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HMCS Alberni secrets revealed

Talk covers Alberni Valley maritime heritage.

The Port Alberni Maritime Heritage Society and Royal Canadian Legion Branch 293 are teaming up to bring the next Maritime Heritage Night to the Valley on Thursday, March 26 from 7–10 p.m. This month’s talk will be on The Alberni Project, with executive director Lewis Bartholemew.

HMCS Alberni was a Second World War Flower Class corvette built at Yarrows Ltd shipyard in Esquimalt in 1941. She was named, like all the corvettes, after a Canadian small city to encourage support from ordinary Canadians.

In August 1944 she was torpedoed and sank with the loss of 59 of her 90 crewmen.

Local artist Doug Harrison recently donated his painting of the Alberni to be displayed at the PAMHS Maritime Discovery Centre. This gift encouraged PAMHS to co-sponsor this presentation about the ship.

Lewis Bartholemew founded The Alberni Project after seeing a painting of the corvette on the BC Ferry Queen of Alberni. He now runs a permanent museum in Comox dedicated to the ship. He will bring his mobile display of artifacts to this presentation.

Bartholemew will tell many tales about the ship, its crew and his work at The Alberni Project.

There are many stories in Port Alberni about our relationship with this corvette. A flag from the ship is proudly displayed in the Legion Hall. Bartholemew has some information about the city’s relationship with the vessel, and is encouraging anyone else with artifacts or stories to come and share them.

The event takes place at the Legion, 4680 Victoria Quay, from 7–10 p.m. Admission is by donation which can be applied to membership in PAMHS.