A-Class destroyer modified to suit RCN requirements
and ordered by the Canadian
Government from John I
Thornycroft
at Woolston
on 29th February 1929 with HMCS
SKEENA. The ship was laid down
as Yard No. 1091 on 27th
September 1929 and launched on
11th July
1930. Build was completed on
22nd May 1931 and she was then
commissioned for service in the
Royal
Canadian Navy. Before the
outbreak of war in September
1939 this destroyer was
deployed with the Eastern
Division of the RCN based at
Halifax.
B
a t t
l e H o n o u r s
As
this ship belonged to the
Royal Canadian Navy there is no
record
in the
Admiralty Listing of Battle
Honours
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Similarly
details are not
available in the Admiralty
Record of Ships Badges.
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 3 9
September
Deployed
for Local Escort of Atlantic
convoys to and from Newfoundland. Transferred
to
America and West Indies Station
and deployed for interception of blockade
runners based at Kingston, Jamaica with RN ships.
October
Deployed
with HM Cruisers ORION and CARADOC
for patrol duties.
23rd - Sighted German freighter EMY FRIEDRICH during
patrol with HMS ORION. (Note: Enemy ship scuttled on approach.)
November
West Indies deployment in continuation.
December
Transferred
to Halifax and took passage to
resume Atlantic convoy escort
duties.
1
9 4 0
January
Deployed
at Halifax for Local Escort.
February to September
Halifax deployment in continuation. (For
details
of Atlantic convoy defence
see Naval Staff History,
ALLIED CONVOY
SYSTEM
IN WW2 by A Hague, U-BOAT WAR IN
THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and THE
BATTLE
OF THE ATLANTIC by D MacIntyre.)
October
Transferred
to RN Escort Group for convoy defence
in NW Approaches based in UK. Took passage to join Group in Western Approaches
Command.
November
Deployed
for convoy escort in NW Approaches
including HX47.
December
1st
- Hit by torpedo fired from
Italian submarine ARGO 300 miles
from
Irish coast
during
escort of HX47. Bow structure destroyed and three of ship's company
killed.
Withdrawn
from escort and took passage under
own power to Barrow for
repair
in
commercial shipyard.
1
9 4 1
January to April
Under repair including fit of new bow structure. Nominated
for
service with Newfoundland Escort
Force based in St. Johns on
completion of repair.
May
Post refit
trials.
23rd
- Took passage from Greenock to
resume convoy defence
with new Group.
June to
July
Deployed
with Newfoundland Escort Force.
August
Detached
for escort of HM Battleship PRINCE
OF WALES during passage in
western
Atlantic.
(Note:
HMS PRINCE OF WALES was taking
Winston Churchill to Placenta Bay, Newfoundland
for
Atlantic Charter Meeting with US
President.)
9th - Joined escort during final stage of passage to
Placenta Bay.
12th - Released from escort and resumed Atlantic
convoy defence
duties.
September to
December
Atlantic
convoy defence
deployment with
Newfoundland Escort Force in
continuation.
1
9 4 2
January
Deployed
with escort for Convoy OS52.
Sustained
serious structure
damage in adverse weather
conditions. On
arrival at St. Johns with
OS52 withdrawn from service and
taken in hand for repair.
February to April
Under repair.
Nominated
for service with 3rd
Canadian Escort Group on
completion of post repair
trials
and work-up.
May
Joined
HM Canadian Destroyer SKEENA, HM
Canadian Corvettes WETASKIWIN, SACKVILLE,
GALT and CAMROSE for escort of
Convoy HX191.
(For
details of changes in
convoy defence
and enemy tactics see SEEK AND
STRIKE, HITLER'S
U-BOAT WAR and Naval Staff
History.)
June
Atlantic convoy escort in continuation.
July
Joined escort of Convoy ON115 with HM Canadian
Destroyers SKEENA and HAMILTON, HM Canadian Corvettes AGASSIZ, SACKVILLE and
WETASKIWIN.
August to
October
Atlantic convoy defence in
continuation.
November
15th - Involved in collision with Panamanian
mercantile AZRA during escort of
convoy and sustained
serious
damage to stern
structure when depth charges
exploded after release. Ships
disabled
and taken in tow to St John, New
Brunswick for repair.
(Note:
There were no
casualties.)
On survey ship declared beyond economic repair. Structure
sealed to allow passage under tow
to Halifax.
December
Ship
in use for shore training of new
entry ratings as a tender to HMCS
CORNWALLIS.
1
9 4 3
t o
1 9 4 4
Training deployment at Halifax in continuation.
1
9 4 5
January to
June
Training
deployment at Halifax.
July
30th - Paid-off and placed on Disposal List.
P o s t W a
r N o t e s
HMCS SAGUENAY was sold for breaking-up
by
International Iron and Metal at
Hamilton, Ontario and arrived
there under tow in 1946.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMCS
SAGUENAY
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
16/09/39
|
16/09/39
|
HX 001
|
17/09/39
|
30/09/39
|
19/09/39
|
19/09/39
|
HXF 001
|
20/09/39
|
29/09/39
|
25/09/39
|
25/09/39
|
HXF 002
|
26/09/39
|
04/10/39
|
12/12/39
|
12/12/39
|
HX 012
|
13/12/39
|
27/12/39
|
19/12/39
|
19/12/39
|
HXF 013
|
20/12/39
|
30/12/39
|
20/12/39
|
20/12/39
|
HX 013
|
22/12/39
|
04/01/40
|
27/12/39
|
27/12/39
|
HXF 014
|
29/12/39
|
08/01/40
|
29/12/39
|
29/12/39
|
HX 014
|
30/12/39
|
12/01/40
|
12/01/40
|
12/01/40
|
HXF 016
|
13/01/40
|
24/01/40
|
14/01/40
|
14/01/40
|
HX 016
|
15/01/40
|
28/01/40
|
28/01/40
|
28/01/40
|
HXF 018
|
29/01/40
|
08/02/40
|
31/01/40
|
31/01/40
|
HX 018
|
10/02/40
|
16/02/40
|
04/02/40
|
04/02/40
|
HXF 019
|
05/02/40
|
17/02/40
|
07/02/40
|
07/02/40
|
HX 019
|
08/02/40
|
22/02/40
|
18/02/40
|
18/02/40
|
HX 021
|
19/02/40
|
04/03/40
|
02/03/40
|
02/03/40
|
HX 024
|
03/03/40
|
17/03/40
|
10/03/40
|
10/03/40
|
HX 026
|
11/03/40
|
26/03/40
|
18/03/40
|
18/03/40
|
HX 028
|
19/03/40
|
02/04/40
|
25/03/40
|
25/03/40
|
HX 030
|
26/03/40
|
09/04/40
|
02/04/40
|
02/04/40
|
HX 032
|
03/04/40
|
17/04/40
|
10/04/40
|
10/04/40
|
HX 034
|
11/04/40
|
26/04/40
|
18/04/40
|
18/04/40
|
HX 036
|
19/04/40
|
03/05/40
|
26/04/40
|
26/04/40
|
HX 038
|
27/04/40
|
12/05/40
|
04/05/40
|
04/05/40
|
HX 040
|
05/05/40
|
19/05/40
|
12/05/40
|
12/05/40
|
TC 004
|
14/05/40
|
21/05/40
|
20/05/40
|
20/05/40
|
HX 044
|
21/05/40
|
03/06/40
|
24/05/40
|
24/05/40
|
HX 045
|
25/05/40
|
08/06/40
|
28/05/40
|
28/05/40
|
HX 046
|
29/05/40
|
12/06/40
|
02/06/40
|
02/06/40
|
HX 047
|
03/06/40
|
17/06/40
|
05/06/40
|
05/06/40
|
HX 048
|
06/06/40
|
20/06/40
|
09/06/40
|
09/06/40
|
HX 049
|
10/06/40
|
24/06/40
|
11/06/40
|
11/06/40
|
TC 005
|
13/06/40
|
21/06/40
|
13/06/40
|
13/06/40
|
HX 050
|
14/06/40
|
30/06/40
|
07/07/40
|
07/07/40
|
HX 056
|
08/07/40
|
22/07/40
|
11/07/40
|
11/07/40
|
HX 057
|
12/07/40
|
26/07/40
|
15/07/40
|
15/07/40
|
HX 058
|
16/07/40
|
31/07/40
|
19/07/40
|
19/07/40
|
HX 059
|
20/07/40
|
03/08/40
|
27/07/40
|
31/07/40
|
HX 061
|
10/08/40
|
11/08/40
|
04/08/40
|
04/08/40
|
HX 063
|
05/08/40
|
19/08/40
|
08/08/40
|
08/08/40
|
HX 064
|
10/08/40
|
23/08/40
|
08/08/40
|
08/08/40
|
SHX 064
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
12/08/40
|
12/08/40
|
HX 065
|
14/08/40
|
27/08/40
|
12/08/40
|
12/08/40
|
SHX 065
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
16/08/40
|
16/08/40
|
HX 066
|
18/08/40
|
31/08/40
|
16/08/40
|
16/08/40
|
SHX 066
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
20/08/40
|
20/08/40
|
HX 067
|
22/08/40
|
04/09/40
|
20/08/40
|
20/08/40
|
SHX 067
|
22/08/40
|
unknown
|
24/08/40
|
24/08/40
|
HX 068
|
26/08/40
|
08/09/40
|
28/08/40
|
28/08/40
|
HX 069
|
30/08/40
|
12/09/40
|
28/08/40
|
28/08/40
|
SHX 069
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
05/09/40
|
05/09/40
|
HX 071
|
06/09/40
|
20/09/40
|
09/09/40
|
09/09/40
|
HX 072
|
10/09/40
|
21/09/40
|
21/09/40
|
21/09/40
|
HX 075
|
22/09/40
|
07/10/40
|
26/09/40
|
26/09/40
|
HX 076
|
27/09/40
|
10/10/40
|
30/09/40
|
30/09/40
|
HX 077
|
01/10/40
|
15/10/40
|
08/10/40
|
08/10/40
|
HX 079
|
09/10/40
|
23/10/40
|
24/10/40
|
04/11/40
|
HX 083
|
05/11/40
|
07/11/40
|
24/10/40
|
05/11/40
|
SC 009
|
09/11/40
|
09/11/40
|
09/11/40
|
21/11/40
|
SC 011
|
26/11/40
|
26/11/40
|
20/11/40
|
30/11/40
|
HG 047
|
01/12/40
|
04/12/40
|
06/04/41
|
16/04/41
|
HX 119A
|
20/04/41
|
22/04/41
|
09/05/41
|
12/05/41
|
HP
|
12/05/41
|
24/05/41
|
10/06/41
|
14/06/41
|
HX 132
|
23/06/41
|
28/06/41
|
10/06/41
|
16/06/41
|
SC 034
|
23/06/41
|
29/06/41
|
21/06/41
|
26/06/41
|
OB 338
|
03/07/41
|
03/07/41
|
06/07/41
|
09/07/41
|
HX 137
|
17/07/41
|
22/07/41
|
17/07/41
|
22/07/41
|
OB 348
|
30/07/41
|
31/07/41
|
26/08/41
|
27/08/41
|
TC 012B
|
01/09/41
|
01/09/41
|
08/09/41
|
08/09/41
|
CT 002
|
14/09/41
|
14/09/41
|
16/12/41
|
18/12/41
|
SC 060
|
27/12/41
|
31/12/41
|
31/12/41
|
05/01/42
|
ON 052
|
11/01/42
|
11/01/42
|
11/04/42
|
19/04/42
|
SC 079
|
27/04/42
|
27/04/42
|
08/05/42
|
09/05/42
|
ON 093
|
15/05/42
|
17/05/42
|
24/05/42
|
28/05/42
|
HX 191
|
05/06/42
|
06/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
18/06/42
|
ON 104
|
27/06/42
|
02/07/42
|
03/07/42
|
06/07/42
|
SC 090
|
16/07/42
|
16/07/42
|
24/07/42
|
25/07/42
|
ON 115
|
01/08/42
|
08/08/42
|
09/08/42
|
12/08/42
|
HX 202
|
17/08/42
|
21/08/42
|
12/08/42
|
17/08/42
|
ON 121
|
20/08/42
|
27/08/42
|
29/08/42
|
02/09/42
|
SC 098
|
12/09/42
|
13/09/42
|
18/09/42
|
19/09/42
|
ON 131
|
28/09/42
|
04/10/42
|
01/10/42
|
07/10/42
|
HX 210
|
15/10/42
|
16/10/42
|
25/10/42
|
26/10/42
|
ON 141
|
02/11/42
|
10/11/42
|
13/11/42
|
13/11/42
|
HJ 018
|
15/11/42
|
15/11/42
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)