HMCS HAIDA (G63)

(Redirected from HMCS Haida)

HMCS Haida in Hamilton, Ontario
Career	Canadian Navy Jack
Launched:	August 25, 1942
Commissioned:	August 30, 1943
Recommissioned:	March 15, 1952 as DDE-215
Fate:	National Historic Site in Hamilton, Ontario
General Characteristics
Displacement:	2,000 tons
Length:	377 ft (115 m)
Beam:	37 ft 6 in (11.4 m)
Draft:	9 ft 6 in (2.9 m)
Armament:	initial: 6 x 4.7 in (120 mm) guns; 2 x 4 in (102 mm) guns; 4 x 40 mm guns, 10 x 20 mm guns, 4 x 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes; depth charges from the 1950s: 4 x 4 in (102 mm) guns;2 x 3 in (76 mm) / 50 caliber guns, 4 x 40 mm Bofors guns, 2 x twin Oerlikon 20 mm guns, 2 x Squid antisubmarine mortars, 4 x 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes;
Motto:
Battle Honours:	Arctic, 1943-1945; English Channel, 1944; Normandy, 1944; Biscay, 1944; Korea, 1952-1953.
Badge:	Blazon Or, a base barry wavy azure and argent, a thunderbird of the Haida tribe with wings displayed sable.
Colours:	Gold and azure blue

'HMCS ''Haida'' (G63)' is the most famous ship in the Royal Canadian Navy, having sunk more enemy surface tonnage than any other Canadian ship.
''Haida'' is the only surviving Tribal-class destroyer. Between 1937 and 1945 twenty-seven were built for the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, and Royal Australian Navy.

Contents

Operations

Technical Details

Images

External links

Operations

''Haida'' was assigned to the 10th Destroyer Flotilla stationed at Plymouth in early 1944. She had an illustrious World War II career. She gained the moniker "The Fightingest Ship in the RCN." by reason of sinking 14 enemy ships during patrols in the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay. She was also assigned to two tours of duty in the Korean War.
After its retirement the ship was turned over to a public organization that sought to turn it into a museum. ''Haida'' was paid off in September 1963, and brought to Toronto and moored at the foot of York Street. In 1970, when financial difficulties hit 'Haida Inc.', the provincial government took ownership and moved it to its new home. She was then put on display on at Ontario Place in Toronto where the ship was opened to the public in 1971 as an attraction at the government-owned theme park. It was also used as a training facility for local Royal Canadian Sea Cadets.
She was on display until 2002 when the ship was acquired by Parks Canada who undertook repairs to the hull and superstructure costing $5 million. On August 30, 2003, the 60th anniversary of her commissioning into the Royal Canadian Navy, she was moved to the city of Hamilton, Ontario where HMCS ''Haida'' has become a focal point of a revitalized waterfront near Catharine Street North.
In July 2006 the ''Haida'' was "twinned" with the Polish destroyer ORP ''Błyskawica'' in a ceremony in Gdynia, Poland. Both ships served in the 10th Destroyer Flotilla during World War 2. The ceremony was attended by former crew members of both ships and the general public. A similar ceremony will take place in Canada with the HMCS ''Haida'' in 2007.

Technical Details

★ Class: Tribal Destroyer

★ Built by: Vickers-Armstrong, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England

★ Launched: August 25, 1942

★ Commissioned: August 30, 1943

★ Modernized: 1950-52

★ Recommissioned: March 15, 1952 as DDE-215

★ Length: 377 ft (115 m)

★ Beam: 37 ft 6 in (11.4 m)

★ Draft: 9 ft 6 in (2.9 m)

★ Displacement: 2,000 tons

★ Armament: (from the 1950s)

★
★ 4 x 4 in (102 mm) guns;

★
★ 2 x 3 in (76 mm) / 50 caliber guns;

★
★ 4 x 40 mm Bofors guns;

★
★ 2 x twin Oerlikon 20 mm guns

★
★ 2 x Squid antisubmarine mortars;

★
★ 4 x 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes;

Images

External links

★ Friends of HMCS ''Haida''

★ Parks Canada HMCS ''Haida'' website