H . M . S. C R U
S A D E R ( H 6 0 )
C-Class Destroyer
ordered with sister destroyer to be named HMS COMET 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 COMET. This destroyer was the 2nd to bear the name, introduced in
1909 for a destroyer built in Preston by Ward and sold in 1920. Build was completed
on 2nd May 1932 and she was renamed HMCS OTTAWA on 15th June 1938 after
transfer to the Royal Canadian Navy.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
BELGIAN
COAST 1914-18 - KOREA
1952-53*
(* Awarded
to HMCS OTTAWA (ii))
Awards during RCN WW2 service are not
available in Admiralty records.
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge : On a Field Black, a Shield silver, thereon a
cross Red.
M o t t o
Non nobis Domine : 'Not under us, Lord'
S u m m a r y o f P r
e- War
S e r v i
c e
1 9 3 2
April Contractors trials
May
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.
June Deployed for Home
Fleet duties and took part in Flotilla and Fleet exercises.
to
December
1 9 3 3
Home Fleet
deployment in continuation with Flotilla.
1 9 3 4
January Home Fleet deployment in
continuation.
to
June
July
30th Taken in hand for
refit by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth. Under refit.
August Under refit
September
4th Carried out
post-refit trials on completion of dockyard work.
October Resumed Flotilla duties
in Home Fleet
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 Abyssinian with ships of Flotilla 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.
to
December
1 9 3 6
January Red Sea deployment in continuation.
to
March
ApriL
27th Taken in hand for
refit
May
30th Carried out post
refit trials and on completion took passage for this duty.
June Deployed in Home
waters
to Nominated for
deployment for patrol duties off Spanish Coast in Bay of Biscay
July (Note : This duty
was also being carried out by other ships of the Flotilla)
August Deployed for patrols to
intercept traffic of arms to insurgents and for protection
of British
flagged ships Bay of Biscay.
Assisted in
evacuation of civilians from Spanish ports.
Returned to
service in Home waters on relief.
September Home Fleet duties with
Flotilla including attendance during the post refit trials of
to HM Battleship ROYAL
OAK
October (Note : Transfer to
Royal Canadian Navy of ships of this Class of destroyer was
under
consideration by the Admiralty as the deployment of a Flotilla made
up of only four
ships was presenting administrative difficulties.) (Note :
November Reduced to Special
complement pending result of current transfer discussions
(Note : Sister
ship HMS COMET was also subject to this reduction.)
December Nominated for service as
Plane Guard for HM Aircraft Carrier COURAGEOUS
1 9 3 7
January Deployed as Plane Guard
to HMS COURAGEOUS.
to
February
March
30th Taken in hand for
docking and refit by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth.
April
27th Carried out post
refit trials on completion of dockyard work.
May Nominated for
attendance at Coronation Review of Fleet at Spithead by HM King George VI.
Resumed duties
with HMS COURAGEOUS.
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, a Fleet oiler and other auxiliaries
June Deployed with HMS
COURAGEOUS in Home waters.
to
December
1 9 3 8
January Nomination for transfer
to Royal Canadian Navy confirmed.
to Plane Guard duties
with HMS COURAGEOUS in continuation.
March
April Nominated for refit
and detached from HMS COURAGEOUS.
Passage to
Sheerness for refit and transfer.
Paid off prior to
being taken in hand for refit.
28th Taken in hand for
refit.
(Note : Ship
became responsibility of RCN during refit.)
May Under refit.
June
15th Commissioned for RCN
service and renamed HMCS OTTAWA
_____________________
S e r v i c e u n d e r C a n a d i a n
C o m m a n d
H . M. C . S . O T T A W A
July Under refit
August Carried out Harbour
trials.
20th Deployed for 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 RESTIGOUCHE.
(Note : It may be
assumed that ship complement was brought to required standard after arrival.
Passage in
Atlantic to Panama with HMCS RESTIGOUCHE.
November Passage to Esquimalt after transit of Panama Canal.
7th Arrived at Esquimalt
with HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 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
Nominated for
Atlantic convoy defence and took passage to Halifax.
Took passage via
Panama to Halifax.
November Atlantic passage after
transit of Panama Canal
7th Arrived at Halifax.
December Deployed for Atlantic
convoy defence between Halifax and Newfoundland.
1 9 4 0
January Deployed at Halifax for
Local escort duties.
to
March
April Involved in collision
with tug BANSHEE and sustained structural damage on stern.
May Under repair.
June On completion resumed
Local Escort duties.
to Nominated for
service in Western Approaches with 10th Escort Group based at Greenock.
July
August
27th Took passage from
Halifax to join Group.
September Joined 10th Escort Group in
Clyde for Atlantic convoy escort.
21st Joined Convoy OB217
as escort during passage to Dispersal Point in NW Approaches.
25th Detached from OB217
on arrival at Dispersal Point and took return passage.
Rescued survivors
from mercantiles EURYMEDON and SULARIA sunk by U-Boat torpedo.
(Note : OB217 had
no losses during escort and it is presumed they were sailing independently.
These losses are
NOT recorded in HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair and may have
been attacked by
an Italian submarine. Loss is recorded in Official List of Losses (HMSO)
by torpedo. To be
further investigated.)
October Nominated for refit
Taken in hand for
removal of after bank of torpedo tubes and replacement by 3in AA gun.
Resumed
deployment with Group for Atlantic convoy escort.
November
6th Took part in
anti-submarine attacks on Italian submarine FAA DI BRUNO with HM Destroyer
HARVESTER
7th Italian submarine
sunk after 24 hour operation.
There were no
survivors. See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.
(Note : This was
the first Italian submarine to be sunk in Atlantic.
December Atlantic convoy defence
with Group in continuation.
1 9 4 1
January Deployment with Group in
NW Approaches for Atlantic convoy escort in continuation,
to Nominated for
transfer to Newfoundland Escort Group based at St Johns.
May
June Atlantic passage to
join Group on formation.
(Note : Other
ships in this Group included HM Canadian Destroyer ST FRANCIS, HM
Canadian
Corvettes LETHBRIDGE, PRESTCOTT and ARVIDA.)
July Deployed with Group
for escort of outward and inward Atlantic convoys between Newfoundland
to and Mid Ocean
Meeting Point in continuation
December
1 9 4 2
January Newfoundland Escort
Force deployment in continuation.
to Nominated for
transfer to newly formed 4th Canadian Escort Group
April
May Passage to UK to join
new Group.
(Note : Other
ships in this Group included HM Canadian Destroyer RESTIGOUCHE, three
RCN corvettes and one British, HMS CELANDINE).
8th Joined eastbound
Convoy ON95 at Liverpool with Group as escort for passage to Dispersal
Point in NW
Approaches.
17th Detached from ON95
and took passage to St Johns.
29th Joined eastbound
Convoy SC85 as escort with ships of Group during passage to Liverpool.
June Detached from SC85
and returned to St Johns.
16th Deployed with Group
for escort of eastbound Convoy HX133 to 30 degrees East.
(Note : This was
the fifth eastbound convoy to provided with an escort throughout passage to UK.)
23rd HX133 sighted by U203
and reported to U-Boat Headquarters which arranged for reinforcement.
24th Convoy under attack
by U203, and U371 sinking two ships.
Carried out
uncoordinated anti-submarine attacks with Group
Eastbound convoy
OB336 merged with HX133 totalling 65 mercantile escorted by two RCN
Groups.
Joint convoy
under attack by U651 sinking one ship.
Counter attacks
by ten escorts unsuccessful,
26th Joint convoy under
further sustained attacks during which two ships were sunk.
27th U556 joined attacking
force and detected.
(Note :This
submarine was sunk by depth charges from HM Corvettes CELANDINE,
GLADIOLUS and
NASTURTIUM of 4th Escort Group,
Ship detached
from joint convoy with five corvettes and took passage to Iceland.
(Note : Defence
of this merged convoy, which was the first carried out mainly by RCN ships,
was subject to
criticism. See above reference for detail.).
29th Group deployed as
escort for west bound convoy ON 105 during passage in Atlantic to St Johns.
Detached from ON
105 and took passage to St Johns
July
15th Group deployed as
escort for east bound Convoy HX197 during Atlantic passage.
17th Group detached from
HX197 on arrival at Liverpool.
26th Group deployment as
escort for westbound Convoy ON116 during Atlantic passage.
August Group detached from ON116
and joined eastbound Convoy SC96 during Atlantic passage.
27th Group detached from
SC96 on arrival at Liverpool.
September
4th Deployed with HM
Destroyer ST CROIX, HM Canadian Corvettes AMHERST, ARVIDA,
SHERBROOKE and HM
Corvette CELANDINE of Group for escort of westbound Convoy
ON127 during
passage from Liverpool/
9th ON127 sighted by
U584 of VORWARTS Group.
10th Carried out A/S
operations with other escorts during sustained attacks by U96, U659, U584,
U484, U218, U608
and U92.
Two ships in
convoy were sunk and others damaged.
11th Carried out further
operations against renewed attacks during which another two mercantiles
were sunk.
12th U-Boat attacks in
continuation and despite vigorous counter operations another two ships in
ONI27 were sunk.
13th Air cover from
Newfoundland arrived and many U-Boats driven off.
U91 and U92
remained in contact and carried out night attacks.
14th Hit by torpedo fired
by U91 and sank in position 47.55N 42.27W. 114 of ship's company survived.
(Note : For
details of the defence of ON127 see HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
Special Note
This name was re-introduced
when HM Destroyer GRIFFIN was transferred to then Royal Canadian Navy on 20th
March 1943 and became HMCS OTTAWA (ii).
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMCS OTTAWA
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 12/01/40 HXF 015 13/01/40 15/01/40
14/01/40 14/01/40 HX 016 15/01/40 28/01/40
30/01/40 30/01/40 TC 003 01/02/40 07/02/40
18/02/40 18/02/40 HX 021 19/02/40 04/03/40
18/03/40 18/03/40 HX 028 19/03/40 02/04/40
21/03/40 21/03/40 HX 029 22/03/40 04/04/40
29/03/40 29/03/40 HX 031 30/03/40 13/04/40
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
21/06/40 21/06/40 HX 052 22/06/40 06/07/40
25/06/40 25/06/40 HX 053 26/06/40 10/07/40
29/06/40 29/06/40 HX 054 30/06/40 14/07/40
03/07/40 03/07/40 HX 055 04/07/40 18/07/40
07/07/40 07/07/40 HX 056 08/07/40 22/07/40
19/07/40 19/07/40 HX 059 20/07/40 03/08/40
23/07/40 23/07/40 HX 060 24/07/40 07/08/40
27/07/40 27/07/40 HX 061 28/07/40 11/08/40
31/07/40 31/07/40 HX 062 02/08/40 15/08/40
04/08/40 04/08/40 HX 063 06/08/40 19/08/40
16/08/40 16/08/40 HX 066 17/08/40 31/08/40
27/08/40 27/08/40 TC 007 04/09/40 04/09/40
02/09/40 15/09/40 SC 003 18/09/40 18/09/40
21/09/40 22/09/40 OB 217 25/09/40 25/09/40
07/10/40 07/10/40 WS 003B 12/10/40 28/10/40
09/11/40 21/11/40 SC 011 26/11/40 26/11/40
17/02/41 24/02/41 TC 009 26/02/41 27/02/41
10/03/41 26/03/41 SC 025 29/03/41 29/03/41
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 29/05/41 02/06/41
16/06/41 20/06/41 HX 133 27/06/41 03/07/41
02/07/41 07/07/41 OB 341A 15/07/41 18/07/41
07/07/41 15/07/41 OB 344 17/07/41 16/07/41
24/09/41 27/09/41 SC 046 05/10/41 10/10/41
09/10/41 11/10/41 TC 014 15/10/41 17/10/41
10/10/41 19/10/41 ON 025 24/10/41 24/10/41
28/11/41 01/12/41 SC 057 09/12/41 15/12/41
13/12/41 17/12/41 ON 046 20/12/41 21/12/41
09/01/42 12/01/42 SC 064 20/01/42 23/01/42
25/02/42 25/02/42 CT 011 05/03/42 09/03/42
29/05/42 31/05/42 SC 085 12/06/42 12/06/42
19/06/42 20/06/42 ON 105 28/06/42 30/06/42
06/07/42 09/07/42 HX 197 16/07/42 17/07/42
25/07/42 26/07/42 ON 116 05/08/42 12/08/42
11/08/42 15/08/42 SC 096 26/08/42 27/08/42
04/09/42 05/09/42 ON 127 14/09/42 20/09/42
