H . M . S
. E X P R E S S ( H 6 1)
E-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from
Swan Hunter at Wallsend under 1931 Programme on 1st
November 1932 and laid down on 4th March 1933. The ship was
launched on 29th May 1934 as the 8th RN ship to carry
the name, introduced in 1695 and previously borne by
a destroyer built in 1897 and sold in 1921. Ships of this Class ware designed
for use as minelayers and could easily be converted to that role from Fleet
duties. Her build completed on 2nd November 1934 and she commissioned for
service in the Home Fleet with the 5th Destroyer Flotilla four days later.
Before the outbreak of war the ship spent some periods on detached service in
the Mediterranean because of the Abyssinian
crisis and an outbreak of fire in a Bailer Room resulted in two months repair
during October 1937. Although she was intended for use as a Boys training snip
in 1939 this was not implemented because of a lack of personnel. She attended
the Review of the Reserve Fleet in August 1939. In 1943 this destroyer was
transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy and renamed HMCS GATINEAU.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
DESIRAOE 1806 - GUADALOUPE
1808 - MARTINIQUE 1809
-
DUNKIRK 1940
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge : On a Field Blue, a figure of Mercury Gold
M o t t o
Celeriter : ‘ I strike quickly’
D e t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
September Converted for minelaying duties at Portsmouth and war
complement joined.
7th Worked up for operational as s minelayer.
9th Passage to Immingham to take-up war station.
Embarked mines.
10th Laid minefield in Heligoland Bight with sister
destroyer HMS ESK (Operation AA).
12th Laid further minefield with HMS ESK in Heligoland
Bight (Operation QQ).
October Minelay operations off Dutch coast suspended.
Paravanes fitted.
November
17th Deployed for minelay in East Coast Barrier
(Operation RG)
29th Completed Operation RG.
December
12th Joined 20th Destroyer Flotilla on formation.
Based at Harwich with mines to be embarked at
Immingham.
15th Escorted HM Auxiliary Minelayer PRINCESS VICTORIA
during minelay in the East Coast
Barrier off Harwich (Operation OF).
HM Destroyers ESK, BRAZEN and BOREAS deployed to
provide cover.
22nd Escorted HMS PRINCESS VICTORIA for second part of
Operation GF with HM Destroyers
ESK, CODRINGTON and BRAZEN.
1 9 4 0
January Deployed with Flotilla at Harwich.
February
9th Escorted HMS PRINCESS VICTORIA during lay of Dummy
Mines along East Coast Barrier.
(Operation LD2 and LD3)
12th Operations LD2 and LD3 completed.
18th Escorted HM Auxiliary Minelayer TEVIOT BANK during
lay of Deep minefield in Galloper
area (Operation DML8).
March
3rd Laid minefield near Horns Reef, Heligoland Bight
with HM Destroyers ESK, IMPULSIVE
and ICARUS (Operation IE1)
5th Deployed for anti--submarine patrol A/S in
Moray Firth area,
. 21st Escorted HMS TEVIOT BANK and HMS PRINCESS VICTORIA
during laying of deep field
in Moray Firth with Flotilla (Operation PA4).
22nd Damaged in collision with trawler and taken in hand
at Hartlapool for repair.
April Under repair.
24th On completion rejoined Flotilla.
27th Nominated with HMS ESK and HMS INTREPID to extend
Vast Fjord minefield.
Narrow Gauge mine rails and H2/VHI MINE units to be used.
28th Changed mine rails and embarked mines at Immingham
for Operation ZMB.
30th Rejoined Home Fleet when Operation ZMB cancelled.
Returned to Immingham to revert to Broad Gauge
rails
May
6th Returned to Scapa Flow for minelaying duty off
Norway.
Operation cancelled for lack of air cover.
10th Laid minefield in Heligoland Bight (Operation ZMC).
On arrival in Humber escorted HMS PRINCESS
VICTORIA during laying of minefield off
Dutch coast (Operation CBX1).
12th Laid Shallow minefields in East Coast Barrier with
HM Destroyers ESK and INTREPID.
(Operations BS3
14th Continued East Coast Barrier minelay (Operation
BS4).
16th Deployed with Flotilla to laid minefield off Dutch
coast (Operation CBX3).
(Note : In July 1940 this claimed sinking of
three German minesweepers.).
18th Joined HMS PROCESS VICTORIA with Flotilla to
continue East Coast Barrier lay
(Operation BS5).
Escorted PRINCESS VICTORIA to south of Humber on
return passage.
After HMS PRINCESS VICTORIA hit a sine and sank
off estuary remained in area to
warn shipping of new mine danger.
21st East Coast Barrier minelaying continued with
Flotilla (Operation BS aeries).
(Operation BS6.
23rd Operation BS7.
25th Operation BS8
27th Operation BS9 (Excluding HMS IMPULSIVE).
Despatched to assist in Dunkirk evacuation
(Operation DYNAMO).
Passage to Dover.
29th Towed French Destroyer JAGUAR to
Dover.
30th Wore flag of Admiral Hike-Walker and carried 1,431
troops to Dover during two trips.
31st Made three more trips to Dunkirk.
Under attack by German aircraft and sustained
serious damage.
(Note : In all carried 3,491 troops to Dover.
See BEF SHIPS by J de Winser and Naval Staff
History (HMSO-2002.)
June
2nd Under repair
15th Rejoined Flotilla on completion.
16th Escorted HMS TEYIOT BANK, HM Coastal Minelayer
PLOVER and ships of Flotilla during
East Coast Barrier minelaying Operation
(Operation BS15)
29th Deployed for East Coast Barrier minelay (Operation
BS19.
July
2nd Deployed for East Coast Barrier minelay (Operation
BS20)
11th Deployed for East Coast Barrier minelay (Operation
BS23)
17th Laid experimental field with IMS IMPULSIVE to test
operation of MK XX mine.
(Operation BS24)
18th Repeated Operation BS24 (Operation BS25)
21st Laid nine field in Galloper area with Flotilla (
except HMS IVANHOE (Operation BS26).
27th Continuation lay of BS26 with Flotilla except HMS
IVANHOE (Operation BS28).
August
2nd Laid extension of East Coast Barrier with US PLOVER,
Dutch minelayer VAN DER ZAAN
and HM Destroyers ESK, ICARUS, INTREPID and
IMPULSIVE (Operation BS30).
6th Laid Minefield off Belgian coast with ships of
Flotilla escorted by MTB's (Operation CBX4).
9th Laid Anti-invasion minefield in Straits of Dover
With ships of Flotilla (Operation MP(a)).
11th Continuation of Anti-invasion Minefield (Operation
MP(b)).
27th Escorted HMS TEVIOT BANK for lay in East Coast
Barrier with HMS ESK and HMS
ICARUS (Operation BS35)
31st With Senior Officer of 20th Flotilla embarked
sailed with HM Destroyers IVANHOE,
INTREPID, ICARUS and ESK for minelaying off
Belgian coast. (Operation CBX5).
After enemy report CinC Nore ordered ships to
engage after Jettison of mines.
Entered German minefield and exploded mine in
position 53.25N 3-48E.
Forward structure completely destroyed.
HMS IVANHOE went alongside and was disabled
after detonating another min
Ship able to make sternway under own power till
taken in tow by HM Destroyer KELVIN.
Tow fouled and re-established by HM Destroyer
Destroyer JUPITER until tugs arrived to
complete towing operation to Hull.
September
3rd Arrived at Hull in tow.
(Note : 57 of ships company were lost and a
further 9 were captured and became POW.
Captain J Bickford (Captain D20) died later in
hospital and was buried at sea.
See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett
and Naval Staff History
(MINING)
HMS ESK sank and HMS IVANHOE had to be scuttled
following this disastrous
operation which claimed nearly 300 lives.
The subsequent Board of Inquiry at Hull
concluded that it was unavoidable.
See THE BATTLE OF THE EAST COAST (1939 -1945 by JP Foynes).
Tow to Chatham for repair including rebuilding
forward structure.
October Under repair by HM Dockyard, Chatham,
to
December
1 9 4 1
January Under repair
to
August
September Re-commissioned and carried out post refit trials.
October
3rd Refit completion date.
Passage to Scapa Flow to rejoined Home Fleet and allocated for service with Force Z in
Singapore.
25th Sailed from Clyde as escort for HM Battleship PRINCE
OF WALES with HMS ELECTRA.
November
5th At Freetown.
18th Sailed from Capetown
28th Arrived at Colombo after calls at Mauritius and Gan
for fuel.
29th Joined by HM Battlecruiser REPULSE and HM Destroyers
ENCOUNTER and JUPITER
Took passage from Colombo to Singapore with
ships of Force Z
December
3rd Arrived at Singapore.
8th Sailed from Singapore to attack Japanese warships
reported off Kota Baru.
10th In action with Japanese aircraft during attacks on
Force Z in Gulf of Thailand.
Took part in rescue of 1,000 survivors from HMS
REPULSE and HMS PRINCE OF WALES.
(For details see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and THE
HUNTING OF FORCE Z by R
Hough).
11th Returned to Singapore and deployed on local convoy
defence.
24th Carried out lay of 18 ground mines in approaches to
Penang.
1 9 4 2
January Deployed with China Force at Singapore for escort of
convoys
February
6th Fire in boiler room caused damage to services.
Repair undertaken at Singapore
(Note : This repair prevented deployment with
allied fleet in Java Sea.
See above references.)
On completion continued convoy defence work
until capture of Singapore.
Escorted evacuation convoy SU1 to Fremantle with
HM Australian Destroyers NIZAM and
VAMPIRE.
March Transferred to East Indies Fleet based in Ceylon.
(Note : During this period ship operated despite
condition of the Boiler Room due to earlier fire
damage which was not completely repaired).
Nominated for completion of repair in South
Africa.
April Passage to Simonstown
Taken in hand by HM Dockyard, Simonstown for
repair and refit..
May Under repair.
June
26th On completion resumed duties with Eastern Fleet.
27th Joined 12th Destroyer Flotilla for Indian Ocean
convoy defence and screening duty.
July Indian Ocean deployment in
continuation.
to
August
September Nominated for support of planned landings to complete
occupation of Madagascar,
10th Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS during
final phase of allied occupation of
Madagascar (Operation STREAM).
On release from STREAM resumed Flotilla convoy
defence duties
October Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 3
January Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.
Nominated for return to UK.
Future deployment after refit under
consideration.
February Passage to Liverpool from Simonstown for refit.
March Paid off and prepared for refit in commercial shipyard.
Nominated for transfer to Royal Canadian Navy on
completion
12th Taken in hand for refit.
April Under refit
to
May
June
2nd Refit completion date.
3rd Transferred to RCN and re-commissioned as HMCS
GATINEAU for convoy defence duties
15th Formally presented to Canada as a gift.
__________________
S e r v i c e a s H. M . C . S. G A T I
N E A U
Took passage for work-up.
July On completion of work-up joined 2nd Canadian Escort
Group for Atlantic convoy defence.
August Deployed in NW Approaches for convoy defence with Group.
(For details of weapons and tactics used in
Battle of the Atlantic see U-BOAT WAR IN THE
ATLANTIC (HMSO), SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann and THE
BATTLE OF THE
ATLANTIC by D MacIntyre).
September Deployed with HM Destroyer ICARUS, HM Frigate LAGAN, three
corvettes and a trawler as
escort, for convoy ON202 during Atlantic
passage.
Merged with convoy ONS18 on Admiralty diversion, to avoid U-Boat attacks.
(Note : Combined escort then also included HM
Destroyers ESCAPADE, KEPPEL and ST
CROIX (RCN), HM Frigates TOWEY and ITCHEN, eight Corvettes and a trawler
from Escort Groups B3 and C9 of ONS18).
19th Under attacks by LEUTHEN U-Boat Group during which
HMS LAGAN was damaged beyond
economic repair by an acoustic homing torpedo
(T5),
20th HMCS ST CROIX and HMS ITCHEN were sunk as well as
major damage in HMS
ESCAPADE after accidental explosion of mortar
bombs from the HEDGEHOG mounting.
(Note : For details see HITLERS U-BOAT WAR
Volume 2 by C Blair.)
October Atlantic deployment with Group in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
to
February
March Deployed with HM Destroyer ICARUS, HM Canadian
Destroyer CHAUDIERE, HM
Canadian Frigate ST CATHERINES, HM Canadian
Corvettes FENNEL, CHILLIWACK and
HM Corvette KENILWORTH CASTLE in support of
passage of Convoy HX280.
4th Convoy under threat of
attack by U-Boats
After radio transmissions intercepted by HMS
ICARUS obtained ASDIC contact and began
submarine search operation with ships of Support
Group.
5th Search operation continued with depth charge and
HEDGEHOG attacks by ships of the escort
and Support Group.
Submarine surfaced despite certainty of damage
6th U774 surfaced after being dived for over 24 hours.
HMCS CHILLIWACK and HMCS FENNEL attempted to
board submarine but whaler
capsized.
Took part in rescue of whalers crew and
survivors from U744 which scuttled.
Submarine sank in position 52.01N 22.37W. 40 of
her crew survived.
April Atlantic deployment in continuation.
May Transferred to 11th Escort Group based at Londonderry for support of the planned allied
landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE).
June Transferred to Plymouth for anti-submarine
operations in toy of Biscay and English Channel.
26th In action with E-Boats off Selsey Bill in defence of
coastal convoy.
On release from NEPTUNE resumed Atlantic convoy defence with Group.
July Atlantic convoy escort in continuation.
Nominated for refit in Canada and took passage
to Halifax.
August
3rd Taken in hand for refit at Halifax
September Under refit.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Under refit.
February Post refit trials.
16th On completion prepared for return passage to UK for
work-up.
Passage to Tobermory.
March On completion of work-up deployed on convoy defence in
UK coastal waters.
(Note : Increased U-Boat attacks were being
carried out by SCHNORKEL fitted submarines
in UK coastal waters and Atlantic convoys were
re-routed via English Channel
after removal of air threat from French
airfields. See HOLD THE NARROW SEAS
by P Smith.)
April Coastal convoy defence in continuation.
May Returned to Canada after VE Day.
June Deployed locally based at Halifax.
July
11th Taken in hand for repair at Halifax.
19th Resumed duties at Halifax.
August Transferred to Esquimault on West coast of Canada.
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMCS GATINEAU was paid off on 10th January 1946 and placed
in Reserve at Esquimault. The ship was put on the
Disposal List in April 1947 and sold to Capital Iron and Steel Metals,
Victoria, British Columbia. She was scuttled in 1956 at Royston,
BC for use as part of a breakwater.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
by Don Kindell
as
HMS
EXPRESS
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
arrived
03/10/39 03/10/39 BC 008/1 04/10/39 04/10/39
05/10/39 05/10/39 BC 007R 08/10/39 08/10/39
09/10/39 09/10/39 BC 010F 11/10/39 11/10/39
11/10/39 11/10/39 BC 010FR 12/10/39 12/10/39
22/10/39 22/10/39 BC 012/1 24/10/39 24/10/39
25/10/39 25/10/39 BC 011R 28/10/39 28/10/39
30/10/39 30/10/39 BC 013/1 01/11/39 01/11/39
01/11/39 01/11/39 BC 012R 03/11/39 03/11/39
07/11/39 07/11/39 BC 014/1 09/11/39 09/11/39
22/12/41 03/01/42 BM 009B 06/01/42 06/01/42
19/01/42 24/01/42 BM 011 29/01/42 29/01/42
12/02/42 12/02/42 SJ 001 21/02/42 05/03/42
25/02/42 25/02/42 C 004 26/02/42 26/02/42
01/03/42 01/03/42 SU 001 03/03/42 15/03/42
10/01/43 20/01/43 MC 003 23/01/43 23/01/43
25/01/43 25/01/43 CF 011 27/01/43 27/01/43
30/01/43 30/01/43 CF 011A 11/02/43 11/02/43
14/02/43 14/02/43 CF 011B 25/02/43 25/02/43
as
HMCS GATINEAU
to be added
(Note on Convoys)
