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H. M . S.
C O M E T ( H 0 0 )
C-Class
Destroyer ordered with sister destroyer to be named 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 sister destroyer and
launched on 30th September 1931, the same day as HMS 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
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
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 Deployed
with Flotilla for Home Fleet duties,
to
December
1 9 3 3
Home Fleet exercises and visits programme with normal leave periods.
1 9 3 4
January
Home Fleet deployment with Flotilla in continuation
to
June
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
Deployed with Flotilla for Home Fleet duties,
to
December
1 9 3 5
January
Home Fleet deployment in continuation.
to
Nominated for detached service in Mediterranean
July
(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
Deployed with sister ships of 2nd Flotilla in Red Sea.
1 9 3 6
January
Red Sea deployment in continuation.
to
March
April
Nominated for return to Home Fleet duties and took passage to Sheerness.
23rd Taken in hand for re
fit 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 Home
Fleet duties including patrol periods in Bay of Biscay.
to
(Note :Transfer to Royal Canadian Navy of ships of this Class of destroyer
was under
October
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
Plane Guard duties with HMS GLORIOUS in continuation.
to
(Note : This duty was primarily concerned with providing rescue facilities
in the event of an
February
aircraft crashing into the sea during take-off or landing procedures.)
March Took
part with HMS GLORIOUS in combined 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
Deployed in Home waters during period whilst HMS GLORIOUS was at Devonport.
to
December
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
Carried out Plane Guard duties during major exercises in Mediterranean.,
to
(Note : These included joint exercises with Home Fleet ships at Gibraltar
April
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.
_____________________
Service under Canadian Command as H.M.C.S. RESTIGOUCHE
(H 00)
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939-45 - NORTH SEA
1940 - MEDITERRANEAN 1943 - BISCAY 1944 - NORMANDY 1944
1 9 3 8
(continued)
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 complement was brought to required
standard after
arrival.
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
Carried out training and patrol duties in Pacific
to
(Note : RCN ships based at Esquimalt carried out exercises with
those based at Halifax.
August
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.)
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
Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
to
Nominated for transfer to Western Approaches Command in UK for convoy
escort duties.
April
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 3" AA gun fitted,
2 Pdr Pom-pom replaced by 0.5" 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
Under refit
to
November
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
Deployed for escort of Atlantic convoys
to
(Note : Convoys to eastern Atlantic were escorted to a dispersal point in
NW Approaches
May
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
Under repair
to
February
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 RESTIGOUCHE,
HM Canadian Corvettes* BRANDON, AMHERST, COLLINGWOOD,
SHERBROOKE, WETASKIWIN (Ex BANFF), PICTOU, GALT
and
HM Corvette CELANDINE.
- Joined in St Johns in September 1942.
* - 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 ONI37 during Atlantic passage.
Group detached from ONI37 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 Convoy under
sustained attacks by VEILCHEN Group, during which 15 mercantiles
to
were sunk
4th (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 ON 147 and took passage to St Johns.
Group deployed as escort for eastbound Convoy SCI
12 during passage to Liverpool.
25th Group detached from SCI
12 on arrival.
1
9 4 3
January
Atlantic convoy defence in continuation
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Atlantic
convoy defence in continuation
to
Nominated for transfer to 12th Escort Group and deployed in Home waters.
March
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
Halifax deployment in continuation.
to
April
May
Nominated for trooping duties after VE Day and
took passage to UK to collect
to
Canadian servicemen for return to Canada.
August
(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
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
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
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
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