Able Seaman Raymond Burton
North Atlantic Escort Duty on the HMCS Merrittonia
Ray Burton and Royal Canadian Navy
My father-in-law, Raymond Burton, signed up with the Canadian Navy in 1943, and was called up for active service starting on 24 January 1944. In October of 1944, he was sent to Quebec City to await the finishing
of the corvette, HMCS Merrittonia.
The Merrittonia was commissioned on 10 November 1944, and was sent to the Bermuda area on a "shake down" cruise. Ray spoke about practicing with the anti-aircraft guns by shooting at gliders being pulled by airplanes.
The Merrittonia was assigned to the Mid-Ocean Escort Force as a trans-Atlantic convoy escort. She made her last trip in June of 1945. She was "paid off" in Sorel, Quebec on 11 July 1945.
Ray was discharged from the Navy on 4 Feb. 1946.
After Ray died in 2012, we found 2 photo albums, and about 100 negatives, of pictures (and some postcards) taken during his time in the Navy. He had never spoken of these photos.
