V-Class destroyer ordered from JS White of Cowes, IoW with the 8th Emergency Flotilla on 1st September 1941. She was laid down on 31st October 1942 and launched on 14th September 1943 as the 6th RN warship to carry the name introduced in 1799 and previously used for a WW1 destroyer sold in 1921. She had been adopted by the civil community of Kirkcaldy, Fife after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in January 1942. Before completion on 5th March 1944 the ship was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy and commissioned on 21st February 1944 as HMCS SIOUX.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

CHINA  1842

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

      No details of the Crest for ships bearing this name are given in the Official Record of Heraldic

      Crests for the Royal Navy. It is assumed that the Royal Canadian Navy will have a similar Record.

______________

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e   a s   H.  M.  C.  S.   S I O U X

1 9 4 4

February                 Contractor's sea trials.

                               Allocated for duty with Home Fleet.

              21st           Commissioned as HMCS SIOUX.

March                     Worked up with Home Fleet and joined 26th Destroyer Flotilla.

April                       Deployed with Flotilla for Home Fleer screening and patrol duties,

May

                                Nominated for support of allied landings in Normandy with Force "J" in Eastern

                                Task Force (Operation NEPTUNE)

                                Target selected in Fire Plan.

                                          Beach Defences at St. Aubin-sur-Mer).

                                Transferred to English Channel with ships of 26th Destroyer Flotilla.

                                (For more details of naval activities prior to and during Normandy landings see

                                OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and NORMANDY LANDINGS June 1944

                                (HMSO).

                2nd          Final rehearsal for berthing, loading and sailing of invasion craft belonging to Forces

                                "O", "S", "J" and "G" until 3rd May.

                4th           Took part in Assault landing exercises for Force "J" at Bracklesham, West Sussex.

              18th           Took part in Defence exercise off Brighton for Forces "S", "G" and "J".

                                On completion took passage to Solent to prepare for assault landings in France.

June

                4th           Joined HM Destroyer VIGILANT as escort for Convoy J2 through swept channel.

                                Operation delayed when 'D' Day postponed for 24 hours.

                                (Note : J2 Convoy comprised 7th Fleet Minesweeping Flotilla, four Danlayers, four  Motor

                                            Launches and 2nd Division of BYMS Flotilla).

                5th           Passage to beach head in JUNO area.

                6th           During passage reversed course to join Convoy J4.

                                Took up bombardment station and bombarded beach in accordance with fire-plan.

                7th           Deployed off beach head for gunfire support, patrol and escort as required by the

                                Assault Force Commander, Eastern Task Force during Post-Assault phase.

               10th          Interception of German minelaying west of Le Havre with Polish Escort Destroyer

                                ORP KRAKOWIAK, HM Frigate DUFF and Light Coastal Forces MTB's failed.

                                Resumed Homer Fleet duties with Flotilla at Scapa Flow on release from NEPTUNE.

July                         Deployed with Flotilla in Home Fleet based at Scapa Flow.

August

                8th           Participated in rehearsal for planned minelaying operation.

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

                                SCOURGE and ALGONQUIN (RCN) as screen for HM Aircraft Carriers INDEFATIGABLE,

                                TRUMPETER   and

                                NABOB, HM Cruisers KENT and DEVONSHIRE during minelay off Norway.

                                (Operation OFFSPRING - For details see Naval Staff History (MINING).

September

               17th          Joined escort for Russian Convoy JW60 with HM Destroyers MARNE, METEOR, MILNE,

                                MUSKETEER, SAUMAREZ, SCORPION, VENUS, VERULAM and ALGONQUIN (RCN)

                                as screen for HM Battleship RODNEY, HM Cruiser DIADEM, HM Escort Carriers

                                CAMPANIA and  STRIKER.

                                (For full details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by R A

                                Ruegg, CONVOY ! by P Kemp and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B. Schoefield).

              23rd           Detached from JW60 on arrival at Kola Inlet.

              28th           Joined escort for return Convoy RA60 with same ships.

October

               3rd            Detached from convoy with Home Fleet ship before its arrival at Loch Ewe.

              14th           Deployed with HM Destroyers MYNGS, ALGONQUIN (RCN), SCORPION and SERAPIS as

                                screen  for HM Cruiser EURYALUS, HM Escort Carriers TRUMPETER and FENCER

                                during an air minelay and shipping strike

                                (Operation LYCIDAS - See above references).

              26th           Deployed with m Destroyers MYNGS, VENUS, VERULAM, VOLAGE and ALGONQUIN

                                (RCN) as screen for HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE and HM Cruiser MAURITIUS

                                during air attacks on shipping off Norway.

                                (Note : An aircraft Depot Ship (KARL MEYER) and an auxiliary (V5722) were sunk at

                                            Rorvik and three minesweepers sunk and U1060 damaged) at Kristiansund North.

November               Home Fleet deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

              27th           Deployed with HM Destroyers MYNGS, SCOURGE, ZEPHYR, SCORPION, ALGONQUIN

                                (RCN) and two frigates as screen for HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE and HM Cruiser

                                DIDO during air strikes on shipping off Norway.

                                (Note : Two of the ships sunk , Norwegian mercantiles RIGEL and KORNES) were carrying a

                                            large number of Russian POW. Only 415 out of the 2,721 men were rescued).

December                Deployed with HM Destroyers ZEALOUS, ZAMBESI, VIGILANT, SAVAGE, SERAPIS,

                7th           Norwegian destroyer STORD and HM Canadian Destroyer ALGONQUIN as screen for HM

                                Aircraft Carriers IMPLACABLE, TRUMPETER and FENCER.

                                (Operation URBANE - References above).

               14th          Deployed with HM Destroyers ZEALOUS, ZEPHYR, ALGONQUIN (RCN), SAVAGE and

                                 SERAPIS as screen for HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE, HM Escort Carriers TRUMPETER and

                                 PREMIER during dual minelay and shipping strikes.

                                 (Operation LACERATE - References as above).

1 9 4 5

January

                1st            Joined escort for Russian Convoy JW63 with HM Cruiser DIADEM and HM Destroyers

                                 MYNGS, SAVAGE, SCOURGE, SERAPIS, ZAMBESI, ZEBRA and ALGONQUIN (RCN).

                                 Deployed as Outer Screen with these destroyers.

                8th            Detached from JW63 on arrival at Kola Inlet.

               11th           Joined escort for return Convoy RA63 with same ships and HM Destroyer SCORPION.

               21st           Detached from RA63 after stormy passage uninterrupted by the enemy.

February

                6th            Joined escort for Russian Convoy JW64 with HM Cruiser BELLONA. HM Escort Carrier

                                 CAMPANIA, HM Escort Carrier NAIRANA, HM Sloop LAPWING and nine Home Fleet

                                 destroyers

               15th           Detached on arrival at Kola Inlet.

               17th           Joined escort for return Convoy RA64 with same ships.

               19th           Extreme weather conditions dispersed convoy.

               20th           Convoy reformed and came under air attacks which were repelled.

               27th           Detached from RA64 with Home Fleet ships.

March

               12th           Joined escort for Russian Convoy JW65 with HMS DIADEM, HMS CAMPANIA, six Home

                                 Fleet destroyers and HM Frigate FARNHAM CASTLE.

               21st           Detached from JW65on arrival at Kola Inlet.

               23rd           Joined escort for return Convoy RA65

.              30th           Detached from RA65 with Home Fleet ships before convoy arrived at Scapa Flow.

April                        Nominated fbr passage to Canada for refit prior to further operational service.

                 6th          Took passage to Halifax.

May                         Under repair at Halifax.

to

August.

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

HMCS SIOUX was transferred to Esquimalt on the west coast of Canada on completion of refit. She was Paid-off and placed in Reserve on 27th February 1946. The ship re-commissioned after further refit and modernisation in 1950. From 1951 to 1955 she was deployed on United Nations service in Korea and the Pacific following which she was used for training purposes. The ship Paid-off again on 30th October 1963 and was sold in 1965 to an Italian shipbreaker. Towed to La Spezia by the Portuguese tug PRAIA GRANDE this destroyer arrived at the breaker's yard on 28th August for demolition.