View source for HMCS Skeena (D59)

{{short description|Canadian River-class destroyer}}
{{other ships|HMCS Skeena}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMCS Skeena IKMD-04292.jpg
|Ship caption=''Skeena'' at sea
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=Canada
|Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|Canada|naval-1911}}
|Ship name=''Skeena''
|Ship namesake=[[Skeena River]]
|Ship ordered=6 March 1928
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[John I. Thornycroft & Company]], [[Woolston, Hampshire|Woolston]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=1092
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down=14 October 1929
|Ship launched=10 October 1930
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=
|Ship commissioned=10 June 1931
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship homeport=
|Ship identification=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=*Atlantic 1939–44
*Normandy 1944
*Biscay 1944<ref name=Britain>{{cite web|title= Battle Honours | url=http://www.britainsnavy.co.uk/Battle%20Honours/A%20Battle%20Honour%20Date.htm#1900|work=Britain's Navy|access-date=18 Sep 2013}}</ref>
|Ship fate=Wrecked 25 October 1944 during a storm off [[Reykjavík]], [[Iceland]].
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=Blazon Azure, out of a base invected argent, a salmon sinisterwise proper.
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=*[[A- and B-class destroyer|A-class destroyer]]
*[[River-class destroyer (1931)|River-class destroyer]]
|Ship tonnage=
|Ship displacement={{convert|1337|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship length=*{{convert|321|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
*{{convert|309|ft|m|abbr=on}} [[Length between perpendiculars|p/p]]
|Ship beam={{convert|32|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draught={{convert|10|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship depth=
|Ship hold depth=
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|Ship speed={{convert|31|kn|lk=in}}
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|Ship boats=
|Ship capacity=
|Ship troops=
|Ship complement=181
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*''Original'';
* 4 × QF [[4.7 inch QF Mark IX & XII|4.7 inch]] (120 mm) guns
* 8 × tubes for [[British 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo]]es (2×4)
* 2 × [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|QF 2-pounder]] (40 mm) guns
*''Wartime modifications'';
* 2 × QF 4.7 inch (120 mm) guns
* 1 × QF [[QF 3-inch 20 cwt|12-pounder]] (3 inch (76 mm)) gun
* 4 × tubes for {{convert|21|in|mm|adj=on}} torpedoes (1×4)
* 6 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|QF 20 mm Oerlikon]] guns
* [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog]] [[anti-submarine mortar]]
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
[[File:H.M.C.S. Skeena at C.P.R. Pier C Vancouver 1934.jpg|thumb|''Skeena'' alongside the CPR's Vancouver pier C in 1934]]

'''HMCS ''Skeena''''' was a [[River-class destroyer (1931)|River-class destroyer]] that served in the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] (RCN) from 1931 to 1944. She was similar to the [[Royal Navy]]'s [[A-class destroyer (1929)|A class]] and wore initially the [[pennant number|pennant]] D59, changed in 1940 to I59.

She was built by [[John I. Thornycroft & Company]] at [[Woolston, Hampshire]] and commissioned into the RCN on 10 June 1931 at [[Portsmouth]], [[England]]. ''Skeena'' and her sister {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}} were the first ships specifically built for the Royal Canadian Navy. She arrived in [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]] on 3 July 1931.

==Second World War==
''Skeena'' rescued 65 survivors of the British merchant ship ''Manipur'', sunk by {{GS|U-57|1938|2}} off [[Cape Wrath]] on 17 July 1940. On 2 September 1940 she rescued 19 survivors of the British merchant ship ''Thornlea'', sunk by {{GS|U-46|1938|2}} in the North Atlantic. On 14 October 1940 ''Skeena'' and the [[corvette]] {{HMS|Periwinkle}} rescued 220 members of the crew of {{HMS|Cheshire}}, which {{GS|U-137|1940|2}} had damaged by torpedo.<ref>{{cite web |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |title=HMS Cheshire (F 18) |url= https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/2068.html |work=Ships hit by U-boats |access-date=9 January 2024}}</ref> On 23 November 1940 ''Skeena'' rescued 6 survivors of the Norwegian merchant ship ''Bruce'', damaged by {{GS|U-100|1940|2}} and 9 survivors of the Norwegian merchant ship ''Salonica'', sunk by ''U-100'' nearby.

''Skeena'' was assigned to North Atlantic convoy [[Mid-Ocean Escort Force#Escort Group C-3|Escort Group C-3]] escorting convoys ON 93, HX 191, ONS 104, SC 90, ON 115, HX 202, ON 121, SC 98, ON 131, HX 210, ON 141, SC 109, ONS 152 prior to refit in January 1943.<ref name="Milner">''North Atlantic Run'', Marc Milner, 1985, Naval Institute Press {{ISBN|0-87021-450-0}}</ref> On 31 July 1942, ''Skeena'' recorded her first victory with {{HMCS|Wetaskiwin|K175|6}} when they [[depth charge]]d and sank {{GS|U-588||2}} while escorting ON 115 at {{coord|49|59|N|36|36|W|dim:3000000|name=Sinking of U-588}}.

===Trans-Atlantic convoys escorted===
{|class="wikitable"
!Convoy
!Escort Group
!Dates
!Notes
|-
|[[HX convoys|HX 141]]
|
|30 July-6 Aug 1941<ref name="hxconvoy">{{cite web|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hx/index.html|title=HX convoys|publisher=Andrew Hague Convoy Database|access-date=2011-06-19}}</ref>
|[[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] to [[Iceland]]
|-
|[[SC convoys|SC 42]]
|
|2-17 Sept 1941<ref name="scconvoy">{{cite web|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sc/index.html|title=SC convoys|publisher=Andrew Hague Convoy Database|access-date=2011-06-19}}</ref>
|Newfoundland to Iceland
|-
|[[SC convoys|SC 54]]
|
|12-22 Nov 1941<ref name="scconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Iceland
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 40]]
|
|30 Nov-4 Dec 1941<ref name="onconvoy">{{cite web|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/on/index.html|title=ON convoys|publisher=Andrew Hague Convoy Database|access-date=2011-06-19}}</ref>
|Iceland to Newfoundland
|-
|[[SC convoys|SC 63]]
|
|5-10 Jan 1942<ref name="scconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Iceland
|-
|[[SC convoys|SC 79]]
|[[Mid-Ocean Escort Force|MOEF group C3]]
|19–27 April 1942<ref name="scconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to [[Northern Ireland]]
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 93]]
|MOEF group C3
|9–15 May 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/>
|Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
|-
|[[HX convoys|HX 191]]
|MOEF group C3
|28 May-5 June 1942<ref name="hxconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 104]]
|MOEF group C3
|18–27 June 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/>
|Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
|-
|[[SC convoys|SC 90]]
|MOEF group C3
|6–16 July 1942<ref name="scconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 115]]
|MOEF group C3
|25–31 July 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/>
|Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
|-
|[[HX convoys|HX 202]]
|MOEF group C3
|12-17 Aug 1942<ref name="hxconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Iceland
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 121]]
|MOEF group C3
|17-20 Aug 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/>
|Iceland to Newfoundland
|-
|[[SC convoys|SC 98]]
|MOEF group C3
|2-12 Sept 1942<ref name="scconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 131]]
|MOEF group C3
|19-28 Sept 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/>
|Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
|-
|[[HX convoys|HX 210]]
|MOEF group C3
|7-15 Oct 1942<ref name="hxconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 141]]
|MOEF group C3
|26 Oct-2 Nov 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/>
|Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
|-
|[[SC convoys|SC 109]]
|MOEF group C3
|16-25 Nov 1942<ref name="scconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 152]]
|MOEF group C3
|10-19 Dec 1942<ref name="onconvoy"/>
|Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
|-
|[[HX convoys|HX 233]]
|[[Mid-Ocean Escort Force|MOEF group A3]]
|12–20 April 1943<ref name="hxconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 180]]
|MOEF group C3
|25 April-7 May 1943<ref name="onconvoy"/>
|Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
|-
|[[HX convoys|HX 238]]
|MOEF group C3
|13–20 May 1943<ref name="hxconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 187]]
|
|3–10 June 1943<ref name="onconvoy"/>
|Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
|-
|[[HX convoys|HX 244]]
|
|20–29 June 1943<ref name="hxconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 192]]
|
|10–18 July 1943<ref name="onconvoy"/>
|Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
|-
|[[HX convoys|HX 249]]
|
|29 July-5 Aug 1943<ref name="hxconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
|-
|[[HX convoys|HX 255]]
|
|8-15 Sept 1943<ref name="hxconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
|-
|[[HX convoys|HX 261]]
|
|17-25 Oct 1943<ref name="hxconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 210]]
|
|7-17 Nov 1943<ref name="onconvoy"/>
|Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
|-
|[[SC convoys|SC 147]]
|
|23 Nov-3 Dec 1943<ref name="scconvoy"/>
|Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
|-
|[[ON convoys|ON 216]]
|
|17-29 Dec 1943<ref name="onconvoy"/>
|Northern Ireland to Newfoundland
|}

==Grounding==
''Skeena'' was lost in a storm on the night of 24 October 1944. She was anchored off [[Reykjavík]], [[Iceland]] and dragged her anchor and grounded in {{convert|50|ft|m|adj=on}} waves off [[Viðey|Viðey Island]] with the loss of 15 crewmembers.

Her hulk was paid off and sold to Iceland interests in June 1945; she was then raised and broken up. Her propeller was salvaged and used in a memorial near the Viðey Island ferry terminal.<ref>[http://www.cornwallismuseum.ca/Rememberthe24.html Remember the 24] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813115410/http://www.cornwallismuseum.ca/Rememberthe24.html |date=August 13, 2007 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.lookoutnewspaper.com/archive/20060123/4.shtml Funds needed for HMCS ''Skeena'' memorial in Iceland ''Lookout'', 23 Jan 2006] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824155647/http://www.lookoutnewspaper.com/archive/20060123/4.shtml |date=August 24, 2007 }}</ref><ref name=u1>{{cite web|url=http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4348.html |work=uboat.net |title=HMCS Skeena (D 59)|access-date=25 July 2014}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|last=English|first=John|title=Amazon to Ivanhoe: British Standard Destroyers of the 1930s|year=1993|publisher=World Ship Society|place=Kendal|isbn=0-905617-64-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers From Earliest Days to the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|place=Annapolis, MD|year=2009|isbn=978-1-59114-081-8}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|place=Annapolis, MD|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7}}
* {{cite book|last=March|first=Edgar J.|title=British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans|year=1966|publisher=Seeley Service|place=London |oclc=164893555}}
* {{Cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|place=Annapolis, MD|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|place=Annapolis, MD}}
* {{cite book|last=Winser|first=John de D.|title=B.E.F. Ships Before, At and After Dunkirk|publisher=World Ship Society|place=Gravesend|year=1999|isbn=0-905617-91-6}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|HMCS Skeena (D59)}}

{{A class destroyer}}
{{Canadian River class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Skeena (D59)}}
[[Category:Canadian River-class destroyers]]
[[Category:Canadian River-class destroyers converted from A-class destroyers (1929)]]
[[Category:Ships built in Southampton]]
[[Category:1930 ships]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of Canada]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in October 1944]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean]]
[[Category:Ships built by John I. Thornycroft & Company]]