Mumford Court is named in memory of Engine Room Artificer (ERA) Leonard Kempster Mumford, RCNVR.
Leonard Kempster Mumford was born in Little Current, Manitoulin Island, ON in 1919 and, being the son of a Methodist/United Church minister, moved frequently, first to Toronto then Hagersville. While in Toronto, Leonard completed his education and graduated from Central Technical High School. Mechanically minded, he worked in a machine-shop after leaving school and later in an aircraft plant. He joined the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1942 and went on to train as an Engine Room Artificer (ERA). In early 1943, he was transfered to HMCS ATHABASCAN and remained with the ship throughout the war. ERA Mumford was killed and lost at sea on 29 April 1944, when his ship was torpedoed off the coast of France. Leonard Mumford was 25 years old and is commemorated on the Halifax Memorial.
HMCS ATHABASKA was commissioned in Feb 1943 and assigned to the British Home Fleet. In March 1943, she sailed for her first mission patrolling the Iceland-Faeroes Passage area and in Jun 1943, she took part in OP GEARBOX III, the relief of the garrison at Spitsbergen. In Jul and Aug 1943 she was based at Plymouth, carrying out anti-submarine patrols in the Bay of Biscay, and on 27 Aug 1943 was hit by a glider bomb off the Spanish coast. ATHABASKAN managed to reach Devonport, where she remained under repair until Nov 1943. During the Dec – Jan period , she escorted three convoys after which she returned to Plymouth Command. On 26 Apr 1944 she assisted in the destruction of German torpedo boat T-29 in the Channel off Ushant, and three days later was sunk by a torpedo from T-24 north of Ile de Batz. Her captain and 128 men were lost; among them was ERA Mumford.
