A sister ship in flames, its German assailant lurking in the shadows,
and time slipping away in the treacherous waters of the North Atlantic. In the midst of chaos,
HMCS Haida embarked on a daring World War 2 rescue operation that would define its legacy.
At the helm was Captain DeWolf, known as ‘Hard-Over Harry,’ as strong and resilient
as the Canadian Destroyer he commanded. With the lives of comrades hanging in the balance
and the dark silhouette of enemy vessels on the horizon, he faced an unthinkable choice:
continue the rescue, risking an attack from more German vessels,
or cease the operation, leaving behind friends and allies.
The ship would make a decision it would ultimately come to regret – one that would
later send it on a merciless rampage for revenge for the rest of the war…
The Genesis
Originating in design studies from the mid-1930s, the Tribal, or Afridi class,
was initially envisioned as a light fleet cruiser. Yet, as the Japanese, Italian,
and German navies unveiled innovative designs, the Tribals soon adapted into agile destroyers.
Envisioned to be larger in stature, its designers prioritized guns over torpedoes more than their
predecessors, emphasizing anti-ship warfare but still upholding potent anti-aircraft defenses.
As such, housing a crew of nearly 190 men, the Tribal class towered over the standard destroyers
of their era, stretching to about 377 feet and displacing up to 2,519 tons when fully laden.
Of the 27 Tribal-class vessels crafted, 16 sailed for the Royal Navy,
3 for the Australian Navy, and 8 bore the Canadian flag.
Soon after their introduction, these destroyers showcased their prowess
across World War 2’s vast naval theaters. During their tenure,
the ships were both cherished by their crews and revered by the public.
Among them was the Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Haida. As the fourth Tribal to grace
the Royal Canadian Navy, Haida was commissioned on August 30, 1943,
with the seasoned Harry DeWolf at its helm. With a quarter-century of naval
expertise under his belt, DeWolf aimed to elevate Canada's maritime reputation.
By the end of 1943, after rigorous sea trials,
Haida secured her place within the 3rd Canadian Destroyer Flotilla and part of
the British Home Fleet. The ongoing Battle of the Atlantic meant Allied convoys were in
need of strong protectors against the persistent threats of German U-boats and surface raiders.
In this challenging and ever-changing backdrop, Haida was ready to take on a pivotal role.
Power Punch
At first glance, her primary armament comprised six dominant 4.7-inch QF Mark XII guns aligned
in three twin mounts, which was enough to scare almost any floating enemy away. For
the skyward enemies, her defenses included a lone but powerful 4-inch QF Mk V gun,
augmented by four robust 2-pounder QF Mk VIII guns, always on the lookout for hostile aircraft.
Hidden below her decks, a menacing foursome of 21-inch torpedo tubes
stood in a unique quad setup, awaiting a chance to challenge larger-sized foes. Deeper still,
where only submarines dared to venture, Haida had her depth charges at the ready.
In November, she was assigned as an escort for the Russian convoy RA 54B,
one of many Arctic convoys that transported essential supplies to the Soviet Union.
The cold waters, unpredictable weather, and the constant threat of torpedoes made these
missions particularly risky. During one journey, the Kriegsmarine battleship Scharnhorst attempted
to intercept the convoy. While the escorting cruisers managed to keep the German vessel
occupied, Haida and her fellow destroyers guided the convoy away from the threat.
On December 23, the convoy faced an attack once more, this time
from Junkers Ju 88 bombers. Again, Haida's defenses ensured the convoy went undamaged.
Besides her convoy escort duties, Haida was involved in offensive operations
along the Norwegian coast, engaging German naval vessels when the opportunity arose.
By January 10, 1944, Haida had moved to the 10th Destroyer Flotilla in Plymouth.
There, she and her crew participated in Operation Tunnel and Operation Hostile, operations in the
Bay of Biscay and along the French coast of the English Channel aimed at confronting
and neutralizing the fast German naval vessels that posed a threat to Allied naval movements.
Haida was a key player in these operations with her advanced
anti-ship and anti-submarine weaponry. By the spring,
she had completed almost 20 missions under Operation Tunnel and Operation Hostile.
Escaping German Torpedoes
In mid-April 1944, Haida, along with her sister ships HMS Ashanti,
HMCS Athabaskan, HMCS Huron, and the Dido-class Cruiser HMS Black Prince,
embarked on an Operation Hostile mission in the English Channel
Days passed with the ships weaving through waters, their radar systems alive with signals,
all with a direct yet perilous mission: detect the enemy and engage.
In the early hours of April 26, they confronted the German 4th
Torpedo Boat Flotilla, which boasted the Elbing-class torpedo boats T29,
T24, and T27. Though named 'torpedo boats,' these German vessels essentially matched
mid-sized Allied destroyers in size, albeit with slightly less firepower.
T27 took damage early on and retreated. The unforgiving guns aboard Haida sent
T29 to the ocean floor, while T24, though wounded, managed to flee.
A little more than 48 hours later, while on patrol off St. Brieux, near Brittany,
both Athabaskan and Haida received intel of two enemy ships nearby. The duo pressed on.
However, the crew of Haida soon discerned a concerning sight: Athabaskan had suddenly stopped.
It was April 29, 1944, and Athabaskan had just fallen victim to a torpedo launched by T-27,
the very boat that had eluded them earlier.
A Tragedy Among Allies
Grasping the gravity of the situation,
Commander DeWolf of Haida immediately launched a counter-offensive, warding
off the German assailant. Yet, despite his best efforts, Athabaskan was overwhelmed by flames.
The sister ship was going down.
Having pursued T-27 and set her aground, showering her with shells,
Haida made her way back. Drawing close to her sister ship, she fired a star shell,
illuminating the darkness and signaling the beginning of a rescue mission.
Deploying her boats, floats, and scramble nets, Haida's valiant crew
pulled aboard scores of oil-slicked men, some dazed, others wounded, all grateful.
Every ounce of DeWolf's determination was poured into rescuing as many comrades as possible. Yet,
as they worked, he knew all too well that peril was on the horizon.
The very German boats that had damaged Athabaskan were still in the vicinity. Every
second in this vulnerable position heightened the risk of Haida becoming their next target.
Amid this backdrop, and with dawn threatening to blow their cover,
Captain DeWolf made the heart-wrenching decision to cease the rescue.
The toll was heavy. Athabaskan lost 128 brave souls, including her Captain,
John Stubbs. A further 83 men were captured, becoming prisoners of war. Yet,
thanks to Haida, 44 fortunate men found refuge aboard her decks.
Peak Operations
The Canadian Tribal-class destroyer persistently carried out Operation Hostile sorties alongside
her sister ship, Huron, in the suspense-filled weeks leading up to Operation Overlord.
As the historic invasion of Normandy began, Haida,
steadfastly standing as part of the 10th Destroyer Flotilla, played a pivotal role
by providing cover for surface attacks at the far western entrance of the English Channel.
Merely days later, in a synchronized maritime ballet,
Haida and Huron joined forces to sink the submarine Z32 in the iconic Battle of Ushant.
With the fall of Cherbourg, the formidable Kriegsmarine E-boats
that had long shadowed and threatened Haida were subsequently relocated. This
strategic shift freed Haida and her flotilla from their persistent menace.
In the ensuing period, the flotilla was endowed with dual responsibilities. They
protected Allied torpedo boat flotillas and relentlessly embarked on search-and-sink
operations against German vessels along the entirety of the French coast.
On June 24, the inseparable sister ships,
Haida and Eskimo, sank one more enemy boat and rescued six of her survivors.
Throughout July and August, Haida was on a mission to intercept and counter German
vessels. In this period, she sank a notable tally of submarine chasers,
minesweepers, and patrol boats, always in unison with her convoy.
Haida became renowned for her unmatched destructive prowess,
impressively sinking nine enemy ships between April and September of 1944.
This remarkable success can be largely credited to one exceptional leader.
During Harry DeWolf's distinguished 14-month tenure as Haida's commanding officer,
she sank an astounding 14 enemy vessels. DeWolf's brave, courageous,
and inspirational leadership rightfully earned him the enduring nickname "Hard-Over Harry."
After being promoted to Captain in September,
DeWolf was slated for a return to Canada, meaning he’d have to leave Haida.
Though DeWolf commanded a fleet of ships during his illustrious naval career,
his profound connection with Haida became a defining feature of his legacy. Over the
ensuing years, this fearless leader climbed to the rank of vice-admiral,
eventually taking the reins of the Royal Canadian Navy.
However, the story of Haida in World War 2 still had chapters left.
The End Is Near
With a change in leadership, Haida, holding her head high, departed Western
Europe on September 22 for Halifax, Nova Scotia, to receive state-of-the-art radar.
For the rest of that year, Haida predominantly sailed on escort missions.
Towards the end of the war, Haida played a role in one of the last Canadian naval
engagements when she valiantly escorted convoy RA 66 from Vaenga from late April to early May 1945.
During this intense mission, both Haida and her sister ship, Huron,
miraculously dodged torpedoes from lurking U-boats. This naval skirmish
witnessed the sinking of two U-boats and a Royal Navy vessel in the icy waters.
After her extensive service, Haida returned to Canada in June 1945. She was earmarked
for a refit, but fate had other plans. The refit was abruptly suspended when Japan,
marking the end of a global conflict, announced its surrender later that summer.
The Cold War
After World War 2, HMCS Haida took a brief respite, only to be reactivated in 1947,
refitted with contemporary armament, and rebranded as a destroyer-escort.
Subsequently, Haida and her sister ship, HMCS Nootka,
participated in exercises with the Canadian Navy's Atlantic Fleet, the US Navy, and the Royal Navy.
By November 1949, she was back in Halifax, Canada. She was swiftly enlisted to rescue
18 crew members from a US Air Force bomber that had crashed in the Atlantic. Yet,
merely a month later, being one of the older vessels in the Navy's lineup,
she was downgraded to serve as a Depot and Accommodation Ship in Halifax.
The onset of the Korean War on June 25, 1950, saw Haida reactivated for combat once again. Refitted
the subsequent month with fresh armaments and cutting-edge sensors, she spent two
patrols off the Korean coast escorting aircraft carriers and executing coastal bombardments.
After striking a train north of Riwon and neutralizing a
rogue anti-ship mine in January 1953, Haida was inducted into the esteemed
"Trainbusters Club," performing essential train-busting operations.
By December, despite the cease-fire, she remained in the area to be a strong allied naval presence.
One Last Hurrah
Post-Korea, Haida undertook anti-submarine warfare tasks alongside other North Atlantic
and West Indies NATO vessels. However, by 1958, the wear and tear became more evident
than ever. Her hull cracked, equipment malfunctioned, and steering faltered.
A 1958 refit for repairs only briefly postponed the inevitable.
After a 1960 voyage to the West Indies was cut short due to equipment failures,
more structural concerns surfaced. This war hero's finale was imminent.
In 1963, after one final and sentimental tour of the Great Lakes, she was set for
scrapping. Remarkably, she was the last survivor of the 27 Tribal-class ships;
all her counterparts had either been lost in combat accidents or had been decommissioned.
Not willing to let their beloved and iconic ship go, a group of ex-crew members, wishing
to safeguard her legacy, acquired the ship. Their dedication ensured Haida's restoration,
and by 1984, she was recognized as a National Historic Site.
Her unparalleled adaptability to evolving battle scenarios,
reinforced by superior design, a hint of luck, and, most importantly,
the indomitable spirit of her crew, ensured her prolonged survival.
Today, HMCS Haida stands tall, celebrated as the "Fightingest Ship in the Royal Canadian
Navy." This moniker is not just a testament to her combat prowess but a tribute to the
undying spirit and determination of her crew throughout the decades.
Thank you for venturing with us into the story of the Royal Canadian Navy’s fighting ship of
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