HMCS Saguenay (D79)

HMCS "Saguenay" (D79) was a "River"-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1931-1945.

She was similar to the Royal Navy's "A"-class and wore both pennants D79 and I79 during her service.

She was built by John I. Thornycroft & Company at Woolston, Hampshire and commissioned into the RCN on 21 May 1931 at Portsmouth, England. "Saguenay " and her sister warship|HMCS|Skeena|D59 were the first ships specifically built for the RCN. She arrived in Halifax, on 3 July 1931.

World War II

For the first month of World War II, 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.

On October 23, 1939, the German-flagged tanker "Emmy Friederich" scuttled herself on encountering "Saguenay" in the Yucatan Channel, 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 October 16, 1940, when she was transferred to Greenock, Scotland to serve as a convoy escort on the North Atlantic run. On December 1,1940, "Saguenay" was torpedoed 300 miles west of Ireland by the Italian submarine "Argo" while escorting Convoy HG-47, and managed to return to Barrow-in-Furness largely under her own power, but with 21 dead and without most of her bow.

After repairs at Greenock, she returned to sea on May 22,1941. 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."North Atlantic Run", Marc Milner, 1985, Naval Institute Press ISBN 0-87021-450-0] On November 15,1942, "Saguenay" was rammed by the Panamanian freighter "Azra" off Cape Race, Newfoundland. The impact of the collision set off "Saguenay's" depth charges, which blew off her stern.

She made port at Saint John, New Brunswick, where her stern was plated over. On May 23, 1943, "Saguenay" was transferred to Halifax, to serve with the Western Ocean Escort Force working from Halifax and St. John's, Newfoundland. In October 1943 "Saguenay" was towed to Digby, Nova Scotia, as a tender assigned to HMCS "Cornwallis", the Royal Canadian Navy's training depot for new entries (recruits). She was used for teaching seamanship and gunnery until July 30, 1945, paid off in late 1945, and broken up in 1946.

Commanding Officers

* Cdr P.W.Nelles (RCN) 22/5/1931 - 6/6/1932
* Cdr L.W.Murray (RCN) 7/6/1932 - 22/5/1934
* Cdr R.I.Agnew (RCN) 22/5/1934 - 5/5/1936
* Cdr W.J.R. Beech (RCN) 6/5/1936 - 29/6/1938
* LCdr F.L.Houghton (RCN) 30/6/1938 - 7/7/1939
* LCdr G.L.Miles (RCN) 8/7/1939 - 21/4/1941
* Lt P.E.Haddon (RCN) 22/4/1941 - 7/4/1942
* A/(Acting)Cdr D.C.Wallace (RCNR) 8/4/1942 - 14/1/1943
*Lt J.W.McDowall (RCN) 15/1/1943 - 11/3/1943
*Lt J.H.Ewart (RCNVR) 24/8/1943 - 17/5/1944
*Lt W.C.Hawkins (RCNVR) 18/5/1944 - 6/10/1944
*A/(Acting)Lt W.E.Hughson (RCNVR) 7/10/1944 - 15/4/1945
*Lt K.P.Blanche(RCNVR) 16/4/1945 - 30/7/1945

References

* Macpherson, Keneth R. and Burgess, John. (1982)(Second Printing)The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910-1981. Collins Publishers. ISBN 0-00-216856-1

ee also

* List of ships of the Canadian Navy