HMCS Haida on Canadian flag

The Tribal Class destroyer HMCS Haida was commissioned on August 30, 1943, at Newcastle-on-Tyne, United Kingdom. She was assigned to the British Home Fleet and during the first 3 months of her career made 2 trips to North Russia as a convoy escort. In January 1944, she joined the 10th Flotilla at Plymouth, United Kingdom, and for the next 8 months was engaged in sweeps and patrols in the English Channel and in the Bay of Biscay. She was present on D Day. During this period, she took part in the sinking of several enemy vessels, including torpedo boat T-29 on April 26 off Ushant, France; T-27 on April 29 off Ushant; destroyer Z-32 on June 9 off Ile de Bas, France; submarine U-971 on June 24 off Land’s End, England; and minesweeper M-486 on August 6 off Ile d’Yeu, France. In September 1944, she sailed for Canada to refit at Halifax, Nova Scotia, returning to Plymouth in January 1945. In March, she returned to Scapa Flow, Scotland, and escorted another convoy to Murmansk, Russia, as well