- Yes
- No
TL;DR:
Bluewater vessel, Canadian interwar destroyers, similar to HMS Gallant.
Overview:
The first warships ordered for the Canadian Navy, HMCS Saguenay and Skeena were the first ships of the Canadian River-class, formed from a group of 14 broadly similar destroyers purchased, transferred, or ordered from Britain. Saguenay and Skeena were based on the British A-class destroyers with “Canadianized” features. Compared to the British ships, they had strengthened bows to protect against ice, increased ventilation, a new bridge superstructure, oil heating, and a bunch of other minor modifications. The extensive modifications of the original design caused them to be nicknamed the “Rolls-Royce destroyers” by the British. Thornycroft was chosen to be the builder, and both ships were ordered and laid down in 1929. During the war, both ships would be gradually converted for convoy escort duty, losing some of its main guns for more ASW weaponry and having their funnels shortened.
HMCS Saguenay was commissioned in May 1931, the first warship specifically made for the Canadian Navy. During its early career it participated in various anniversary celebrations, like the quatercentenary of Jacques Cartier’s landing in Canada, the dedication of the Vimy Ridge memorial, and King George VI’s coronation. After war broke out, Saguenay was assigned to the newly created Halifax Force, and escorted HX-1, the first convoy from Halifax to Britain. Initially based in Canada it was later moved to Escort Group 10 in Scotland. In December 1940, Saguenay was hit by a torpedo from the Italian submarine Argo, blowing off the bow. However it didn’t sink, and was able to make it to Britain, at the cost of 21 men. Repairs lasted until May 1941. Then, it participated in the hunt for Bismarck, screening the British capital ships. Afterwards it was recalled back to Canada. In 1942, it was first hit by a storm, causing damages which took 3 months to repair. Then later in the year it was accidentally rammed by the freighter SS Azra, which detonated its depth charges, blowing up the stern and sinking the Azra, though with only 2 deaths. Saguenay rescued the survivors of the Azra and was towed to St. John’s. Repairs were deemed too costly, and instead the broken stern was plated over and it was turned into a training ship and tender to the training depot HMCS Cornwallis. It was scrapped in 1946.
HMCS Skeena was commissioned soon after its sister in June 1931. It was assigned to the west coast and was based at Esquimalt in Vancouver Island. During a training cruise in 1932, it arrived in El Salvador in a show of force during the communist uprising, but didn’t directly intervene. In 1936 during a cruise to the Caribbean, tropical weather and the refusal of the commander to give the crew a more relaxed workload led to a mutiny, but it was quickly dispersed by negotiations from the first mate. It also participated in King George VI’s coronation. After war broke out, Skeena was also assigned to the Halifax Force, and was later transferred to Britain as part of Escort Group 10. It was involved in a minor collision with Błyskawica (as you can see Canadian destroyers love getting into collisions), and in 1941 returned to Canada for refit. It became the flagship of the Newfoundland Escort Force, and was responsible for the sinking of U-588 in 1942. For the rest of the war, Skeena escorted transatlantic convoys. In 1944 it and the rest of its escort group took shelter in Iceland from a large storm. During the storm the anchor dragged and the ship ran aground on Viðey Island with the loss of 15 men. The damage was so severe it was declared a total loss, and in 1945 was sold and scrapped.
Ship List:
HMCS Saguenay (H01) - 1936 (D79), 1941 (I79)
HMCS Skeena (H03) - 1930s (H43), 1936 (D59), 1941 (I59)
Specifications:
Armament:
As Built
4x1 4.7" (120mm) QF Mk.IX* in CPXIV mount
2x1 40mm Vickers 2pdr Mk.IIc
2x2 7.7mm Lewis
2x4 533mm TT
2 DCTs
DCR1940
4x1 4.7" (120mm) QF Mk.IX* in CPXIV mount
1x1 3" (76mm) QF 12pdf
2x4 12.7mm Vickers
1x4 533mm TT
2 DCTs
DCRSaguenay 1942
3x1 4.7" (120mm) QF Mk.IX* in CPXIV mount
1x1 3" (76mm) QF 12pdf
4x1 20mm Oerlikon
2x4 12.7mm Vickers
1x4 533mm TT
4 DCTs
2 DCRSkeena 1944
2x1 4.7" (120mm) QF Mk.IX* in CPXIV mount
6x1 20mm Oerlikon
1x4 533mm TT
1x24 Hedgehog ASW mortar
4 DCTs
2 DCRDisplacement:
1337 tons standard
~1900-2000 tons fullLength: 97.5m
Beam: 10.8m
Draft: 3.1m
Propulsion: 2 Parsons steam turbines with 3 Thornycroft boilers, 32 000 hp, driving 2 shafts
Speed: 35 - 36 knots (64.8 - 66.7 km/h)
Range: 5000 nmi (at 15 knots)
Crew: 173-181
Systems:
As Built
Fire director
9’1/2" rangefinder1942
Fire director
9’1/2" rangefinder
Type 286M search radarSkeena 1944
Type 286M search radar
Type 271 search radar
Images:
Sources:
Butterley, K. and Macpherson, K. (2006). River Class Destroyers of the Royal Canadian Navy (pp. 10-28). Vanwell.
Campbell, N. J. M. (1992). Great Britain (including Empire Forces). In eds. R. Gardiner, & R. Chesneau, Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1922-1946 (pp. 37-38). Conway
Campbell, S. D. (2017). Tin-Can Canucks: A Century of Canadian Destroyers (pp. 26-34). Kay Cee.
https://www.canada.ca/en/navy/services/history/ships-histories/saguenay.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/navy/services/history/ships-histories/skeena.html
https://furnessstoriesbehindthestones.co.uk/stories/hmcs-saguenay-canadian-sailors/
Images:
https://twitter.com/RoyalCanNavy/status/1202284415474384897
http://www.forposterityssake.ca/Navy/HMCS_SAGUENAY_D79.htm
http://www.forposterityssake.ca/Navy/HMCS_SKEENA_D59.htm