1 9 4 0
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
withdrawn from service
pending local repair.
November to December
Awaiting repair at St John. (Note: Ship Paid off from RN service and ship's
company transferred to other ships of this Class being transferred.)
1 9 4 1
January to June
Under repair (Note:
Transfer to RCN arranged.)
July
6th - Recommissioned as HMCS HAMILTON
12th - Commenced operational service with RCN.
S e r v i c e a s H M C S H A M I L T O N
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 to December
Rejoined WLEF and deployed for Local Escort.
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 to June
Convoy escort deployment in continuation
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Withdrawn from operational use and selected for use as training ship attached to the RCN base, HMCS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 to December
Deployed for training purposes and mainly deployed in Bay of Fundy.
1 9 4 4
Training duties in continuation.
1 9 4 5
January to April
Training duties in continuation
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 other sources record that HMCS ST FRANCIS was the destroyer driven ashore after the
collision and that HAMILTON arrived at Boston for demolition.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMCS
HAMILTON
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date Convoy Sailed
|
Joined Convoy as Escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left convoy
|
Date Convoy Arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10/09/41
|
10/09/41
|
HX 149
|
13/09/41
|
25/09/41
|
|
15/11/41
|
15/11/41
|
HX 160
|
17/11/41
|
30/11/41
|
|
21/11/41
|
21/11/41
|
HX 161
|
23/11/41
|
06/12/41
|
|
27/11/41
|
27/11/41
|
HX 162
|
29/11/41
|
11/12/41
|
|
03/12/41
|
03/12/41
|
HX 163
|
05/12/41
|
19/12/41
|
|
15/12/41
|
15/12/41
|
HX 165
|
17/12/41
|
30/12/41
|
|
02/01/42
|
02/01/42
|
HX 168
|
04/01/42
|
13/01/42
|
|
09/01/42
|
10/01/42
|
NA 001
|
13/01/42
|
19/01/42
|
|
08/01/42
|
14/01/42
|
CT 009
|
15/01/42
|
15/01/42
|
|
20/01/42
|
20/01/42
|
HX 171
|
22/01/42
|
01/02/42
|
|
30/01/42
|
30/01/42
|
SC 067
|
02/02/42
|
15/02/42
|
|
17/05/42
|
17/05/42
|
HX 190
|
20/05/42
|
28/05/42
|
|
15/05/42
|
25/05/42
|
ON 095
|
28/05/42
|
29/05/42
|
|
02/06/42
|
02/06/42
|
BX 022
|
04/06/42
|
04/06/42
|
|
12/06/42
|
12/06/42
|
SC 087
|
15/06/42
|
27/06/42
|
|
12/06/42
|
21/06/42
|
ON 103
|
26/06/42
|
26/06/42
|
|
06/07/42
|
06/07/42
|
HX 197
|
09/07/42
|
17/07/42
|
|
30/06/42
|
12/07/42
|
ON 108
|
18/07/42
|
18/07/42
|
|
20/07/42
|
20/07/42
|
BX 029C
|
22/07/42
|
22/07/42
|
|
27/07/42
|
27/07/42
|
HX 200
|
30/07/42
|
07/08/42
|
|
24/07/42
|
02/08/42
|
ON 115
|
unknown
|
08/08/42
|
|
09/08/42
|
09/08/42
|
BX 032C
|
11/08/42
|
11/08/42
|
|
09/08/42
|
21/08/42
|
ON 120
|
27/08/42
|
27/08/42
|
|
26/09/42
|
29/09/42
|
SC 103
|
03/10/42
|
14/10/42
|
|
25/09/42
|
05/10/42
|
ON 133
|
08/10/42
|
11/10/42
|
|
08/10/42
|
11/10/42
|
HX 211
|
13/10/42
|
24/10/42
|
|
03/10/42
|
19/10/42
|
ON 136
|
23/10/42
|
26/10/42
|
|
03/12/42
|
08/12/42
|
TA 029
|
09/12/42
|
09/12/42
|
|
22/01/43
|
24/01/43
|
HX 224
|
27/01/43
|
05/02/43
|
|
23/01/43
|
03/02/43
|
ON 162
|
06/02/43
|
11/02/43
|
|
08/02/43
|
10/02/43
|
HX 226
|
14/02/43
|
24/02/43
|
|
23/02/43
|
25/02/43
|
SC 121
|
04/03/43
|
14/03/43
|
|
22/02/43
|
13/03/43
|
ON 169
|
16/03/43
|
21/03/43
|
|
14/03/43
|
17/03/43
|
SC 123
|
21/03/43
|
03/04/43
|
|
13/03/43
|
24/03/43
|
ON 173
|
29/03/43
|
29/03/43
|
|
08/04/43
|
08/04/43
|
SC 126
|
13/04/43
|
23/04/43
|
|
05/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
ONS 003
|
28/04/43
|
28/04/43
|
|
02/05/43
|
02/05/43
|
XB 049
|
04/05/43
|
04/05/43
|
|
10/05/43
|
10/05/43
|
BX 050
|
12/05/43
|
12/05/43
|
|
18/05/43
|
18/05/43
|
SC 131
|
22/05/43
|
31/05/43
|
|
17/05/43
|
28/05/43
|
ONS 008
|
01/06/43
|
01/06/43
|
|
01/06/43
|
01/06/43
|
XB 056
|
03/06/43
|
03/06/43
|
|
16/06/43
|
16/06/43
|
SC 134
|
21/06/43
|
01/07/43
|
|
19/06/43
|
30/06/43
|
ONS 011
|
05/07/43
|
05/07/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)
