HMCS SKEENA 207

Battle honours and awards:  Atlantic  1939-44,   Normandy  1944,   Biscay  1944

Laid down: 01 Jun 1951

Launched: 19 Aug 1952

Commissioned: 30 Mar 1957

Paid off for DDH Conversion: 01 Jul 1964

Re-commissioned: 14 Aug 1965

Paid off for DELEX refit: 12 Apr 1981

Re-commissioned: 20 Nov 1981

Paid off: 01 Nov 1993

Fate: Broken up in 1996

Cdr John P. T. Dawson, RCN - 30 Mar 1957 - 20 Aug 1958 

Cdr W.M. Kidd, RCN - 20 Aug 1958 - 01 Oct 1959

LCdr Glen Michael DeRosenroll, RCN - 01 Oct 1959 - 05 Jan 1960

Cdr Thomas Henry Crone, RCN - 05 Jan 1960 - 22 Feb 1960

Cdr Andrew Laurence Collier, RCN - 22 Feb 1960 - 11 Jan 1962

Cdr Richard Hugh Leir, RCN - 22 Jan 1962 - 10 May 1963

Cdr Michael Arthur Martin, RCN - 10 May 1963 - 26 Jul 1964

Cdr C.J. Mair, RCN - 14 Aug 1965 - 29 Aug 1966

LCdr Keith Dunham Lewis, RCN - 29 Aug 1966 - 27 Jan 1968

Lt James Bryan Elson, RCN - 27 Jan 1968 - 16 Apr 1968

LCdr William Gould Brown, RCN - 16 Apr 1968 - 23 Jun 1969

LCdr Robert Benjamin Dougan - 23 Jun 1969 - 11 Aug 1969

Cdr Robin Laughlin Hughes - 11 Aug 1969 - 23 Jul 1970

Cdr Frederick John. Mifflin - 23 Jul 1970 - 05 Jul 1972

Cdr Neil Ronald Boivin - 15 Jun 1973 - 05 Sep 1975

Cdr J. Chouinard - 05 Sep 1975 - 13 May 1976

Cdr D.E. Pollard - 13 May 1976 - 29 May 1978

Cdr Bernard Emile Derible - 29 May 1978 - 07 Jul 1980

Cdr Guy J.R. Boucher - 07 Jul 1980 - 26 Sep 1983

Cdr I. Foldesi - 26 Sep 1983 - 01 Aug 1985

Cdr P.J. Yans - 01 Aug 1985 - 15 Jul 1987

Cdr David Christopher Morse - 15 Jul 1987 - 09 Jan 1989

Cdr Donald Stuart MacKay - 09 Jan 1989 - 15 Jul 1991

Cdr J.A.Claude Gauthier - 15 Jul 1991 - 15 Dec 1991

Cdr J.J. Gauvin - 15 Dec 1991 - 25 Jun 1993

LCdr James Hayes - 25 Jun 1993 - 01 Nov 1993 

HMCS SKEENA 207 RASing with HMCS Ontario - 1957

From the collection of Steve Hlasny

Second Canadian Escort Squadron - Spring Cruise 1958

HMCS Crescent, HMCS Cayuga, HMCS SKEENA, HMCS Fraser, HMCS Margaree

Courtesy of Dave Tyre

CANADIAN WARSHIPS IN ORIENT -- HMCS Cayuga (background) begins the departure of the Second Canadian Escort Squadron from Yokosuka, Japan, after a visit made during the current training cruise from Esquimalt, B.C., to the Orient. Other ports of call for the five destroyers escorts include Pearl Harbour, Tokyo, Saigon and Okinawa. In the foreground, preparing to slip, are the new DEs Skeena, Fraser and Margaree. The modernized destroyer escort Crescent is at far right rear.

Wednesday, April 2nd, 1958 Lunenburg Progress Enterprise, Wed., 02 Apr 1958, page 5

Courtesy of Hugh Muir

HMCS SKEENA - 1 August 1959

Photographer: Walter E. Frost  Source: City of Vancouver Archives

HMCS SKEENA 207 in Montreal for Expo 1967

 She was tied up at the Bickerdike Terminal across from Habitat 67 (Cite du Havre)

Courtesy of Rick Larcheveque

HMCS SKEENA 207, during mid-life refit at Irivng Ship repair, Saint John, NB

Photos 1 & 2: HMCS SKEENA in dry dock   Photo 3: ABSG Rick Larcheveque on the bridge of HMCS SKEENA 207

  Photos taken Dec 1970

Courtesy of Rick Larcheveque

HMCS SKEENA 207 - Standing Naval Force Atlantic 1972

(1) CH124A (HS50) Tail #404 first assigned to SKEENA upon departing Halifax early January 1972  (2) CH124A(HS50) Tail #435 assigned to SKEENA after mid-deployment in Halifax, March 1972  (3) Relaxing on VDS deck around Bermuda  (4) HMCS SKEENA at sea heading towards Willemstad, Curacao  (5) HMS Jupiter (F60) approaching SKEENA'S port side  (6) FGS Braunschweig (F225) approaching SKEENA'S stbd side  (7) HMS Jupiter (F60) pulling away  (8) On SKEENA'S stbd side are: Inboard to outboard - HNLMS Evertsen (F815), FGS Braunschweig (225) and HMS Aurora (F10) which replaced HMS Jupiter (9) Enroute to Curacao. Ahead is SKEENA is USS Charles F. Adams (DDG2)  (10) Entering Curacao. On flag deck (foreground) (L-R) AB.SG Feast (moustache) and OS.SG Johnson (glasses)  (11) Special Sea Dutymen closed up - entering Curacao  (12) USS Charles F. Adams (DDG20), HMCS SKEENA DDH207 and FGS Braunschweig (F225) alongside in Curacao  (13) ABSG Larcheveque in Curacao. Celebrating my birthday under the sun. Richard Larcheveque  (14) ABSG Forcier in Willemstad, Curacao with USS Charles F. Adams in the background (15) Willemstad Curacao - from left to right are: AB Brousseau (Electrician), CPL Barneau (Postal Clerk), AB Lamy (Electrician), Unknown sailor in background, AB Bergeron (Bosn)  (16) Refuelling HMCS SKEENA at sea. 4th & 5th individuals from the left are: P2SG Slade & P1SG Moore (Yeoman)

Last grog issue on HMCS SKEENA 207, 31 Mar 1972, Halifax, NS

HMCS SKEENA had just returned to Halifax with the STANAVFORLANT Squadron for a maintenance period.

In the line up on left Tom Price; the blond guy was named Bond; pouring tots is Whitman, a  storesman; checking the list is a sonarman named T.A. MacDonald; Cox'n, C1SG Puddifant, Lt (N) MIlson, SYO

Courtesy of Tom Price

(1) Cdr Bernard Emile Derible serving Christmas dinner on HMCS SKEENA, Dec 1979  (2) Roland Piette on watch in the boiler room, HMCS SKEENA, Jul 1980  (3) HMCS SKEENA at Charleston, South Carolina, Feb 1980  (4) Roland Piette on the boiler room gangway on HMCS SKEENA, 1980  (5) Extraction pump in the engine room, HMCS SKEENA, 1980  (6) Roland Piette priming the diesel generator, HMCS SKEENA, 1980  (7) Roland Piette - The position of the Master Seaman on watch while steaming  (8) Roland Piette - The position of the Engineering Petty Officer on watch while steaming  (9) Roland Piette taking bearing temperature readings in the engine room, HMCS SKEENA, 1980  (10) Boiler room control console, HMCS SKEENA, 1980  (11) Engine room turbine steam controls - large wheel forward, small wheel astern, HMCS SKEENA, 1980  (12) Main gear box in the engine room, HMCS SKEENA, 1980

Courtesy of Roland Piette

HMCS SKEENA 207 - undated

DND / RCN photo

HMCS SKEENA 207

From the collection of Tom Price

Helo FOD mod carries "Pirate Frog" which was used on SKEENA'S "Battle Ensign"

Courtesy of John Knudsen

Duty watch musters after a fire exercise on board HMCS SKEENA in the 1980s

Courtesy of Justin Pare

Two photos taken from SKEENA'S Sea King, showing HMCS SKEENA shadowing the Soviet aircraft carrier Kiev - 1985

"HMCS SKEENA shadowing the mighty Kiev coming out of the Med.  In those days it was a thrill to get close to any Russian hardware other than a Lada. We flew around her in a horseshoe pattern, never crossing the bow."

Courtesy of Paul Marquis

HMCS SKEENA 207 shadowing the Soviet ship Kiev, 26 May 1985

Courtesy of Rejean Trudeau

Newspaper article on the shadowing of the Soviet vessel Kiev by HMCS SKEENA 207

Courtesy of Rejean Trudeau

Newspaper article on the shadowing of the Soviet vessel Kiev by HMCS SKEENA 207

Courtesy of Rejean Trudeau

HMCS SKEENA 207

HMCS SKEENA in Norwegian Fjords during NATO 1988

Courtesy of Michel Vincelette

HMCS SKEENA in Norwegian Fjords during NATO 1988

Courtesy of Michel Vincelette

HMCS SKEENA in Norwegian Fjords during NATO 1988.  Michel Vincellete in the back on the right

Courtesy of Michel Vincelette

Newspaper article on anti-aircraft shell fragments from HMCS SKEENA landing in a school yard in Washington state.

Date of newpaper article not known. The event happened on 29 Jan 1962.

Courtesy of Jim Dobell

HMCS SKEENA 207 - circa 1966

From the collection of Eugene Miller

Courtesy of Rene Miller

AB Mike Desmarais appears in a newspaper article in his home town paper.  This photo was taken in the radar room as they were not allowed to take photos in the CCR (radio room).

Courtesy of Mike Desmarais

Christmas card from HMCS SKEENA 207

Courtesy of Eric Plante

Christmas card from HMCS SKEENA

Courtesy of Daniel Miller

Webmaster's note: While this card is an HMCS SKEENA Christmas card - the ship in the photo is actually HMCS Assiniboine which the pendant number changed from 234 to 207 to make it appear to be HMCS SKEENA.  The photo was during helo haul down trails with the new Bear Trap system on HMCS Assiniboine.

Map showing port visits and a list of ships that were part of the NATO Squadron during the time HMCS SKEENA was part of it in 1992

Courtesy of Martin Richard

STANAVFORLANT certificate from 1978

Courtesy of Mike Desmarais

(1) HMCS SKEENA 207 refueling from HMCS Bonaventure in the Caribbean circa 1970  (2 & 3) Argus flying past HMCS SKEENA 207 in the Caribbean - 1970  (4) John Hawley on HMCS SKEENA on the Iceland trip 1969.  HMCS SKEENA 207 went to honour those who were lost in the grounding of HMCS SKEENA D59 off Iceland 25 Oct 1944  (5) John Hawley in Burma Road on HMCS SKEENA 207 - 1970  (6) John Hawley on HMCS SKEENA 207 - 1970  (7) John Hawley in front of the 3"50 on HMCS SKEENA 2076 - circa 1970.  "I spent a lot of time in this area of these destroyers as one of my ‘Action Stations’ was to operate as a Mk 102 Gun Sight Aimer. In this photograph you can see the ‘lens’ of the Mk. 102 Gunsight on the right side of the gun mount in the lower portion of the window (rectangular). It was very loud during firing operations and could get very cold and wet in rough weather."

Courtesy of / © John Hawley 1969-1970

Port Angeles Evening News Headlines 30 Jan 1962

Source: Paleofuture Website

Newspaper clipping from the Port Angeles Evening News, 31 Jan 1962 on HMCS SKEENA shelling Clallam Bay, Washington

Source: Paleofuture Website

"I threw a rum bottle off the SKEENA in the middle of the Atlantic in 1969 on our way back from England. It was found on a beach in the Bahamas 4 years later. The guy sent me a letter, but in 1970 I had been drafted to Mackenzie. It caught up with me in Fleet school in 74."

Courtesy of Sandy Graves

The final sail past of HMCS SKEENA 207

LCdr James Hayes, HMCS SKEENA'S last Commanding Officer - 25 Jun 1993 - 01 Nov 1993

Courtesy of James Hayes

Cdr John Peter Tempest Dawson, RCN, Ret'd, HMCS SKEENA'S first Commanding Officer - 30 Mar 1957 - 20 Aug 1958

During SKEENA'S final sail past, Cdr Dawson, Ret'd, gave the orders to take SKEENA away from the jetty, thereby becoming the first and last person to do so.

Courtesy of James Hayes

Twelve of SKEENA'S commanding officers on board for the final sail past

Courtesy of James Hayes

Ranks indicated by the names below are that when they were CO of SKEENA

1) LCdr James Hayes  2) Cdr J.J. Gauvin  3)  Cdr J.A.C. Gauthier  4) Cdr Donald Stuart MacKay  5) Cdr P.J. Yans  6)  Cdr J.G.R. Boucher  7) Cdr Bernard Emile Derible  10) Lt James Bryan Elson

HMCS SKEENA flying her paying-off pennant

Courtesy of James Hayes

HMCS SKEENA flying her paying-off pennant

Courtesy of James Hayes