HMCS SAGUENAY DDH 205

Saguenay was my second ship. While still on the Iroquois I was sent to Candian Forces Fleet School Halifax to take my Trade Qualification Level 5 training. While there - my posting message to the Saguenay came in. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed at first, to be going from a newer ship to one that was fitted with sonars that had been around since shortly after world war two.

Seriously! The Saguenay was fitted with the AN/SQS 170 "Attacker" and it was the oldest sonar in the entire Navy. All the other "Steamers" (which was the affectionate nickname for the old steam driven destroyers) were fitted with the newer (sic) version of the 170...the AN/SQS 502 Attacker. The big difference between the two was, not much really, the 502 was a few years newer - a little more "advanced" and had a new number.

Funny story... while on my second Nato deployment (this time on Saguenay) I had the opportunity to take a trip into London England. While there we took in a museum tour and much to my surprise... the tour guide showed us our very own AN/SQS 170 sitting in all it's splendor in the museum. We had a good laugh and gave the rest of the tourists (and the tourguide) a very thorough run down on the old 170, how it drove the mortars on the ship, how we operated it, etc. A good afternoon was had by all.

So where did I go on the Saguenay... Let's see, (in no particular order)Bergen Norway, Oslo Norway, Tromso Norway, Den Helder Holland, Amsterdam Holland, Ghent Belgium, Lisbon Portugal, Cascais Portugal, Cadiz Spain, Cherbourg France, Paris France, Portsmouth England, London England, Weymouth England, Dublin Ireland, Kingston Jamaica, San Juan Peurto Rico, NAS Roosevelt Roads Peurto Rico, NAS Bermuda, Hamilton Bermuda, Groton Conneticut, Charleston South Carolina, Boston Mass, Sidney Mines - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia... While in Europe I also had the opportunity to take two weeks and travel with my wife and we visited Lucerne Switzerland, Vienna Austria, Florence Italy and Zweibrucken Germany, where my wife connected with her Father after many many years.

Some of the significant exercise we were involved in on Saguenay were:
MARCOT/CANFLT OPS 12 Nov - 04 Dec 87
CARIBOPS 88 Jan 18- Feb 28 88
TEAMWORK 88 Aug 29 18 Oct 88
CARIBOPS 89 16 Jan-24Feb 89
NATO 10 April 28 Sep 89

All good things must come to an end...even a fine ship like the Saguenay who served her Country proudly for many years. When Saguenay was decomissioned from service she was sold to the reef society and sunk off the coast of Halifax Nova Scotia where she now rests, and divers can go and explore her for many years to come. Stripped of all her equipment and weapons, below are pictures of her sinking on June 25th, 1994.

Farewell Grand Lady

To read more on the sinking of Saguenay, see more images of her sinking (including a Side Scan sonar image of her where she rests now) go to the Lunenberg Marine Park Home Page

I received an E-mail from an old sailor who spent time on the Saguenay... he has kindly allowed me to reprint his words here.

Hello from Whitby Ontario. Doing a little surfing and did a search on HMCS Saguenay. I was a young lad of 17 when I entered the Naval Reseerve at Kingstaon in March, 1966.

That summer I spent July and August on board HMCS Saguenay tied to pier #3 and for a time in the floating dry dock. As an ordinary seaman I sure did chip a lot of paint. Never did get to sea. She was in for her half life re-fit, by then she was perhaps 15 years old. I think she was the second of her class.

I was in 12 mess with the sonar types. Maybe you were in 12 mess as well! I remember the the barge where we had all the “lay apart stores.” We got some sugar, raisins, yeast I think, and made a vile alcohol concoction. What a way to spend a Friday afternoon.

I was on board when Admiral Landymore said stuff this integration business. Quite an impressive site to see the whole of HMCS Dock Yard lined with ‘hairy bags’ giving 3 cheers. I have fond memories of service on board, even if it was along side the jetty.

Larry G
Whitby, Ontario