HMCS KOOTENAY H75

 

D - Class Destroyer (RN)

 

River Class Destroyer (RCN)

 


 

HMCS KOOTENAY H75

From the collection of Rex Duce

Courtesy of Melanie Brough

 

Battle honours and awards:  Atlantic  1943-45,   Normandy  1944,   English Channel  1944,   Biscay  1944

 

 

Laid down: 21 Jun 1931

Launched: 07 Jun 1932

Commissioned: 04 Apr 1933

Transferred to RCN: 12 Apr 1943

Commissioned: 12 Apr 1943

Paid off: 26 Oct 1945

Fate: Sold for scrap in 28 Jan 1946 

 

Built at Southampton, England, she was commissioned on 04 Apr 1933 as HMS DECOY, and at the outbreak of the war was with the 21st Destroyer Flotilla, East Indies Fleet. The flotilla was transferred later that month to the Mediterranean and in Jan 1940, to the South Atlantic. Decoy was reassigned in May 1940, to the Mediterranean Fleet, and on 13 Nov 1940 was damaged by bombs at Alexandra, requiring ten weeks' repairs at Malta. While in the Mediterranean she took part in the evacuation of Greece and Crete, and in the supply run to Tobruk. Then assigned to the Eastern Fleet in Jan 1942, she returned to Britain in Sep 1942 for a major refit at Jarrow-on-Tyne. There, on 12 Apr 1943, she was transferred to the RCN as KOOTENAY, and after working up at Tobermory, was assigned to EG C-5, MOEF. In May 1944, she became a member of EG 11 and was present on D-Day. In succeeding months she carried out patrols in the Channel and the Bay of Biscay, and while thus engaged took part in the sinking of U 678, 06 Jul 1944, south of Brighton; U 621, 18 Aug 1944, off La Rochelle; and U 984, 20 Aug 1944, west of Brest. She sailed for Shelburne, N.S., in mid-Sep 1944, for a major refit, returning to the U.K. in the spring of 1945. Following workups at Tobermory she operated out of Plymouth until the end of May, then returned to Canada, where she made six round trips as a troop transport between Newfoundland and Quebec City. She was paid off into reserve at Sydney on 26 Oct 1945, and in 1946 sold for scrapping.

 

U-Boats Sunk:  (1)  U-678 (Oblt Guido Hyronimus) a VIIC Type U-Boat, sunk on 06 Jul 1944 by HMCS OTTAWA H31, HMCS KOOTENAY H75 and HMS STATICE in position 50-32 N, 00-23 W. There were no survivors of her crew of 52.

(2) U-621 sunk on 18 Aug 1944 by HMCS Ottawa H31, HMCS KOOTENAY H75 and HMCS CHAUDIERE H99 in position 45-52N, 02-36 W

(3) U-984 sunk on 20 Aug 1944 by HMCS Ottawa H31, HMCS KOOTENAY H75 and HMCS CHAUDIERE H99 in position 42-20 N, 51-39 W

 


 

Photos and Documents            Ship's company photos

 


 

Commanding Officers

 

A/LCdr Kenneth Lloyd Dryer, DSC, RCN - 12 Apr 1943 - 28 Mar 1944

 

A/LCdr William Herbert Willson, DSC, RCN - 29 Mar 1944 - 26 Oct 1945

 


 

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

 

MacCORKINDALE, Robert

OA, RCNVR

MPK - 19 Feb 1944

MacDOUGALL, Elton W.

Sto 1c, RCNVR

killed - 14 Jun 1943

 


 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

 

Angus, Ian

Berry, Peter C.

Boutilier, Gilbert F.

Brown, Gerald A.

Campbell, William B.

Carroll, David R.

Coleman, Geoff

Collins, Robert C.

Comber, Douglas G.

De Costa, Edward L.

Duce, Rex

Dyer, Kenneth L.

Easter, Kenneth L.

Edwards, Henry T.

Everett, A. William

Fairney, Daniel H.

Forster, Dennis T.

Freeman, Russell

Glasser, Anton A.

Gray, William H.

Hayhurst, William H.

Heffer, Clifford W.

Jaeger, Albert

Kinch, George F.

Kusick, Alexander

Larocque, Claude A.

Latter, Edward J. P.

Legge, Kenneth L.

Lloyd, Evan S.

MacFarlane, George A.

Mainer, G. Thomas

Martyn, Donald M.

Morningstar, L. Douglas

Nordlund, Hough A.

Outingdyke, Reginald

Porter, Henry A.

Rowan, Robert

Rowe, William A.

Salsiccioli, Peter P.

Shewan, Robert D.

Swart, Dirk C.

Thompson, Claude R.

Thompson, Joseph V.

Thomson, James

White, William A.

Young, David A.

 

 

 

 

 


 

Former Crew Members

 

Cooke, Murray Hamel, Lt, RCNVR - Jan 1945

 

Crowell, Seth, LS (of Amherst, NS) - 1944

 

Dobell, Alfred Martin, SLt, RCNVR - 27 Jul 1944

 

Eliott, William Jackson, Surg/Lt, RCNVR - 12 Apr 1943

 

Emsley, Charles D., CPO (of Rockingham, NS) - 1944

 

Fleming, Francis, AB (of Halifax, NS) - 1944

 

Freeman, Russell, Cd/Gnr (T), RCN - 30 Mar 1943 (Stand by) / 12 Apr 1943

 

Graham, Roscoe Barry, SLt (E), RCNVR - 12 Apr 1943

Hadrill, Peter Geoffrey, Lt, RCNVR - 29 Jan 1945

 

Heisler, Arthur, AB (of Dartmouth, NS) - 1944

 

Hutton, Robert Barclay, SLt, RCNVR - 05 Feb 1945

 

Jestley, Lyle Hilliard, Lt, RCNVR - 16 Feb 1945

 

Know, George Edward, RPO

 

Larocque, Claude

 

Lloyd, Evan Sidney, Paym/Lt, RCNVR - 01 Apr 1944

 

Lockhart, William, AB (of Avonport, NS) - 1944

 

MacDonald, Frank Van Evary, Lt, RCNVR - 12 Apr 1943

 

McCarthy, Malcolm George, Lt, RCNVR - 30 Mar 1944

 

McDonald, Arthur Hathaway, SLt, RCN - 12 Apr 1943

 

Molson, Percival Tlbot, Lt, RCNVR - 12 Apr 1943

 

Skelton, Peter H., Midshipman, RCNVR - Aug 1943 for training. Appointed SLt 15 Feb 1944 (Navy List Jul 1944)

 

Tidmarsh, William Wendell, Surg/Lt, RCNVR - 16 Mar 1945

 

Twining, Russell Conrell, Lt, RCNVR - 12 Apr 1943

 

Yeorger, Harold Louis, Surg/Lt, RCNVR - 16 Feb 1945

 


 

Photos and Documents

 

KTN001

KTN002

KTN003

KTN004

KTN005

(KTN001) HMCS KOOTENAY H75  //  Source: MOD Foxhill - FL 11211

(KTN002) View from HMCS KOOTENAY, which has fired Hedgehog charges during the action in which Escort Group 11 sank the German submarine U-621, 18 Aug 1944. HMCS Ottawa is visible in the background.  //  Source: Lt Richard Graham Arless / Canada. DND / Library and Archives Canada / PA-190084  //  Webmaster's note: The photo caption states that the photo was taken during action against a U-boat and its of HMCS KOOTENAY firing her hedgehog, however, the photo itself seem to show perhaps an exercise, but not action stations.  The people on the bridge are dressed a little too casual for action stations, and I doubt that during action stations two ratings would be relaxing on B-gun deck leaning against the barrel

(KTN003) HMCS KOOTENAY H75, date unknown  //  Courtesy of Steve Rowland

(KTN004) HMCS KOOTENAY H75  //  From the collection of HJ Simmons  //  Courtesy of RCSCC Bowmanville

(KTN005) "KOOTENAY in Newfie"  //  HMCS KOOTENAY H75 at St. John's, Nfld  //  From the collection of Jim Silvester  //  Courtesy of Jim Silvester

 


 

RD01

RD02

RD03

RD04

RD06

(RD01) Sparkers on HMCS KOOTENAY H75 - 1943

(RD02) "What a mess" - Sailors on HMCS KOOTENAY - 1943

(RD03) "Huff-Duff" - Harry Hayhurst (left) and Rex Duce on HMCS KOOTENAY H75 holding a pail marked H/F D/F  //  Webmaster's note: this must have been one of those highly secretive pieces of equipment we kept hidden from the Germans

(RD04) HMCS KOOTENAY H75 working up in the North Atlantic

(RD05) "KOOTENAY Mates" - Sailors on HMCS KOOTENAY H75 relaxing on the uppers

 

RD06

RD07

(RD06) "KOOTENAY Mates"

(RD07) A British Sloop - Photo taken from HMCS KOOTENAY H75

From the collection of Rex Duce, Telegraphist, RN

Courtesy of Melanie Brough

 


 

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