Ex USS HARADEN (Type C
NEWPORT-Class) built by Newport
News Shipbuilders. The ship was laid down on
30th March
1918 and launched on
4th July that year.
Commissioned on 6th June 1919
for US Naval Service this
ship
was deployed in Adriatic until 1920 when she
was used as
a training ship at Norfolk
before reduction to
Reserve in Philadelphia.
Brought forward for US Navy
use in December 1939 she was deployed for
Neutrality Patrol duties until transferred
to the Royal Navy
under the UK/US Lend/Lease Agreement on 3rd
September 1940. On 24th September that year
this destroyer was
selected for service with the Royal Canadian
Navy and
renamed
HMCS COLUMBIA at Halifax.
The name like those of other
destroyers provided under this Agreement
was
common to places in Britain or Canada and in
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 a s H
M C S C O L U M B I A
(for more ship
information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search)
1
9 4 0
September
24th
- Transferred to Royal Navy at Halifax and
manned by Canadian crew.
Commissioned
as HMCS HARADEN. (Note: This name was later
changed to HMCS COLUMBIA.)
October
to December
Deployed
at Halifax for Local Escort duties.
1
9 4 1
January
Halifax
deployment in continuation. Nominated for refit
in UK.
15th
- Took passage to UK (Note: Ship probably joined
escort of Atlantic convoy to Clyde.)
Passage
to Plymouth.
February
Taken
in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Devonport.
(Note: Refit included
modifications to suit RCN convoy defence
requirements which were not as extensive as
those required for
ships of this Class under RN
control.)
March
On
completion of refit work joined Western
Approaches Command for convoy escort duties and
attached to
4th Escort Group.
April
to May
Deployed
for convoy defence with Group.
Nominated for return to Canada for duty with
Newfoundland Escort Force (NEF) on formation at
St. Johns.
June
Passage
to join NEF.
July
to December
Deployed
for convoy defence with NEF.
1
9 4 2
January
Convoy
escort duties with NEF in continuation.
February
Under
repair at Halifax.
March
Transferred
to Western Local Escort Force (WLEF) and
deployed for convoy
defence between
Canadian ports.
April
to September
WLEF
deployment in continuation.
October
24th
- Deployed in support of eastbound Convoy SL107
under attack by
several U-Boats south
of Iceland escorted by ships of Canadian EG C4.
(See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR BY C Blair for
details.)
November
to December
WLEF
deployment in continuation.
1
9 4 3
January
Local
Escort duties in continuation. Assisted sister
ship HMCS CALDWELL which was adrift
after breaking away from tow
during passage between St Johns and Boston.
Towed disabled destroyer to Halifax for repair.
February
1st -
Taken in hand for refit at St John, NB.
March
to April
Under
refit.
May
On
completion of post refit trials, rejoined WLEF
at St Johns for Local Escort duties.
June
Joined
Canadian Escort Group W4 for convoy defence.
July
to November
Convoy
escort duties with W4 in continuation.
December
Transferred
to Canadian Escort Group W10 in continuation of
escort
duties.
1
9 4 4
January
Deployment
with W10 in continuation.
February
25th
- Struck cliff at Moreton
Bay, Newfoundland and sustained major damage to
bow structure (Note: Weather was foggy and radar
may not have been serviceable.)
March
to April
Awaiting
repair to bow structure to allow tow.
May
to August
Under
temporary repair at Bay Bulls.
Ship
to be withdrawn from
operational service.
September
Taken
in tow to Liverpool, NS for use as a storeship.
October
to December
Hulk
used for storage of ammunition from ships being
refitted.
1
9 4 5
January
to May
Store
ship use in continuation at Liverpool, NS.
June
12th
- Paid-off at Sydney and placed on Disposal
List.
Sold
to International Iron and
Steel for demolition.
August
Taken
in tow to Hamilton.
9th -
Arrived at Breaker's Yard at Hamilton.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMCS
COLUMBIA
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
16/10/40
|
16/10/40
|
HX
081
|
17/10/40
|
02/11/40
|
24/10/40
|
24/10/40
|
HX
083
|
25/10/40
|
07/11/40
|
28/10/40
|
28/10/40
|
HX
084
|
29/10/40
|
05/11/40
|
14/11/40
|
14/11/40
|
HX
087
|
15/11/40
|
29/11/40
|
17/11/40
|
17/11/40
|
HX
089
|
18/11/40
|
01/12/40
|
26/12/40
|
26/12/40
|
HX
099
|
27/12/40
|
11/01/41
|
11/03/41
|
24/03/41
|
HX
114
|
unknown
|
30/03/41
|
03/04/41
|
03/04/41
|
OB
306
|
08/04/41
|
09/04/41
|
27/03/41
|
10/04/41
|
HX
117
|
15/04/41
|
15/04/41
|
15/04/41
|
15/04/41
|
OG
059
|
20/04/41
|
28/04/41
|
30/04/41
|
02/05/41
|
OB
317
|
06/05/41
|
06/05/41
|
17/04/41
|
10/05/41
|
SL
072
|
13/05/41
|
13/05/41
|
27/04/41
|
19/05/41
|
SL
073
|
25/05/41
|
25/05/41
|
29/05/41
|
30/05/41
|
OB
328
|
02/06/41
|
02/06/41
|
10/06/41
|
16/06/41
|
HX
132
|
18/06/41
|
28/06/41
|
10/06/41
|
16/06/41
|
SC
034
|
18/06/41
|
29/06/41
|
21/07/41
|
21/07/41
|
TC
012
|
26/07/41
|
29/07/41
|
22/07/41
|
25/07/41
|
HX
140
|
01/08/41
|
06/08/41
|
22/07/41
|
25/07/41
|
SC
038
|
01/08/41
|
08/08/41
|
31/07/41
|
05/08/41
|
ON
003
|
13/08/41
|
14/08/41
|
10/08/41
|
13/08/41
|
HX
144
|
13/08/41
|
30/08/41
|
29/08/41
|
29/08/41
|
HX
147
|
08/09/41
|
12/09/41
|
30/08/41
|
12/09/41
|
SC
042
|
16/09/41
|
20/09/41
|
13/09/41
|
19/09/41
|
ON
016
|
24/09/41
|
27/09/41
|
05/10/41
|
10/10/41
|
SC
048
|
17/10/41
|
22/10/41
|
16/10/41
|
23/10/41
|
ON
027
|
02/11/41
|
02/11/41
|
10/11/41
|
12/11/41
|
SC
054
|
22/11/41
|
26/11/41
|
25/11/41
|
30/11/41
|
ON
040
|
04/12/41
|
04/12/41
|
30/03/42
|
30/03/42
|
SC
077
|
03/04/42
|
16/04/42
|
17/04/42
|
17/04/42
|
SC
080
|
22/04/42
|
03/05/42
|
10/05/42
|
10/05/42
|
HX
189
|
13/05/42
|
20/05/42
|
06/05/42
|
17/05/42
|
ON
092
|
19/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
XB
021
|
22/05/42
|
23/05/42
|
05/06/42
|
05/06/42
|
SC
086
|
08/06/42
|
20/06/42
|
05/06/42
|
14/06/42
|
ON
101
|
18/06/42
|
18/06/42
|
26/06/42
|
26/06/42
|
SC
089
|
29/06/42
|
11/07/42
|
26/06/42
|
05/07/42
|
ON
107
|
09/07/42
|
09/07/42
|
10/07/42
|
10/07/42
|
BX
028B
|
12/07/42
|
12/07/42
|
17/07/42
|
17/07/42
|
SC
092
|
19/07/42
|
31/07/42
|
17/07/42
|
26/07/42
|
ON
113
|
31/07/42
|
31/07/42
|
09/08/42
|
09/08/42
|
HX
202
|
12/08/42
|
21/08/42
|
02/08/42
|
14/08/42
|
ON
118
|
unknown
|
20/08/42
|
21/08/42
|
21/08/42
|
BX
034C
|
23/08/42
|
23/08/42
|
29/08/42
|
29/08/42
|
SC
098
|
02/09/42
|
13/09/42
|
28/08/42
|
07/09/42
|
ON
125
|
10/09/42
|
12/09/42
|
29/08/42
|
16/09/42
|
ON
126
|
18/09/42
|
18/09/42
|
17/09/42
|
17/09/42
|
HX
208
|
20/09/42
|
02/10/42
|
11/09/42
|
22/09/42
|
ON
129
|
25/09/42
|
25/09/42
|
01/10/42
|
01/10/42
|
HX
210
|
04/10/42
|
16/10/42
|
26/09/42
|
14/10/42
|
ON
134
|
17/10/42
|
17/10/42
|
18/10/42
|
18/10/42
|
HX
212
|
21/10/42
|
02/11/42
|
17/10/42
|
21/10/42
|
TA
025
|
22/10/42
|
22/10/42
|
24/10/42
|
27/10/42
|
SC
107
|
01/11/42
|
10/11/42
|
25/10/42
|
03/11/42
|
ON
141
|
07/11/42
|
10/11/42
|
19/11/42
|
19/11/42
|
HX
216
|
22/11/42
|
06/12/42
|
25/11/42
|
28/11/42
|
SC
111
|
30/11/42
|
17/12/42
|
26/11/42
|
06/12/42
|
ON
149
|
10/12/42
|
12/12/42
|
19/12/42
|
22/12/42
|
SC
114
|
26/12/42
|
07/01/43
|
19/12/42
|
30/12/42
|
ON
155
|
02/01/43
|
06/01/43
|
04/01/43
|
07/01/43
|
SC
116
|
12/01/43
|
29/01/43
|
04/01/43
|
14/01/43
|
ON
159
|
17/01/43
|
20/01/43
|
24/06/43
|
06/07/43
|
ON
190
|
08/07/43
|
09/07/43
|
15/07/43
|
15/07/43
|
HX
248
|
21/07/43
|
29/07/43
|
14/07/43
|
25/07/43
|
ONS
013
|
29/07/43
|
29/07/43
|
30/07/43
|
01/08/43
|
HX
250
|
05/08/43
|
12/08/43
|
31/07/43
|
08/08/43
|
ON
195
|
11/08/43
|
13/08/43
|
14/08/43
|
24/08/43
|
ON
197
|
27/08/43
|
28/08/43
|
02/09/43
|
02/09/43
|
HX
255
|
08/09/43
|
16/09/43
|
15/09/43
|
28/09/43
|
ON
202
|
01/10/43
|
01/10/43
|
05/10/43
|
05/10/43
|
HX
260
|
11/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
05/10/43
|
16/10/43
|
ON
205
|
20/10/43
|
23/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
31/10/43
|
ON
207
|
03/11/43
|
04/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
HX
266
|
16/11/43
|
27/11/43
|
26/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
HX
268
|
29/11/43
|
11/12/43
|
17/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
ONS
023
|
02/12/43
|
02/12/43
|
15/12/43
|
15/12/43
|
SC
149
|
19/12/43
|
30/12/43
|
29/12/43
|
15/01/44
|
ONS
026
|
15/01/44
|
18/01/44
|
30/01/44
|
10/02/44
|
ON
222
|
13/02/44
|
16/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
22/02/44
|
HX
280
|
25/02/44
|
09/03/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
|