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H . M . C
. S .
S T C L A I R ( I 6 5 )
Ex USS WILLIAMS (Type C NEWPORT Class) built by Union
Iron Works at San Francisco. The ship was laid down
on 25th March 1918 and launched on 4th July that
year. Commissioned on 1st March 1919 for US Naval Service this
ship was deployed in the Pacific until 1922 when she
was laid up in Reserve at San Diego .In 1940 she was brought
forward for US Navy use and deployed for Neutrality
Patrol until transferred to the Royal Navy under the UK/US Lend/Lease Agreement on 3rd
September 1940. Commissioned on 24th September that year this destroyer was selected for use by the
Royal Canadian Navy and renamed HMCS ST CLAIR at Halifax. The name like those
of the other destroyers provided under this Agreement
was common to places in Britain or Canada and in the USA. The
name in this case being that of the Lake bordering on both countries. It
had not been previously used by the RCN.
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
September
24th Transferred to RCN at Halifax and commissioned as
HMCS WILLIAMS
(Note : Later the ship was renamed HMCS ST
CLAIR)
October Deployed for Local Escort of convoys between Halifax
and St Johns, Newfoundland.
November Nominated for refit in UK.
(Note : Ships of this Class were modified to
suit future RN use as convoy escorts .
Changes made varied between ships depending upon
their first intended use.
In this case changes were made as required by
the RCN and limited to the
removal of the mainmast and the after torpedo
tubes.)
25th Took passage to UK as part of the escort of
eastbound Convoy HX 91
December
11th Arrived in Clyde and taken in hand for refit work at
commercial shipyard.
1 9 4 1
January Refit work transferred to HM Dockyard, Devonport and
took passage to Plymouth
February Under refit
March
17th Refit completed and carried out post refit trials.
On completion took passage to Tobermory for
work-up.
Carried out brief work-up and nominated for
Local Escort of military convoy WS7
during passage in NW Approaches.
25th Joined HM Destroyers LEGION, BROADWATER, BEDOUIN,
MASHONA,
MATABELE, SOMALI, ROCKINGHAM, Free French
Destroyer LEOPARD and
and Polish Destroyer PIORUN with HM Cruiser
CAIRO, HM Destroyers VICEROY
WINCHELSEA, ECLIPSE and FOXHOUND to reinforce
Local Escort during
initial part of passage to Freetown in NW
Approaches.
27th Detached from WS7 with HM Destroyers BROADWATER,
BEDOUIN, MASHONA
MATABELE and SOMALI and took return passage to
Clyde.
April Deployed with 4th Escort Group in NW Approaches for
convoy escort
May Western Approaches deployment in continuation.
24th Diverted to assist in search for German battleship
BISMARCK by Home Fleet ships.
28th During return passage to Clyde with HM Destroyers
TARTAR and MASHONA after
the sinking of BISMARCK came under sustained air
attacks during which HMS
MASHONA was hit and disabled. After taking part
in rescue of survivors sank hulk
before continuing passage.
29th Transferred to Newfoundland Escort Force (NEF) and
took passage to join escort for
westbound Convoy OB328 during passage to
Dispersal Point in NW Approaches.
June
2nd Detached from OB328 when ships dispersed and took
passage to St Johns.
7th Arrived at St Johns and commenced operational
service with NEF.
Involved in collision with oil tanker CLAM in
harbour
Passage to repair yard in Halifax
. 26th Taken in hand for repair
July Under repair
to
October
November
11th Carried out post refit trials on completion and
resumed operational duties
with Western Local Escort Force for duties
between Halifax and St Johns.
December WLEF duties in continuation.
1 9 4 2
January Local Escort duties in continuation.
27th Rescued survivors from ss NYHOLT.
(Note : This ship was not British flagged and
was not part of an Atlantic convoy.
It may be assumed she was either sunk whilst
steaming independently
or part of a local convoy.)
February WLEF escort duties in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 3
January WLEF duties in continuation
to
May
June Deployed with Canadian ESCORT Group W2 for convoy
defence
to (Note : Detached for two months in this period and
deployed at Halifax as Tender
November to HMCS CORNWALLIS, the RCN base at Halifax.
December Nominated for withdrawal from convoy defence and nominated
for use as Depot
Ship for accommodation of RN submarine crews
carrying out A/S training at Halifax.
(Note : It is assumed that this ship was
withdrawn when operational availability
was significantly reduced by defects common to
this Class of ship, such
as fuel contamination and machinery breakdown.
1 9 4 4
January Deployed as Depot Ship in St Margarets Bay
to
April
May Taken in hand for dockyard repair.
June Under repair
July Future use under consideration.
August Paid-off and withdrawn from sea service.
Deployed at Halifax in Bedford Basin as Damage
Control Training ship.
(Note : “CAPTAIN” Class frigates were becoming
available with other new
escorts for which experienced crews were
required.)
September Damage Control training duties at Halifax in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Bedford Basin duties in continuation.
to
August
P o s t W a
r Notes
HMCS ST CLAIR continued use for Damage Control Basin
until placed on Sales List. She was sold on 5th March 1946 and broken-up locally in 1947.
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