Royal Canadian Navy Destroyers (St. Laurent Class), 1950–1989
Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) 1950–1989,
St. Laurent Class Destroyers
(RCN Photo)
Restigouche-class destroyer HMCS Kootenay (DDE 258), Replenishment oiler HMCS Provider (AOR 508), Restigouche-class destroyer HMCS Gatineau (DDE 236), Cape-class maintenance ship HMCS Cape Scott, St. Laurent-class destroyer HMCS Ottawa (DDH 229), Majestic-class aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure, St. Laurent-class destroyer HMCS Margaree (DDH 230), Annapolis-class destroyer HMCS Nipigon (DDH 266) and St. Laurent-class destroyers HMCS St. Laurent (DDH 205), St. Laurent-class HMCS Fraser (DDH 233) and HMCS Saguenay (DDH 206).
St. Laurent-class helicopter destroyers (initially built as destroyer escorts, later refit and redesignated)
HMCS Assiniboine (DDH 234) (II); HMCS Fraser (DDH 233) (II); HMCS Margaree (DDH 230) (II); HMCS Ottawa (DDH 229) (III); HMCS St. Laurent (DDH 205) (II); HMCS Skeena (DDH 207) (II); HMCS Saguenay (DDH 206) (II)
HMCS Assiniboine (DDH 234) (II)
(DND Photo)
HMCS Assiniboine (DDH 234) (II), was the first ship delivered postwar to the RCN by Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel, Quebec, and was commissioned there on 16 Aug 1956. In January 1959, after two years' service on the east coast, she was transferred west, and in Jul 1959, had the honour of carrying Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip from Vancouver to Nanaimo. In Jun 1962 she began her conversion to a helicopter carrying destroyer (DDH), the first of her class to under the procedure, which was largely carried out by the Victoria Machinery Depot. Re-commissioned on 28 Jun 1963, she returned to Halifax. In Jan 1975, Assiniboine took off the crew of the freighter Barma, which was shipping water 185 miles off Boston. Between Apr and Nov 1979, she completed her Destroyer Life Extension (DELEX) program at Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal. On 30 Jun 1981, HMCS Assiniboine grounded on Point Pleasant Shoal at the entrance of Halifax Harbour. In Jan 1984, while en route to Florida for Exercise Northern Wedding, a crack was found in Assiniboine's main deck. She was forced to return to Halifax after a port visit at Fort Lauderdale while the rest of the squadron continued on the exercise. En route to Halifax she had to remain within sight of land. Later that year, while acting as escort for the Tall Ships race from Bermuda to Halifax, HMCS Assiniboine took a lead role in the search for survivors of the lost British sailing vessel Marques, but sadly only one was found. On 17 Jul 1984, HMCS Assiniboine went into refit at Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel, Quebec. After thirty-two years' service, and with more than 700,000 nautical miles under her keel, she was paid off on 14 Dec 1988, afterward serving as a floating classroom for fleet technicians at Halifax until Jan 1995, when she was turned over to Crown Assets for disposal. She was sold for scrap in 1995.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Assiniboine (DDH 234) (II),
(Comox Air Force Museum Photo)
HMCS Assiniboine (DDH 234) (II), with a Piasecki HUP-3 helicopter, RCN (Serial No. 51-16622) landing on the rear deck, Aug 1963.
(Comox Air Force Museum Photo)
HMCS Assiniboine (DDH 234) (II), with a Piasecki HUP-3 helicopter, RCN (Serial No. 51-16622) on the rear deck, Aug 1963.
(Comox Air Force Museum Photo)
HMCS Assiniboine (DDH 234) (II), with a Piasecki HUP-3 helicopter, RCN (Serial No. 51-16622) landing on the rear deck, Aug 1963.
(Michael Forshaw Photo)
HMCS Assiniboine (DDH 234) (II).
(PH1 Mussi, USN Photo)
HMCS Assiniboine (DDH 234) underway in the Norwegian Sea. The ship's Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King helicopter hovers over the water off the ship's port quarter.
(Author Photo)
HMCS Assiniboine (DDH 234), with the Argentine sail training ship ARA Libertad, Halifax, Nova Scotia, c1974.
(USN, Official U.S. Naval Archives Photo)
HMCS Assiniboine (DDH 234)
HMCS Fraser (DDH 233) (II)
(USN Photo)
HMCS Fraser (DDH 233) (II), shown here underway in 1983. Laid down by Burrard Dry Dock Co., Ltd, Vancouver and completed by Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt, HMCS Fraser was commissioned on 28 Jun 1957, and served on the west coast. On 16 Jan 1958, HMCS Fraser, along with HMCS Cayuga 218, HMCS Crescent 226, HMCS Margaree 230, and HMCS Skeena 207 departed Esquimalt, BC, for a Far Eastern Training cruise. On 7 Apr 1964, the ashes of Vice Admiral Howard Emmerson Reid, who Crossed the Bar 3 May 1962, were consigned to the sea from HMCS Fraser. On 12 Jan 1965 HMCS Fraser departed Esquimalt for blast tests of Kahoolawe, Hawaii. The blast test was conducted on 6 Feb 1965 and during the trip back to Esquimalt, on 23 Mar 1965 the ashes of Rear Admiral Ernest Patrick (Pat) Tisdall were consigned to the sea. HMCS Fraser arrived back in Esquimalt on 16 Apr 1965. HMCS Fraser then transferred coasts and proceeded to Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, where on 2 Jul 1965 she began her conversion to DDH configuration. She was re-commissioned on 22 Oct 1966, and was thereafter based at Halifax. On 15 Jun 1967, HMCS Fraser conducted the first landings of a Sea King helicopter. She demonstrated the Canadian-designed Beartrap helicopter haul-down system at Washington, DC, in Oct 1967. On 14 May 1969 HMCS Fraser attended the Spithead Review off Portsmouth as Canada's representative. During her 1970 Great Lakes deployment HMCS Fraser visited Thunder Bay as part of the celebrations of the amalgamation of Port Arthur and Port Williams into the city of Thunder Bay. On 12 Apr 1973, HMCS Fraser was paid off into Category "C" Reserve and was re-commissioned on 11 Mar 1974. On 17 Jul 1976, HMCS Protecteur, along with HMCS Skeena and HMCS Fraser arrived at Montreal in support of the 1976 Olympics. She underwent her DELEX refit at Canadian Vickers Ltd., between 19 Oct 1981 and 28 May 1982, and was thereafter utilized for testing. She was the first RCN ship to be fitted (1986) with an experimental towed array sonar system (ETASS), and was made the test bed for the NIXIE torpedo decoy system and later a tactical aircraft beacon (TACAN). In 1988 she was equipped to operate the HELTAS helicopter, equipped for a passive acoustic role. HMCS Fraser was among the ships enforcing UN sanctions against Haiti between Oct 1993 and Mar 1994. She returned from her first tour in time for Christmas 1993, and sailed for her 2nd tour on 1 Jan 1994. On 10 Jan 1994, HMCS Fraser experienced a minor boiler room fire in which 4 crew members suffered minor injuries. HMCS Fraser arrived in the Haiti Op Area on 13 Jan 1994 and departed on 25 Mar 1994 having completed two tours during which she conducted 73 boardings and 450 hailings; spending 134 days on station. She arrived back in Halifax on 31 Mar 1994. By this time, she was the sole survivor of her class, and in October 1994, she replaced HMCS Assiniboine in her classroom role until 18 Dec 1997, when she arrived at Bridgewater to become a floating museum. The conversion to a museum never transpired and she was later sold and broken up at Port Maitland, Ontario, 2010-2011. Her 3"50 was removed and shipped to the Reserve Unit HMCS Prevost where it was mounted.
(USN Photo)
HMCS Fraser (DDH 233) (II).
(F.R. Volpe, USN Photo)
HMCS Fraser (DDH 233) (II).
(Author Photo)
HMCS Fraser (DDH 233) (II), view from the MacDonald bridge, Halifax, ca 1973.
(Cathy Robinson Photo)
HMCS Fraser (DDH 233) (II).
(Daryl Payne Photo)
HMCS Fraser (DDH 233) (II).
(USN Naval History and Heritage History Photos)
HMCS Fraser (DDH 233) (II)
HMCS Margaree (DDH 230) (II)
(USN Photo)
HMCS Margaree (DDH 230) (II). A product of Halifax Shipyards Ltd., HMCS Margaree was commissioned on 5 Oct 1957 for services on the west coast. She was named after the Margaree River, Cape Breton Island, NS. On 16 Jan 1958 Margaree, in company with HMCS Cayuga 218, Crescent 226, HMCS Fraser 233, and HMCS Skeena 207 departed Esquimalt, BC, for a Far Eastern Training cruise, returning on 2 Apr 1958. She began her conversion to a DDH at Victoria Machinery Depot on 25 Sep 1964. Re-commissioned on 15 Oct 1965, she returned to Halifax. On 1 Apr 1979, some 200 nautical miles south of Halifax, using gunfire she sank the bow section of the tanker Kurdistan, which had been towed there for that purpose after breaking in half on 15 Mar 1979 south of Cabot Strait. On 12 Mar 1980, HMCS Margaree and HMCS Huron rescued the crew of the stricken MV Maurice Desgagnes. HMCS Margaree commenced her DELEX refit at Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, on 5 May 1980, being towed to HMC Dockyard, Halifax, when it appeared she might become ice-bound before its completion the following year. In later years she was several times Canada's representative in Standing Naval Force Atlantic (SNFL). In Aug 1991 HMCS Margaree took part in a re-enactment of the signing of the Atlantic Charter at Argentia, Newfoundland. Paid off on 2 May 1992, she was sold to Global Shipping Co., Tampa, Florida, for $193,393.00. She departed Halifax under tow of the Russian Tug Afanasiy for India, to be broken up on 14 Mar 1994.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951255)
HMCS Margaree (DDH 230) (II), 10 Feb 1958.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951237)
HMCS Margaree (DDH 230) (II), Esquimalt, BC, ca 1958.
(Calvin Locke Photo)
HMCS Margaree (DDH 230) (II), aerial view.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Margaree (DDH 230) (II), aerial view.
(PH1 Michael D.P. Flynn, USN Photo)
HMCS Margaree (DDH 230) (II), underway during exercise Fleet Ex 1-90.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3923520)
HMCS Margaree (DDH-230) with a Grumman CS2F-2 Tracker aircraft in flight.
(Marko Babic Photo)
HMCS Margaree (DDH-230), in the Pacific, 1961.
(USN Naval History and Heritage Photos)
HMCS Margaree (230).
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951238)
HMCS Margaree Destroyer Escort (DDH 230) arriving in Esquimalt, British Columbia, c1960s. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951238)
HMCS Ottawa (DDH 229) (III)
(Brian Dobing Photo), as a DDE.
HMCS Ottawa (DDH 229) (III). Built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, HMCS Ottawa was commissioned there on 10 Nov 1956. In 1957 she was fitted with an experimental deck over her stern to test the feasibility of operating a helicopter from a ship of her type. On 2 Mar 1961, HMCS Ottawa in company with HMCS Saguenay 206, and HMCS St. Laurent 205 departed Esquimalt for Operations with US Carrier Division 17 off Hawaii; returning to Esquimalt on 4 Apr 1961. She began her DDH conversion at Victoria on 24 May 1963 . Re-commissioned on 28 Oct 1964 and destined to be based at Halifax, she left Esquimalt on 2 Feb 1965. In 1968 HMCS Ottawa became Canada's first designated francophone naval unit. She returned to her builder for DELEX refit, 19 Apr to 26 Nov 1982.
From 4 Aug 1984 until 31 Dec 1984, HMCS Ottawa was part of the Standing Naval Force Atlantic, having relieved HMCS Fraser at a turnover in Lubeck Germany. Port visits during this deployment were: Lubeck, Germany (4-7 Aug), Copenhagen, Denmark, (10-13 Aug), Aarhus, Denmark (17-21 Aug), Hamilton, Bermuda (7-10 Sep), Halifax, NS (20-26 Sep), Charleston, NC (1-22 Oct), Savannah, GA (27-30 Oct), Mayport, FL (30 Oct - 1 Nov), Island of Montserrat (10-14 Nov), New Orleans, LA (20-24 Nov), Mayport, FL (28 Nov -05 Dec). From 20 Jun 1988 to 29 Jul 1988, HMCS Ottawa carried out a St. Lawrence River and Great lakes cruise.
She was paid off on 31 Jul 1992, and on 4 Apr 1994, after being sold to Global Shipping Co., Tampa, Florida, for $243,000.00, she departed Halifax under tow of the Russian Tug (Ukrainian flagged) Sapfir, destined for India to be broken up.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Ottawa (DDH 229) (III).
(Andrew Hurst Photo)
HMCS Ottawa (DDH 229) (III), visiting Malta.
(Bruce Walter Photo)
HMCS Ottawa (DDH 229) (III), arriving at Ponta Delgada, Azores.
HMCS Saguenay (DDH 206) (II)
(KimJongUnchained Photo)
HMCS Saguenay (DDH 206) (II). Built by Halifax Shipyards Ltd., HMCS Saguenay was commissioned on 15 Dec 1956. On 11 Jun 1957, HMCS Saguenay was presented with the "Kingdom of Saguenay" flag by Chicoutimi, Quebec. She transferred to the west coast in 1959. On 28 Mar 1960, HMCS Saguenay, in company with HMCS Ottawa 229, and HMCS St Laurent 205 departed Hong Kong after a port visit during an operational cruise in the Pacific. They returned to Esquimalt on 29 Apr 1960. On 2 Mar 1961, HMCS Saguenay, in company with HMCS Ottawa 229, and HMCS St. Laurent 205 departed Esquimalt for Operations with US Carrier Division 17 off Hawaii; returning to Esquimalt on 4 Apr 1961. Burrard Dry Dock Ltd started her conversion to a DDH on 22 Aug 1963. Re-commissioned on 14 May 1965, she returned that July to Halifax. On 15 Jul 1970, HMCS Saguenay was grounded off Port Hood, NS. She was re-floated the next day, and was not damaged by the grounding. In October 1977, she took part in Exercise Ocean Safari and in Jan/Feb 1978 she was on Fish Pat. She began her DELEX refit at Versatile Vickers, Montreal, on 29 Oct 1979, returning to service on 23 May 1980. On 3 Apr 1986, HMCS Saguenay has a misfire of her 3"50 gun off Osborne Head, NS. The guns crew and one civilian received non life-threatening injuries. On 16 Aug 1986, while on SNFL exercise in the Baltic, she collided with the German submarine U-17. Returning home for repairs, she was again in service in Mar 1987. HMCS Saguenay was paid off on 26 Jun 1990 and, on 25 Jun 1994 at 1100 hrs, she was scuttled as a recreational divers' wreck between Cross Island and Sculpin Shoal, outside Lunenburg, NS.
(DND Photo)
HMCS Saguenay (DDH 206) (II).
(DND Photo)
HMCS Saguenay (DDH 206) (II).
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4821229)
HMCS Saguenay (DDH 206) (II) and HMCS Ottawa (DDH 229), Key West, Florida, 1957.
HMCS Skeena (DDH 207) (II)
(City of Vancouver Archives Photo)
HMCS Skeena (DDH 207) (II). Built at Burrard Dry Dock, Vancouver, HMCS Skeena was commissioned on 30 Mar 1957. On 16 Jan 1958, HMCS Skeena, in company with HMCS Cayuga 218, HMCS Crescent 226, Fraser 233, and HMCS Margaree 230, departed Esquimalt, BC, for a Far Eastern Training cruise; returning to Esquimalt on 2 Apr 1958. On 26 May 1964, HMCS Skeena 207 DDE, departed Esquimalt for the east coast for her conversion to DDH which began on 1 Jul 1964 at Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec. On 14 Aug 1965, after a year's work, she was re-commissioned in DDH format and allocated for service out of Halifax. On 27 Jul 1970, along with HMCS Annapolis and HMCS Protecteur, she departed Halifax to celebrate Manitoba's Centennial with visits to Fort Churchill, Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet and Wakeham Bay. In 1972 she was designated a French Language Unit. On 17 Jul 1976, HMCS Protecteur, along with HMCS Skeena and HMCS Fraser arrived at Montreal in support of the 1976 Olympics. HMCS Skeena underwent her DELEX refit at Montreal between 12 Apr and 20 Nov 1981. On 22 May 1985 HMCS Skeena 207 and USS Richard F. Byrd departed Leixoes, Portugal to intercept and observe the Kiev Task Group that entered the Atlantic from the Mediterranean. In the summer of 1991 she took part in the NATO exercise Ocean Safari '91, soon afterward visiting St. Lawrence and Great Lake ports to encourage recruiting and public awareness. She was paid off on 1 Nov 1993, and on 3 Jul 1996 left Halifax in tow for India to be broken up.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951241)
HMCS Fraser and HMCS Skeena, ca 1960s.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951155)
HMCS Skeena (DDH 207) (II), testing anti-radioactive fallout wetting spray in Bedwell Harbour, BC, 1957.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4821372)
HMCS Skeena (DDH 207) (II), commissioning, 1957.
(City of Vancouver Archives Photo)
HMCS Skeena (DDH 207) (II).
(DND Photo)
HMCS Skeena (DDH 207) (II). RASing from HMCS Ontario, 1958.
(US Naval History and Heritage Photo)
HMCS Skeena (DDH 207) (II).
HMCS St. Laurent (DDH 205) (II)
(City of Vancouver Archives Photo)
HMCS St. Laurent (DDH 205) (II), 1966. Name ship of her trend-setting class of "Cadillacs," HMCS St. Laurent was built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, and commissioned on 29 Oct 1955. In February 1956 she proceeded to the US Trials Centre at Key West, Florida, for three months' evaluation, after which she visited Washington, arriving on the Potomac River on 15 Apr 1956. Afterwards she departed for the UK and in the course of the latter excursion escorted HMY Britannia on a state visit to Sweden. On 2 Feb 1960, HMCS St. Laurent, then stationed on the west coast, departed Esquimalt with two of her sisters, HMCS Ottawa 229 and HMCS Saguenay 206, on a 2 1/2-month Pacific cruise, visiting Long Beach, Pearl Harbour, Yokosuka, Okinawa and Hong Kong. On 28 Mar 1960 they departed Hong Kong after a port visit and returned to Esquimalt on 29 Apr 1960. On 2 Mar 1961, HMCS St. Laurent, in company with HMCS Ottawa 229, and HMCS Saguenay 206, departed Esquimalt for Operations with US Carrier Division 17 off Hawaii; returning to Esquimalt on 4 Apr 1961. HMCS Saguenay was test-fitted with VDS prior to being converted to a DDH at Burrard Dry Dock, Vancouver. Re-commissioned on 4 Oct 1963, she departed Esquimalt on 7 Jan 1964 for a world cruise and then transferred to the Atlantic Fleet. HMCS St. Laurent was paid off for the final time on 14 Jun 1974. She remained in Halifax as a source for spare parts for her sister ships. On 1 Jan 1980, she left under tow of the tug Odin Salvator for Brownsville, Texas, to be broken up, but on 12 Jan 1980, the towline broke in a gale and she foundered off Cape Hatteras.
(Daniel Miller Photo)
HMCS St. Laurent (DDH 205) (II), London, England, 1956.
(Daniel Miller Photo)
HMCS St. Laurent (DDH 205) (II), 1956.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951270)
HMCS St. Laurent (DDH 205) (II), Halifax, Nova Scotia, ca. 1957-1963.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4718898)
HMCS St. Laurent (DDH 205) (II), Halifax, Nova Scotia, ca. 1957-1963.
