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Ex USS BANCROFT (Type A BURNHAM Class) built by Bethlehem Steel at Quincy. The ship was laid down on 4th November 1918 and launched on 20th March 1919. Commissioned on 30th June 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 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

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

1 9 4 0

September

24th - Transferred at Halifax and manned by RCN as HMCS BANCROFT.

Nominated for Local Escort duties based at Halifax.

October

Local escort duties in continuation

November

5th - Diverted to join search for German pocket battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER which had had attacked eastbound Convoy HX84.

On release from search resumed Local Escort duties at Halifax.

December

Deployment at Halifax in continuation.

Nominated for refit in UK.

1 9 4 1

January

15th - Took passage to UK as part of escort for routine mercantile convoy.

On arrival in UK taken in hand for refit at Clyde commercial shipyard. (Note: Most RN ships transferred were refitted at HM Dockyard, Devonport.).

February

On completion of refit to suit RCN escort requirements took passage to Tobermory and worked-up for operational service as a convoy escort.

March

Joined Escort Group EG4 for deployment in Western Approaches based at Greenock.

April to June

Deployed for Local Escort in NW Approaches with Group. Nominated for return to RCN duties based at St Johns for refit

July

Passage to St Johns as part of escort for routine mercantile convoy. On arrival taken in hand for refit at Pictou.

August to November

Under refit during which the after boiler was removed to increase bunker capacity to suit deployment as Ocean escort. Bridge structure was also modified.

December

On completion of post refit trials joined Newfoundland Escort Force for duty as a Mid Ocean escort.

1 9 4 2

January to August

Ocean escort duties in continuation.

September

Under repair at Londonderry. (Note: Installation of Radar Type 286M during this period to be confirmed. For details of the limitations of this RAF radar for naval use and for details of development of radar for naval use, see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)

October

Repair at Londonderry in continuation.

November

On completion resumed service as an Ocean escort.

December

5th - Taken in hand for refit at Halifax. (Note: It may be assumed that incidence of defects must have reduced availability for escort duties.)

1 9 4 3

January to March

Under refit.

April

Nominated for service with Canadian Escort Group C2 on completion of post refit trials.

16th - Harbour and Sea Trials on completion of dockyard work.

Joined Group for Atlantic convoy escort.

May to June

MOEF escort duties in continuation.

July

Under repair at Halifax and nominated for service with 9th Support Group on completion.

August

Joined Support Group and deployed for reinforcement of convoy escorts under attack or threat from U-Boat Groups.

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 CROIX, 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. (Note: During the German attacks, the submarines used acoustic T5 torpedoes designed to attack escorts. See SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann for details. Sister destroyer HMCS ST CROIX and HM Corvette POLYANTHUS were both sunk by these weapons and HMS LAGAN was seriously damaged and later declared beyond economic repair.)

20th - Defence operations in continuation.

21st - Carried out attacks with Group against 12 submarines of LEUTHEN Group. during which HM Frigate ITCHEN was sunk with heavy loss of life including survivors from HMCS ST CROIX, of whom only one survived.

October

Deployment with SG9 in continuation.

Took passage to Shelburne, NS for repair of essential defects which reduced effective operational use.

November to December

Under repair.

1 9 4 4

January

Following survey, ship withdrawn from operational use.

February

Nominated for training duties at Halifax as Tender to HMCS CORNWALLIS.

March to December

Deployed at Halifax as static training ship.

1 9 4 5

January to May

Training duties at Halifax in continuation.

June

Nominated for transfer to Disposal List and took passage to Sydney.

8th - Paid-off and destored at Sydney. Sold to Boston Iron and Metal Co for demolition in Baltimore.

July

Taken in tow with HMCS HAMILTON by tug FOUNDATION SECURITY for passage to Baltimore (or Boston?).

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 Baltimore (or 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 later taken in tow, but other sources record that  ST FRANCIS was the one driven ashore after the collision.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMCS ST FRANCIS

by Don Kindell

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

(Note on Convoys)