HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257

Restigouche Class Destroyer

Built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., RESTIGOUCHE suffered portside damage in a collision with the freights Manchester Port in Nov 1957 while still in the hands of her builder. She was finally commissioned at Montreal on 07 Jun 1958. She was present at the formal opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959, and at a mini-UN naval review in Toronto the following month, immediately afterward carrying the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland on a tour of that province's northeast outports. On 29 Apr 1961, RESTIGOUCHE and Columbia 260 made a port visit to Washington, D.C. She underwent her IRE modernization in 1970-72 at Halifax Shipyards.

In Jun 1972, HMCS RESTIGOUCHE was damaged as a result of a barge fire alongside her.⁽¹⁾  LSFC Bryan Watson was Bos'n Mate at the time of the incident. "We were at the sub jetty across from Fleet Maintenance Facility with the wheeler barge on our starboard side. I was the Bosn’s mate and at approx. 1230 I observed two dockyard workers go into the barge. About 5 minutes later there was a loud whoosh and the barge erupted in flames. I was about 20 feet from the flames so I closed the Bosn’s mate shack and activated the action alarm, making the pipe fire, fire, fire on the wheeler barge, this not an exercise! The Fire Department was called and the fire tug along with two pup tugs to tow the bar into the middle of the harbour were dispatched." //  (1) The Chronicle Herald," Halifax, N.S., Tuesday, June 21 1972, p. 1.

In 1973 she was transferred to the west coast, arriving at Esquimalt on 02 Aug 1973. 

In late Sep 1983 TERRA NOVA, RESTIGOUCHE and GATINEAU were conducting RAS approaches while exercising off the coast of southern USA / Mexico and one evening at approx 2000 RESTIGOUCHE suffered a steering-gear breakdown. RESTIGOUCHE veered to port and cut across TERRA NOVA'S bow resulting in TERRA NOVA striking her just aft the 3"70 mount. All ships proceeded to Mazatlan where repairs were conducted.  After departing Mazatlan, the ships had a port visit at San Diego where a BOI was conducted on or about 01 Oct 1983 on completion of which the ships proceeded to San Francisco for Fleet Week on the weekend of 08 Oct 1983.

Between 03 Dec 1984 and 29 Nov 1985 she completed her DELEX refit at SRU(P). On 08 May 1986, HMCS PROVIDER 508, HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257, HMCS TERRA NOVA 259 and HMCS KOOTENAY 258, departed Esquimalt for Exercise RIMPAC 86 and returned on 21 Jun 1986. Upgraded (as per TERRA NOVA) for possible service in the Persian Gulf, in Mar 1991 she instead joined SNFL, the first west coast based unit to do so. On 24 Feb 1992, RESTIGOUCHE was dispatched to the Red Sea to assist a multinational force convened to ensure that Iraq did not resume hostilities. She returned to Esquimalt on 18 Aug 1992. She was paid off on 31 Aug 1994. RESTIGOUCHE was sold in December 1998 to American Dick Crawford for $113,055.50. On 06 Nov 2000, she and her sister, Kootenay, departed Esquimalt in tow for Mexico, where RESTIGOUCHE was sunk off Acapulco on 11 Jun 2001.

The sinking of the RESTIGOUCHE - the RESTIGOUCHE was about 80% prepared for sinking purposes when an approaching hurricane force them to move the ship across the harbour so it would be in the lee of the storm. It was done very quickly and the harbour master was cautioned against towing the ship by the stern because of the hull cuts in preparation for scuttling. While under tow, she listed to port, pulling the diver access holes below the waterline which resulted in her sinking at a depth of about 60 feet.

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos          The Ship's Bell

Commissioning Book - 1958          Crossing the Line (Equator) booklet - 30 Jan 1966

20th Anniversary Booklet          Ex Far Horizons - 1983          25th Anniversary Booklet

Re-Activation Booklet after 9-month refit          NATO 1991 Commemorative book

The Restigouche Horn - The Crews Paper - NATO 1970 - Port visit Portland

RCN Memories:     Man Overboard!!     Rustyguts     What if?

Commanding Officers

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

V

W

Y

Z

Former Crew Members

Photos and Documents

(RST001) Article on the construction of HMCS RESTIGOUCHE using KODAK Industrial X-rays  //  Courtesy of Yvon Lachance

(RST002) HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257

(RST003) Article on HMCS RESTIGOUCHE from the March 1959 issue of Popular Mechanics Magazine (pdf file)

(RST004) ET Eric Ritchie (left) and ET Dave Rushton holding up the leaning tower of Pisa - early 1960  //  From the collection of Dave Rushton  //  Courtesy of Brian Lapierre

(RST005) Kitbag - painted by Rick Beresford, Armourer's Mate on HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257 circa 1959-60  //  Courtesy of Tony Beresford

(RST006) Harold Van Wyngaarden (right) and unknown shipmate on HMCS RESTIGOUCHE  //  From the collection of Harold Van Wyngaarden  //  Courtesy of John VanWyngaarden

(RST007) HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257 arriving in Halifax harbour  //  Photo prior to Feb 1965 as she is still flying the White Ensign

(RST008) HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257 doing 20 plus knots in the Inner Leads in north Norway and pointing at land!  //  This photo gives an idea of how confining these waters can be.  //  Courtesy of Michael Young

(RST009) HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257 in drydock inside a mountain at Haakonsvern, Bergen, Norway  //  RESTIGOUCHE in drydock inside the mountain in the Norwegian Naval Base at Haakonsvern, Bergen. It was taken at Easter 1970 when we went in to paint ship over a 36 hour period on the weekend. The water was not drained from the dock. The crew worked around the clock to paint and the result is obvious! The reason we were there was that Commodore Boyle RCN, COMSTANAVFORLANT, was not happy with the appearance of his flagship! We had come out of refit in the fall of 1969. We worked up in January then sailed across the Atlantic in nasty weather to join the Squadron. There was little chance to really get the ship looking good again. The RNoN offered us that weekend in "the cave" and we took it. The Commodore seemed pleased with the results!  //  Courtesy of Michael Young

(RST010) Damage to RESTIGOUCHE as a result of the fire aboard the Wheeler Bar that was alongside her - 1972  //  Courtesy of Hugh Muir

(RST011) Banyan on HMCS RESTIGOUCHE off Bermuda, July 1973  //  Left to right: P2WU Dave Sutherland (back to camera), P2FC Jim Barclay, LSWS Herb Theriauf, LSFC Jim Roberts, LSWS Brent Spooner  //  Courtesy of Al Malcomson

(RST012) Banyan on HMCS RESTIGOUCHE off Bermuda, July 1973  //  Left to right: LSWS Les Rourke on top of chaff launcher, Dave Sutherland, Jim Barclay, Herb Theriauf, LSFC Al Malcomson, Brent Spooner  //  Courtesy of Al Malcomson

(RST013) MS Don Little giving Engineroom tours during a dependants day cruise - 25 Mar 1974  //  Courtesy of Don Little

(RST014) 1978 cruise of HMCS RESTIGOUCHE - Crossing the Line Ceremony (Equator) - List of Shellbacks and Tadpoles  //  Courtesy of Jim Johnston

(RST015) HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257 - undated

(RST016) HMCS KOOTENAY and HMCS RESTIGOUCHE, Pearl Harbor, Spring 1978 during Ex RIMPAC '78  //  Courtesy of Hugh Muir

(RST017 - RST018)  HMCS RESTIGOUCHE opens fire on the gun range in the Hawaiian islands in 1983. Photos taken from the starboard bridge wing  //  Photographer / © Colin Mackie - 1983  //  Courtesy of Colin Mackie

(RST019) HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257 firing an ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) - Apr 1983  //  Courtesy of Robert Berbeck

(RST020) HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257 - undated  //  Courtesy of David Shirlaw

(RST021 - RST023) HMCS RESTIGOUCHE hosts children's party in Japan  //  Courtesy of Chris Kenney // Credit: Esquimalt Lookout Newspaper June 8, 1983 // Photographer MCpl Sartori

(RST021) Master Seaman Kent Wilkins presented a British Columbia Indian print on behalf of RESTIGOUCHE, to the Senior teacher of the Jinpu-En Home.

(RST022) The children laugh as Ordinary Seaman Mike Walker tries his best sign language to explain the mementos presented to the children.

(RST023) Able Seaman Ken O'Brien and Master Seaman Kent Wilkins look on as the Director of the Jinpu-En Refugee Home, Satoshi Tarumoto and three of the children cut cakes made for the party.

(ND001) Crossing the Line (Arctic Circle) Ceretificate for ABRM Neil Dunnigan, HMCS RESTIGOUCHE, 21 Sep 1968

(ND002 - ND003) HMCS RESTIGOUCHE, Standing Naval Force Atlantic - It was February 1970 I believe, and we were returning from exercise in and around the arctic circle off of northern Norway. I was on duty in the radio shack when a message came in with orders to proceed to Bergen for painting ship. Huh! It's February!  When we entered Bergen Harbour I was at my "entering harbour station" at the top part of the ship. As we proceeded in we were a little confused as we couldn't see a jetty or pier where we were headed to tie up. In fact we were steering straight for the side of a mountain. Then, as we approached a huge door started to lift on the side of the mountain and to our immense surprise, we just sailed right on in. It really was amazing.

(ND005) Standing Naval Force Atlantic - March 1970.  HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257 centre/lead ship

From the collection of Neil Dunnigan

Courtesy of Neil Dunnigan

Standing Naval Force Atlantic

HMCS RESTIGOUCHE'S deployment with the NATO Squadron - 1970

(YL01-YL05) NATO Squadron conducting manoeuvers in choppy seas

NATO Squadron port visit Lisbon, Portugal

(YL06-YL07) HMCS RESTIGOUCHE (inboard) and HMCS NIPIGON alongside Lisbon (for turnover)

(YL08) American destroyers alongside, Lisbon, Portual

NATO Squadron port visit Lisbon, Portugal

(YL09-YL12) American carrier, USS ESSEX 18, anchored at Lisbon

NATO Squadron port visit Lisbon, Portugal

RESTIGOUCHE Crew Beach Party at the Praia do Guincho beach, Lisbon, 1970

NATO Squadron port visit Lisbon, Portugal

RESTIGOUCHE Crew Beach Party at the Praia do Guincho beach, Lisbon, 1970

NATO Squadron port visit Lisbon, Portugal

RESTIGOUCHE Crew Beach Party at the Praia do Guincho beach, Lisbon, 1970

(YL27) John Westfall (left), Yvon Lachance (right)

NATO Squadron port visit Lisbon, Portugal

RESTIGOUCHE Crew Beach Party at the Praia do Guincho beach, Lisbon, 1970

(YL28) Sailor on right in white shirt with red trunks is Tom Koritar

HMCS RESTIGOUCHE NATO Sail Past

HMCS RESTIGOUCHE prepares for her good-bye sail past from the NATO Squadron

HMCS RESTIGOUCHE NATO Sail Past

(YL34) RESTIGOUCHE takes up position while the NATO Squadron forms up in line ahead for the sail past

(YL35-YL37) HMCS NIPIGON, RESTIGOUCHE'S relief, leads the sail past

HMCS RESTIGOUCHE NATO Sail Past

HMCS RESTIGOUCHE NATO Sail Past

Sail past complete - NATO Squadron steams on ahead as HMCS RESTIGOUCHE departs for home

NATO Deployment Over

Enroute home .....

Courtesy of Yvon Lachance

The End

HMCS RESTIGOUCHE is towed to Mexico and scuttled

 

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