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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 ST FRANCIS (I 93) - ex-US Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

 HMS Salisbury, sister-ship (Photo Ships, click to enlarge)

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Ex USS BANCROFT (Type A BURNHAM Class) built by Bethlehem Steel at Quincy. The ship was laid down on 4th November 1918 and launched on 20th March 1919. Commissioned on 30th June 1919 for US Naval  Service this ship was deployed in the Atlantic until 1922 when she was laid up in Reserve at Philadelphia. In December 1939 she was brought forward for US Navy use and deployed in the Atlantic until transferred to the Royal Navy under the UK/US Lend/Lease Agreement on 3rd September 1940. Commissioned on 24th September that year this destroyer was selected for use by the Royal Canadian Navy and renamed HMCS ST CROIX at Halifax. The name. like those of the other destroyers provided under this Agreement, was common to places in Britain or Canada and 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

 

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

 

 

1 9 4 0

 

September

 

24th - Transferred at Halifax and manned by RCN as HMCS BANCROFT.

 

Nominated for Local Escort duties based at Halifax.

 

October

 

Local escort duties in continuation

 

November

 

5th - Diverted to join search for German pocket battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER which had had attacked eastbound Convoy HX84.

 

On release from search resumed Local Escort duties at Halifax.

 

December

 

Deployment at Halifax in continuation.

 

Nominated for refit in UK.

 

 

1 9 4 1

 

January

 

15th - Took passage to UK as part of escort for routine mercantile convoy.

 

On arrival in UK taken in hand for refit at Clyde commercial shipyard. (Note: Most RN ships transferred were refitted at HM Dockyard, Devonport.).

 

February

 

On completion of refit to suit RCN escort requirements took passage to Tobermory and worked-up for operational service as a convoy escort.

 

March

 

Joined Escort Group EG4 for deployment in Western Approaches based at Greenock.

 

April to June

 

Deployed for Local Escort in NW Approaches with Group. Nominated for return to RCN duties based at St Johns for refit

 

July

 

Passage to St Johns as part of escort for routine mercantile convoy. On arrival taken in hand for refit at Pictou.

 

August to November

 

Under refit during which the after boiler was removed to increase bunker capacity to suit deployment as Ocean escort. Bridge structure was also modified.

 

December

 

On completion of post refit trials joined Newfoundland Escort Force for duty as a Mid Ocean escort.

 

 

1 9 4 2

 

January to August

 

Ocean escort duties in continuation.

 

September

 

Under repair at Londonderry. (Note: Installation of Radar Type 286M during this period to be confirmed. For details of the limitations of this RAF radar for naval use and for details of development of radar for naval use, see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)

 

October

 

Repair at Londonderry in continuation.

 

November

 

On completion resumed service as an Ocean escort.

 

December

 

5th - Taken in hand for refit at Halifax. (Note: It may be assumed that incidence of defects must have reduced availability for escort duties.)

 

 

1 9 4 3

 

January to March

 

Under refit.

 

April

 

Nominated for service with Canadian Escort Group C2 on completion of post refit trials.

 

16th - Harbour and Sea Trials on completion of dockyard work.

 

Joined Group for Atlantic convoy escort.

 

May to June

 

MOEF escort duties in continuation.

 

July

 

Under repair at Halifax and nominated for service with 9th Support Group on completion.

 

August

 

Joined Support Group and deployed for reinforcement of convoy escorts under attack or threat from U-Boat Groups.

 

September

 

Deployed with Group in support of passage of Atlantic convoys. (Note: Other ships in C9 Group were HM Frigate ITCHEN, HM Canadian Destroyer ST CROIX, HM Canadian Corvettes CHAMBLY, SACKVILLE and MORDEN.)

 

19th - Took part in anti-submarine operations in support of defence of westbound Convoys ONS18 and ON202 which had merged and were under threat of attack by LEUTHEN U-Boat Group. (Note: During the German attacks, the submarines used acoustic T5 torpedoes designed to attack escorts. See SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann for details. Sister destroyer HMCS ST CROIX and HM Corvette POLYANTHUS were both sunk by these weapons and HMS LAGAN was seriously damaged and later declared beyond economic repair.)

 

20th - Defence operations in continuation.

 

21st - Carried out attacks with Group against 12 submarines of LEUTHEN Group. during which HM Frigate ITCHEN was sunk with heavy loss of life including survivors from HMCS ST CROIX, of whom only one survived.

 

October

 

Deployment with SG9 in continuation.

 

Took passage to Shelburne, NS for repair of essential defects which reduced effective operational use.

 

November to December

 

Under repair.

 

 

1 9 4 4

 

January

 

Following survey, ship withdrawn from operational use.

 

February

 

Nominated for training duties at Halifax as Tender to HMCS CORNWALLIS.

 

March to December

 

Deployed at Halifax as static training ship.

 

 

1 9 4 5

 

January to May

 

Training duties at Halifax in continuation.

 

June

 

Nominated for transfer to Disposal List and took passage to Sydney.

 

8th - Paid-off and destored at Sydney. Sold to Boston Iron and Metal Co for demolition in Baltimore.

 

July

 

Taken in tow with HMCS HAMILTON by tug FOUNDATION SECURITY for passage to Baltimore (or Boston?).

 

14th - Involved in collision with US mercantile WINDING GULF and sustained serious structural damage

 

  

Special Note

 

As a result of this collision the tow parted and both ships cast adrift. One hulk was recovered for tow by the US Coastguard Ship HORNBEAM and delivered to shipbreaker in Baltimore (or Boston?). The other hulk was driven ashore off Sakonnet Point, Rhode Island and wrecked. The RCN records studied do not indicate which of the two destroyers was later taken in tow, but other sources record that  ST FRANCIS was the one driven ashore after the collision.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMCS ST FRANCIS

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

20/10/40

20/10/40

HX 082

21/10/40

06/11/40

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

03/04/41

03/04/41

OB 306

09/04/41

09/04/41

27/03/41

10/04/41

HX 117

14/04/41

15/04/41

15/04/41

15/04/41

OG 059

20/04/41

28/04/41

29/03/41

20/04/41

SL 070

23/04/41

23/04/41

15/05/41

16/05/41

OG 062

19/05/41

29/05/41

27/04/41

19/05/41

SL 073

21/05/41

25/05/41

07/07/41

07/07/41

OB 344

16/07/41

16/07/41

09/10/41

09/10/41

TC 014

12/10/41

17/10/41

11/10/41

14/10/41

SC 049

21/10/41

27/10/41

22/10/41

28/10/41

ON 029

02/11/41

05/11/41

16/11/41

19/11/41

SC 055

25/11/41

05/12/41

11/02/42

11/02/42

NA 003

14/02/42

19/02/42

22/02/42

27/02/42

SC 071

09/03/42

10/03/42

15/03/42

16/03/42

ON 076

23/03/42

31/03/42

05/04/42

09/04/42

SC 078

16/04/42

22/04/42

28/04/42

05/05/42

ON 090

09/05/42

15/05/42

29/05/42

31/05/42

SC 085

12/06/42

12/06/42

19/06/42

20/06/42

ON 105

27/06/42

30/06/42

06/07/42

09/07/42

HX 197

16/07/42

17/07/42

25/07/42

26/07/42

ON 116

01/08/42

12/08/42

12/08/42

20/08/42

ON 121

22/08/42

27/08/42

05/09/42

09/09/42

SC 099

19/09/42

20/09/42

17/11/42

20/11/42

ON 147

23/11/42

04/12/42

15/11/42

29/11/42

ON 146

05/12/42

08/12/42

16/04/43

16/04/43

SC 127

20/04/43

03/05/43

13/04/43

29/04/43

ONS 004

05/05/43

05/05/43

04/05/43

04/05/43

XB 049A

06/05/43

06/05/43

06/05/43

06/05/43

BX 049

08/05/43

08/05/43

19/05/43

21/05/43

HX 240

25/05/43

04/06/43

31/05/43

06/06/43

HX 242

14/06/43

15/06/43

24/06/43

25/06/43

ON 190

01/07/43

09/07/43

21/08/43

28/08/43

UT 001

04/09/43

04/09/43

26/09/43

27/09/43

ONS 019

09/10/43

14/10/43

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys) 

 

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revised 5/7/11
further editing is required