V (VALENTINE)-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered with the 8th Emergency Flotilla on 1st September 1942 from John Brown of Clydebank, Glasgow. The ship was laid down on 8th September 1942 and intended to be named HMS KEMPENFELT but this was changed to HMS VALENTINE before launch on 2nd September 1943. She would have been the 4th RN warship to carry the name that had last been used for a destroyer built in 1917 and taken out of service in 1940. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 this ship was to have been adopted by the civil community of Dorchester, Dorset. However during build this new destroyer was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy and re-named HMCS ALGONQUIN when commissioned on 28th February 1944.

 

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H .  M .  C .  S .   A L G O N Q U I N   (R 1 7 )

 

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February                 Contractors trials

            28th            Commissioned  for service in 26th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet.

                               Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

 

March                     On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow to work-up for operational

                               service with ships of Home Fleet.

                               Worked-up at Scapa Flow

 

April                       On completion deployed with Flotilla for Home Fleet duties in NW Approaches.

                                Nominated for support of planned allied landings in Normandy and allocated for

                                for service in Force J of Eastern Task Force (Operation NEPTUNE)

                                For details see LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO), OPERATION

                                NEPTUNE by K Edwards and D-DAY SHIPS by J de Winser

              6th             Deployed with Home Fleet as screen for HM Aircraft Carriers FURIOUS and SEARCHER

                                with HM Cruiser BERWICK, HM Destroyers SAVAGE, WIZARD, WAKEFUL, Polish

                                destroyers ORP PIORUN and ORP BLYSKAWICA during air attacks on coastal shipping

                                off Kristiansund, Norway.

                                (Note : Two mercantiles were sunk in these attacks.)

                                On release from Home Fleet transferred to Channel with ships of 26th Flotilla for duty

                                with Force J

 

May                        Deployed with Force J for preparatory exercises and later with rehearsals by all ships

                               of Eastern Task Force prior to assault landings.

 

June                       Deployed in Solent for briefing.

                               Allocated for escort of Convoy J11 with Coastal Motor Boat and two Motor Torpedo Boats

                               during passage through swept channel to Assault Beach.

               4th           Operation delayed 24 hours 

               5th           Sailed from Solent with J11 which included HM Landing Ship HILARY (Flagship of Force J)

                               US Coastguard Cutter and three Landing Ships Support (Large).

                6th          Arrived off JUNO Beach and provided naval gunfire support with HM Canadian Destroyer

                               SIOUX during assault on NAN Beaches.

                7th          Deployed in Eastern Task Force area for gunfire support and interception patrol duties.

              27th          Released from NEPTUNE and resumed Home Fleet duties with Flotilla.

 

July                         Deployed with Flotilla at Scapa Flow for Home Fleet duties.

 

August

               10th          Deployed with HM Destroyers MYNGS, VIGILANT, VERULAM, VOLAGE, VIRAGO,

                                SCOURGE and SIOUX (RCN) as escort for HM Aircraft Carriers INDEFATIGABLE,

                                TRUMPETER and NABOB, HM Cruisers KENT and DEVONSHIRE for screening duties

                                during air attacks on German airfield at Gossen, near Kristiansund North and attacks

                                on coastal shipping.

                                For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History.

               17th          Deployed with Home Fleet to provide cover for passage to Kola Inlet of outward Convoy

                                JW59 and during air attacks on German battleship TIRPITZ in Kaafjord

                                Part of escort for HM Aircraft Carriers INDEFATIGABLE, FORMIDABLE, FURIOUS,

                                HM Cruisers BERWICK and DEVONSHIRE with HM Destroyers MYNGS, VIGILANT,

                                SIOUX (RCN), KEMPENFELT, ZAMBESI and Norwegian STORD.

                                For details see CONVOY by P Kemp and Naval Staff History.

 

September                Home Fleet Flotilla duties in continuation.

               17th           Deployed as screen for HM Battleship RODNEY, HM Cruiser DIADEM, HM Escort

                                 Aircraft Carriers CAMPANIA and STRIKER with HM Destroyers MARNE, METEOR,

                                 MILNE, MUSKETEER, SAUMAREZ, SCORPION, VENUS, VERULAM, VOLAGE,

                                 and SIOUX (RCN) for defence of Convoy JW60 to Kola Inlet and return Convoy RA60 to UK

 

October                    Passage to Home waters with escort for RA60.

                  3rd           Detached with HMS RODNEY and other escorts and returned to Scapa Flow.

                 14th          Part of escort for HM Aircraft. Carriers TRUMPETER and FENCER, with HM Cruiser

                                   EURYALUS as "Force 9" for air minelaying operation and coastal shipping strikes off Norway

                                   with HM Destroyers VOLAGE, SIOUX (RCN), SCORPION and SERAPIS

.                                  (Operation LYCIDAS - See Naval Staff History (MINING).

               26th            Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE for air attacks on Sandnessjoen, Bodo

                                   and Rorvik, Norway with HM Cruiser MAURITIUS, HM Destroyers MYNGS, VENUS,

                                   VERULAM, VOLAGE and SIOUX (RCN).

                                  German Depot Ship KARL MEYER was sunk at Rorvik.

 

November

               12th           Took part in attack on coastal convoy KS357 at Listerfjord, SE of Egersund with HM

                                 Cruisers KENT, BELLONA, HM Destroyers MYNGS, VERULAM and ZAMBESI.

                                 Two ships and 5 escorting vessels were sunk.

               27th           Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE with HM Cruiser DIDO and HM Destroyers

                                 MYNGS, SCOURGE, ZEPHYR, SCORPION and SIOUX (RCN) during air attacks on

                                 shipping off Mosjoen, north of Namsos during which three ships were sunk.

                                 (Note : Two of these were carrying Russian prisoners of war many of whom died.)

 

December                Deployed with Home Fleet for covering duty of Russian Convoys.

                                 (For full details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg

                                 and above references).

                8th            Part of escort for HM Aircraft Carriers IMPLACABLE, TRUMPETER and PREMIER with

                                 HM Cruiser DIADEM and HM Destroyers ZAMBESI, SAVAGE, VIGILANT, ZEALOUS,

                                 SERAPIS, SIOUX (RCN) and Norwegian destroyer STORD during air attacks on Haugesund.

 

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January

                 1st            Formed Cuter Escort for Russian Convoy JW63 with HM Cruiser DIADEM, HM Escort

                                  Carrier VINDEX as screen with H M Destroyers MYNGS, SAVAGE, SCOURGE, SERAPIS,

                                  ZAMBESI and ZEBRA.

                 8th            Arrived at Kola Inlet after no detection by enemy.

                11th           Returned as escort for Convoy RA63.

                21st            Detached on arrival after an undetected but stormy passage during which convoy had to shelter

                                   in the Faeroes.

 

February                    Deployed with Home Fleet.**

 

March                        Return to Canada.**

 

April                          Nominated for service with British Pacific Fleet.**

 

May                           Under repair at Halifax

to                                Prepared for service in Pacific.**

August                        (Note :  Intended deployment with British Pacific Fleet may have been influenced by change in

                                                Canadian policy restricting use of volunteers only to man ships allocated to join

                                                 operations against Japan.

                                                 For this reason the ship did not serve in the BPF before VJ Day.)

 

                                                 ** No record was available at time of research to give details of the date on which

                                                       HMCS ALGONQUIN left 26th Destroyer Flotilla in Home Fleet.

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMCS ALGONQUIN was deployed in the RCN as a Fleet destroyer until 1954 when she was selected for conversion into an Anti-submarine Frigate. On completion she was used in this role until the late 1960's when she was reduced to Reserve.  This ship was sold for breaking-up in Taiwan and left Canada in tow to the breaker's yard at Kaoshiang on 21st April 1971.