V-Class destroyer HMS VIXEN, 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 a s H M S V I X E N
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
(for more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and type name in Site Search)
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 to 3rd - Final rehearsal for berthing, loading and
sailing of invasion craft belonging to Forces O, S, J and G.
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 beachhead 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
Home 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 HM 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: A 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
7th - Deployed with HM Destroyers ZEALOUS, ZAMBESI, VIGILANT, SAVAGE, SERAPIS, Norwegian destroyer STORD and HM Canadian Destroyer ALGONQUIN as
screen for HM Aircraft Carriers IMPLACABLE, TRUMPETER and FENCER. (Operation
URBANE - References as 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 corvette FARNHAM
CASTLE.
21st - Detached
from JW65 on 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 for
passage to Canada for refit prior to further operational service.
6th - Took
passage to Halifax.
May to August
Under repair at
Halifax.
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.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMCS SIOUX
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
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Date convoy sailed
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Joined convoy as escort
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Convoy No.
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Left convoy
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Date convoy arrived
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15/09/44
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17/09/44
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JW 060
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23/09/44
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23/09/44
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28/09/44
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28/09/44
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RA 060
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03/10/44
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05/10/44
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30/12/44
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01/01/45
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JW 063
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08/01/45
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08/01/45
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11/01/45
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11/01/45
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RA 063
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19/01/45
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21/01/45
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03/02/45
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06/02/45
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JW 064
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15/02/45
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15/02/45
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17/02/45
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17/02/45
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RA 064
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27/02/45
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28/02/45
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11/03/45
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14/03/45
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JW 065
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21/03/45
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21/03/45
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23/03/45
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23/03/45
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RA 065
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30/03/45
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01/04/45
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(Note on Convoys)
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