C-Class
Destroyer HMS COMET was ordered with sister
destroyer HMS CRUSADER from HM
Dockyard Portsmouth on 15th July 1930 under the 1929
Build Programme. This
programme was intended to include a full Flotilla of
eight ships with a
Flotilla Leader but on 30th January 1930 it was
announced that only four
destroyers and a Flotilla Leader would be built
under the estimates as part
of the economies being made during the depressed
economy of that period.
The ship was laid down on 12th September 1930 with
the CRUSADER and
launched on 30th September 1931, the same day as
CRUSADER. This
destroyer was the 13th to bear the name, introduced
in 1695 for a Bomb
Ship, and last borne by a destroyer built in 1910
and sunk by an Italian
submarine in the Mediterranean on 6th August 1918.
It was also used by a
tug lost by grounding in Tigris on 1st December 1915
and by a hired vessel
used as a decoy during WW2 and sunk by a mine off
Falmouth on 30th
September 1940. Build of this ship was completed on
2nd June 1932 and she was renamed HMCS RESTIGOUCHE
on 15th June 1938 after transfer to the Royal
Canadian Navy.
B
a t t l e H o
n o u r s a s H M
S C O M E T
GLORIOUS
1st OF JUNE 1794 - SYLPHE
Action
1806 - MESOPOTAMIA 1914-15
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Black, a Comet Silver.
M
o t t o
'Follow
the Light'
S u m m a r
y o
f P r e – W a r S e r v i c e
a s H M S C O M E T
1
9 3 2
May
Contractors
trials.
June
2nd
-
Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
Commissioned for service in 2nd
Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet.
On
completion
of Acceptance Trials worked-up in Home waters.
July
21st
-
Damaged in collision with sister destroyer HMS
CRESCENT at Chatham.
28th
-
Taken in hand by HM Dockyard, Chatham for repair
to propellers.
August
20th
- Resumed
duties with Flotilla in Home Fleet on completion of
repair work and post repair
trials.
September to December
Deployed
with
Flotilla for Home Fleet duties.
1
9 3 3
Home
Fleet exercises and visits programme
with normal leave periods.
1
9 3 4
January to
June
Home
Fleet
deployment with Flotilla in continuation
July
20th - Taken in hand by HM Dockyard,
Chatham for
routine docking and refit.
August
Under
refit
September
3rd
- Carried
out post refit trials on completion of dockyard work
before resuming Flotilla
duties.
October to
December
Deployed
with
Flotilla for Home Fleet duties.
1
9 3 5
January to July
Home
Fleet
deployment in continuation.
Nominated for detached service in Mediterranean.
(Note:
Following the Italian invasion of Abyssinia ships of
the Home Fleet were despatched
to reinforce the fleet in the Mediterranean at
Alexandria.)
August
Passage
to
Alexandria.
Nominated
for surveillance of Italian warship movements in Red
Sea
September
to
December
Deployed
with
sister ships of 2nd Flotilla in Red Sea.
1
9 3 6
January to
March
Red
Sea
deployment in continuation.
April
Nominated
for
return to Home Fleet duties and took passage to
Sheerness.
23rd
-
Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Sheerness.
May
Under
Refit
June
29th
-
Carried out post refit trials before resuming
Flotilla duties in Home Fleet.
July
Nominated
for
deployment with ships of Flotilla for patrol duties
off Spanish Coast in Bay of
Biscay and took passage for this duty. (Note:
Non-intervention patrols were
carried out to intercept shipping carrying
contraband goods into Spain and to
protect British flagged shipping.)
August to October
Home
Fleet
duties including patrol periods in Bay of Biscay.
(Note: Transfer to Royal Canadian
Navy of ships of this Class of destroyer was under
consideration by the
Admiralty as the deployment of a Flotilla made up of
only four ships was
presenting administrative difficulties.)
November
Reduced
to
Special complement pending result of current
transfer discussions. (Note:
Sister ship HMS CRUSADER was also subject to this
reduction.)
December
Nominated
for
special detached RN service in Mediterranean. Passage
to
Malta to act as plane guard attached to HM
Aircraft Carrier GLORIOUS.
26th
- Commenced
duties with HMS GLORIOUS.
1
9 3 7
January to February
Plane
Guard
duties with HMS GLORIOUS in continuation. (Note:
This duty was primarily
concerned with providing rescue facilities in the
event of an aircraft crashing
into the sea during take-off or landing procedures.)
March
Took
part with
HMS GLORIOUS in exercises by combined Home and
Mediterranean Fleets
held annually and based at Gibraltar. (Note: Because
of the civil war in Spain
all serials of the exercises were conducted in the
Atlantic with none in the
western Mediterranean. Special precautions were
taken to ensure ships were
clearly identified. See CARRIER GLORIOUS by J
Winton.)
April
Deployed
at
Gibraltar with HMS GLORIOUS. Nominated for
attendance at the Coronation Review
of the Fleet by HM King George VI at Spithead.
May
Passage
to
Portsmouth with HMS GLORIOUS.
9th
- Arrived
at Portsmouth to prepare for ceremonial duties at
Review.
20th
- Took
part in Review with 141 other RN ships including
eight battleships, two battle
cruisers, 16 cruisers, five aircraft carriers, a
seaplane carrier, 60
destroyers 22 submarines, five escort sloops, 20
minor warships and auxiliaries
including a Fleet oiler.
24th
- Taken in
hand by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth for repairs
June
Under
repair.
18th
- Resumed
operational duties.
26th
-
Deployed with HMS GLORIOUS at Falmouth.
Took part in briefing for series of Trade Defence
exercises in Western Approaches.
July
Deployed
for
exercises as Plane Guard for HMS GLORIOUS. For
details see above reference.
11th
-
Passage to Malta with HMS GLORIOUS on completion
of exercises.
16th
- Arrived
in Malta to resume Mediterranean Fleet duties.
August
Deployed
with
HMS GLORIOUS for major Fleet exercise as part of
Force F.
September
17th
- On
completion of Fleet exercise nominated for special
duty with HMS GLORIOUS to
provide anti-submarine protection for British
shipping following Italian
submarine deployments in support of Nationalist
forces. (Note: Several ships
had been attacked by these submarines
which wore
Spanish Nationalist colours.)
Took
passage to Gibraltar with HMS
GLORIOUS. (Note: Following Nyon
conference HMS
GLORIOUS was to be deployed based at Oran to provide
air patrols for defence
against submarines.)
22nd
-
Deployed at Oran with HMS GLORIOUS.
(Note: Air patrols were carried out.)
October
Returned
to
Malta with HMS GLORIOUS.
18th
- Arrived
in Malta.
25th
- Took
passage from Malta with HMS GLORIOUS which was to
re-commission.
30th
-
Returned to Chatham.
November to
December
Deployed
in
Home waters during period whilst HMS GLORIOUS was at
Devonport.
1
9 3 8
January
Resumed
Plane
Guard duties for HMS GLORIOUS.
17th
-
Sailed from Southampton with HMS GLORIOUS to
resume duties in Mediterranean.
24th
- Arrived
in Malta.
February
to April
Carried
out
Plane Guard duties during major exercises in
Mediterranean. (Note: These
included joint exercises with Home Fleet ships at
Gibraltar.)
Nominated
for return to UK to pay off
from RN service after agreement with RCN for
transfer.
May
Passage
to
Chatham.
Paid off prior
to being taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard,
Chatham.
26th
-
Taken in hand for refit.
(Note:
Ship became responsibility of RCN during
refit.)
June
Under
refit
15th
- Commissioned
for RCN service and renamed HMCS RESTIGOUCHE.
S
e r v i c
e a s H M C S
R
E S T I G O U C H E
July
Under
refit.
August
Harbour
trials.
20th
-
Carried out post refit sea trials in Nore
Command.
September
On
completion
of trials carried out work-up with RN ships at
Portland and in Home waters.
October
Took
passage to
Halifax with HM Canadian Destroyer OTTAWA (i).
(Note:
It may be assumed that ship's complement was brought
to required standard after
arrival.)
Continued
passage in
Atlantic to Panama with HMCS OTTAWA (i).
November
Passage
to
Esquimalt after transit of Panama Canal.
7th
- Arrived
at Esquimalt with HMCS OTTAWA (i)
to begin RCN
service in Pacific.
December
Deployed
at
Esquimalt
1
9 3 9
January to August
Carried
out
training and patrol duties in Pacific. (Note: RCN
ships based at Esquimalt
carried out exercises with those based at Halifax.
During this period RCN
destroyers were involved in escort and Guardship
duties during the visit to Canada by HM King George
VI and Queen Elizabeth.)
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)
September
Prepared
to
take-up war station.
October
Deployed
at
Esquimalt.
November
Nominated
for
Atlantic convoy defence
and took passage to Halifax.
December
Deployed
for
Atlantic convoy defence
between Halifax and
Newfoundland.
15th
- Took
passage via Panama to Halifax.
1
9 4 0
January to April
Atlantic
convoy
defence in
continuation.
Nominated for transfer to Western
Approaches Command in UK for convoy escort duties.
May
Prepared
for
service in UK.
24th
- Took
passage from Halifax to Plymouth.
31st
- Arrived
at Plymouth.
June
Taken
in hand
for modifications by HM Dockyard, Devonport. (Note:
After bank of torpedo tubes
were removed and 3in AA gun fitted, 2pdr Pom-pom
replaced by 0.5in machine
guns.) On
completion deployed to support
evacuation operations from French ports in Bay of
Biscay.
25th
- Rescued
survivors from HM Canadian Destroyer FRASER which
had sunk after a collision
with HM Cruiser CALCUTTA in the Gironde River.
July
On
release from
Bay of Biscay operations deployed for convoy defence
in Western Approaches based at Liverpool.
August
Nominated
for
refit at Halifax.
31st
- Took
passage from Liverpool to Halifax.
September
Taken
in hand
for refit at Halifax in RCN dockyard.
October to
November
Under
refit.
December
On
completion
of post refit trials deployed in Canadian waters.
Nominated for return to UK
for convoy defence.
1
9 4 1
January
Passage
to
Liverpool to resume duties in Western Approaches.
February to May
Deployed
for
escort of Atlantic convoys. (Note: Convoys to
eastern Atlantic were escorted to
a dispersal point in NW Approaches from whence
escorts transferred to west
bound convoys to UK.)
June
Transferred
to
Newfoundland Escort Force based at St Johns and took
passage from UK.
July
Deployed
for
escort of Atlantic convoys for passage in Atlantic.
August
4th
-
During escort deployment grounded in Placentia
Bay, Newfoundland and
sustained damage to propellers and underwater
fittings.
Taken in hand for repair at St
Johns.
September
Repair
transferred
to Halifax. Completion of repair commenced on
arrival.
October
Resumed
operational
service at St Johns on completion of repair.
November
Deployed
for
Atlantic convoy escort in Newfoundland Command.
December
13th
-
Sustained serious weather damage during passage to
join westbound convoy
ON44.
14th
- Took
passage to Clyde for repair.
20th
- Repair
arranged in Clyde commercial shipyard after arrival
1
9 4 2
January to
February
Under
repair.
March
Worked-up
at
Tobermory.
(Note: See SEEK and STRIKE by W Hackmann,
BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS by J Terraine
and ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY BY C Barnett for details
additional training of RCN
escorts.)
Nominated
for
service in 4th Canadian Escort Group EG4 at St
Johns. (Note: This Group was
also identified as Task Unit 24.1.14 to suit US Navy
system of identities used
for other warships deployed jointly.)
April
Joined
Group in
Home waters. (Note: Other ships in Group were: HM
Destroyer CHURCHILL, HM
Canadian Destroyer OTTAWA (i),
HM Canadian Corvettes*
BRANDON, AMHERST, COLLINGWOOD, SHERBROOKE,
WETASKIWIN (Ex BANFF), PICTOU, GALT
and HM Corvette CELANDINE. * Canadian-built entering
service during 1942 and
deployed in Canadian Groups before transfer.)
May
15th
- Group
joined eastbound Convoy ON95 in Liverpool as escort
during Atlantic passage.
29th
- Deployed
at St Johns and Group joined eastbound Convoy SC85
as escort during passage to
Clyde.
June
Detached
from
SC85 and took passage to support of defence
of
eastbound Convoy ONS102 by US Navy Escort Group A3.
(Note: EG A3 included US
Coastguard Cutters USS CAMPBELL, DUANE, INGHAM and
US destroyer USS LEARY.)
16th
- Under
attack by HECHT U-Boat Group and carried out A/S
operations. (For details see
HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
18th
-
HECHT Group attacks renewed and carried out depth
charge attacks.
(Note: One mercantile was sunk by
U124. See reference.). On release Group ships and
deployed as escort for
westbound Convoy ON 105 during passage from
Liverpool.
30th
- Group
detached from and deployed in eastern Atlantic.
July
6th
- Group
deployed as escort for eastbound Convoy HX197 during
passage to Clyde.
17th
- Group
detached and convoy arrived at Liverpool.
25th
- Group
joined westbound Convoy ONS116 as escort for
Atlantic passage.
August
Group
detached
from ONS116 and took passage to join eastbound
Convoy SC95. (Note: Convoy
ONS116 arrived off Boston on 12th.)
19th
-
Detached on arrival of SC95 at Liverpool.
September
4th
- Group
deployed as escort for westbound Convoy ON 127
during Atlantic passage.
Group
detached
from ON 127 after arrival in Home waters.
19th
- Group
deployed as escort for eastbound Convoy SC101 during
Atlantic passage.
October
5th
-
Detached from SC101 on arrival at Liverpool.
9th
- Group
deployed as escort for westbound convoy ON137 during
Atlantic passage.
Group
detached
from ON137 and took passage to St Johns. Deployed
with ships of Group
as escort for eastbound convoy SCI07 during passage
to Liverpool.
29th
- SC107
sighted by U522 and reported to Bdu.
VEILCHEN Group
formed
November
2nd to 4th
- Convoy under
sustained attacks by VEILCHEN Group, during which 15
mercantiles
were sunk. (Note: This was the fourth most
successful of all U-Boat attacks
made on North Atlantic convoys during WW2. For full
details see HITLER'S U-BOAT
WAR by C Blair.)
10th
- Group
detached from SCI07 on arrival at Liverpool.
17th
- Group
deployed as escort for westbound Convoy ON 147
during Atlantic passage.
December
Group
detached
from ON147 and took passage to St Johns. Group
deployed as escort for
eastbound Convoy SC112 during passage to Liverpool.
25th
- Group
detached from SC112 on arrival.
1
9 4 3
January to
December
Atlantic
convoy
defence in continuation
1
9 4 4
January to March
Atlantic
convoy
defence in
continuation.
Nominated for transfer to 12th
Escort Group and deployed in Home waters.
April
Joined
HM
Canadian Destroyer QU'APPELLE, SASKATCHEWAN and
SKEENA in EG 12
which was deployed for convoy defence
and
patrol in Western Approaches. Nominated for
anti-submarine support of planned
allied landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE).
May
Detached
with
Group for deployment in Plymouth Command.
June
Took
up station
in SW Approaches with Group to carry out
anti-submarine patrol to prevent any
access by U-Boats for attacks on invasion convoys.
6th
-
Deployed in assigned area.
7th
- Transferred
to an area north of Ushant and came under attacks by
acoustic torpedoes from U-Boats
against ships of Group, all of which were
unsuccessful! Took part in
anti-submarine attacks on detected submarines.
July
Deployed
with
Group for offensive patrols to attack traffic off
French coast (Operation
DREDGER).
5th
- Took part
in attack on convoy off Brest during which three
patrol boats were attacked and
V717 was sunk. (Note: Ships of Group sustained
damage from small calibre
return fire.)
8th
- Rescued
survivors from 0243 (?) which had been in air attack
that day.
August
Channel
deployment
in continuation.
12th
- Engaged
three trawlers during interception operation with
ships of Group and HM Escort Destroyer
ALBRIGHTON.
18th
- Deployed
with HM Canadian Destroyers KOOTENAY and CHAUDIERE
of 11th Escort Group and
took part in sinking of U621 in Bay of Biscay
position 45.52N 02.36W. (See
U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR
by C Blair.)
September
Nominated
for
refit and took passage to St Johns.
October
Under
refit.
November
Transferred
to
Halifax for completion of refit.
December
Refit
in
continuation at HM Canadian Dockyard, Halifax.
1
9 4 5
January
On
completion
of post refit trials took passage to Bermuda for
work-up.
February
Work-up
at
Bermuda.
14th
-
Returned to Halifax and deployed for Local Escort
of convoys.
March to
April
Halifax
deployment
in continuation.
May to August
Nominated
for
trooping duties after VE Day and took passage to UK
to collect Canadian
servicemen for return to Canada. (Note: Three trips
were made.)
September
Nominated
for
Paying-off.
October
Paid-off
and
de-stored.
P
o s t W a
r N o t e s
HMCS
RESTIGOUCHE
was placed on the Disposal List later in 1945 and
sold to
Foundation Maritime for demolition.
She
was broken-up in Halifax later that year.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMCS RESTIGOUCHE
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
10/12/39
|
10/12/39
|
TC
001
|
12/12/39
|
17/12/39
|
22/12/39
|
22/12/39
|
TC
002
|
24/12/39
|
30/12/39
|
04/01/40
|
04/01/40
|
HXF
015
|
06/01/40
|
15/01/40
|
06/01/40
|
06/01/40
|
HX
015
|
07/01/40
|
19/01/40
|
20/01/40
|
20/01/40
|
HXF
017
|
21/01/40
|
01/02/40
|
22/01/40
|
22/01/40
|
HX
017
|
23/01/40
|
07/02/40
|
30/01/40
|
30/01/40
|
TC
003
|
01/02/40
|
07/02/40
|
07/02/40
|
07/02/40
|
HX
019
|
08/02/40
|
22/02/40
|
22/02/40
|
22/02/40
|
HX
022
|
23/02/40
|
09/03/40
|
05/03/40
|
05/03/40
|
HX
025
|
06/03/40
|
20/03/40
|
13/03/40
|
13/03/40
|
HX
027
|
14/03/40
|
28/03/40
|
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
|
06/04/40
|
06/04/40
|
HX
033
|
07/04/40
|
20/04/40
|
10/04/40
|
10/04/40
|
HX
034
|
11/04/40
|
26/04/40
|
14/04/40
|
14/04/40
|
HX
035
|
15/04/40
|
29/04/40
|
22/04/40
|
22/04/40
|
HX
037
|
23/04/40
|
07/05/40
|
30/04/40
|
30/04/40
|
HX
039
|
10/05/40
|
15/05/40
|
08/05/40
|
08/05/40
|
HX
041
|
09/05/40
|
23/05/40
|
12/05/40
|
12/05/40
|
HX
042
|
13/05/40
|
28/05/40
|
16/05/40
|
16/05/40
|
HX
043
|
17/05/40
|
31/05/40
|
24/05/40
|
24/05/40
|
HX
045
|
25/05/40
|
08/06/40
|
11/06/40
|
18/06/40
|
TC
005
|
21/06/40
|
21/06/40
|
20/07/40
|
22/07/40
|
OA
187
|
25/07/40
|
unknown
|
08/07/40
|
25/07/40
|
SL
039
|
29/07/40
|
29/07/40
|
03/08/40
|
03/08/40
|
OA
193
|
07/08/40
|
07/08/40
|
27/07/40
|
08/08/40
|
HX
061
|
11/08/40
|
11/08/40
|
11/08/40
|
22/08/40
|
HG
041
|
24/08/40
|
26/08/40
|
11/11/40
|
11/11/40
|
HX
086
|
11/11/40
|
26/11/40
|
29/11/40
|
29/11/40
|
HX
092
|
30/11/40
|
12/12/40
|
10/12/40
|
10/12/40
|
HX
095
|
11/12/40
|
27/12/40
|
16/12/40
|
16/12/40
|
TC
008
|
21/12/40
|
25/12/40
|
22/12/40
|
22/12/40
|
HX
098
|
23/12/40
|
29/12/40
|
15/01/41
|
15/01/41
|
HX
103
|
16/01/41
|
01/02/41
|
17/02/41
|
24/02/41
|
TC
009
|
26/02/41
|
27/02/41
|
28/03/41
|
01/04/41
|
OB
303
|
unknown
|
03/04/41
|
06/04/41
|
16/04/41
|
HX
119A
|
21/04/41
|
22/04/41
|
30/04/41
|
30/04/41
|
SA
1
|
03/05/41
|
03/05/41
|
09/05/41
|
09/05/41
|
HP
|
12/05/41
|
24/05/41
|
22/05/41
|
22/05/41
|
WS
008B
|
26/05/41
|
04/06/41
|
16/05/41
|
28/05/41
|
HX
127
|
01/06/41
|
02/06/41
|
10/06/41
|
15/06/41
|
SC
034
|
18/06/41
|
29/06/41
|
10/06/41
|
16/06/41
|
HX
132
|
18/06/41
|
28/06/41
|
21/07/41
|
21/07/41
|
TC
012
|
26/07/41
|
29/07/41
|
09/10/41
|
09/10/41
|
TC
014
|
15/10/41
|
17/10/41
|
17/10/41
|
25/10/41
|
SC
050
|
31/10/41
|
04/11/41
|
01/11/41
|
06/11/41
|
ON
032
|
13/11/41
|
16/11/41
|
22/11/41
|
24/11/41
|
SC
056
|
05/12/41
|
10/12/41
|
07/12/41
|
12/12/41
|
ON
044
|
14/12/41
|
15/12/41
|
15/03/42
|
16/03/42
|
ON
076
|
28/03/43
|
31/03/42
|
05/04/42
|
09/04/42
|
SC
078
|
21/04/42
|
22/04/42
|
09/06/42
|
12/06/42
|
ON
102
|
21/06/42
|
25/06/42
|
19/09/42
|
23/09/42
|
SC
101
|
03/10/42
|
05/10/42
|
11/10/42
|
12/10/42
|
ON
137
|
22/10/42
|
29/10/42
|
24/10/42
|
30/10/42
|
SC
107
|
10/11/42
|
10/11/42
|
17/11/42
|
18/11/42
|
ON
147
|
28/11/42
|
04/12/42
|
04/12/42
|
11/12/42
|
SC
112
|
25/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
02/01/43
|
05/01/43
|
ON
158
|
17/01/43
|
23/01/43
|
22/01/43
|
27/01/43
|
HX
224
|
04/02/43
|
05/02/43
|
02/03/43
|
02/03/43
|
KMF
010B
|
09/03/43
|
09/03/43
|
10/03/43
|
10/03/43
|
MKF
010B
|
17/03/43
|
17/03/43
|
06/04/43
|
07/04/43
|
ON
177
|
17/04/43
|
23/04/43
|
18/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
HX
235
|
03/05/43
|
05/05/43
|
17/05/43
|
18/05/43
|
ONS
008
|
29/05/43
|
01/06/43
|
05/06/43
|
08/06/43
|
SC
133
|
19/06/43
|
19/06/43
|
03/07/43
|
04/07/43
|
ONS
012
|
15/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
19/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
SC
137
|
03/08/43
|
03/08/43
|
15/01/44
|
16/01/44
|
ON
220
|
28/01/44
|
04/02/44
|
13/02/44
|
17/02/44
|
HX
279
|
28/02/44
|
29/02/44
|
27/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
ONS
030
|
10/03/44
|
13/03/44
|
13/03/44
|
19/03/44
|
HX
283
|
28/03/44
|
29/03/44
|
13/03/45
|
13/03/45
|
TA
193
|
14/03/45
|
19/03/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
|