Ex-USS McCOOK (Type A BURNHAM-Class) built by Bethlehem Steel at Quincy. The ship was laid down on 11th September 1918 and launched on 31st January 1919. Commissioned on 30th April 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 in the US.

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

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

1 9 4 0

September

24th - Transferred to Royal Canadian Navy with five other ships of this Class and named HMCS McCOOK.

October

Deployed as Local Escort at Halifax after short refit.

3rd - Renamed HMCS ST CROIX.

November

Local Escort deployment in continuation.

Nominated for long refit in UK.

30th - Took passage from Halifax for refit at Devonport.

December

Sustained major weather damage during passage to St Johns, Newfoundland, (Note: Search operation was initiated prior to arrival.)

18th - Returned to Halifax and taken in hand for repair.

1 9 4 1

January to February

Under repair at Halifax.

March

Harbour trials and post refit trials on completion of dockyard work. On completion deployed at Halifax for Local escort.

April to July

Local escort duties in continuation. Nominated for service with Newfoundland Escort Force (NEF) on formation.

Passage to Newfoundland for Atlantic convoy defence. Deployed for escort of convoys between St Johns and Iceland.

September

Taken in hand for refit at St Johns.

October to December

Under refit

1 9 4 2

January to March

Under refit

April

Resumed NEF duties on completion of post refit trials.

May

Transferred to Mid Ocean Escort Force (MOEF) based at St Johns. Deployed as escort for eastbound convoy SC84 during passage from Cape Breton (Note: This convoys sailed from New York on 14th May.)

June

MOEF deployment in continuation.

July

23rd - Deployed with HM Destroyer BURNHAM and four corvettes as Ocean Escort for westbound Convoy ON113.

24th - U90 and U552 sighted on surface after detection of U-Boat radio transmissions. (Note: Both destroyers had detached to carry out search ahead of convoy.). Sank U90 after carrying out depth charge attacks. (Note: U552 evaded attacks and later sank two mercantiles in ON113. For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)

August

MOEF deployment in continuation.

September

Deployed with Canadian Escort Group C4 which included HM Canadian Destroyer OTTAWA, HM Canadian Corvette SHERBROOKE, two other Canadian corvettes and one British corvette as escort for westbound Convoy ON127.

9th - ON 127 sighted west of Ireland by U584 of VORWARTS U- Boat Group.

10th - Carried out anti-submarine operations against U-Boats of VORWARTS Group during which two mercantiles were sunk and three damaged.

11th to 12th - Defence operations in continuation. Four more mercantiles sunk

13th - Air cover provided and U-Boats driven off.

14th - Attacks renewed by two submarines which had no success against mercantiles. HMCS OTTAWA sunk by U91.

Escort reinforced by HMCS ANNAPOLIS and HMS Destroyer WITCH. (Note: Fog conditions thwarted further attacks. ON127 Arrived in New York on 20th.)

October

Deployed with C1 for Atlantic convoy escort.

November to December

Taken in hand for refit.

1 9 4 3

January

Resumed MOEF duties on completion of post refit trials. Nominated for work-up in UK at Tobermory and joined HM Destroyers VANSITTART, CHESTERFIELD and five RCN corvettes of Group in escort for eastbound Convoy HX222. (This convoy had sailed from New York on 6th..Note: RCN escorts were judged to need further intensive training to improve anti-submarine procedures.)

21st - Detached from HX222 and took passage to Tobermory. (Note: HX222 arrived at Liverpool on 22nd.)

22nd - Began work-up.

February

Nominated for retention in UK waters to assist in defence of military convoys to Gibraltar as part of planned allied shore operations in Mediterranean area.

17th - On completion of work-up joined Western Approaches Command for detached service. Deployed as Canadian Escort Group No 1, (EG C1)

26th - Deployed with HM Canadian Corvette SHEDIAC as part of escort for military Convoy KMS10G during Atlantic passage.

March

4th - Sank U87 in position 41.36N 13.31W with HMCS SHEDIAC by depth charges when submarine attempted attack on KMS10G. (For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and above reference.)

7th - Detached from KMS10G on arrival at Gibraltar.

11th - Deployed with EGC1 as part of escort for return military Convoy MKS9 during passage in Atlantic from Gibraltar to Liverpool.

18th - Detached from MKS9 and took return passage to St Johns to resume service in MOEF.

April

MOEF duties in continuation. Joined Canadian Escort Group C1. (Note: Other ships in Group were HM Canadian Destroyer RESTIGOUCHE, HM Frigate HM Frigate ITCHEN and three corvettes.)

May

Deployed for escort of Atlantic convoys with Group supported by US Support Group 6 which included US aircraft carrier BOGUE and destroyer screen.

June

Under repair at Halifax

July

Nominated for further detached service in UK to assist in planned anti-submarine operations in Bay of Biscay against U-Boats using French and Spanish coastal waters during passage to and from Atlantic for shipping attacks (Operations MUSKETRY and SEASLUG.)

Transferred to newly formed Canadian Support Group 9 (C9).

August

Passage to UK with Group to take part in Bay of Biscay operations based at Plymouth. Diverted on passage with Group for support of Atlantic convoys under threat of attack by U-Boat Groups. (Note: Active participation in Bay of Biscay operations to be confirmed.)

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 FRANCIS, 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.

20th - During operations against 12 submarine of LEUTHEN Group, hit by acoustic torpedo fired from U305 which disabled ship. Stricken ship hit by second torpedo from U305 about an hour later and sank. 81 survivors from a total complement of 147 were rescued by HM Frigate ITCHEN. (For full details of this tragic defence of the merged convoys see above references. Note: Only one of those rescued survived when HMS ITCHEN was sunk on 21st. HM Frigate LAGAN and HM Corvette POLYANTHUS were also sunk during the sustained submarine attacks, together with six mercantiles.)

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMCS ST CROIX

by Don Kindell

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

(Note on Convoys)