James D. Prentice

Who was James D. Prentice?

Captain James Douglas 'Chummy' Prentice was a Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy officer who served with distinction in the Battle of the Atlantic. In addition to being credited with the destruction of four U-boats while at sea, he also played a significant role ashore in training the often inexperienced recruits required by the RCN to fulfill its expanded wartime role.

Although born and raised in British Columbia, he decided to join the Royal Navy in 1912 when his father forbade him from joining the newly formed Royal Canadian Navy. He retired from the RN in 1934 as a Lieutenant Commander when cutbacks during the Great Depression ended his possibility of promotion. He returned to British Columbia after his retirement from the RN and had been ranching for a living when war broke out in 1939.

After an initial period ashore in Sydney, Nova Scotia Prentice was appointed Senior Officer, Canadian Corvettes under Commodore Leonard W. Murray. This position gave him the dual responsibilities of developing tactical doctrine for all RCN corvettes as well as being Captain of HMCS Chambly, part of the Newfoundland Escort Force.