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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

HMCS COLUMBIA (I 49) - ex-US Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Leeds, Type D close sister-ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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Ex USS HARADEN (Type C NEWPORT-Class) built by Newport News Shipbuilders. The ship was laid down on 30th March 1918 and launched on 4th July that year. Commissioned on 6th June 1919 for US Naval Service this ship was deployed in Adriatic until 1920 when she was used as a training ship at Norfolk before reduction to Reserve in Philadelphia. Brought forward for US Navy use in December 1939 she was deployed for Neutrality Patrol duties until transferred to the Royal Navy under the UK/US Lend/Lease Agreement on 3rd September 1940. On 24th September that year this destroyer was selected for service with the Royal Canadian Navy and renamed HMCS COLUMBIA at Halifax. The name like those of other destroyers provided under this Agreement was common to places in Britain or Canada and in the USA.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

None are recorded in the Admiralty records but RCN Honours will be available in RCN records

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Similarly this will be held in RCN records

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e   a s   H M C S   C O L U M B I A

 

(for more ship information,  go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

 

 

1 9 4 0

 

September

 

24th - Transferred to Royal Navy at Halifax and manned by Canadian crew.

 

Commissioned as HMCS HARADEN. (Note: This name was later changed to HMCS COLUMBIA.)

 

October to December

 

Deployed at Halifax for Local Escort duties.

 

 

1 9 4 1

 

January

 

Halifax deployment in continuation. Nominated for refit in UK.

 

15th - Took passage to UK (Note: Ship probably joined escort of Atlantic convoy to Clyde.)

 

Passage to Plymouth.

 

February

 

Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Devonport. (Note: Refit included modifications to suit RCN convoy defence requirements which were not as extensive as those required for ships of this Class under RN control.)

 

March

 

On completion of refit work joined Western Approaches Command for convoy escort duties and attached to 4th Escort Group.

 

April to May

 

Deployed for convoy defence with Group.

 

Nominated for return to Canada for duty with Newfoundland Escort Force (NEF) on formation at St. Johns.

 

June

 

Passage to join NEF.

 

July to December

 

Deployed for convoy defence with NEF.

 

 

1 9 4 2

 

January

 

Convoy escort duties with NEF in continuation.

 

February

 

Under repair at Halifax.

 

March

 

Transferred to Western Local Escort Force (WLEF) and deployed for convoy defence between Canadian ports.

 

April to September

 

WLEF deployment in continuation.

 

October

 

24th - Deployed in support of eastbound Convoy SL107 under attack by several U-Boats south of Iceland escorted by ships of Canadian EG C4. (See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR BY C Blair for details.)

 

November to December

 

WLEF deployment in continuation.

 

 

1 9 4 3

 

January

 

Local Escort duties in continuation. Assisted sister ship HMCS CALDWELL which was adrift after breaking away from tow during passage between St Johns and Boston. Towed disabled destroyer to Halifax for repair.

 

February

 

1st - Taken in hand for refit at St John, NB.

 

March to April

 

Under refit.

 

May

 

On completion of post refit trials, rejoined WLEF at St Johns for Local Escort duties.

 

June

 

Joined Canadian Escort Group W4 for convoy defence.

 

July to November

 

Convoy escort duties with W4 in continuation.

 

December

 

Transferred to Canadian Escort Group W10 in continuation of escort duties.

 

 

1 9 4 4

 

January

 

Deployment with W10 in continuation.

 

February

 

25th - Struck cliff at Moreton Bay, Newfoundland and sustained major damage to bow structure (Note: Weather was foggy and radar may not have been serviceable.)

 

March to April

 

Awaiting repair to bow structure to allow tow.

 

May to August

 

Under temporary repair at Bay Bulls.

 

 Ship to be withdrawn from operational service.

 

September

 

Taken in tow to Liverpool, NS for use as a storeship.

 

October to December

 

Hulk used for storage of ammunition from ships being refitted.

 

 

1 9 4 5

 

January to May

 

Store ship use in continuation at Liverpool, NS.

 

June

 

12th - Paid-off at Sydney and placed on Disposal List.

 

 Sold to International Iron and Steel for demolition.

 

August

 

Taken in tow to Hamilton.

 

9th - Arrived at Breaker's Yard at Hamilton.

 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMCS COLUMBIA

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

 

 

 

 

 

Date Convoy Sailed

Joined Convoy as Escort

Convoy No.

Left convoy

Date Convoy Arrived

         

16/10/40

16/10/40

HX 081

17/10/40

02/11/40

24/10/40

24/10/40

HX 083

25/10/40

07/11/40

28/10/40

28/10/40

HX 084

29/10/40

05/11/40

14/11/40

14/11/40

HX 087

15/11/40

29/11/40

17/11/40

17/11/40

HX 089

18/11/40

01/12/40

26/12/40

26/12/40

HX 099

27/12/40

11/01/41

11/03/41

24/03/41

HX 114

unknown

30/03/41

03/04/41

03/04/41

OB 306

08/04/41

09/04/41

27/03/41

10/04/41

HX 117

15/04/41

15/04/41

15/04/41

15/04/41

OG 059

20/04/41

28/04/41

30/04/41

02/05/41

OB 317

06/05/41

06/05/41

17/04/41

10/05/41

SL 072

13/05/41

13/05/41

27/04/41

19/05/41

SL 073

25/05/41

25/05/41

29/05/41

30/05/41

OB 328

02/06/41

02/06/41

10/06/41

16/06/41

HX 132

18/06/41

28/06/41

10/06/41

16/06/41

SC 034

18/06/41

29/06/41

21/07/41

21/07/41

TC 012

26/07/41

29/07/41

22/07/41

25/07/41

HX 140

01/08/41

06/08/41

22/07/41

25/07/41

SC 038

01/08/41

08/08/41

31/07/41

05/08/41

ON 003

13/08/41

14/08/41

10/08/41

13/08/41

HX 144

13/08/41

30/08/41

29/08/41

29/08/41

HX 147

08/09/41

12/09/41

30/08/41

12/09/41

SC 042

16/09/41

20/09/41

13/09/41

19/09/41

ON 016

24/09/41

27/09/41

05/10/41

10/10/41

SC 048

17/10/41

22/10/41

16/10/41

23/10/41

ON 027

02/11/41

02/11/41

10/11/41

12/11/41

SC 054

22/11/41

26/11/41

25/11/41

30/11/41

ON 040

04/12/41

04/12/41

30/03/42

30/03/42

SC 077

03/04/42

16/04/42

17/04/42

17/04/42

SC 080

22/04/42

03/05/42

10/05/42

10/05/42

HX 189

13/05/42

20/05/42

06/05/42

17/05/42

ON 092

19/05/42

21/05/42

21/05/42

21/05/42

XB 021

22/05/42

23/05/42

05/06/42

05/06/42

SC 086

08/06/42

20/06/42

05/06/42

14/06/42

ON 101

18/06/42

18/06/42

26/06/42

26/06/42

SC 089

29/06/42

11/07/42

26/06/42

05/07/42

ON 107

09/07/42

09/07/42

10/07/42

10/07/42

BX 028B

12/07/42

12/07/42

17/07/42

17/07/42

SC 092

19/07/42

31/07/42

17/07/42

26/07/42

ON 113

31/07/42

31/07/42

09/08/42

09/08/42

HX 202

12/08/42

21/08/42

02/08/42

14/08/42

ON 118

unknown

20/08/42

21/08/42

21/08/42

BX 034C

23/08/42

23/08/42

29/08/42

29/08/42

SC 098

02/09/42

13/09/42

28/08/42

07/09/42

ON 125

10/09/42

12/09/42

29/08/42

16/09/42

ON 126

18/09/42

18/09/42

17/09/42

17/09/42

HX 208

20/09/42

02/10/42

11/09/42

22/09/42

ON 129

25/09/42

25/09/42

01/10/42

01/10/42

HX 210

04/10/42

16/10/42

26/09/42

14/10/42

ON 134

17/10/42

17/10/42

18/10/42

18/10/42

HX 212

21/10/42

02/11/42

17/10/42

21/10/42

TA 025

22/10/42

22/10/42

24/10/42

27/10/42

SC 107

01/11/42

10/11/42

25/10/42

03/11/42

ON 141

07/11/42

10/11/42

19/11/42

19/11/42

HX 216

22/11/42

06/12/42

25/11/42

28/11/42

SC 111

30/11/42

17/12/42

26/11/42

06/12/42

ON 149

10/12/42

12/12/42

19/12/42

22/12/42

SC 114

26/12/42

07/01/43

19/12/42

30/12/42

ON 155

02/01/43

06/01/43

04/01/43

07/01/43

SC 116

12/01/43

29/01/43

04/01/43

14/01/43

ON 159

17/01/43

20/01/43

24/06/43

06/07/43

ON 190

08/07/43

09/07/43

15/07/43

15/07/43

HX 248

21/07/43

29/07/43

14/07/43

25/07/43

ONS 013

29/07/43

29/07/43

30/07/43

01/08/43

HX 250

05/08/43

12/08/43

31/07/43

08/08/43

ON 195

11/08/43

13/08/43

14/08/43

24/08/43

ON 197

27/08/43

28/08/43

02/09/43

02/09/43

HX 255

08/09/43

16/09/43

15/09/43

28/09/43

ON 202

01/10/43

01/10/43

05/10/43

05/10/43

HX 260

11/10/43

20/10/43

05/10/43

16/10/43

ON 205

20/10/43

23/10/43

18/10/43

31/10/43

ON 207

03/11/43

04/11/43

13/11/43

13/11/43

HX 266

16/11/43

27/11/43

26/11/43

28/11/43

HX 268

29/11/43

11/12/43

17/11/43

28/11/43

ONS 023

02/12/43

02/12/43

15/12/43

15/12/43

SC 149

19/12/43

30/12/43

29/12/43

15/01/44

ONS 026

15/01/44

18/01/44

30/01/44

10/02/44

ON 222

13/02/44

16/02/44

20/02/44

22/02/44

HX 280

25/02/44

09/03/44

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 5/7/11
further editing is required