The following is a letter from my Grandfather to me recounting his time aboard the HMCS Sioux. My Grandpa was so poor he originally joined the Navy as a 17 year old kid just so he could get some boots. I have fond memories of my Grandfather telling me stories about the war. My favorite is about the time he transported Winston Churchill to Iceland. He was on the morning watch on the deck and Winston Churchill popped out of a porthole and exclaimed to him "beautiful day isn't it sailor" then flicked one of his famous a cigar butts off the side of the ship.
"Time OnBoard 15 to 18 months
HMCS Sioux was originally built for the Royal Navy probably on the Clyde in Scotland. H.M.S. stands for Her Majesty's Ship. It was a Fleet class destoryer 300ft long. compliment 280? men. Launched probably 1943. Soon after launching was transferred to H.M.C.S. Canadian Navy Sioux No R64. This took place at Greenrock Scotland. (she is used when referring to a ship). It was then known as a tribal class destroyer named after the great Sioux tribe. Originally manned by some drafted from Assiniboine, I was one of those who (after taking further radar courses at Ardrosan (SW of Glasgow)) was to be part of what is known as the ships company.
Very quickly made first convoy to Murmansk. In fact it was so fast we had to leave before being complete in ammunitioning the ship. The result was the trip was made with no 4.7 shells, Armament was 3 turret 4.7 multiple .5" (2), Oerlikon (4), Pom Pom (2), torpedo tubes 3" AA + star shell, depth charges and hedgehogs.
Main part of return was Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands NE coast of Scotland. This harbour is made out of a number of islands for protection in a circle. Something like the circling of wagons in a wild west movie. Islands are joined together by anti submarine nats, one of which is opened or closed to allow movement of fleet in or out. Early in the war German UBoats managed to enter and sink a number of Capitol ships of the Royal Navy.
H.M.C.S. Sioux - R64 made some trips with the British Home Fleet which included a number of aircraft carriers. Main concern was German battleship Tirpitz at anchor in a fjord near Trondhiem. Sioux was assigned the job to pick up downed pilots. Certain parts of the Norwegian coast are known to have a heavy swell (like a surf) and while on one of these Sioux got caught in a very heavy roll and almost capsized.
Made a number of trips to Murmansk - Polyarny encountered German subs and land-based torpedo bombers. Seas were very rough, and very little daylight. "Darken Ship" above the Arctic circle took place about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. On one trip we went with five other British destroyers back to the NW coast of Norway - Alta fjord to rescue 70 or 80 Norwegians in this fjord held hostage by German patrol boats.
June 1944, Sioux came down the east coast of Britain to the Isle of Wight - Portsmouth to take part in Operation Overloard - D Day. Patrolled the coast and harbour of Canadian army and British Force and coastline to mouth of Seine river at La Harvre.
We were there about two weeks then returned to Scapa via Edinburgh and eventually to Hyacinthe. Took further radar and communication courses at St. Hyacinthe, Quebec. Signed as volunteer for Pacific operations and then drafted to Esquimalt and H.M.C.S. Ugnada and eventually to H.M.C.S. Ontario which was classed as a cruiser about 800ft long and 500-600 men, about 10,000 tons. Time spent on Uganda and Ontario about two years. All peace time service after hostilities were over."