HMCS St. Laurent (H83)

HMCS "St. Laurent" (H83) was a "River"-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1937-1945.

She was formerly warship|HMS|Cygnet|H83 of the Royal Navy's "C"-class and wore pennant H83 during her service.

She was built by Vickers-Armstrongs, Barrow-in-Furness and commissioned into the RN around 1932. She ended her service with the RN on 17 February 1937 when she was commissioned into the RCN.

World War II

"St. Laurent" was assigned to the RCN's Atlantic Fleet during World War II. During the first year and half of the war, she was largely busy rescuing survivors of the Battle of the Atlantic.

On 2 July 1940, under command of H.G. DeWolf, "St. Laurent" rescued 118 crewmembers, 109 guards and 586 German and Italian prisoners of war who had been aboard the unescorted British passenger ship SS "Arandora Star" which was torpedoed by U-47 convert|125|nmi|km|0 northeast of Malin Head, Ireland.

On 4 September 1940, "St. Laurent" rescued 89 survivors of the British merchant ship "Titan" which had been torpedoed by U-47 convert|80|nmi|km|0 southwest of Rockall. On 15 September 1940, "St. Laurent" rescued 13 survivors of the Canadian merchant ship "Kenordoc" which had been shelled and damaged by U-99 convert|44|nmi|km|0 northwest of Rockall.

On 2 December 1940, "St. Laurent" rescued survivors from warship|HMS|Forfar that had been torpedoed and sunk by U-99 convert|500|nmi|km|0 west of Ireland. On 3 December 1940, "St. Laurent" rescued 53 survivors from the British tanker "Conch" which had been torpedoed by U-99 convert|370|nmi|km|0 west of Ireland.

After refitting at Halifax in 1941, "St. Laurent" escorted convoy ON-119 with Escort Group C-2 and then convoys ON-133, HX-211, SC-110, ONS-154, HX-222, ONS-2, SC-127 and ON-184 as part of Escort Group C-1."North Atlantic Run", Marc Milner, 1985, Naval Institute Press ISBN 0-87021-450-0] "St. Laurent" had her first victory on 27 December 1942 when she was credited with sinking U-356 while escorting ONS-154 north of the Azores, along with the corvettes warship|HMCS|Chilliwack|K131, warship|HMCS|Battleford|K165 and warship|HMCS|Napanee|K118.

On 10 March 1944, "St. Laurent" was credited with sinking U-845 in the North Atlantic, along with the destroyer warship|HMS|Forester, corvette warship|HMCS|Owen Sound|K340 and corvette warship|HMCS|Swansea|K328.

"St. Laurent" was decommissioned on 10 October 1945.

ee also

* List of ships of the Canadian Navy

References