostet(?), and James Plomer), but I don't know what roles these men had on board the ship. . . . . "
5th row from the front, 5th from right, is Frank V. Fast.
2nd row from the front, the Petty Officer 3rd from right is PO Fred West.
CLICK HERE TO SEE AN ENLARGEMENT OF THE ABOVE PHOTO.
HMCS Cayuga at sea. This is the top portion of the poster containing the crew photo, above.
Can you provide names, details, corrections or more information?
Please email Charlie Dobie.