View source for HMS Express (H61)

{{Short description|E-class british destroyer}}
{{other ships|HMS Express|HMCS Gatineau}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2017}}
{{good article}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= HMS Express.jpg
|Ship caption=Aerial view of ''Express'', November 1942
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name= ''Express''
|Ship ordered=1 November 1932
|Ship builder=[[Swan Hunter]], [[Tyne and Wear]]
|Ship yard number=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship laid down= 
|Ship launched= 29 May 1934
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed= 
|Ship commissioned= 2 November 1934
|Ship refit=
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: H61
|Ship motto=*"Celeriter"
*("Quickly")
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Transferred to Canada, 15 June 1943
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=title
|Ship country=Canada
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Canada|naval-1911}}
|Ship name= ''Gatineau''
|Ship acquired=15 June 1943 (given to Canada)
|Ship commissioned=3 June 1943
|Ship decommissioned= 10 January 1946
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship namesake=[[Gatineau River]]
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck= 1 April 1947
|Ship identification=
|Ship motto= 
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=*Atlantic 1943–44
*Normandy 1944
|Ship fate= [[Scuttled]] as a [[breakwater (structure)|breakwater]], 1948
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(as built)
|Ship class= [[E and F-class destroyer|E-class destroyer]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1405|LT|t|lk=on}} ([[Standard displacement|standard]])
|Ship length={{convert|329|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam={{convert|33|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} (deep)
|Ship power=*3 × [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
*{{cvt|36000|shp|kW|lk=on}}
|Ship propulsion=2 × shafts; 2 × geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|35.5|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|6350|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn}}
|Ship complement=145
|Ship sensors=[[Sonar#History|ASDIC]]
|Ship armament=*4 × single [[4.7 inch QF Mark IX|4.7 in (120 mm) guns]]
*2 × quadruple [[Vickers .50 machine gun|{{convert|0.5|in|mm|abbr=on|1}} machine guns]]
*2 × quadruple [[British 21-inch torpedo|21 in (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tubes]]
*20 × [[depth charge]]s, 1 rack and 2 throwers
*60 [[naval mine|mines]]
}}
|}
'''HMS ''Express''''' was an [[E and F-class destroyer|E-class]] [[minelayer|minelaying]] [[destroyer]] built for the [[Royal Navy]] in the early 1930s. Although assigned to the [[Home Fleet]] upon completion, the ship was attached to the [[Mediterranean Fleet]] in 1935–36 during the [[Abyssinia Crisis]]. During the [[Spanish Civil War]] of 1936–1939, she spent considerable time in Spanish waters, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and [[France]] on both sides of the conflict.

''Express'' spent most of the first year of World War II laying [[minefield]]s in British, Dutch and German waters. She participated in the [[Dunkirk evacuation|evacuation of Allied soldiers from Dunkirk]] in May–June 1940, but resumed minelaying afterwards. The ship was one of five British destroyers that inadvertently entered a German minefield off the Dutch coast a few months later, leading to the [[Texel Disaster|sinking of two destroyers]] and ''Express'' having her [[bow (ship)|bow]] blown off, incapacitating her for over a year of repairs. Two months after returning to duty, ''Express'' escorted the [[battleship]] {{HMS|Prince of Wales|53|2}} and the [[battlecruiser]] {{HMS|Repulse|1916|2}} ([[Force Z]]) to [[Singapore]] in late 1941, in an unsuccessful attempt to deter Japanese aggression against [[British possessions]] in the Far East. She escorted the [[capital ship]]s in an attempt to intercept landings in [[British Malaya]] in December and rescued their survivors after they were sunk by Japanese [[bomber]]s. ''Express'' was then assigned convoy escort duties in and around Singapore and the [[Dutch East Indies]] under the control of [[American-British-Dutch-Australian Command]] (ABDACOM) [[Dutch East Indies Campaign|as the Japanese advanced]]. She escaped from the East Indies and rejoined the main body of the [[Eastern Fleet]] in the [[Indian Ocean]]. The ship played a minor role in [[Battle of Madagascar]] as she screened an [[aircraft carrier]] during the late stages of the campaign in 1942.

''Express'' returned home in early 1943 to begin conversion into an [[escort destroyer]]. Upon its completion in June, the ship was transferred to the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] (RCN) and renamed ''Gatineau''. She was assigned to convoy escort duties with the [[Mid-Ocean Escort Force]] and participated in sinking a German submarine in March 1944. ''Gatineau'' was transferred to Northern Ireland in preparation in May for the [[Invasion of Normandy]] and was sent to Canada in July to begin a lengthy refit. The ship was only operational for a few months before the war ended in May 1945 and she returned to Canada shortly afterwards. ''Gatineau'' was [[Ship decommissioning|paid off]] in early 1946 and was sold the following year. The ship became part of a [[breakwater (structure)|breakwater]] on the coast of [[British Columbia]] in 1948.

==Description==
The E-class ships were slightly improved versions of the preceding [[C and D-class destroyer|D class]]. They displaced {{convert|1405|LT|t}} at [[Displacement (ship)|standard]] load and {{convert|1940|LT|t}} at [[deep load]]. The ships had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|329|ft|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|33|ft|3|in|m|1}} and a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|1}}. They were powered by two [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]], using steam provided by three [[Admiralty three-drum boiler]]s. The turbines developed a total of {{convert|36000|shp|lk=in}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|35.5|kn|lk=in}}. The ships carried a maximum of {{convert|470|LT|t}} of [[fuel oil]] that gave them a range of {{convert|6350|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|15|kn}}. Their complement was 145 officers and [[Naval rating|ratings]].<ref name=l6>Lenton, p. 156</ref>

The ships mounted four [[4.7 inch QF Mark XII|4.7-inch (120&nbsp;mm) Mark IX guns]] in single mounts, designated 'A', 'B', 'X' and 'Y' from front to rear. For [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] (AA) defence, they had two quadruple mounts for the [[Vickers .50 machine gun|Vickers {{convert|0.5|in|abbr=on|1}}]] [[anti-aircraft machinegun|AA machinegun]]. The E class was fitted with two above-water quadruple torpedo tube mounts for [[British 21-inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|adj=on|0}}]] torpedoes.<ref>Whitley, p. 103</ref> One [[depth charge]] rail and two throwers were fitted; 20 depth charges were originally carried, but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began.<ref>English, p. 141</ref> To compensate for the weight of her 60 Mark XIV [[naval mine|mines]] and their rails, two of ''Express''{{'}}s 4.7-inch guns, their ammunition, both sets of torpedo tubes, her Two-Speed Destroyer Sweep (TSDS) [[Naval mine#Mine sweeping|minesweeping]] [[paravane (weapon)|paravane]]s, and her large boats and their [[davit]]s had to be removed. She was given small [[sponson]]s at the stern to ensure smooth delivery of her mines.<ref>Friedman, p. 218</ref>

===Wartime modifications===
''Express'' had her rear torpedo tubes replaced by a [[QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun|12-pounder (76&nbsp;mm)]] AA gun in July 1940. In February–June 1943, she was converted into an escort destroyer. A [[Type 286 radar|Type 286]] short-range surface search [[radar]] was fitted and a [[Type 271 radar|Type 271]] target indication radar was installed above the [[bridge (nautical)|bridge]], replacing the [[List of British ordnance terms#DCT|director-control tower]] and [[Rangefinding telemeter|rangefinder]]. The ship also received a [[HF/DF]] [[radio direction finder]] mounted on a pole [[mainmast]]. Her short-range AA armament was augmented by four [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|{{convert|20|mm|1|abbr=on}} Oerlikon]] guns and the .50-calibre machine guns were replaced by a pair of Oerlikons. A split [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog]] anti-submarine [[spigot mortar]] was installed abreast 'A' gun and stowage for  60 depth charges provided; 'Y' gun and the 12-pounder had to be removed to compensate for their weight. By the end of the war, a [[Type 277 radar]] had replaced the Type 271, and the Type 286 had been superseded by a Type 291.<ref>English, p. 141; Friedman, pp. 237, 241–45; Lenton, p. 157</ref>

==Construction and career==
''Express'', the eighth ship of that name to serve with the Royal Navy,<ref>Colledge, p. 120</ref> was ordered 1 November 1932, from [[Swan Hunter|Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson]] at [[Wallsend]] under the 1931 Naval Programme, for use as a destroyer that could quickly be converted for use as a [[minelayer]] when required. She was [[laid down]] 24 March 1932, and [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 29 May 1934. The ship was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 2 November 1934, at a total cost of [[pound sterling|£]]247,279, excluding government-furnished equipment like the armament.<ref>English, pp. 63–64</ref>

''Express'' and her [[sister ship]]s were assigned to the [[5th Destroyer Flotilla]] (DF) of the Home Fleet. She remained at home for the next nine months while her armament was adjusted at [[Sheerness Dockyard]] from 13 December to 5 January 1935. The ship was attached to the Mediterranean Fleet, together with most of the rest of her flotilla, beginning in September 1935, during the Abyssinian Crisis, and returned home in March 1936. Upon her arrival, ''Express'' was refitted at [[HMNB Portsmouth|Portsmouth Dockyard]] 23 March–4 May. The ship was then temporarily assigned to [[Gibraltar]] for the next two months as tensions rose before the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. She then spent the rest of the year at home, before patrolling Spanish waters in the [[Mediterranean]] in January–March 1937, enforcing the edicts of the [[Non-Intervention Committee]]. After a brief refit, ''Express'' then conducted minelaying trials for two months and was refitted again at Portsmouth between 9 August–2 October. Shortly afterwards, the ship had a fire in her forward [[Fire room|boiler room]] that badly damaged her electrical cabling; she was repaired at Gibraltar from 24 October to 3 December. ''Express'' spent most of 1938 at home other than one period in Spanish waters, where she was based out of Gibraltar. During her time at Portsmouth, the ship operated as a minelayer from 15 August to 4 October, before beginning a refit there on 21 November that lasted to 16 January 1939. Upon its completion, ''Express'' returned to Gibraltar for several months. After returning to the UK, the ship escorted the [[President of France]], [[Albert François Lebrun]], across the English Channel on 21 March en route to his state visit to the UK. She was earmarked for conversion to a [[Boy seaman|boy's]] and anti-aircraft [[training ship]] in June, but shortages of crewmen put paid to the idea. ''Express'' was present at the [[Fleet review (Commonwealth realms)#George VI|Reserve Fleet Review]] on 5 August.<ref>English, pp. 73–74</ref>

=== World War II ===
Shortly after the outbreak of war in September, ''Express'' joined her sister {{HMS|Esk|H15|2}} at [[Immingham]] on the [[North Sea]] on 8 September, operating under the direct control of the [[Commander-in-chief]], Home Fleet, [[Admiral]] Sir [[Charles Forbes (Royal Navy officer)|Charles Forbes]].<ref>Smith, pp. 124–25</ref> The two destroyers made their first minelaying [[sortie]] in the [[Heligoland Bight]] on the night of 9/10 September.<ref>Rohwer, p. 4</ref> and did it again a week later without being detected. They then reverted to ordinary duties for the next several months, before beginning to lay defensive minefields off the English coast in November. On 12 December, the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] formed the [[20th Destroyer Flotilla]] with ''Express'' as the [[flotilla leader]]; the other ships assigned were ''Esk'' and the newly converted destroyers, {{HMS|Intrepid|D10|6}} and {{HMS|Ivanhoe|D16|2}}.<ref>Smith, pp. 125, 127</ref> The four destroyers laid 240 mines off the mouth of the [[Ems (river)|Ems]] on the night of 17–18 December<ref>Rohwer, p. 12</ref> and the two sisters then began a refit at Portsmouth.<ref>Smith, p. 128</ref>

''Express'' and ''Esk'' began to lay more defensive minefields in February 1940, often with the large auxiliary minelayers {{HMS|Princess Victoria|M03|2}} and {{HMS|Teviot Bank||2}}.<ref>Smith, pp. 131–33</ref> On the night of 2/3 March, the sisters were joined by the newly converted destroyers {{HMS|Icarus|D03|6}} and {{HMS|Impulsive|D11|6}} in laying mines near [[Horns Rev|Horns Reef]], in the Heligoland Bight, that sank the {{ship|German submarine|U-44|1939|6}} in March,<ref>Rohwer, p. 16</ref> and later the submarines {{ship|German submarine|U-50|1939|2}}, {{ship|German submarine|U-1|1935|2}}, and {{ship|German submarine|U-25|1936|2}}.<ref>Haarr 2013, pp. 27–76</ref> After resuming defensive minelaying later that month, ''Express'' was damaged in a collision with the [[fishing trawler]] ''Manx Admiral'' off [[Kinnaird Head]] on 23 March and was under repair until 24 April.<ref>English, p. 74; Smith, p. 131</ref>

On the night of 9/10 May, ''Express'', ''Esk'' and ''Intrepid'' laid another minefield in the Heligoland Bight and were diverted on their return voyage to escort ''Princess Victoria'' as she mined Dutch waters off [[Egmond (municipality)|Egmond]] the following night after the [[Battle of the Netherlands|Germans invaded the Netherlands]] on 10 May. This began an intensive series of minelaying sorties in Dutch waters during the rest of the month that saw three German [[minesweeper]]s sunk on 26 July. The minelaying, however, was interrupted at the end of the month by the need to evacuate the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] from [[Battle of Dunkirk|Dunkirk]].<ref>Smith, pp. 142–46</ref> On 29 May, ''Express'' towed the disabled destroyer {{HMS|Jaguar|F34|2}} clear of a wreck in Dunkirk harbour and transferred many of her evacuees aboard before she could repair her engines later that day.<ref>Winser, p. 18</ref> The following day, [[Rear-Admiral (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral]] [[Frederic Wake-Walker]], commanding the ships involved in the evacuation, briefly hoisted his flag aboard her. She was lightly damaged by bomb splinters on 31 May, but continued to ferry soldiers back to England.<ref>Admiralty Historical Section, pp. 59, 83</ref> The ship and the destroyer {{HMS|Shikari|1919|2}} were the last ships to leave Dunkirk with troops on 4 June when the evacuation ended. She brought out 3,419 troops over the course of the operation.<ref>Winser, pp. 33, 85</ref>

[[File:ExpressA534.jpg|thumb|''Express'' after her bow was blown off by a mine, 1 September 1940]]
The ships of the 20th Flotilla resumed minelaying operations on 15 June, although most of these over the next several months were defensive in nature.<ref>Smith, pp. 146–48</ref> On the evening of 31 August 1940, ''Express'', ''Esk'', ''Icarus'', ''Intrepid'', and ''Ivanhoe'' departed Immingham to lay an offensive minefield off [[Texel]], with cover provided by three destroyers of the 5th DF. At 23:07 it became clear that the ships of the 20th Flotilla had entered a German minefield when ''Express'' struck a mine abreast 'B' gun, losing her entire bow up to the bridge. The detonation killed 4 officers and 54 ratings; one officer and 7 crewmen were later rescued by the Germans. ''Esk'' and ''Ivanhoe'', the closest ships to ''Express'', closed to render assistance, while the other two destroyers turned hard  to starboard and retraced their route to exit the minefield, according to standing orders. Five minutes after the first mine detonated, ''Esk''{{'}}s bow struck a mine and she came to a stop. Five minutes later ''Ivanhoe'' struck another mine that badly damaged her bow. At about 23:20, ''Esk'' struck another mine amidships that detonated her [[magazine (artillery)#Naval magazines|magazines]]. By 01:40, ''Express'' had managed to raise steam again and steamed astern to minimise the pressure of the water on her shored-up [[bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]].<ref>Smith, pp. 152–58, 165</ref>

The Admiralty dispatched nine [[motor torpedo boat]]s (MTB) to go to the assistance of ''Express'' and ''Ivanhoe'' once they had been notified of the incident by ''Intrepid'' and ordered that the destroyers of the 5th DF were not to enter the minefield. [[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]] [[Louis Mountbatten]] of the 5th DF complied until he received the report of a [[Royal Air Force]] [[Lockheed Hudson]] bomber that had spotted the two damaged destroyers about 07:00 about {{convert|25|mi}} east of his position. The MTBs reached the ships first, around 08:00, and evacuated all of ''Express''{{'}}s crew. Mountbatten's destroyers spotted ''Express'' around 08:40, and {{HMS|Kelvin|F37|2}} took her in tow, stern first, twenty minutes later. The tow cable, however, fouled one of ''Kelvin''{{'}}s propellers and had to be cut. {{HMS|Jupiter|F85|2}} then took over the tow. The threat of aerial attack at 19:45 forced ''Jupiter'' to slip her tow and allow one of the attending tugboats to take over the task. ''Express'' finally arrived at [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] at 17:30 on 2 September 1940.<ref>Smith, pp. 155–56, 159–64</ref> The ship was under repair at [[Chatham Dockyard]] until 4 October 1941.<ref>English, p. 73</ref>

==== To the Far East ====
''Express'' was ordered to escort the battleship ''Prince of Wales'' to the [[Far East]] with her sister {{HMS|Electra|H27|2}} where the ships would form the nucleus of a new [[Eastern Fleet]] intended to deter Japanese aggression. The trio departed Greenock on 25 October<ref>Middlebrook & Mahoney, pp. 32, 47</ref> and arrived at [[Colombo]], [[Ceylon]], on 28 November. The following day, the destroyers {{HMS|Encounter|H10|2}} and ''Jupiter'' joined them from the [[Mediterranean Fleet (United Kingdom)|Mediterranean Fleet]] as did the battlecruiser ''Repulse''. The force then set course for Singapore, where they arrived on 2 December.<ref>Rohwer, p. 111</ref>

===== Force Z =====
{{Main|Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse}}
[[File:The Sinking of HMS Prince of Wales by Japanese Aircraft Off Malaya, December 1941 HU2675.jpg|thumb|The crew of the sinking {{HMS|Prince of Wales|53|6}} evacuating to ''Express'' (lower right), 10 December 1941]]
After receiving the reports of the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] and [[Battle of Kota Bharu|landings in Malaya]] by the Japanese, Force Z put to sea in the late afternoon of 8 December in an attempt to intercept the invasion convoys. This consisted of ''Prince of Wales'' and ''Repulse'', escorted by four destroyers, ''Electra'', ''Express'', {{HMS|Tenedos|H04|2}}, and the Australian {{HMAS|Vampire|D68|2}}. The ships were spotted during the afternoon of 9 December by the {{Jsub|I-65}}, and [[floatplane]]s from several Japanese cruisers spotted the British ships later that afternoon and shadowed them until dark. Admiral Sir [[Tom Phillips (Royal Navy officer)|Tom Phillips]] decided to cancel the operation as the Japanese were now alerted. Force Z turned back during the evening, after having tried to deceive the Japanese that they were heading to [[Singora]]. At 00:50 on 10 December Admiral Philips received a signal of enemy landings at [[Kuantan]] and correspondingly altered course so that he would arrive shortly after dawn.<ref>Stephen, pp. 107–08</ref>

The crew of the {{Jsub|I-58|1925|6}} spotted Force Z at 02:20, reported their position, and fired five torpedoes, all of which missed. Based on this report the Japanese launched 11 reconnaissance aircraft before dawn to locate Force Z. Several hours later 86 bombers from the 22nd Air Flotilla based in [[Saigon]] were launched carrying bombs or torpedoes.<ref>Shores, Cull & Izawa, pp. 113–14</ref> Once the British ships reached Kuantan around 07:50, ''Express'' was sent to investigate the area, but there was nothing to find.<ref>Middlebrook & Mahoney, pp. 105–06</ref> The crew of a [[Mitsubishi G3M]] "Nell" reconnaissance bomber spotted the British at 10:15 and radioed in several reports; the first bombers arrived less than an hour later. They ignored the destroyers and sank both ''Prince of Wales'' and ''Repulse'' by 13:20. ''Electra'' and ''Vampire'' moved in to rescue survivors of ''Repulse'', while ''Express'' rescued survivors of the ''Prince of Wales''. All told, the three destroyers rescued over 2,081 survivors.<ref>Shores, Cull & Izawa, pp. 116–23</ref>

Afterwards, ''Express'' escorted the minelayers ''Teviot Bank'', {{HMS|Kung Wo||2}}, and the Dutch {{HNLMS|Willem van der Zaan|ML-2|2}} as they laid defensive minefield around Singapore. On 24 December, she laid 18 mines of her own to block Japanese access to the harbour of [[Penang]].<ref>Smith, pp. 190–91</ref> The ship also escorted convoys to and from Singapore and the Dutch East Indies. ''Express'' was transferred to the [[China Force]], which controlled all convoys in the ABDACOM area, on 20 January 1942. Despite a boiler room fire on 6 February that damaged some of her electrical cabling and fuel tanks, the ship remained on escort duties until she arrived at [[Simon's Town|Simonstown]], [[South Africa]], on 25 April to begin repairs that lasted until 26 June.<ref>English, p. 74; Gill, pp. 518, 524, 570; Rohwer, pp. 137, 148</ref>

''Express'' was assigned to the [[12th Destroyer Flotilla|12th DF]] of the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean after her repairs were completed. She escorted the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Illustrious|87|2}} on 10 September as her aircraft supported the landings at [[Majunga]] that were intended to facilitate the complete occupation of [[Madagascar]] and then returned home in February 1943 to be converted into an escort destroyer.<ref name=e4>English, p. 74</ref>

==== Canadian service ====
The conversion was completed on 2 June; the following day, ''Express'' was loaned to the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] and commissioned with the name ''Gatineau''. On 15 June, the ship was given to Canada where she was assigned to [[Escort Group]] C3 and assigned to the Mid-Ocean Escort Force for convoy duties in the [[North Atlantic]]. While protecting [[Convoy HX 280]], she helped to sink the {{GS|U-744}} on 6 March 1944. Two months later, ''Gatineau'' was transferred to the [[11th Escort Group]], based at [[Derry]], to prepare for the invasion of France (Operation Overlord) by patrolling British waters. She sailed to [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax]] in July to begin a lengthy refit that lasted from 3 August to 16 February 1945. The ship spent March [[Glossary of nautical terms (M-Z)#working up|working up]] at the [[HMS Western Isles|Anti-Submarine Training School]] at [[Tobermory, Mull|Tobermory]] before beginning anti-submarine patrols in British waters until the end of the war in May. ''Gatineau'' returned to Canada in June and was refitted in Halifax 11–19 July before she was transferred to the [[West Coast of Canada|West Coast]]. The ship was paid off into [[Reserve fleet|reserve]] at [[Esquimalt Royal Navy Dockyard|Esquimalt]] on 10 January 1946 and struck from the [[Navy List]] on 1 April 1947. ''Gatineau'' was then sold to Capital Iron & Steel Metals of [[Victoria, British Columbia]];<ref name=e4/> her [[hulk (ship)|hulk]] was used to form a breakwater at [[Royston, British Columbia]] ({{Coord|49|39|14.26|N|124|56|53.74|W|region:CA|display=inline,title}}) in 1948. She remained visible for many years, but little remained of her hull by 2004.<ref>James, p. 30</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

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* {{cite book|last=Smith|first=Peter C.|title=Into the Minefields: British Destroyer Minelaying 1918 - 1980|publisher=Pen & Sword Books|location=Barnsley, UK |year=2005|isbn=1-84415-271-5}}
* {{cite book|last1=Shores|first1=Christopher|last2=Cull|first2=Brian|last3=Izawa|first3=Yasuho|title=Bloody Shambles|volume=I: The Drift to War to the Fall of Singapore|year=1992|publisher=Grub Street|location=London|isbn=0-948817-50-X|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Stephen|first=Martin|title=Sea Battles in Close-Up: World War 2|year=1988|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=0-87021-556-6|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/seabattlesinclos00mart}}
*{{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia |year=2000| publisher=Cassell & Co.|location=London |isbn=1-85409-521-8|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}
* {{cite book|last=Winser|first=John de D.|title=B.E.F. Ships Before, At and After Dunkirk|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Gravesend, UK |year=1999 |isbn=0-905617-91-6}}

==External links==
* [http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80000989 IWM Interview with Casper Swinley, who commanded HMS Express from 1935 to 1937]

{{E and F class destroyer}}
{{Canadian River class destroyer}}
{{August 1940 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Express (H61)}}
[[Category:E and F-class destroyers of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built by Swan Hunter]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Tyne]]
[[Category:1934 ships]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Cold War destroyers of Canada]]
[[Category:Canadian River-class destroyers]]
[[Category:Canadian River-class destroyers converted from E and F-class destroyers]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in August 1940]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as breakwaters]]