HMCS *Patriot*

HMCS *Patriot* was a Thornycroft M-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the interwar period and the Second World War. Originally built for the Royal Navy as HMS *Patriot*, the vessel was transferred to Canada in 1920. It saw varied service, including as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic before being decommissioned and scrapped.

Construction and Service History

The vessel was ordered as part of the Royal Navy's wartime construction program from the Thornycroft & Company shipyard in Woolston, Southampton. Laid down in 1915, it was launched in 1916 and commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS *Patriot*. Following the First World War, the ship was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1920, a move influenced by the Imperial Gift of warships to Dominion navies. Upon entering Canadian service, it was renamed HMCS *Patriot* and became part of the fledgling East Coast fleet, operating primarily out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Its career spanned two decades with the Royal Canadian Navy, involving training, patrols, and wartime duties before being paid off in 1945 and subsequently sold for scrap.

Design and Description

As a Thornycroft M-class destroyer, HMCS *Patriot* was a specialized variant of the larger Admiralty M class, featuring design modifications by Thornycroft & Company. The vessel displaced approximately 1,025 long tons at standard load and was powered by Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines, driving three shafts for a designed speed of 34 knots. Its armament originally consisted of three 4-inch guns, a single 2-pounder "pom-pom", and four 21-inch torpedo tubes in twin mounts. During its service with the Royal Canadian Navy, its armament was revised for anti-submarine warfare, a process overseen by the Director of Naval Ordnance. These modifications typically included the removal of torpedo tubes and some guns to accommodate increased depth charge capacity and the installation of Hedgehog projectors.

Service in World War I

As HMS *Patriot*, the destroyer served with the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and later with the Harwich Force. It conducted patrol and escort duties in the North Sea and the English Channel, areas heavily contested by the Imperial German Navy. The ship was involved in actions against German U-boats and participated in the extensive mine-laying and counter-mining operations that characterized naval warfare during this period. While it did not participate in a major fleet action like the Battle of Jutland, its service was typical of the countless destroyers that performed vital, unglamorous work protecting Allied shipping and maintaining blockades. Following the Armistice of 11 November 1918, it was placed in reserve before being selected for transfer to Canada.

Interwar Period and World War II

During the interwar period, HMCS *Patriot* was a key unit in the small Royal Canadian Navy, used extensively for training Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel and for summer deployments to show the flag in various ports. It underwent several refits, including at HMC Dockyard, Halifax. With the outbreak of the Second World War, the aging destroyer was assigned to local escort duties on the Atlantic Coast of Canada. As part of Western Local Escort Force, it escorted convoys between New York City and Newfoundland, protecting them from the threat of Kriegsmarine U-boats during the Battle of the Atlantic. By 1943, it was considered obsolete for front-line service and was relegated to a training and accommodation role at Halifax. It was paid off from active service in 1945 and sold for scrap shortly after Victory over Japan Day.

Category:Royal Canadian Navy ships Category:Destroyers of Canada Category:Ships built in England