History & Learning

Information provided by Eric Nicolson (son)

My father, Colin Murdo Nicolson, served with the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve from 1943 to 1945. Recruited at HMCS GRIFFIN in Port Arthur, Ontario, in 1943, he was sent west to British Columbia where he received training at HMCS NADEN. He eventually arrived in Portsmouth, England, where he boarded HMCS SIOUX, February 22, 1944, upon which he served for the duration of the war.  The ship was part of the 26^th Destroyer Flotilla of the British Home Fleet at Scapa Flow. The SIOUX participated in allied action at Juno Beach, Normandy, June 6, 1944, and later saw service mostly in the Norwegian theatre such as doing screening duty for carriers in pursuit of the TIRPITZ.  The SIOUX did escort duty on four trips to Murmansk, convoys JW/RA 60, JW/RA 63, JW/RA 64 and JW/RA 65. The SIOUX was also one of four destroyers that broke off from convoy JW64 to rescue Norwegians on Soroya island after enemy destruction of their village in February 1945. Like most veterans, Dad spoke little of his time in service but he did leave behind a small diary he kept while aboard HMCS SIOUX. It has been recorded along with pictures taken aboard the SIOUX during this time at a website rcnhistory.org and makes interesting reading

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