C-Class Destroyer HMS CRUSADER was ordered with sister destroyer  HMS COMET from HM Dockyard Portsmouth on 15th July 1930 under the 1929 Build Programme. This programme was intended to include a full Flotilla of eight ships with a Flotilla Leader but on 30th January 1930 it was announced that only four destroyers and a Flotilla Leader would be built under the estimates as part of the economies being made during the depressed economy of that period. The ship was laid down on 12th September 1930 with the COMET and launched on 30th September 1931, the same day as COMET. This destroyer was the 2nd to bear the name, introduced in 1909 for a destroyer built in Preston by Ward and sold in 1920. Build was completed on 2nd May 1932 and she was renamed HMCS OTTAWA on 15th June 1938 after transfer to the Royal Canadian Navy.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s  a s  H M S  C R U S A D E R

 

BELGIAN COAST 1914-18

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Black, a Shield silver, thereon a cross Red.

 

M o t t o

Non nobis Domine: 'Not under us, Lord'

 

 

S u m m a r y   o f   P r e - War   S e r v i c e  a s   H M S  C R U S A D E R

 

  

1 9 3 2

 

April

 

Contractors trials

 

 May

 

2nd - Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

 

Commissioned for service in 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet. On completion of Acceptance Trials-worked-up in Home waters.

 

June to December

 

Deployed for Home Fleet duties and took part in Flotilla and Fleet exercises.

 

 

1 9 3 3

 

 Home Fleet deployment in continuation with Flotilla.

 

 

1 9 3 4

 

January to June

 

Home Fleet deployment in continuation.

 

July

 

30th - Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth. Under refit.

 

August

 

Under refit.

 

September

 

4th - Carried out post-refit trials on completion of dockyard work.

 

October to December

 

Resumed Flotilla duties in Home Fleet

 

 

1 9 3 5

 

January to July

 

Home Fleet deployment in continuation. Nominated for detached service in Mediterranean. (Note: Following the Italian invasion of Abyssinian with ships of Flotilla to reinforce the Fleet in the Mediterranean at Alexandria.)

 

August

 

Passage to Alexandria. Nominated for surveillance of Italian warship movements in Red Sea.

 

September to December

 

Deployed with sister ships of 2nd Flotilla in Red Sea.

 

 

1 9 3 6

 

January to March

 

Red Sea deployment in continuation.

 

April

 

27th - Taken in hand for refit.

 

May

 

30th - Carried out post refit trials and on completion took passage for this duty.

 

June to July

 

Deployed in Home waters. Nominated for deployment for patrol duties off Spanish Coast in Bay of Biscay (Note: This duty was also being carried out by other ships of the Flotilla)

 

August

 

Deployed for patrols to intercept traffic of arms to insurgents and for protection of British flagged ships Bay of Biscay. Assisted in evacuation of civilians from Spanish ports. Returned to service in Home waters on relief.

 

September to October

 

Home Fleet duties with Flotilla including attendance during the post refit trials of HM Battleship ROYAL OAK. (Note: Transfer to Royal Canadian Navy of ships of this Class of destroyer was under consideration by the Admiralty as the deployment of a Flotilla made up of only four ships was presenting administrative difficulties.)

 

November

 

Reduced to special complement pending result of current transfer discussions. (Note: Sister ship HMS COMET was also subject to this reduction.)

 

December

 

Nominated for service as plane guard for HM Aircraft Carrier COURAGEOUS.

 

 

1 9 3 7

 

January to February

 

Deployed as plane guard to HMS COURAGEOUS.

 

March

 

30th - Taken in hand for docking and refit by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth.

 

April

 

27th - Carried out post refit trials on completion of dockyard work.

 

May

 

Nominated for attendance at Coronation Review of Fleet at Spithead by HM King George VI. Resumed duties with HMS COURAGEOUS.

 

20th - Took part in Review with 141 other RN ships including eight battleships, two battle cruisers, 16 cruisers, five aircraft carriers, a seaplane carrier, 60 destroyers 22 submarines, five escort sloops, 20 minor warships, a Fleet oiler and other auxiliaries.

 

June to December

 

Deployed with HMS COURAGEOUS in Home waters.

 

 

1 9 3 8

 

January to March

 

Nomination for transfer to Royal Canadian Navy confirmed. Plane Guard duties with HMS COURAGEOUS in continuation.

 

April

 

Nominated for refit and detached from HMS COURAGEOUS. Passage to Sheerness for refit and transfer. Paid off prior to being taken in hand for refit.

 

28th - Taken in hand for refit. (Note: Ship became responsibility of RCN during refit.)

 

May

 

Under refit.

 

June

 

15th - Commissioned for RCN service and renamed HMCS OTTAWA.

 

 

 S e r v i c e   a s   H M C S   O T T A W A

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

KOREA 1952-53*

 (* Awarded to HMCS OTTAWA (ii))

Awards during RCN WW2 service are not available in Admiralty records.

 

 

July

 

Under refit.

 

August

 

Carried out Harbour trials.

 

20th - Deployed for post refit sea trials in Nore Command.

 

September

 

On completion of trials carried out work-up with RN ships at Portland and in Home waters.

 

October

 

Took passage to Halifax with HM Canadian Destroyer RESTIGOUCHE. (Note: It may be assumed that ship complement was brought to required standard after arrival.) Passage in Atlantic to Panama with HMCS RESTIGOUCHE.

 

November

 

Passage to Esquimalt after transit of Panama Canal.

 

7th - Arrived at Esquimalt with HMCS RESTIGOUCHE to begin RCN service in Pacific.

 

December

 

Deployed at Esquimalt.

 

1 9 3 9

 

January to August

 

Carried out training and patrol duties in Pacific. (Note: RCN ships based at Esquimalt carried out exercises with those based at Halifax. During this period RCN destroyers were involved in escort and guardship duties during the visit to Canada by HM King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.)

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

(for more ship information, go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

 

 

September

 

Prepared to take-up war station.

 

October

 

Deployed at Esquimalt. Nominated for Atlantic convoy defence and took passage to Halifax. Took passage via Panama to Halifax.

 

November

 

Atlantic passage after transit of Panama Canal.

 

7th - Arrived at Halifax.

 

December

 

Deployed for Atlantic convoy defence between Halifax and Newfoundland.

 

 

1 9 4 0

 

January to March

 

Deployed at Halifax for Local escort duties.

 

April

 

Involved in collision with tug BANSHEE and sustained structural damage on stern.

 

May

 

Under repair.

 

June to July

 

On completion resumed Local Escort duties. Nominated for service in Western Approaches with 10th Escort Group based at Greenock.

 

August

 

27th - Took passage from Halifax to join Group.

 

September

 

Joined 10th Escort Group in Clyde for Atlantic convoy escort.

 

21st - Joined Convoy OB217 as escort during passage to Dispersal Point in NW Approaches.

 

25th - Detached from OB217 on arrival at Dispersal Point and took return passage.

 

Rescued survivors from mercantiles EURYMEDON and SULARIA sunk by U-Boat torpedo. (Note: OB217 had no losses during escort and it is presumed they were sailing independently. These losses are NOT recorded in HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair and may have been attacked by an Italian submarine. Loss is recorded in Official List of Losses (HMSO) by torpedo. To be further investigated.)

 

October

 

Nominated for refit. Taken in hand for removal of after bank of torpedo tubes and replacement by 3in AA gun. Resumed deployment with Group for Atlantic convoy escort.

 

November

 

6th - Took part in anti-submarine attacks on Italian submarine FAA DI BRUNO with HM Destroyer HARVESTER.

 

7th - Italian submarine sunk after 24 hour operation. There were no survivors. (See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair. Note: This was the first Italian submarine to be sunk in Atlantic.)

 

December

 

Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.

 

 

1 9 4 1

 

January to May

 

Deployment with Group in NW Approaches for Atlantic convoy escort in continuation. Nominated for transfer to Newfoundland Escort Group based at St Johns.

 

June

 

Atlantic passage to join Group on formation. (Note: Other ships in this Group included HM Canadian Destroyer ST FRANCIS, HM Canadian Corvettes LETHBRIDGE, PRESTCOTT and ARVIDA.)

 

July to December

 

Deployed with Group for escort of outward and inward Atlantic convoys between Newfoundland and Mid Ocean Meeting Point in continuation.

 

 

1 9 4 2

 

January to April

 

Newfoundland Escort Force deployment in continuation. Nominated for transfer to newly formed 4th Canadian Escort Group.

 

May

 

Passage to UK to join new Group. (Note: Other ships in this Group included HM Canadian Destroyer RESTIGOUCHE, three RCN corvettes and one British, HMS CELANDINE).

 

8th - Joined eastbound Convoy ON95 at Liverpool with Group as escort for passage to Dispersal Point in NW Approaches.

 

17th - Detached from ON95 and took passage to St Johns.

 

29th - Joined eastbound Convoy SC85 as escort with ships of Group during passage to Liverpool.

 

June

 

Detached from SC85 and returned to St Johns.

 

16th - Deployed with Group for escort of eastbound Convoy HX133 to 30 degrees East. (Note: This was the fifth eastbound convoy to provided with an escort throughout passage to UK.)

 

23rd - HX133 sighted by U203 and reported to U-Boat Headquarters which arranged for reinforcement.

 

24th - Convoy under attack by U203, and U371 sinking two ships. Carried out uncoordinated anti-submarine attacks with Group. Eastbound convoy OB336 merged with HX133 totalling 65 mercantile escorted by two RCN Groups. Joint convoy under attack by U651 sinking one ship. Counter attacks by ten escorts unsuccessful.

 

26th - Joint convoy under further sustained attacks during which two ships were sunk.

 

27th - U556 joined attacking force and detected. (Note: This submarine was sunk by depth charges from HM Corvettes CELANDINE, GLADIOLUS and NASTURTIUM of 4th Escort Group.). Ship detached from joint convoy with five corvettes and took passage to Iceland. (Note: Defence of this merged convoy, which was the first carried out mainly by RCN ships, was subject to criticism. See above reference for detail.).

 

29th - Group deployed as escort for west bound convoy ON 105 during passage in Atlantic to St Johns. Detached from ON 105 and took passage to St Johns.

 

July

 

15th - Group deployed as escort for east bound Convoy HX197 during Atlantic passage.

 

17th - Group detached from HX197 on arrival at Liverpool.

 

26th - Group deployment as escort for westbound Convoy ON116 during Atlantic passage.

 

August

 

Group detached from ON116 and joined eastbound Convoy SC96 during Atlantic passage.

 

27th - Group detached from SC96 on arrival at Liverpool.

 

September

 

4th - Deployed with HM Destroyer ST CROIX, HM Canadian Corvettes AMHERST, ARVIDA, SHERBROOKE and HM Corvette CELANDINE of Group for escort of westbound Convoy ON127 during passage from Liverpool.

 

9th - ON127 sighted by U584 of VORWARTS Group.

 

10th - Carried out A/S operations with other escorts during sustained attacks by U96, U659, U584, U484, U218, U608 and U92. Two ships in convoy were sunk and others damaged.

 

11th - Carried out further operations against renewed attacks during which another two mercantiles were sunk.

 

12th - U-Boat attacks in continuation and despite vigorous counter operations another two ships in ONI27 were sunk.

 

13th - Air cover from Newfoundland arrived and many U-Boats driven off. U91 and U92 remained in contact and carried out night attacks.

 

14th - Hit by torpedo fired by U91 and sank in position 47.55N 42.27W. 114 of ship's company survived. (Note: For details of the defence of ON127 see HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)

  

 

Special Note

 

This name was re-introduced when HM Destroyer GRIFFIN was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy on 20th March 1943 and became HMCS OTTAWA (ii).

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMCS OTTAWA

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

(Note on Convoys)