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H . M . C
. S .
S T . F R A N C I S ( I 9 3 )
Ex USS BANCROFT (Type A BURNHAM Class) built by
Bethlehem Steel at Quincy. The ship was laid down
on 4th November 1918 and launched on 20th March 1919. Commissioned on 30th June 1919 for US Naval
Service this
ship was deployed in the Atlantic until 1922 when she was laid up in Reserve at Philadelphia. In
December 1939 she was brought forward for US Navy use
and deployed in the Atlantic 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 CROIX at Halifax.
The name. like those of the other destroyers provided
under this Agreement, was common to places in Britain or
Canada and 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
September
24th Transferred at Halifax and manned by RCN as HMCS BANCROFT.
Nominated for Local Escort duties based at
Halifax.
October Local escort duties in continuation
November
5th Diverted to join search for German pocket
battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER which had
had attacked eastbound Convoy HX84.
On release from search resumed Local Escort
duties at Halifax.
December Deployment at Halifax in continuation.
Nominated for refit in UK.
1 9 4 1
January
15th Took passage to UK as part of escort for routine
mercantile convoy
On arrival in UK taken in hand for refit at
Clyde commercial shipyard.
(Note :Most RN ships transferred were refitted
at HM Dockyard, Devonport.).
February On completion of refit to suit RCN escort requirements took passage to Tobermory
and worked-up for operational service as a
convoy escort.
March Joined Escort Group EG4 for deployment in Western
Approaches based at Greenock.
April Deployed for Local Escort in NW Approaches with
Group.
to
June Nominated for return to RCN duties based at St Johns for
refit
July Passage to St Johns as part of escort for routine
mercantile convoy.
On arrival taken in hand for refit at Pictou.
August Under refit during which the after boiler was removed to
increase bunker capacity
to
November to suit deployment as Ocean escort. Bridge structure was also
modified
December On completion of post refit trials joined Newfoundland
Escort Force for duty
as a mid Ocean escort.
1 9 4 2
January Ocean escort duties in continuation.
to
August
September Under repair at Londonderry
(Note : Installation of Radar Type 286M during
this period to be confirmed.
For details of the limitations of this RAF radar
for naval use and for
details of development of radar for naval use
see RADAR AT SEA by
D Howse.)
October Repair at Londonderry in continuation.
November On completion resumed service as an Ocean escort.
December
5th Taken in hand for refit at Halifax.
(Note : It may be assumed that incidence of
defects must have reduced
availability for escort duties.)
1 9 4 3
January Under refit
to
March
April Nominated for service with Canadian Escort Group C2
on completion of post refit trials.
16th Harbour and Sea Trials on completion of dockyard
work.
Joined Group for Atlantic convoy escort.
May MOEF escort duties in continuation.
to
June
July Under repair at Halifax and nominated for service
with 9th Support Group on completion.
August Joined Support Group and deployed for reinforcement of
convoy escorts under attack or
threat from U-Boat Groups.
September Deployed with Group in support of passage of Atlantic
convoys.
(Note : Other ships in C9 Group were HM Frigate
ITCHEN, HM Canadian Destroyer ST CROIX,
HM Canadian Corvettes CHAMBLY, SACKVILLE and
MORDEN.)
19th Took part in anti-submarine operations in support of
defence of westbound Convoys ONS18
and ON202 which had merged and were under threat
of attack by LEUTHEN U-Boat Group.
(Note : During the German attacks, the
submarines used Acoustic T5 torpedoes designed to
attack escorts. See SEEK AND STRIKE by
W Hackmann for details.
Sister destroyer HMCS ST CROIX and HM Corvette
POLYANTHUS were both sunk
by these weapons and HMS LAGAN was seriously
damaged and later declared beyond
economic repair.)
20th Defence operations in continuation.
21st Carried out attacks with Group against 12 submarine
of LEUTHEN Group.
during which HM Frigate ITCHEN was sunk with
heavy loss of life including
survivors from HMCS ST CROIX, of whom only one
survived.
October Deployment with SG9 in continuation.
Took passage to Shelburne, NS for repair of essential
defects which reduced
effective operational use.
November Under repair
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Following survey ship withdrawn from operational use.
February Nominated for training duties at Halifax as Tender to
HMCS CORNWALLIS.
March Deployed at Halifax as static Training Ship.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Training duties at Halifax in continuation.
to
May
June Nominated for transfer to Disposal List and took
passage to Sydney.
8th Paid-off and destored at Sydney.
Sold to Boston Iron and Metal Co for demolition
in Baltimore.
July Taken in tow with HMCS HAMILTON 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 Baltimore. 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
later taken in tow but one source records that this ship was the one driven ashore after the collision.
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