HMCS Saguenay (D79) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

HMCS Saguenay (D79/I79) was a River-class destroyer

Canadian River class destroyer

The River class was a class of fourteen destroyers of the Royal Canadian Navy that served before and during the Second World War. They were named after Canadian rivers.-Description:...

that served in the Royal Canadian Navy

Royal Canadian Navy

The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...

from 1931-1945.

She was similar to the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

's A-class

A class destroyer

The A class was a flotilla of eight destroyers built for the Royal Navy as part of the 1927 naval programme. A ninth ship, Codrington, was built to an enlarged design to act as the flotilla leader...

and initially wore the pennant

Pennant number

In the modern Royal Navy, and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth, ships are identified by pennant numbers...

D79, changed in 1940 to I79.

She was built by John I. Thornycroft & Company

John I. Thornycroft & Company

John I. Thornycroft & Company Limited, usually known simply as Thornycroft was a British shipbuilding firm started by John Isaac Thornycroft in the 19th century.-History:...

at Woolston, Hampshire and commissioned into the RCN on 21 May 1931 at Portsmouth

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. Saguenay and her sister were the first ships specifically built for the RCN. Her first two commanding officers went on to become two of the most important Admirals of the Battle of the Atlantic. She arrived in Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

, on 3 July 1931.

Second World War
For the first month of Second World War, HMCS Saguenay was assigned to convoy duties in the Halifax area. In late September 1939, she was assigned to the American and West Indies Squadron based at Kingston, Jamaica

Kingston, Jamaica

Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...

.

On 23 October 1939, the German

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

-flagged tanker Emmy Friederich scuttled herself on encountering Saguenay in the Yucatan Channel

Yucatán Channel

The Yucatán Channel is a strait between Mexico and Cuba. It connects the Yucatán Basin of the Caribbean Sea with the Gulf of Mexico. The strait is across between Cape Catoche in Mexico and Cape San Antonio, Cuba and reaches a maximum depth of .-References:...

, and thus became the Canadian destroyer's first war conquest. In December 1939, Saguenay returned to Halifax to join the local convoy escort force, with which she remained until 16 October 1940, when she was transferred to Greenock

Greenock

Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...

, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

to serve as a convoy escort on the North Atlantic run. On 1 December 1940, Saguenay was torpedoed 300 miles (482.8 km) west of Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

by the Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

submarine Argo while escorting Convoy HG-47, and managed to return to Barrow-in-Furness

Barrow-in-Furness

Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...

largely under her own power, but with 21 dead and without most of her bow.

After repairs at Greenock, she returned to sea on 22 May 1941. Saguenay was assigned to Escort Group C-3 escorting convoys ON-93, HX-191, ONS-104, SC-90, ON-115, HX-202, ON-121, SC-98, ON-131, HX-210 and ON-141 prior to a collision while escorting SC-109. On 15 November 1942, Saguenay was rammed by the Panamanian freighter Azra off Cape Race, Newfoundland

Dominion of Newfoundland

The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...

. The impact of the collision set off Saguenay's depth charges, which blew off her stern.

She made port at Saint John, New Brunswick

Saint John, New Brunswick

City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...

, where her stern was plated over. On 23 May 1943, Saguenay was transferred to Halifax, to serve with the Western Ocean Escort Force working from Halifax and St. John's, Newfoundland

Dominion of Newfoundland

. In October 1943 Saguenay was towed to Digby, Nova Scotia

Digby, Nova Scotia

Digby is a Canadian town in western Nova Scotia. It is the shiretown and largest population centre in Digby County.The town is situated on the western shore of the Annapolis Basin near the entrance to the Digby Gut which connects the basin to the Bay of Fundy.Named after Admiral Robert Digby, RN,...

, as a tender assigned to , the Royal Canadian Navy's training depot for new entries (recruits). She was used for teaching seamanship and gunnery until 30 July 1945, paid off in late 1945, and broken up in 1946.

Commanding officers

Cdr.
Commander (Canada)
In the Royal Canadian Navy, the rank of Commander is a Naval rank equal to a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Army or Air Force. A Commander is senior to aLieutenantCommander or an Army or Air Force Major, and junior to a Captain or Colonel....

P.W. Nelles
Percy W. Nelles
Percy Walker Nelles, CB was a flag officer in the Royal Canadian Navy and the Chief of the Naval Staff from 1934 to 1944. He oversaw the massive wartime expansion of the RCN and the transformation of Canada into a major player in the Battle of the Atlantic. During his tenure U-boats raided the...

, RCN
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...

(22 May 1931—6 June 1932)
Cdr. L.W. Murray
Leonard W. Murray
Rear Admiral Leonard Warren Murray, CB, CBE was a officer of the Royal Canadian Navy who played a significant role in the Battle of the Atlantic. He commanded the Newfoundland Escort Force from 1941–1943, and from 1943 to the end of the war was Commander-in-Chief, Canadian Northwest Atlantic...

, RCN (7 June 1932—22 May 1934)
Cdr. R.I. Agnew, RCN (22 May 1934—5 May 1936)
Cdr. W.J.R. Beech, RCN (6 May 1936—29 June 1938)
LCdr.
Lieutenant-Commander (Canada)
In the Royal Canadian Navy, the rank of lieutenant-commander is the naval rank equal to major in the army or air force and is the first rank of senior officer...

F.L. Houghton, RCN (30 June 1938—7 July 1939)
LCdr. G.L. Miles, RCN (8 July 1939—21 April 1941)
Lt.
Lieutenant (Canada)
Lieutenant is a rank of the Canadian Forces. As with the rank of Captain , the naval rank is superior to the Land/Air rank.A naval Lieutenant is equivalent to ranks with a NATO code of OF-2, whereas land/air Lieutenants are equivalent to ranks with a NATO code of OF-1.The rank insignia of a naval...

P.E. Haddon, RCN (22 April 1941—7 April 1942)
A/(Acting) Cdr. D.C. Wallace, RCNR (8 April 1942—14 January 1943)
Lt. J.W. McDowall, RCN (15 January 1943—11 March 1943)
Lt. J.H. Ewart, RCNVR
Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve was a naval reserve force of the Royal Canadian Navy, which replaced the Royal Navy Canadian Volunteer Reserve .-Foundation:...

(24 August 1943—17 May 1944)
Lt. W.C. Hawkins, RCNVR (18 May 1944—6 October 1944)
A/Lt. W.E. Hughson, RCNVR (7 October 1944—15 April 1945)
Lt. K.P. Blanche, RCNVR (16 April 1945—30 July 1945)

Convoys escorted by HMCS Saguenay

HX 001 16/09/39 17/09/39
HX 012 12/12/39 13/12/39
HX 013 20/12/39 22/12/39
HX 014 29/12/39 30/12/39
HX 016 14/01/40 15/01/40
HX 018 31/01/40 10/02/40
HX 019 07/02/40 08/02/40
HX 021 18/02/40 19/02/40
HX 024 02/03/40 03/03/40
HX 026 10/03/40 11/03/40
HX 026 18/03/40 19/03/40
HX 030 25/03/40 26/03/40
HX 032 02/04/40 03/04/40
HX 034 10/04/40 11/04/40
HX 036 18/04/40 19/04/40
HX 03826/04/40 27/04/40

Trans-Atlantic convoys escorted

Convoy	Escort Group	Dates	Notes
HX 132 HX convoys The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom...		14-23 June 1941	Newfoundland to Iceland Iceland Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
HX 137 HX convoys The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom...		9-17 July 1941	Newfoundland to Iceland
SC 60 SC convoys The SC convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys that ran during the battle of the Atlantic during World War II.They were east-bound slow convoys originating in Sydney, Cape Breton ; from there they sailed to ports in the UK, mainly Liverpool.For a time after the entry of the...		18-27 Dec 1941	Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 52 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:...		5-11 Jan 1942	Iceland to Newfoundland
SC 79 SC convoys The SC convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys that ran during the battle of the Atlantic during World War II.They were east-bound slow convoys originating in Sydney, Cape Breton ; from there they sailed to ports in the UK, mainly Liverpool.For a time after the entry of the...	MOEF group C3 Mid-Ocean Escort Force Mid-Ocean Escort Force referred to the organization of anti-submarine escorts for World War II trade convoys between Canada and the British Isles...	19-27 April 1942	Newfoundland to Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
ON 93 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:...	MOEF group C3	9-15 May 1942	Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 191 HX convoys The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom...	MOEF group C3	28 May-5 June 1942	Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 104 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:...	MOEF group C3	18-27 June 1942	Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
SC 90 SC convoys The SC convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys that ran during the battle of the Atlantic during World War II.They were east-bound slow convoys originating in Sydney, Cape Breton ; from there they sailed to ports in the UK, mainly Liverpool.For a time after the entry of the...	MOEF group C3	6-16 July 1942	Newfoundland to Norther Ireland
ON 115 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:...	MOEF group C3	25-31 July 1942	Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 202 HX convoys The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom...	MOEF group C3	12-17 Aug 1942	Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 121 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:...	MOEF group C3	17-20 Aug 1942	Iceland to Newfoundland
SC 98 SC convoys The SC convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys that ran during the battle of the Atlantic during World War II.They were east-bound slow convoys originating in Sydney, Cape Breton ; from there they sailed to ports in the UK, mainly Liverpool.For a time after the entry of the...	MOEF group C3	2-12 Sept 1942	Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 131 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:...	MOEF group C3	19-28 Sept 1942	Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
HX 210 HX convoys The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom...	MOEF group C3	7-15 Oct 1942	Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 141 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:...	MOEF group C3	26 Oct-2 Nov 1942	Northern Ireland to Newfoundland

Commanding officers

Convoys escorted by HMCS Saguenay

Trans-Atlantic convoys escorted

See also