HMCS Skeena (DDH 207)

HMCS Skeena (DDE 207) in 1957
History
Canada
Name:	Skeena
Namesake:	Skeena River
Builder:	Burrard Yarrows, Vancouver
Laid down:	1 June 1951
Launched:	19 August 1952
Commissioned:	30 March 1957
Decommissioned:	1 November 1993
Reclassified:	14 August 1965 (as DDH)
Homeport:	Halifax, Nova Scotia (as DDH)
Identification:	pennant number: 207 International Call Sign CGWP
Motto:	"Go Forth"
Honours and awards:	Atlantic 1939-44, Normandy 1944, Biscay 1944[1]
Fate:	Scrapped in 1996.
General characteristics
Class & type:	St. Laurent-class destroyer
Displacement:	As DDE: 2263 tons (normal), 2800 tons (deep load)[2] As DDH: 2260 tons (normal), 3051 tons (deep load)[3]
Length:	366 ft (111.6 m)
Beam:	42 ft (12.8 m)
Draught:	As DDE: 13 ft (4.0 m)[4] As DDH:14 ft (4.3 m)[3]
Propulsion:	2-shaft English-Electric geared steam turbines, 3 Babcock & Wilcox boilers 30,000 shp
Speed:	28.5 knots (53 km/h)[4]
Range:	4,750 nautical miles (8,800 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h)[5]
Complement:	As DDE: 249 As DDH: 213 plus 20 aircrew
Sensors and processing systems:	As DDE: 1 × SPS-12 air search radar 1 × SPS-10B surface search radar 1 × Sperry Mk.2 navigation radar 1 × SQS-10 or -11 hull mounted active search and attack sonar 1 × SQS-501 (Type 162) high frequency bottom profiling sonar 1 × SQS-502 (Type 170) high frequency Limbo mortar control sonar 1 × UQC-1B "Gertrude" underwater telephone 1 × GUNAR (Mk.64 GFCS with 2 on-mount SPG-48 directors) As DDH: 1 × SPS-12 air search radar 1 × SPS-10B surface search radar 1 × Sperry Mk.2 navigation radar 1 × URN 20 TACAN radar 1 × SQS-10 or -11 hull mounted active search and attack sonar 1 × SQS-501 (Type 162) high frequency bottom profiling sonar 1 × SQS-502 (Type 170) high frequency Limbo mortar control sonar 1 × SQS-504 VDS, medium frequency active search (except 233 after 1986) 1 × UQC-1B "Gertrude" underwater telephone 1 × GUNAR (Mk.64 GFCS with 1 on-mount SPG-48 director)
Electronic warfare & decoys:	As DDE: 1 × DAU HF/DF (high frequency direction finder) As DDH: 1 × WLR 1C radar warning 1 × UPD 501 radar detection 1 × SRD 501 HF/DF
Armament:	As DDE: 2 × 3"/50 Mk.33 FMC twin mounts guns 2 × 40mm "Boffin" single mount guns 2 × Mk NC 10 Limbo ASW mortars 2 × single Mk.2 "K-gun" launchers with homing torpedoes As DDH: 1 × 3"/50 Mk.33 FMC twin mount gun 1 × Mk NC 10 Limbo ASW mortar 2 × triple Mk.32 12.75 inch launchers firing Mk.44 or Mk.46 Mod 5 torpedoes
Aircraft carried:	As DDE: none As DDH: 1 × CH-124 Sea King

HMCS Skeena was a St. Laurent-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces from 1957-1993.

Skeena was laid down by Burrard Yarrows at Vancouver on 1 June 1951. The vessel was launched on 19 August 1952 and commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on 30 March 1957, initially carrying the pennant number DDE 207, as a destroyer escort.

Design

The St. Laurent class were built to an operational requirement much like that which produced the British Type 12, and powered by the same machinery plant. The rounded deck-edge forward was adopted to prevent ice forming.^[6] The vessels were designed to operate in harsh Canadian conditions. They were built to counter nuclear, biological and chemical attack conditions, which lead to a design with a rounded hull, a continuous main deck, and the addition of a pre-wetting system to wash away contaminants. The living spaces on the ship were part of a "citadel" which could be sealed off from contamination for the crew safety. The ships were sometimes referred to as "Cadillacs" for their relatively luxurious crew compartments; these were also the first Canadian warships to have a bunk for every crew member since previous warship designs had used hammocks.

Armament

As a St. Laurent-class destroyer escort, Skeena was fitted with twin 3 inch/L50 guns for engaging both surface and air targets. Her anti-submarine armament consisted of a pair of triple barrelled Limbo ASW mortars in a stern well. The stern well had a roller top to close it off from following seas. The design included provision for long-range homing torpedoes, in this case BIDDER [Mk 20E] or the US Mark 35. They were never fitted however.^[6]

As built, the twin 3-inch 50-calibre anti-aircraft mounts were installed without shields. These were added in 1963. The gun housings are fibreglass. ^{[note 1]}

Machinery

The vessels of the St. Laurent class had two Babcock & Wilcox water tube boilers installed^[7] providing 600 PSI (4.1 MPa, 42 kgf/cm²) at 850 °F (454.4 °C).^[3]

The steam produced by these boilers was directed at two geared steam turbines which powered two shafts, providing 30,000 HP (22 MW) to drive the ship at a maximum speed of 28.5 knots (52.8 km/h).^[8] By the early 1990s, the quoted maximum speed was only 27 kt.^[3]

The propelling machinery was of British design. Canadian Vickers supplied the machinery which was manufactured in Canada. The main turbines and machinery were of English Electric design.^[8]

Service history

HMCS Skeena commissioning, 1957

After commissioning, Skeena was assigned to the Second Canadian Escort Squadron.^[9] On 29 January 1962, Skeena accidentally shelled an American village in the Strait of Juan de Fuca . As one of four ships practicing their gunnery, some of the shrapnel from the ship's guns fell on Clallam Bay, Washington. The commander of the warship, Richard H. Leir, faced a court-martial for the event.^[10] He was later convicted.^[11]

Skeena underwent conversion to a destroyer helicopter escort (DDH) beginning in 1964 at Davie Shipbuilding. The vessel exited the yard and was recommissioned as a DDH with pennant number DDH 207 on 14 August 1965.^[12]

For this conversion Skeena was fitted with helicopter platforms and SQS 504 Variable Depth Sonar (VDS). When ships were fitted with the helicopter platform, the single funnel was altered to twin stepped funnels to permit the forward extension of the helicopter hangar.^[13] Stabilizing systems were added to allow for helicopter recovery in any sea conditions, and a single CH-124 Sea King was carried.^[7] To make room for the helicopter deck, the aft 3 in (76 mm) mount and one of the Limbos were removed.^[7] The ship was sent to Halifax, Nova Scotia to work with the east coast fleet.^[12] She was assigned to Third Canadian Escort Squadron.^[14]

In 1972, Skeena was designated a French Language Unit (FLU). A French Language Unit was a Canadian Forces designation where French was to be the primarily spoken language to encourage career opportunities for Canadian Francophones. During the 1976 Summer Olympics which were held in Montreal, Quebec, the vessel was among those assigned to provide security.^[12]

Skeena was selected by the Canadian Forces for the Destroyer Life Extension (DELEX) program and completed this refit on 20 November 1981. During the summer of 1991, the ship participated in the NATO exercise Ocean Safari 91. She was paid off from active service in the Canadian Forces on 1 November 1993.^[12]

Skeena was sold in 1994 and scrapped in India in 1996.^[12]

References

Notes

Citations

References

• Canadian Navy of Yesterday & Today: St. Laurent class destroyer escort
• Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1947-1995. US Naval Institute Press. March 1996. ISBN 1557501327. 
• Friedman, Norman (1986). The Postwar Naval Revolution. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-952-9. 
• Jean L. Couhat, ed. (1978). Combat Fleets of the World, 1978-1979: Their Ships, Aircraft and Armament. Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 0853682828. 
• Macpherson, Ken; Barrie, Ron. (2002) Warships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910-2002. 3rd Edition. St. Catharines: Vanwell Publishing Limtied. ISBN 1-55125-072-1
• Raymond V.B. Blackman, ed. (1963). Jane's Fighting Ships, 1963-1964. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd. ISBN 0070321612. 
• Richard Sharpe, ed. (May 1992). Jane's Fighting Ships, 1992-1993 (95 ed.). Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0710609833.