|
H .
M . S .
H A M I L T O N ( I 2 4 )
Ex USS KALK (Type C NEWPORT Class) built by Bethlehem
Steel at Fore River. The ship was laid down
on 17th
August 1918 and launched on 24th December that year. Commissioned on 29th March 1919 for US
Naval service this ship was deployed in the Europe until 1920 when she returned to
the USA and was used
for training. In 1922 she was laid up in Philadelphia. Re-commissioned in June 1940 for US Navy
service
she was briefly deployed for Neutrality patrol until
transferred to the Royal Navy under the UK/US Lend/Lease Agreement on 3rd September 1940. Commissioned with an
RN crew on 24th September and renamed HMS
HAMILTON at
Halifax. This destroyer later was manned by the Royal Canadian Navy and
became HMCS HAMILTON. She was the seventh of this Type transferred to the RCN.
The name like those of the other destroyers provided under this Agreement was
common to places in Britain or Canada and in the USA.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
None are recorded in the
Admiralty records but RCN Honours will be available in RCN records
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Similarly this will be held in
RCN records
D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 4 0
U n d e r R N C o m m a n d
September
23rd Transferred to RN at Halifax and renamed HMS KALK on
commissioning.
(Note : The ship was later renamed HAMILTON but
sources vary as to the date
on which the name was changed to suit the
overall policy.)
October
1st Took passage to UK from Halifax via Newfoundland.
4th On arrival at St Johns involved in collision with
sister destroyer HMS GEORGETOWN.
Both ships sustained serious structural damage
and were unable to continue passage.
Repair arranged at St John, New Brunswick
Taken in tow for repair.
Docked on arrival.
26th Sustained further structural damage by grounding
when undocking and with drawn from
service pending local repair.
November Awaiting repair at St John.
to (Note : Ship Paid off from RN service and ship’s
company transferred to other ships of
December this Class being transferred.)
1 9 4 1
January Under repair
to (Note : Transfer to RCN arranged.)
June
July
6th Recommissioned as HMCS HAMILTON
12th Commenced operational service with RCN.
S e r v i c e u n d e r R C N C o m m a
n d
July
(Cont.)
Nominated for service with Western Escort Force
base at St Johns.
August Deployed for Local Escort
Involved in collision with Dutch submarine O15
at Halifax
Taken in hand for repair.
October Rejoined WLEF and deployed for Local Escort.
to
December
1 9 4 2
Local escort between Halifax and Newfoundland.
(Note : This ship was plagued by a succession of
many problems including
machinery defects common to others of this
Class. Repair work reduced her
operational availability.
1 9 4 3
January Convoy escort deployment in continuation
to
June
July Future deployment under consideration due to
extensive loss
of operational use due to defects.
August Withdrawn from operational use and selected for use as
training ship
attached to the RCN base, HMCS CORNWALLIS at Halifax.
September Deployed for training purposes and mainly deployed in Bay
of Fundy.
to
December
1 9 4 4
Training duties in continuation.
1 9 4 5
January Training duties in continuation
to
April
May Removed from training service after VE Day and to be
placed on
Disposal List.
June Sold to Boston Iron and Metal Co for demolition in
Baltimore.
8th Paid-off and destored
July Taken in tow with HMCS ST FRANCIS by tug FOUNDATION
SECURITY
for passage to Baltimore.
14th Involved in collision with US mercantile WINDING
GULF and
sustained serious structural damage
Special Note
As a result of this collision the tow parted and both
ships cast adrift. One hulk was recovered for tow by the US Coastguard Ship HORNBEAM and delivered
to shipbreaker in Boston. The other hulk was driven ashore off Sakonnet
Point, Rhode Island and wrecked. The RCN records studied do not indicate which of the two destroyers was taken
in tow but one source records that HMCS ST CROIX was the destroyer driven ashore after the
collision and that this ship arrived at Baltimore for demolition.
|
