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HMCS HURON G24 / 216
Tribal Class Destroyer
Built by Vickers-Armstrong, Ltd., at Newcastle-on-Tyne, she was commissioned there on 19 Jul 1943. She was assigned, like HAIDA, to the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla of the British Home fleet. She made a trip in Oct 1943 to Murmansk with technical personnel and special naval stores, and for the rest of the year escorted convoys to and from North Russia. In Feb 1944, she joined the 10th Flotilla at Plymouth for invasion duties, spending the next seven months in the Channel and the Bay of Biscay. She was present on D-Day. HURON assisted HAIDA in sinking torpedo boat T29 and destroyer Z 32, and in Aug 1944 made her fist visit to Canada for refit at Halifax. In Nov 1944 she returned to the U.K. to carry out escort duties in the Western Approaches. In April 1945, HMCS HAIDA G63, HMCS HURON G24 and HMCS IROQUOIS G89 made one more round trip escorting a convoy to and from Kola Inlet.
Departing Greenock on 04 Jun 1945, HURON returned to Halifax with HAIDA and IROQUOIS, arriving there on 10 Jun 1945, and began tropicalization refit, but this was discontinued owing to VJ-Day and she was paid off on 09 Mar 1946. She was re-commissioned at Halifax for training purposed in 1950, but sailed on 22 Jan 1951 on the first of three tours of duty in Korean waters. Following her Korean tours, she returned to her training role.
On 23 Aug 1950 The Canadian Special Service Squadron, consisting of the MAGNIFICENT, HURON and MICMAC sailed from Halifax for a three-moth training cruise to Europe. The Canadian Special Service Squadron arrived at Londonderry on 01 Sep 1950. For the next two weeks the ships carried out an intensive anti-submarine training program. From 'Derry they went to Rosyth, Scotland, and then to Oslo, Norway. Ships of the Special Service Squadron called at seven ports - Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Portsmouth and Cherbourg - within 22 Days. The Special Service Squadron completed the continental phase of its training cruise with visits to Lisbon and Gibraltar. Following a strenuous exercise period with the British Home Fleet, the ships sailed westward for Bermuda. There the MAGNIFICENT, HURON and MICMAC were joined by the frigates LA HULLOSIE and SWANSEA and the five ships arrived at Halifax on 27 Nov 1950.
On 30 Jul 1962, the RCN sent the 3rd Destroyer Escort Squadron (Atlantic) under Capt. Gordon Edwards, on a good will / work up tour. The squadron consisted of HMCS SIOUX 225, HMCS HURON 216 and HMCS IROQUOIS 217 (as flagship). The ships sailed from Halifax NS to Bermuda and then on to Jamaica, arriving on 05 Aug 1962. The squadron joined a large fleet of naval vessels already assembled, as all Royal Navies and the United States Navy, had sent "good will" ships of various classes to Jamaica. In essence, it served to form one of the largest allied fleets to be assembled since WW II, and spent six days in Jamaica celebrating their independence from Briton which occurred on the 06 Aug 1962. The squadron then sailed back to Bermuda before heading to Prince Edward Island to par-take in their official Lobster Festival. From PEI the squadron returned to Halifax for fuel and provisions, and again departed for Bermuda. From Bermuda it was onto Trinidad & Tobago to take part in their independence celebrations. From 12 Sep to 17 Sep 1962, the 3rd Destroyer Escort Squadron paid a visit to Newfoundland to take part in the 67th annual meeting of the National Council of the Navy League of Canada. (Click here to read more on the visit)
HURON was paid off at Halifax on 30 Apr 1963. She was broken up at La Spezia, Italy, in 1965.
HMCS HURON's tours in Korea
1st Tour: Departed Halifax: 22 Jan 1951 // Arrived Op Area: 15 Mar 1951 // Departed Op Area: 14 Aug 1951 // Arrived Halifax: 21 Sep 1951 2nd Tour: Departed Halifax: 29 Apr 1953 // Arrived Op Area: 18 Jun 1953 // Departed Op Area: 05 Feb 1954 // Arrived Halifax: 17 Mar 1954 * 3rd Tour: Departed Halifax: 01 Aug 1954 // Arrived Op Area: 01 Oct 1954 // Departed Op Area: 26 Dec 1954 // Arrived in Halifax: 19 Mar 1955 *
* Returned to Canada via the Suez Canal thus circumnavigating the globe.
RCN Memories: HMCS HURON Aground off Korea - 13 Jul 1953 Where is the HURON?
Photos and Documents Ship's company photos
Convoys escorted during the Second World War
A Pictorial Record of HMC Ships HURON and IROQUOIS Under U.N. Command 1954 - 1955
Commanding Officers
Captain for the day is a tradition in the RCN where during the ship's Christmas celebrations, the Commanding Officer changes places with the youngest member of the ship's company.
Stephen Stevenson - 1961
LS, RCN killed - 26 Apr 1944
They shall not be forgotten A
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G
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Former Crew Members
(K3) = 3rd Korean tour
Photos and Documents
(OSA006) Surg-Lt Orchard on HMCS HURON (OSA007) Surg-Lt Orchard (left) with unknown officer on HMCS HURON (OSA008) Unknown officers n HMCS HURON (OSA009) Officers of HMCS HURON with their guest on the fo'c's'le of HMCS HURON (OSA010) Unknown officers on HMCS HURON
(OSA011) Newspaper article Jun 1945 - HAIDA, HURON and IROQUOIS arrive in Halifax harbour. Also returned same day BEAUHARNOIS, ASBESTOS and SMITH FALLS. JONQUIERE, ST STEPHEN and STE THERESE are tied up in Halifax undergoing tropicalization refit
From the collection of Surg-LCdr Stewart Arthur Orchard, RCNVR / RCN(R)
Courtesy of Stewart Orchard (grandson)
Convoys escorted during the Second World War
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In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice
Lest We Forget
