Vol. 26, No 1, April 2017 - Royal Canadian Navy · 2017-06-06 · By Capt(N) Chris Ross, Deputy...

Vol. 26, No 1, April 2017

2 LINK Vol. 26, No 1, April 2017

IN THIS ISSUE

Vol. 26, No 1, April 2017

Editor: Maj Catherine Larose

Project manager: Ltv Benoit Plante andChantal Crepeau

Translation:Service de traduction de l’EMM

Revision :Daniel Garnon

Multimedia :Ltv Benoit Plante et Chantal Crepeau

Graphic Design:Communication Graphique Recto-Verso

Printer :Deschamps Impression (Québec)

The Naval Reserve LINK is published two times a year by authority of the Commander Naval Reserve.Views expressed are the authors’ own and are not to be construed as official policy.Permission to reproduce certain articles will begranted, provided original source is clearly indicated.

The editorial committee reserves theright to reject or edit all submissions.Texts longer than 1000 words may berejected. Artwork and photos will bereturned if requested; however, we cannot assume responsibility for lost or damaged materials.

Contributions are invited. Texts are to be unclassified, submitted in English or in French (preferably both) and can be on any topic relating to the Naval Reserve, especially its members. Please indicate clearly full names and rank, of the author, as well as photographers and all persons mentioned in the article. Articles can be submitted via email and must be in an editableformat (Microsoft Word format is ideal). Bear in mind that colour or black and white photographs, sketches, maps, cartoons or other artwork enhance the appeal of an article. Include the source of photos or artwork and a brief description orcaption. Photos should be 4 x 6 at 300 dpi; it is preferable they be submitted electronically. Please include the author’saddress, phone number and email.

All submissions, letters to the editor or other correspondence should beaddressed to:

The Naval Reserve LINKNaval Reserve HeadquartersP.O. Box 1000, Station ForcesCourcelette (Québec) G0A 4Z0

Tel: 418 694-5560, poste 5336Fax: 418 694-5377Email: [email protected] Internet: www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca

Cover photoRoyal Canadian Navy Ensign

From the Commodore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

From the Deputy Commander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

From the NAVRES Chief Petty Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

TransformationTransformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

What is the Naval Security Team (NST)? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

A new Basic Military Qualification for the naval reservists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

The MESO Transition to Marine Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

In the NRDsRendez-vous 2017 – The Royal Canadian Navy’s biggest strategicoutreach event of the year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

HMCS Carleton: well established at Dow’s Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Walking the Dog: my travels with SONAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

OperationsMy Two-Weeks with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

HMCS Malahat introduces life at sea to new recruits and divers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Atlantic Region NRDs host the first ever Naval Reserve exercise in Sydney . . . . . . . . . 17

"TOUJOURS LÀ, TOUJOURS PRÊT", HMCS Radisson practises disaster response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Malahat preps for future Naval Force Protection opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

General InterestPrimary Reservists find civilian employment success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Remembrance Day 2016 observed by sailors at the Naval Museum of Québec . . . . . .22

HMCS Glace Bay Sailors Reuniting with the Community of Cape Breton . . . . . . . . . .23

Blessing from Pope Francis impacts RCN and Naval Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

History75th anniversary of the Battle of the St. Lawrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Prairie Sailors & the Naval Museum of Manitoba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Why a Battle of the Atlantic Memorial? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

he last six months have been amazingfor the pace of change across theRoyal Canadian Navy (RCN) as a

whole – and the Reserve in particular. Ourtransformation has accelerated and touchesevery level of the institution – from the high-level Establishment Review which will be com-pleted in late spring 2017, our recruitmentoverhaul which has resulted in our reachingthe highest percentage of our planned intakein years, right down to updating the imagepresented by our Naval Reserve Divisions(NRD) in their communities to better reflectour forward-looking role in the fleet and RCNof the future. While such change is sometimesdifficult to communicate and manage in anorganisation which relies upon a lot of part-time service, you have risen magnificently tothe challenge. Your embrace of new opportu-nities, your drive to innovate and to leadthrough change are the hallmarks of superbprofessionalism. Thank you.

Among the internal initiatives launched thispast year, the Retention Study working grouprecently allowed me to have a peek at theirfindings…and they are intriguing. Shamelesslystealing their thunder, here are a few points toponder: A third of all Naval Reserve(NAVRES) attrition occurs in years 0-2 – andalmost two thirds before the 5 year mark. Theranks of Ordinary Seaman, Leading Seamanand Lieutenant (Navy) see the highest depar-ture levels…but that said, many are compo-nent transfers. There also evidently are con-nections between aptitude, education andretention which may reinforce our recruitmentprocesses. It also demands us to ensure thattraining be of the highest quality right from thestart, to challenge and engage our talentedrecruits. Fortunately, our Naval TrainingSystem is working hard to continue to achieveexactly that, in an increasingly flexible fashion.The study also indicated that the desire toserve one’s country consistently outranks payand benefits as motivators for retention(though they are important as well).Incompatibility between civilian career, familyrequirements and reserve career demandsremains the largest cause of attrition - but onthe other hand, high levels of job satisfactionand pride in combat readiness levels are bigfactors in retention. Sounds about right.

The observations around job satisfaction wereparticularly thought provoking for me. Thestudy does mention that the evolution to thetargeted augmentation role presents the chal-lenge of continuing to deliver the current levelof skill and capability, and not risking a returnto previous era where the Naval Reserve wasnot making the same institutional contributionthat we are making today. Encouragingly, theresults of the survey indicated most think theintegration of Reservists across all surfaceships is going very well – one assumes a key tojob satisfaction - and we will continue to seethis further enhanced in the coming years.

After two decades of delivering operationalexcellence to the Fleet in the Kingston-class,we are, and will remain, equal partners withinthe One Navy, due in part to the fact that werecruit, train and manage to the same stan-dards as our Regular Force counterparts. Asan institutional leader whose own career start-ed in the pre-Kingstonm Class era sailing inwhat we then called ’Reg Force ships’ my ownconviction remains strong to ensure the struc-ture is in place to set every sailor up for suc-cess, notwithstanding our slightly different(typically narrower) career streams in ourrespective occupations. We must alwaysensure that reservists are able to join and workwith their One Navy colleagues confidently inevery platform they sail in or in whatever jobthey do - our future success as an institutiondepends upon it.

Thinking of those early days, I recall one of myfirst acquaintances ’on the Coast’ was our ownNaval Reserve Chief – Chief Petty Officer 1stclass (CPO1) Dave Arsenault. We have knowneach other almost as long as I have been in theNavy and so it has been a singular and specialexperience to have worked with him in ourcurrent roles. He has been the consummateprofessional throughout and in the last coupleof years I have especially appreciated his goodcounsel, extraordinary institutional memory,dedication and yes…persistence…He isthoughtful, practical, effective and I believehas set a superb example for all aspiring insti-tutional leaders. In the coming weeks he willbe starting to help his very worthy successor,CPO1 Mike Giguère, to prepare for the chal-lenges which lie ahead. Though we wait forconfirmation on what prestigious role hemight take up next, I am confident that CPO1Arsenault’s talents will not be lost but will con-tinue to be put to excellent use within theCAF. Thank you Dave for your excellent ser-vice to the Naval Reserve and RCN!

3LINK Vol. 26, No 1, April 2017

FROM THECOMMODORE

From the CommodoreBy Cmdre Marta Mulkins, Commander Naval Reserve

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At Wheelover By Capt(N) Chris Ross, Deputy Commander Naval Reserve

s everyone is by now aware, theNaval Reserve (NAVRES) is in astate of change. In the fall Link we

discussed the importance of our role as a seagoing component of the Royal CanadianNavy (RCN). However our current state ofchange not only includes those efforts asso-ciated specifically with sea going success, butalso those mechanisms which ensure thefuture strength and health of the NavalReserve. As the RCN transitions to thefuture fleet the Naval Reserve is also evolv-ing in order to ensure we remain a relevant,sustainable organization capable of attract-ing new members and delivering trained per-sonnel to contribute to RCN and CanadianArmed Forces (CAF) roles and missions, atsea and ashore.

There are many components to thesechanges, but the common thread through-out is that the Naval Reserve will grow instrength and maximize its impact and benefitto the RCN as an augmentation force con-tributing to RCN operations around theglobe.

So the challenge before us is how do weincrease our strength and achieve the neces-sary growth? The starting point is creatingthe environment for success, and establish-ing the Naval Reserve as an employer ofchoice. We do this by ensuring we have inplace training that can be delivered to a pre-dominantly part time community in order toensure achievable career progression andmeaningful employment both in occupationand in institutional positions, all while main-taining professional qualifications and com-petencies at all levels. The RCN is continu-ing to build the organization that will deliverthis training.

Building on the heels of last year’s NAVRESrecruiting reorganization, we have nowlaunched an expedited enrolment programand the process that will see a willing appli-cant enrolled in as little as 21 days and inonly three visits, without any compromise tothe intake standard. The next step in therecruiting effort will see NAVRES build anindependent recruiting group capable ofexecuting all aspects of the intake process.This means we will have complete controlover the entire recruiting/ intake process,from attractions, to file processing and final-ly applicant enrolment. While there remainsmuch work to do in standing up this organi-zation, it is anticipated that when combinedwith the expedited process for applicant fileswe should see increased intake that will meetwith the mandated growth targets.

Once enrolled, in order to leverage theinherent training capability within NavalReserve Divisions (NRD) these new mem-bers will begin their formal Basic MilitaryQualification (BMQ) and Basic MilitaryOfficer Qualification (BMOQ) training attheir home units. These courses are beingmodularized for delivery in three phases,with the intent being to culminate in a threeweek residential phase at Camp Vimy. Thefirst phase, required for BMQ loading, is dis-tributed computer based learning that canbe delivered in a classroom environment at

the NRD. The second phase is designed forNRD practical delivery. Ideally this modulewill be delivered prior to BMQ but may bedelivered after if necessary. This deliverymethod is designed to maintain the samestandard of BMQ qualification while address-ing the increased personnel demand forinstructors required to train hundreds ofmore recruits each year. For members thatare enrolled early in the training year, theycould conceivably complete the residentialphase of BMQ in the spring or early sum-mer and immediately begin occupationtraining during their first summer!

Of course our strength is more than simplya numbers game. It relies on our ability toget trained, to attain new qualifications andwork in our occupations at sea and ashore.The new Naval Training System is busyensuring Reserve access to all of therequired individual training, and with thepromulgation of the new RegenerativeTraining Manual for the next training year,NAVRES will begin to track and monitoreach individual’s level of “readiness”. Thiswill include a combination of qualifications,regenerative and refresher training, experi-ence gained and ensuring up to date person-al administrative requirements (securityclearances, FORCE testing, etc). This willplay a role in determining an individual’semployability for specific opportunities andwill also assist in determining which sailorsneed to be prioritized for certain trainingand experiential opportunities. The expec-tation of you is to seize every opportunityallowed by your schedule and circumstances,to ensure an optimal level of individual readi-ness.

I congratulate each of you for your achieve-ments during a very busy training year, andwish you the best success for your summer;whether on course, employed across theRCN or at the NRD preparing for the nexttraining year.

A


FROM THEDEPUTY COMMANDER

FROM THE NAVRES CPO


s I write what will be my last article forthe Link as the Naval Reserve ChiefPetty Officer, I can’t help but look back

at all that has happened during the incrediblethree years I was honoured to serve in this posi-tion. When I took on this appointment, theNaval Reserve was being swept up in NavalTransformation and the organizational changesthat placed the Naval Reserve under the pan-RCN force generation organization led by theCommander, Maritime Forces Pacific. Thetime since has seen tremendous change as theNaval Reserve became fully integrated intoRoyal Canadian Navy (RCN) governance andbenefitted from the full weight of the RCN’sStrategic Management initiatives such as theRCN Occupation Review, the Naval ReserveEstablishment Review, and the Future NavalTraining Strategy plan. At the same time, wefully embraced the new mission of augmentingthe RCN wherever it deploys, with large num-bers of reservists deploying in Halifax, Iroquoisand Kingston-class ships on international oper-ations, doing drug-interdiction missions onOperation CARRIBE, and participating in exer-cises preparing for the first Naval Security Teamdeployment to South Korea in summer of2017. All of this resulted in great improvementsto the way we manage our organization andintegrate within the One-Navy concept, whilegenerating incredible opportunities for NavalReserve sailors to contribute directly to navaloperations in the defence of Canada.

I’m extremely proud of how far Naval Reservehas come over the past three years. It is theresult of a clear vision, impassioned leadership,and dedicated hard work on the part of a greatmany people. It started with the strong commit-ment to a strengthened Naval Reserve dis-played by Admirals Truelove, Couturier andMcDonald as Commander, Maritime ForcesPacific, supported by Formation Chief PettyOfficers Chief Petty Officer 1st Class (CPO 1)Feltham and CPO 1 Gregoire. Commodores(Cmdre) Craig and Mulkins have steered theship skilfully, while Deputy CommandersCaptain (Navy) (Capt(N)) Marrack and Capt(N)Ross have driven the outstanding staff at NavalReserve Headquarters through this tumultuousperiod of change – ably assisted by a trio ofexceptional regular force Chiefs of Staff whoheld all of the moving parts together, anotheroutstanding example of the One-Navy con-struct. The Regional Capt(N)s and CPO 1s,their regional staffs, and all of the staff at Naval

Reserve Headquarter have all likewise demon-strated tremendous dedication and persever-ance in enabling this successful transformationand should be commended for their work – asshould many others.

As proud as I am of our collective accomplish-ments over the past three years, I am equallyencouraged by the promising initiatives that arejust now taking hold and will continue to trans-form the Naval Reserve over the next fiveyears. The stand-up of the Naval ReserveRecruiting Group and its featured “ExpeditedEnrollment” program will fundamentally alterhow the Naval Reserve attracts and enrollsrecruits, hopefully allowing us to return to his-toric strength levels and meet future growth tar-gets. Likewise, the return of recruit training to asignificantly in-unit delivery method, supportedby a shortened common residential phase, willbetter meet the availability of our recruits andhelp reinstate a strong sense of belonging to thehome Naval Reserve Division (NRD) whilemaintaining a robust national standard of train-ing. And finally, as the Naval ReserveEstablishment Review Phase II project starts toshare its initial findings, I am optimistic that ourorganization structure including rank and tradeallocations, NRD compositions, and anincreased focus on attracting former regularforce members of all trades will result in a strongfoundation on which to build the organizationas the Naval Reserve enters its second centuryof service to Canada in 2023.

Turning my thoughts to the present, I wouldlike to pass on congratulations to a few mem-bers of the Naval Reserve who have been rec-ognized lately. Lieutenant-Commander (LCdr)Carmen Lapointe (Carleton) received theCommander RCN Commendation for herwork in the construction of Her Majesty’sCanadian Ship (HMCS) Carleton’s new facility,as did CPO 1 Chris Radimer (Star) for his effortsin the initial stand up of Personal CoordinationCenter (Quebec). Leading Seaman (LS)Spencer Lee (Queen Charlotte) has just beenselected to represent the Naval Reserve as oneof the cenotaph sentries for the National Battleof the Atlantic ceremony in Ottawa, and LSMarc-Oliver Bélanger-Pagé (Donnacona), LSLuke Greenwood (Cabot), Able Seaman RyanRomaniuk (Prevost), and Ordinary SeamanLyne Bonhomme (Donnacona) have all beenselected for the National Sentry Program thisspring at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.And finally, LS Jennifer Donaldson of Naval

Reserve Headquarter was recently announcedas the Naval Reserve Sailor of the Year for2016. LS Donaldson demonstrated outstand-ing dedication in her work at the Headquarterwith Senior Staff Officer Personal and PersonalCoordination Center (Quebec), in volunteeringfor ceremonial events and playing with theMontcalm band, and in her community as well.Bravo Zulu to all of these fine sailors, and themany others who have recently receivedMaritime Forces Pacific and Naval ReserveBravo Zulu or unit awards.

In conclusion, I would like to acknowledge everymember of the Naval Reserve for your passionand dedication to this outstanding organization.After almost 33 years of service to NavalReserve, I am moving on to whatever my nextchallenge may be with a somewhat heavyheart, but with great optimism that the future ofthe Naval Reserve is a bright one. I want toclose by offering heartfelt thanks to CmdreMarta Mulkins and Capt(N) Chris Ross – it hasbeen my absolute pleasure to serve on theNaval Reserve Command Triad with both ofthem these last two years. I also wish to con-gratulate CPO 1 Mike Giguere as he steps for-ward to take on the role of Naval Reserve CPO– he is a very worthy selection and he has myfull confidence that the non-commissioned mer-bers corps of the Naval Reserve will be in goodhands under his leadership. Best of luck tothese three and to every other member of theNaval Reserve, and “fair winds and followingseas” for the future!

LOOKING BACK, AND AHEAD By CPO 1 David Arsenault, Naval Reserve Chief Petty Officer

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he 2016-2017 training year in NRDs is drawing to aclose; at the HQ we are helping NRDs ready their recruitsfor the first adventure of their naval careers, waving

farewell to sailors headed to the Fleet for some pretty excitingdeployments around the globe, and wishing fair winds and follow-ing seas to many respected reservists about to make the excitingcareer leap into the Regular Force - or to retirement. For thespare moments which may creep into your calendars, it is nowtimely to provide you with a tour d’horizon of the efforts under-way in support of the transformation of your Naval Reserve.

In the coming months, we will see the culmination of several keyplanning efforts which will better define our way ahead and ouroverall return to strength. We will be demonstrating new capabil-ities and benefiting from new levels of true integration within theOne Navy. Over the next two editions of the Link, we will cele-brate these new achievements and provide more clarity on howtransformation will look in two steps. The first, included here inthis issue, is to define what exactly are the major compo-nents of our transformation. The second step will be to describewhat the transformed Naval Reserve will look like – laying out themarkers for how we will know when transformation hassucceeded. What follows here is a framework which enables asystems-oriented review and refocussing of the Naval Reservewithin the larger RCN and CAF contexts, based upon principlesand sound analysis. Most of the key components of transforma-tion are in varying stages of development right now and the goalhere is not only to explain to you what they are but also to pro-vide you with a snapshot of how all the main pieces interconnectand enable each other.

Foremost, the framework is based upon the following questions– what issue exists for which the Reserve is a solution (the’demand signal’)? What exactly will the Reserve provide to solvethe issue (the ’supply’)? And how will it deliver – what are thethings which must be in place to enable it to do so, effectivelyand reliably?

First, the’demand signal’ for the Naval Reserve - what the Navyand CAF need from a reserve force - must be tested and rede-fined. That review was triggered a few years ago through theRCN realignment process which reaffirmed that the NavalReserve would steadfastly remain a sea-going service andlaunched the review of the overall roles and missions. The even-tual decision taken was to move away from the niche opera-tional ’Total Force’ employment concept (predominantly theKingston Class (KIN Class) mission) to an augmentation missionat sea and ashore. As you all know, in addition to augmentingacross the surface fleet, you will now contribute to a variety ofteams including Maritime Tactical Operations Group (MTOG),

Naval Security Team (NST), Class A Analysis and Production(CAAP, Intelligence), Outreach, Port Inspection Diver Teams(PIDT), Forward Logistics Sites (FLS) and the like. Today, all ofthese tasks are either already in effect, or are in the process ofbeing launched, as in the case of NST. And more recently, theRCN framework for personnel operational tempo at sea hasresulted in a clearer picture of where reserve effect can be morespecifically targeted in future to alleviate personnel pressures.This, combined with the roles which may be required in domes-tic contingencies as directed by the Commander, JointOperations Command (CJOC), and soon-to be redefined expec-tations of reserve readiness, is the redefined ’Naval Output’ ofthe Reserve – this is the’demand signal’.

How do we deliver this output?. Looking forward, effective ForceGeneration must address the following:

• Recruitment including traditional off-the-street applicants andincreasingly, in line with the strategic mandate and as directedby the CDS, more component transfers from retiring RegularForce personnel;

• Training first to Occupation Functional Point (OFP), thenbeyond OFP to enable occupation progression, and finally, thedevelopment of institutional leadership;

• Staff structure required to ensure consistent, reliable delivery ofthe above, in the One Navy context (a durable ’ForceGeneration machine’).

We need to ensure occupation progression is possible right up toinstitutional leadership (we can ’grow our own leadership’) andthat it delivers sailors and officers at all levels who can step con-fidently and competently into whatever job they accept at sea andashore. In principle, your occupations will mirror Regular pro-gression through rank – but, post OFP, you will typically have anarrower band of tasks at each rank level (see the newMARTECH occupation structure as a great example). The currentassumption is that while reservists will sail in every surface plat-form in the Fleet, your most viable path for career progressionand institutional leadership will likely be through the constabulary-oriented missions and platforms (for sea-going occupations) withthe small teams and support roles widening out the options forprogression for all occupations. The new employment model sim-ply needs to ensure that all of you (including former RegularForce reservists) can be employed wherever your occupation,rank and skill levels permit.

So how is all of the above to be delivered in a stable, reliable fash-ion over the coming 20-30 year horizon? New roles or tasks may


Transformation By Cmdre Marta Mulkins, Commander Naval Reserve

TRANSFORMATIONS

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TRANSFORMATIONS

well emerge– but the framework being put in place right now willenable the institution to develop and implement new capabilitieswithin the functions described below.

The three key functions are:

• First, Structure: we need the right structure, or ’establishment’within the broader CAF enterprise and the structure of theoccupations must also be designed to accommodate meaning-ful, relevant and achievable reserve components. For establish-ment, this means positions for each individual to deliver allForce generation, support and management activities, as wellas some of the employment / naval output.

• Second, Processes: we need the right governance to ensure weare delivering the right output at the right time through moreappropriate employment model for reservists. We also need toensure that the support for delivering training is also consistent-ly available.

• And third, we need key ’Enablers’ throughout the CAF andRCN institutions. These include:

- The Naval Training System: an innovative and multi-modal sys-tem which seeks to deliver all naval training in as flexible a fash-ion as possible for the benefit of Regular and Reserve forcesalike– this is an ongoing development;

- Stable Funding and the agility to manage it optimally throughthe year;

- The right Reserve Employment Model: An optimal employ-ment model for reservists in the future should explore a rangeof periods of service and cycles of employment from two weeksto three years, with the intent of achieving the most viable bal-ance between reservist availability and the operational sched-ules of the platforms, teams or staff positions in which theyseek to serve;

• A Strong Culture of One Navy which sets up all sailors and offi-cers for success through the basic assumption of equality ofstandards and of training as members of the profession ofArms. The Reserve ’centre of gravity’ is the credibility of itsoutput; and

• The Leverage of Reserve support mechanisms, including updat-ing the suite of pan-reserve policies to better reflect currentemployment models and engaging support groups like CFLCand Career Edge to enable reservists to better manage andalign their military and civilian career aspirations.

Finally, in order to truly reach final operating capability, we willalso be implementing the systems required to track, measure andreport reserve readiness levels and output as required.

There are several other specific lines of effort in the CDS’Directive on Strengthening the Reserves, including better utilisingspecialized (civilian or language) skills that exist within theReserve Force, enhancing the Component Transfers fromRegular Force into the Primary Reserve, improving access toequipment for training and experience and initiating a plan ofrenewal of infrastructure for Reserve unit facilities across Canadawhich are being executed at the CAF level.

As you can see, there are many parts to get right in this trans-formation, which takes time. Only in a few years will we all trulybenefit from the significant, coordinated efforts and decisionsbeing made today in order to deliver significant ’solution space’to the Admiralty of the future. The Naval Reserve is evolvingand re-strengthening right now into something it has never beenbefore – something which takes the best of the operationalmodel (KIN Class) and of the old strategic reserve model (theone I joined over 30 years ago), but which seeks to avoidrepeating the weaknesses of either. With our new, targeted aug-mentation reserve, we will seize the pendulum where we winback some of the flexibility of a strategic reserve, without com-promising the operational credibility and skills gained throughthe KIN Class years. It is no coincidence that our key internalinitiatives over the last couple of years have been working toprovide the most up to date input into many of the elements oftransformation, including our efforts on recruitment and reten-tion, readiness, the development of institutional leadership andrisk oversight and management.

As mentioned at the outset, some very important advances shouldbe made in the coming months which will start to colour in theframework sketched here for you today. And while the RCN willlikely continue to evolve and transform throughout your careers,I look forward to sharing our own continuing progress with youin the near future. You have been contributing very directly to oursuccess in transformation through your own engagement in thesevarious initiatives, which as always I urge you to continue to what-ever degree you can. We all have a role to play – you are a partof this exciting transformation, and more importantly, you are thefuture of it!


TRANSFORMATIONS

What is the Naval Security Team (NST)?By Chantal Crepeau, NAVRES HQ, in collaboration with LCdr Chura, OIC NST

he Naval Security Team (NST) is a modu-lar, scalable, flexible, and deployable navalteam providing enhanced force protection

(FP) for the safety and security of deployed RoyalCanadian Navy (RCN) ships and personnel athome or overseas. When the responsibility offorce protection is placed on the ship’s company,it can be challenging to maintain over time andreduces the availability of personnel to supportother tasks, such as ship maintenance. The NSTseeks to address this issue by providing an extralayer of enhanced land and sea-based FP capabilityand expertise to support deployed RCN assets andoperational requirements for Canadian Armed Forces(CAF) missions.

The NST will deploy in support of Government of Canada mis-sions, where it will be responsible for force protection and liaisingwith host nations while also providing support and intelligencerequired in foreign ports, over short, medium, and long termdeployments. It is capable of operating at home and abroadthroughout the year.

The inaugural team is to be deployed in the spring and summerof 2017.

Structure

The NST is located at Canadian Forces Base (CFB)Esquimalt and reports directly to the CommanderCanadian Fleet Pacific. The unit consists of a stand-ing core of six personnel that maintains continuity,provides subject matter expertise, conducts planningand scheduling, trains personnel, and addressesemergent needs. Additional personnel will be activat-ed from the Primary Reserve Class A community toaugment the core team during missions. The numberof these additional personnel will vary based on therequirements of specific missions, but will typically rangebetween thirty and seventy people. Selected personnel will

train for and deploy on individual missions, and then will bestood-down when the mission has been completed. When fully

constituted, the NST comprises a command and control element, atactical boat section, a land-based force protection section, a portinspection diver section, and a naval service support team.

Operations

The NST strive to anticipate and dissuade threats, integrate itsoperations in consultation with port authorities, and support theCAF as required.

The team is trained to provide an adaptable response to maritimethreats including terrorist or criminal activity, sabotage or espi-

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The Jeffy Jan II is a yacht that was com-missioned by the Royal Canadian Navy asHM HC54 during the Second World War

in 1940 to ensure safe passage at theentrance of Quebec City and the trans-portation of dignitaries and officers. He isthe last ship in the Royal Canadian Navy’syacht fleet.

This historic yacht is the last naval witnessof a time when the Quebec region was thecenter of the world, at the Quebec confer-ence in 1943, when discussions about theNormandy landings and the Declaration ofQuebec on nuclear cooperation betweenEngland and the United States were takingplace.

It was restored in its original form and willbe on display from June 20 to August 27at the A.C. Davie Shipyard National

Historic Site in Lévis. In addition, as part ofthe festivities of the 150th anniversary ofthe Confederation, the yacht will be movedfrom the shipyard of Lévis and displayed atRendez-vous 2017 in the Old Port ofQuébec from July 18 to 23.

The Royal Canadian Navy is proud to haveparticipated in the project to restore thisartifact, a symbol of the Navy’s war effort,highlighting one of the great moments inthe history of the Second World War.

The Naval Museum of Quebec hasdeployed all its documentary arsenal toreflect its historical value. Both exhibitionswill be offered free to the public.

(Photo by Naval Museum of Quebec.)

Jeffy Jan IIExhibition

TRANSFORMATIONS


Women’s DayBy Chantal Crepeau, NAVRES HQ

On March 8, 2017, four speakers shared their experience withmembers of the Naval Reserve Headquarters to markInternational Women’s Day.

Lieutenant-Commander Lisane Albert spoke to us about work-family balance, Major Élise Corriveau, gave us a lecture on theplace of women in a milieu of men, and more specifically insociety, Michelle Joly, (CPO 1 ret) talked about the taboos andstigmatization of women’s professional success, and CorinneBélanger of the Personnel Support Program spoke to us aboutsurpassing ourselves and motivation.

This activity ended with a yoga session supervised by CorinneBélanger, and followed by video-teleconference (VTC) by theunits of the 2nd Canadian Division.

(Photo by Chantal Crepeau, NAVRES HQ.)

onage, underwater explosives, hostile watercraft, and bombs.Other considerations and concerns include accidents, civil disor-ders, as well as the posture and attitude of local community. TheNST is self-sustaining and able to operate in established or rudi-mentary sea ports.

Capability and Equipment

In order to respond to a wide variety of missions around theglobe, the NST must be capable of fulfilling multiple responsibili-ties, including maritime surveillance and information collection,increasing the awareness of CAF presence and building trustamong local mariners, harbour and unit protection, naval diplo-macy, public service and assistance to law enforcement agencieswhen requested, as well as search and rescue.

The NST is trained to conduct local FP operations to addressasymmetrical threats in and around sea ports where RCN shipsmay be located. They work in partnership with other governmentdepartments and agencies to enable a coordinated response toany threat at home or overseas.

When deployed, the team carry small arms, ammunition,pyrotechnics, as well as communications and personnel protec-tion equipment.

Training and Selection

The NST is mainly composed of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF)Primary Reserve Force members and is supported by RegularForce members when required.

Training is conducted by the NST command team based out ofCFB Esquimalt, and include national and regional Naval ReserveExercise & Training events, NST specific events, GlobalEngagement opportunities, CAF and international exercises, andoperations. Team members are trained to meet specific missionrequirements, such as use of force, rules of engagement training,advanced weapons training, small boat tactics, communications,deployed logistics, and liaison skills.

Naval Reservists who have completed Basic MilitaryQualification, as well as their occupational training, can apply forthe NST. Any new training requirements will be determined basedon the identification of new skillsets needed for NST personnel,and new courses will be developed to address any gaps in occu-pation training. As well as maintaining their annual regenerativetraining requirements, qualified personnel selected for individualmissions will then participate in a month-long NST CollectiveTraining and validation serial immediately prior to deployment.

When fully constituted, the NST is comprised of a Command andControl Element, a Tactical Boat section, a land-based Securitysection, a Port Inspection diver section, a Naval Service supportTeam, and, a power generation and maintenance/repair team.

And a fully constituted deployed team will be comprised of 129 peo-ples: the core team (6), a handful of regular force trades that thereserve doesn’t hold such as traffic technician, military police (MP),electrical technician (ET), Hull tech and Weapons EngineeringTechnician (WENG), and the remainder of the positions will be filledby class A reservists across all trades and ranks.

Interested in taking up the challenge?


A new Basic Military Qualification for the navalreservistsBy Lt(N) Benoit Plante, NAVRES HQ

n the last few years, the senior leadership of the CanadianArmed Forces (CAF) and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN)provided direction for the future of the Naval Reserve. The

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) made it clear that the Reserve Forceneeds to became a “Strategic Reserve” and the Commander RCNtold the Naval Reserve that it need to transform itself to be fully inte-grated into a “One Navy”.

From those directives, the Naval Reserve began an important trans-formation all across the organization to meet the intent of higherleadership. One key aspect of the transformation is the training ofthe sailors and officers, and that starts with the Basic MilitaryQualification (BMQ) or (BMOQ) training for officers.

For the last year, the Naval Fleet School (Quebec) has worked closelywith the Naval Personnel and Training Group in order to review theprevious BMQ/BMOQ in use by the RCN and to develop a reviseddelivery strategy of the BMQ/BMOQ that will better serve the NavalReserve and the new generation of recruits who are choosing to jointhe organization while maintaining the CAF BMQ/BMOQ equiva-lency.

The updated BMQ/BMOQ delivery plan will be implemented assoon as possible with the residential phase commencing in summer2017. The courses have been restructured to be conducted in threephases. The first two phases will take place at the Naval ReserveDivision (NRD) of the recruits with the support and instructional stafffrom the unit

During the phase 1, the recruit will have six (6) training days to com-plete distance learning (DL) at the Naval Reserve division (NRD)level. The DL training will mainly be oriented toward general CAFknowledge including, but not limited to, ranks and command struc-ture, Dress and Deportment regulations, Code of Service Discipline,personal administration and basic practical knowledge such as C-7parts, Chemical, Biological, Radioactive and Nuclear (CBRN) con-cepts.

Following the completion the first phase, they will move on the sec-ond one. The phase 2 will also be conducted at NRD level over 18training days. In order to be flexible with recruits’ schedule, thistraining will be done either over 18 separated days or a condensedperiod of training (Class B). Phase 2 will mainly consist of drill, firstaid, correspondence, harassment/Operation Honour lectures.

Finally, the new members will move on the third and last part of theBMQ/BMOQ. Phase 3 will consist of 3 weeks residential phase ina Training Establishment. For 2017, the BMQ/BMOQ residentialportion will take place at Naval Fleet School (Quebec). However, in

the future, this phase could be taught elsewhere in Canada if allrequired resources are available. The training during the phase willmainly consist of practical CBRN training, maps and compass ori-entation, weapon stripping and maintenance, Test of ElementaryTraining (TOETs), firing drill, battle procedures and a field exercise.

The transformation of this aspect of training will have positive out-come for the recruits, the NRD and the overall organization alike.For the recruits, it will offered them unprecedented flexibility toreceived their initial training and therefore be able to progress totheir trade training stage more quickly.

The NRDs will also benefit from this new course as their memberswill have more opportunities to fill instructional and leadership roleduring both phase 1 and 2. Ultimately, this will increasing the overalltraining capabilities of the NRDs.

In conclusion, this transformation of the BMQ/BMOQ deliveryapproach will allow the Naval Reserve to get a step closer to thehigher intent of the CDS and Commander RCN, offering more flex-ibility to train new recruits on a part-time basis is directly in link withthe vision of a more strategic reserve. Also, this fresh strategy todelivery BMQ/BMOQ should bring the sailors to occupational func-tional point quicker which will in turn enable the Naval Reservetrained personnel to augment RCN on different platforms more effi-ciently; which is core to the One Navy concept.

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TRANSFORMATIONS

Recruits on the obstacles course during their Basic Military Qualification.

(Photo by Naval Réserve.)

TRANSFORMATIONS


The MESO Transition to Marine Technician By CPO 2 Shaun Perry, DGPM

he Marine Engineering System Operator (MESO) occupa-tion, after 19 successful years, will move forward to meetthe requirements of today’s RCN by transitioning to

Marine Technician (MAR TECH). For marine engineering in theNaval Reserve to remain relevant, this transition is required just asit was in January 1998 when the Diesel Mechanic (D MECH) occu-pation transitioned to MESO to meet the changing requirementsthen.

The reserve component of MAR TECH will allow reserve engineer-ing to support the Naval Reserve (NAVRES) mission, in a strategicaugmentation role, of force generating trained engineers who canbe employed at sea and ashore in a wide range of missions.Employment of NAVRES MAR TECHs will focus on support toNaval Security Teams (NST), Maritime Tactical Operations Group(MTOG) for small boat maintenance, and at sea in the ORCA fleet,as well as augmentation in other surface ships. As the occupationmoves forward it will do so with a viable class A career progressionthat will allow dedicated part time MAR TECHs to progress in rankwith opportunities for meaningful employment both at sea andashore through all classes of service.

The reserve component of MAR TECH was created in accordancewith RCN direction to include the work of the MESO occupation inthe MAR TECH Occupational Analyzes and align it to the OneNavy vision. The result was finalized at the NAVRES MAR TECHReserve Force Working Group that developed a single occupationthat aligns with the Mechanic sub-occupation. Although it wasvisionary plan from senior leadership that gave guidance to the rolereserve engineering would provide, the input that was receivedfrom all ranks in the MESO community influenced and shaped how

the reserve component of MAR TECH would look. Input rangedfrom being able to get hands dirty through fixing equipment, quali-fications that are achievable to part time members, to more excitingroles that are not tied to the Kingston class, etc. Reserve membersof MAR TECH will be part of an occupation that is centered on thereserve community to ensure this occupation favors all classes ofservice equally to support NAVRES missions.

Transitioning forward, reserve members of MAR TECH will contin-ue to do the same at sea functions as MESO did through theroundsperson/maintainer and plant watchkeeping jobs with a newrole in Helo Crash Rescue Fire Fighter (HCRFF). This also holdstrue for small boat basic maintenance at Ordinary Seaman(OS)/Able Seaman (AB) but technical training will be increased atLeading Seaman (LS) and above to fulfill NST and MTOG require-ments of ensuring its equipment remains operationally ready.

Reserves members of MAR TECH will gain a solid background bothat sea and ashore. The at sea jobs will better aligned withInternational Maritime Organization and Transport Canada regula-tions for Marine Engineer qualifications. The ashore jobs at LS andMS will be trained at a higher technical level. There will also be anew opportunity for reserve MAR TECHs to be employed as aHCRFF. To maintain flexibility and to ensure reservists progress,members will train for the jobs they will do with the ashore jobsbeing the common progression after the Ordinary Seaman – RankQualification has been achieved. Requirements to achieve AB andLS qualifications to progress in rank will not be defined until therespective Qualification Standard and Plan boards have been com-pleted.

The collective experience gained from the OS to LS jobs will pre-pare members to advance into supervisory and management rollswithin Naval Reserve Divisions, NST/MTOG, Naval Fleet Schoolwith some possible roles in ships. As members move up in rank,the management roles will increase to regional and more strategictype responsibilities within and outside of the occupation. This willprepare MAR TECHs to excel in their roles as Chief PettyOfficers.

MAR TECH will officially be stood up 1 May 2017 triggeringMarine Engineer, Electrical Technician, and Hull Technician to beend dated. The MESO end date will correspond with the comple-tion of the Reserve Establishment review that will allow the reservecomponent of the Military Employment Structure ImplementationPlan to be approved and prior to end dating MESO. The reserveengineering will move ahead later in 2017 having incorporated thebest from the D MECH and MESO occupations and thus keep theirproud legacies alive as reserve engineering moves forward asMarine Technician.

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A Regular force sailor training on the Kingston-class simulator at Naval Fleet School (Quebec).

(Photo by Chantal Crepeau.)


IN THE NRDs

Rendez-vous 2017 – The Royal CanadianNavy’s biggest strategic outreach event of the yearBy Capt(N) Denis Thébeau, Naval Reserve Coordinator for Canada 150

n the past, the Naval Reserve (NAVRES) has always playedan integral role in the Rendez-vous naval de Québec. In2014, through the Royal Canadian Navy, the Chief of the

Defence Staff entrusted NAVRES with the task of planning and car-rying out the Rendez-vous naval de Québec. The event was deemedto be a great success by Canadian Heritage, the RCN and theRendez-vous naval de Québec board of directors.

On 25 June 2015, the Prime Minister of Canada announced inQuebec City at the Pointe-à-Carcy Naval Complex that theGovernment of Canada would provide financial support for theRendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta, the first large-scale signatureevent announced for the 150th anniversary of Confederation(Canada 150). The Rendez-vous naval de Québec is therefore adopt-ing the name “RDV 2017” for this important milestone in Canadianhistory.

Nearly 40 military and civilian tall ships with over 3,000 crew mem-bers will set sail in Canadian waters in 2017, stopping at about 35coastal cities in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes and giving thou-sands of people the chance to admire the majestic beauty of thesegiants of the sea. RDV 2017 will attract Canadians to cities, townsand villages along the St. Lawrence River and help to promote agreater understanding of the vital role this iconic Canadian waterwayhas played in the creation and development of our country. Thisriver journey will culminate in Quebec City, where the tall ships willcome together for a big celebration from 18 to 23 July 2017.

To benefit the Canadian Armed Forces and energize the institution,it has been decided that the RCN will adopt and maintain a proactivestance through NAVRES. This extraordinary opportunity will enablesailors, soldiers and airmen and airwomen to directly engage withCanadians and present the fundamental values of our military insti-tution. This activity will advance the objectives of the outreach pro-gram in many ways. Given its expansive Canadian footprint, theNaval Reserve will once again spearhead this activity, as it naturallysupports the strategic outreach objectives of the RCN.

For that reason, a coordination team has been put together atNAVRES Headquarters to work in cooperation with the RDV 2017board of directors and the event organizer. Members of the team areas follows: Captain (Navy) Denis Thébeau, Lieutenant CommanderKevin Jutras, Lieutenant (Navy) Michael Savoie and Petty Officer 1stClass Brian Lillie. Our work will consist in identifying possible out-reach activities and supervising, planning, and executing the navalelements (RCN) of the project. Ten NAVRES divisions will beinvolved: Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Brunswicker,HMCS Champlain, HMCS Montcalm, HMCS D’Iberville, HMCSDonnacona, HMCS Jolliet, HMCS Queen Charlotte, HMCSRadisson, HMCS Scotian and HMCS Star. Their work will essen-tially consist in supporting the ships’ visits and RDV 2017 activitieswhile maximizing outreach, leveraging recruiting opportunities and

increasing the visibility of the RCN and NAVRES among membersof the public. The Quebec Personnel Coordination Centre,Canadian Forces Fleet School Quebec and the National Band of theNaval Reserve will also contribute to the project.

RDV 2017 presents the RCN and the CAF as a whole with a uniqueopportunity to strategically communicate our essential roles to theCanadian public. The NAVRES divisions will be on the front lines,and it is an ideal opportunity to get each and every one of their crewmembers involved.

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IN THE NRDs


Already a year!

HMCS Carleton: well established at Dow’s LakeBy Fabrice Mosseray

he inauguration of a new building is a fine moment in thehistory of a Naval Reserve unit and represents an opportu-nity to renew ties with the community. Carleton’s Manning

Ship Ceremony, held on November 16, 2015, was marked by joy,pride and emotion. Built facing Dow’s Lake, which it has dominatedsince the Second World War, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS)Carleton saw the plans for its new building developed following thecollapse of the roof of its parade deck under the weight of snow in2008.

HMCS Carleton close to their hearts

This ceremony was undeniably a great moment for our NavalReserve Commander, Commodore (Cmdre) Marta Mulkins, andthen-Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Commander (LCdr) CarmenLapointe, two women who hold HMCS Carleton close to theirhearts. Cmdre Mulkins, who reviewed the ship’s company, not onlyjoined Carleton in the 1980s as a diesel mechanic, but also tookcommand of the unit from 2013 to 2014. The crew can boast ofbeing led by the first woman in our Navy to have commanded a war-ship. Showing unparalleled enthusiasm and illuminated by thewarmest of smiles, she spearheaded operations relating to thedemolition of the main building and the reconfiguration of the sur-viving HMCS Carleton building, all the while maintaining the unit’sstandard of training. On taking command, she had asked the crewto show flexibility and innovation while awaiting the opening of thenew building. In her November speech, she noted, “Great mindsfrom the colleges and universities of Ottawa enrolled here, in theNavy. I have spent most of my career with Carleton, and mythoughts go out to those men and women who served, who trainedand who forged strong bonds of friendship over the years in theseold buildings that now exist only in our imaginations and our mem-ories. I am pleased to bring into this new era a cutting-edge buildingthat will honour its operational vocation.”

For LCdr Carmen Lapointe, this ceremony marked the completionof a project to which she had given her all, devoting uncounted timeand energy.

The most poignant moment of the ceremony was undoubtedly thevibrant Hip, Hip, Hurray given by the ship’s company from the mez-

zanine overlooking the parade deck and audience. This heartfelt crydid not fail to move the 200 guests, who included former command-ing officers (CO) and coxwains, Admiral Buck, Captain (Navy) Marinand Cmdre (Ret) R. Baugniet. At the command of LCdr Lapointe,the crew grasped the mezzanine railing, which took the place of theship’s guard-rail, a gesture symbolizing taking charge of a new ship.She then declared, “We honour those who have served HMCSCarleton, and we will attend to the training of the sailors of tomor-row. This new building offers the facilities that sailors will truly needto maintain their skills and abilities and thus enable them to take partin naval operations both domestically and abroad.” A dinner anddance wound up the ceremony. Seeing our recruits share the dancefloor with the former members who enrolled in the 1960s and ’70swas a treat for the eyes.

Departures with Dignity

In the year that has followed the inauguration, Carleton markednumerous departures with dignity, including those of Lieutenant(Navy) (Lt(N)) C. Hough and the jovial Chief Petty Officer 2nd class(CPO2) P. Frazier. And that extremely fine individual Petty Officer 1st

class (PO1) Yan McCandless left us with great humility. LastNovember, five more departures were celebrated. Our CommandingOfficer, LCdr M. J. Zandliet, took the opportunity to express the sur-prise and joy he felt on discovering the unit’s strong team spirit.CPO 2 Dean Boettger, who distinguished himself as coxswain, tookpart in organizing the celebration for the centennial of our Navy. Hehad the honour of presenting the Centennial Bell to the Senate. Wewill also greatly miss CPO 2 Joy Gillis for her enthusiasm and greatstories of cooking on training craft such as the Porte-class gate ves-sels. She was moved to receive a Canadian ensign that had flownover HMCS Oriole, our Navy’s sail training vessel on which she hadhad the good fortune to serve. Then came the turn of the author ofthese lines. Kept at the rank of Leading Seaman since 1993 formedical reasons, I leave behind a historical heritage: Carleton nowhas a ship’s book (1923 to the present) and well stocked commem-orative displays. Petty Officer 2nd class (PO2) Julie Soogree and Ihave made good use of the unit’s thousand artifacts, some one hun-dred uniforms and approximately 3,500 photographs. And I havedonated my naval collection of nearly 300 pieces. At the ceremony,mention was made of my record contribution of 60 articles to theNaval Reserve LINK since 1993.

Then on November 26, 2016, the unit celebrated the departure ofCommander (Cdr) Evan Boettger, who took up command ofCarleton in 1998. His record is impressive. After serving as CO ofPort Security Unit 3 (PSU3) in 2003, he deployed to Afghanistan in2010 and South Sudan in 2012. Having served on the FORTSTEELE and Porte-class training vessels, our former ExecutiveOfficer (2011-2013) LCdr Daniel Haché was Executive Officer andthen CO of PSU3 from 2002 to 2008.

In its brand new stone frigate, HMCS Carleton continues to main-tain with honour our Navy’s presence in the National Capital anddemonstrate its ability to deal effectively with the challenges thefuture holds. Exercises RIDEAU GUARD 2016 and 2017, markedby success, have illustrated this.

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Commodore Marta Mulkins is welcomed by the commanding officer of HMCS Carleton, LCdrCarmen Lapointe, for the inauguration.

(Photo by Fabrice Mosseray.)


IN THE NRDs

Walking the Dog: my travels with SONARBy SLt Susannah Anderson, HMCS Brunswicker

t’s a busy Saturday in downtown Saint John and I am steer-ing a large mascot, SONAR, through a crowd of eager chil-dren. They are excited, bombarding us with questions;

because SONAR can only bark, I am frantically providing answers toquestions about SONAR’s personality, eating habits and history. Thisis just a normal Saturday as the “Flag Lieutenant” for the RoyalCanadian Navy’s mascot.

SONAR was recruited into the Royal Canadian Navy in 2010 and isbased on a large black Newfoundland dog, known for the traits of vig-ilance and loyalty, qualities embodied by the Royal Canadian Navy.SONAR’s name refers to the Royal Canadian Navy’s proud history ofanti-submarine warfare. He is brought to life by a sailor wearing a furryblack dog suit complete with a bright yellow jersey with the Navy’s sig-nature anchor. Convincing sailors to don the suit was a test of my per-suasiveness; even the head was intimidating, as it sat taking up mostof the table in the office. Naval Reservists train in a variety of tradesbut being a mascot was new to the sailors of Her Majesty CanadianShip (HMCS) Brunswicker. “The suit is strange at first but you quicklyget used to it,” said Master Seaman Arongaus, HMCS Brunswicker’sfirst SONAR. “But it is all worth it, seeing children’s eyes light upwhen they see you!”

September weather in New Brunswick can run both hot and cold.Drawing on the expertise of sailors with experience in hot weatheroperations off the coast of Africa, we purchased a ’cooling vest’ towear under the suit. Our first event was a charity walk in 30 degreesCelsius; the vest was a resounding success, keeping the sailor in thesuit from overheating while we walked and talked with children. Thenext event was the Saint John Touch a Truck on a windy wharf; thecooling suit wasn’t needed but we were all thankful for the chin strapthat kept the large head from sailing away. Over the course of severalevents, I learned to be the eyes and feet of SONAR, guiding him overcobblestones and into boats. I learned not to walk SONAR, still in hissuit, to escort the sailor inside to the heads: a 5 minute walk quicklyturned into a half hour of hugging children with an increasingly franticsailor looking forward to the bathroom.

I learned a lot of lessons this September, but the best lesson I learnedis how a sailor in a fur suit can bring yells of joy from children and starta conversation about the Royal Canadian Navy in a part of the worldthat rarely sees warships. Anytime I started to feel tired, loading thecostume into the van for another event, I would remember the mid-shipmen of the United States Naval Academy and the mascot they arein charge of, Bill the live goat.

SONAR greets a familiar friend at the Parkinson’s Superwalk in Saint John, New Brunswick, 10September, 2016.

(Photo by SLt Susannah Anderson, HMCS Brunswicker.)

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My Two-Weeks with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Forcee By SLt Ben Mason, HMCS Scotian

n early September, I was selected to sail on the flagship ofthe Japanese Training Squadron aboard Japanese Ship (JS)Kashima for two weeks during her Overseas Training

Cruise for newly commissioned officers. My sail aboard JS Kashimawas part of the REGULUS program, which facilitates exchangeswith partner navies from around the world to provide trainingopportunities and exposing sailors to the diverse cultures ofCanada’s allied navies.

On 8 October, 2016, I left Canada to fly to Colombo, Sri Lankawhere I met the ship and many people that I now call friends. Iarrived on October 10th and met my eight cabin mates who I wouldspend the next two weeks with, as well as thirteen other officersfrom four different continents, who were also there to learn aboutthe Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) and Japaneseculture.

For the two weeks I was with the JMSDF, I watched and learnedhow the young Japanese officers are taught. The training cruise issimilar to a five month long at-sea MARS II that every JapaneseNaval officer must complete. The students learn about life at sea aswell as a basic understanding of all the departments on the shipwhich include: bridge watch keeping, engineering, command andcontrol (Communications and operations), gunnery and underwaterwarfare. They spend two weeks in every section completing a vari-ety of tasks that they are given and then rotate to the next section,giving each person a general understanding of what each depart-ment does. Performing well during the training cruise is essential tothe students because unlike our military, they do not get to choosewhich trade they will work in, and at the end of the sail they are toldwhat job they have been selected for based on performance andaptitude.

We transited the Strait of Malacca on our way to Manila,Philippines, conducting training such as highline personnel trans-fers, helicopter operations and Officer of the Watch manoeuvres forthree hours every morning to start the day. For the most part I wasan observer during this training, but near the end of the trip I was

allowed to drive the ship during manoeuvres which was interestingconsidering my limited knowledge of Japanese. The foreign officerswere also required to deliver a presentation about their respectivenavy and lead a seminar for the Japanese officers in leadership as ajunior officer.

When I departed JS Kashima in Manila two weeks later, I had madelots of new friends and gained invaluable experience working withofficers from around the world. The Japanese Ship Rider Programin which I participated provided the perfect framework for multi-national communication and relationship development at the juniorlevel, which if continued will benefit the RCN and our relationshipwith the JMSDF at all levels.

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OPERATIONS


Junior officers representing allied international navies pose for a group photo on the deck ofJapanese Ship (JS) Kashima during Op REGULUS. SLt Ben Mason from HMCS Scotian islocated at the far left side of the middle rows. Change of command at HMCS

GriffonBy MS Caroline Newton, HMCS Griffon

On 15 October 2016, infront of numerous familymembers, friends and fellowservice members, Comman-der Michele Tessier relin-quished Command of HerMajesty’s Canadian Ship(HMCS) Griffon to LieutenantCommander Robert Cookewith Captain(N) MichaelHopper, Central RegionCaptain, as the ReviewingOfficer for this ceremony.

The 42 Royal Canadian SeaCadet Corp Vindictive Bandprovided an afternoon ofmusic as well as performedthe depositing of the drumsfor the official signing of doc-uments.

Nearly 30 years after he was posted to HMCS Griffon as theStaff Officer of Administration and Training, LieutenantCommander Cooke took Command of HMCS Griffon whileCommander Tessier now has Command of Coastal ForcesPacific in Victoria, BC.

From left to right: Lieutenant CommanderRobert Cooke, Captain (Navy) MichaelHopper, and Commander Michele Tessier.

(Photo by HMCS Griffon.)


OPERATIONS

HMCS Malahat introduces life at sea to newrecruits and divers By SLt Rudee Gaudet, HMCS Malahat

n a mid-January weekend, members of Victoria’s NavalReserve Division, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS)Malahat took advantage of the mild west coast climate by

going to sea onboard Patrol Craft Training (PCT) Grizzly. It was thesecond sailing opportunity for Malahat sailors to refresh skills andintroduce new members of the unit to life at sea in an Orca Class ves-sel since the training year started in September.

Grizzly departed Esquimalt Harbour Saturday morning, crossed intoU.S. waters and spent Saturday evening in Friday Harbor, San JuanIsland, Washington. Among the 23 sailors on board for the weekendtraining were five of HMCS Malahat’s newest recruits, going to seafor the first time in a naval vessel. Training weekends are always jam-packed with events to maximize the sailors’ opportunity to keep theirskills sharp, and this weekend was no different.

By working through diver training, man overboard exercises, engi-neering drills and a simulated fire exercise, the new recruits had a solididea of what to expect as they progress through their training in thecoming months. On the bridge, a junior Maritime Surface and Sub-surface (MARS) Officer was working under the supervision of an expe-rienced MARS Officer, who provided mentoring and tested his knowl-edge of emergencies, seamanship, ship-handling and navigation.

“I am keen to take every opportunity to get junior sailors to sea,” saidLieutenant-Commander Michael Lawless, Commanding OfficerHMCS Malahat. “The mandate of the Naval Reserve is to generatetrained individuals and teams for Canadian Armed Forces operations.Training weekends at sea provide real-world experience, establishinga foundation of skills, which are further built upon throughout the yearin classrooms and simulators.”

For one recent recruit, Leading Seaman Christine Gatherum, a high-light of the weekend was the diver training. Gatherum, a formerArtillery Sergeant and Afghanistan Veteran loved diving so much thatshe transferred into the Naval Reserve as a Port Inspection Diver.“The dive training and learning some new seamanship skills wasamazing, but my favorite part of going to sea for the first time was the10 a.m. soup,” said Gatherum. “What a wonderful navy tradition!”

PCT Grizzly with its Malahat crew embarked, departed Friday Harboron Sunday morning, sailed through the San Juan Islands and crossedthe international border enroute to Esquimalt. As Grizzly returnedhome, morale among the crew was buoyed by ideal weather condi-tions, while the majority of Canada remained in the grips of a deepwinter freeze, the crew enjoyed calm seas and temperatures relativelybalmy at around plus five degrees Celsius.

With another productive training weekend successfully completed, theMalahat crew were already looking ahead to their next sailing oppor-tunity.

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Exercise ATLAS: Sailors on theSaguenay

By A/Slt Marc-Antoine Simard, HMCSChamplain

From October 28 to 30, 2016, Exercise ATLAS was held at HMCSChamplain in Chicoutimi. This annual exercise is attended by over 150reservists from Quebec’s six Naval Reserve units. The objective of ExATLAS is to upgrade the readiness of members to support objectives setby the Royal Canadian Navy and, thereby, come to the aid of the civilpower in crisis situations.

The approximately 150 reservists were able to take part in navigationactivities. For the first time, they experienced port force protection drillsand were able to put into practice the various personnel security tech-niques. Ex ATLAS essentially focussed on manoeuvring with rigid-hullboats, day and night navigation on the Saguenay River, refuelling, towingand radio communication procedures. The crews also received safety-related training throughout the weekend to ensure the smooth conductof the exercise. Several representatives from the Naval Reserve TrainingSupport Cell (NRTSC) were on hand to provide invaluable advice andsupport.

In all, five navigation exercises and one port force protection operationwere completed under Ex ATLAS. Coming out of the exercise, oursailors have acquired knowledge and experience to maintain a better levelof operability in the various units to which they belong.

Despite unfavorable weather conditions, the crews involved in the exer-cise demonstrated their sense of professionalism, braving the cold andstorm on the waters of the Saguenay both day and night. Overall, theexercise was a success with many new skills developed, knowledgeacquired and OJPRs progressed. Congratulations to all sailors whoattended this exercise on the Saguenay. Till next year!

NCdt Elizabeth Mifsud-Sweeney (right) practices a lookout report while Petty Officer 2nd

Class Colleen McInnis (center) and Leading Seaman Manuel Dussault-Gomez (left) provideinstruction and guidance.

(Photo by Lt(N) Anne Gardam.)

he Atlantic Region units made history from October 21-23,2016 when HMCS Scotian hosted Exercise STEELSHEILD, a small boat and diving exercise in Sydney, Nova

Scotia. The exercise was the first time in recent Naval Reserve his-tory that an exercise was held in Cape Breton.

“Conducting exercises away from our home units and communitiestakes sailors out of their comfort zone which adds training value,”said Commander Owen Brine, the Commanding Officer of HMCSScotian. “We held a successful exercise in St. Margaret’s Bay inMarch 2016 and based on its success, we decided to go even furtherfrom home for Exercise STEEL SHIELD. Having received myCommander’s Intent, Scotian planning staff began the herculeantask of planning a major road move to conduct a combined smallboat and diving operation – all while still tending to their full timecivilian commitments. I could not be more proud of their accom-plishment.”

After a welcoming and mission brief by staff, 85 sailors, vehiclesloaded with Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) and other small boatsformed a large convoy and began the six hour road move to Sydney.The exercise mission was to conduct small boat and dive training topractice skills that are used to support a wide range of naval opera-tions. The exercises and drills were shaped to allow the newlyformed Naval Security Team staff to conduct their own operationalanalysis. Throughout the exercise, participants performed taskssuch as launching and recovering small boats, navigation andmanoeuvres, diving operations and port inspections, tactical com-munications, Command and Control from a tactical operations cen-tre, land based force protection, and more.

Conducting a complex 400 kilometres movement of equipment andpersonnel to conduct training in unfamiliar areas and waterwaysposed unique challenges for the exercise planners and leadership.The team’s ability to overcome these challenges confirmed theAtlantic Region Naval Reserve Divisions’ ability to deploy in supportof domestic operations like Operation LENTUS, the CanadianArmed Forces contingency operation to provide humanitarian aidand disaster response support following a natural disaster or emer-gency as requested by municipal and provincial authorities.

“This was the first time in our history that we conducted a coordi-nated road move. The number of personnel coupled with adverseweather conditions tested both the planning and execution of thisexercise,” said Lieutenant-Commander Beth Vallis, the ExecutiveOfficer of HMCS Scotian and the Officer Conducting ExerciseSTEEL SHIELD. “In the end, the sailors adapted well to a changingand challenging environment, progressed in their training, and con-tinued to build capacity to meet Force Generation requirements.”

While in Sydney, participants stayed in the Victoria Park Armouries,home of the Cape Breton Highlanders Infantry Battalion. Not onlydid they provide outstanding accommodations and security support,their staff taught lessons on small arms and land based force protec-tion measures to enhance interoperability and promote force inte-

gration. This built the foundation for a long history of positive work-ing relationships with the Army Reserves in Cape Breton.

“The City of Sydney was receptive of our plan to utilize the harbourand shore facilities and they were gracious hosts throughout ourtime there, we truly appreciate them letting us train in their commu-nity,” said Major Bradley MacAskill, Cape Breton native and HMCSScotian’s Administration Officer. “Additionally, the amazing supportthat we received from the Canadian Coast Guard College and ourArmy Reserve colleagues made our stay comfortable and enjoy-able.”

The exercise also created a great opportunity for the Atlantic Regionrecruiting staff to travel throughout the area to visit schools and setup information booths in public areas to inform potential recruitsabout part-time employment opportunities with the Naval Reserves.

“Exercise STEEL SHIELD presented us with a great opportunity torecruit in a community that does not normally get a lot of exposureto the Royal Canadian Navy. One of the highlights of the trip wasbeing welcomed into four local aboriginal communities to presentabout the Naval Reserves,” said Petty Officer 2nd class Mia Lynch, amember of the Atlantic Region recruiting staff currently serving atHMCS Cabot.

In addition to the recruiting initiatives, the leadership met with com-munity leaders to inform them about the current state and futureplans for the Royal Canadian Navy and the role of the NavalReserves. Overall, all of the interactions that sailors had with Sydneyresidents were positive.

Small boat and diving exercises provide Naval Reservists with valu-able training in challenging environments in order to support theRoyal Canadian Navy’s core mandate and by that standard, ExerciseSTEEL SHIELD did not disappoint.

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OPERATIONS


Atlantic Region NRDs host the first ever NavalReserve exercise in SydneyBy Lt(N) Jamie Tobin, HMCS Scotian

A boats crew conducts a coastal patrol training serial in Sydney Harbour during Exercise STEELSHIELD, an Atlantic Region small boat and diving exercise that was held in Sydney, NovaScotia from October 21-23, 2016.

(Photo by Leading Seaman Valerie LeClair.)


OPERATIONS

"TOUJOURS LÀ, TOUJOURS PRÊT", HMCS Radissonpractises disaster response By NCdt Jean-François Chapdelaine, HMCS Radisson

n 11 February 2017, the third edition of the winter exer-cise TOUJOURS LÀ TOUJOURS PRÊT was held. About50 members of HMCS Radisson braved the cold and

snow to simulate a response to a domestic disaster.

Throughout the day, the Radisson members acted out a realisticscenario in which the civil authorities, grappling with a natural dis-aster, requested assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).A scenario like this is reminiscent of the CAF’s previous interventionin New Brunswick as part of Operation LENTUS. “Quebec is expe-riencing more and more natural disasters, and it’s not unusual forthe Canadian Army to be called in to help. Just think of theSaguenay floods in 1996, the ice storm in 1998 or, more recently,the Montérégie flooding in 2011,” said Lt(N) Charles Bélanger, theofficer in charge of the exercise.

The HMCS Radisson members set up a command post in the field,secured it, and responded to requests from the civil authorities. Thetasks involved were varied and included replenishing gasoline andwater supplies, transporting key personnel, responding at the scenesof road accidents, and assisting a family whose home had beendestroyed. “These scenarios are designed to test our sailors’ reac-tions in emergency conditions. The members were divided into inde-pendent teams, which gave a lot of responsibilities to the differentteam leaders, but also a lot of freedom in deciding what actions totake when an unforeseen situation arose. In disaster response, it’sessential to establish good communication between the teams on theground and the people at the command post, and the participantsreally understood that,” added Lieutenant (Navy) (Lt(N)) Bélanger.

For the commanders at HMCS Radisson, the scenario began evenbefore the day of the exercise, Lt(N) Bélanger explained. “For thecommand team, the exercise started on Thursday, when we activat-ed our member callout system. It was important that we test the sys-tem and know our response capability. If Radisson was called uponto deploy tomorrow morning, we’d need to know how many mem-bers we could mobilize and how long it would take us to becomeoperational.”

In addition to training the reservists to respond to a disaster inCanada, Exercise TOUJOURS LÀ TOUJOURS PRÊT also coveredvarious aspects of the work done by the new Naval Security Teams(NSTs). “Setting up a command post in the field and securing anarea in accordance with a force protection plan are two importantaspects of the missions that will be assigned to the NSTs, and thereare not a lot of exercises that train reservists for these types of tasks.Exercise « TOUJOURS LÀ TOUJOURS PRÊT » is the only one ofits kind,” said Lt(N) Bélanger.

Naturally, there was a great deal of curiosity among other NavalReserve members about the results of this type of exercise.However, the Radisson team was not expecting a visit during theexercise from the Naval Reserve Commander, Commodore MartaMulkins! “We were very happy that she accepted our invitation, andit was very motivating for us,” said Lt(N) Bélanger. “She wasimpressed by what we were able to accomplish. It did add a bit ofextra stress, especially during the morning briefing, but everythingwent well. Mission accomplished!”

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Able Seaman Marylie Laplante patrols the perimeter ofHMCS Radisson.

(Photo by LS Savoie, HMCS Radisson.)

OPERATIONS


n Saturday October 29, 2016, approximately 50 mem-bers of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Malahatexecuted the first of a series of local Naval Force

Protection exercises with their boat and dive teams in local waters.

The exercise was comprised of a basic force protection scenariowhere there was an immediate need to provide protection andperimeter security around HMCS Malahat, a Royal Canadian NavyReserve Unit located in Victoria’s inner harbour, as well as the sur-rounding area.

The exercise called for the ship’s company to respond to the sce-nario, utilizing capabilities from a variety of trades within the NavalReserve Division. Malahat sailors developed their skills during thistraining exercise while acting as land sentries, Combat InformationOperators, Communicators, as well as through the deployment ofmultiple Dive Teams and with Small Boats’ Teams operatingMalahat’s Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs).

Also participating in the exercise as an opposing force were mem-bers of HMCS Chippawa, from Winnipeg, who were concludingtheir own independent small boats exercise.

Exercise participants were given refresher briefs on Rules ofEngagement and force protection roles and responsibilities.Throughout the exercise gameplay communication skills and learn-ing were emphasized, giving crew members an opportunity torefresh existing skills and work on some new ones.

“The exercise provided members of the ship’s company an excellentopportunity to refresh and regenerate their naval skillsets in prepa-ration for both further force protection exercises and operations, aswell as their own training and deployments” said Lieutenant-Commander Michael Lawless, Commanding Officer of HMCSMalahat.

By the successful completion of the exercise, several members werediscussing room for their own improvements, having had their firstexposure to the new role that is expected of them in future plannedforce protection training exercises.

“The exercise came together well with all participants putting in agreat effort to coordinate the interaction of the various sections”added Lieutenant (Navy) Robin Whitney.

Members of HMCS Malahat now turn to the next planned ForceProtection exercise, set to occur in later in the year. There is alwaysa continued emphasis on skill development and readiness for NavalReserve members. The local focus on enhancing force protectiontraining will ensure that HMCS Malahat continues to be preparedfor future naval operational priorities such as the Naval SecurityTeam providing force protection for our marine assets both at homeand abroad.

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A small boat from HMCS Malahat establishes a security checkpoint near the Ogden Pointbreakwater at the entrance to Victoria Harbour, on Saturday October 29th, 2016.

Malahat preps for future Naval Force Protectionopportunities By NCdt Donald Den, HMCS Malahat

Training at HMCS GriffonBy MS Caroline Newton, HMCS Griffon

With the challenges ofinclement weather HerMajesty’s CanadianShip (HMCS) Griffonhas rallied to completenumerous trainingopportunities both onthe water and ashore.On Saturday, 24September 2016, theShip’s Company gath-ered at the boatshedand performed numer-ous tasks which includ-ed weapon’s familiar-ization, boat ops and casualty retrieval while on the water.

The cool wind and choppy lake kept things interesting for those onthe water but overall it was a successful training venture, which ledto almost the entire Ship’s Company travelling to the WelcomeIslands.

HMCS Griffon members participating at a trainingactivity

(Photo by HMCS Griffon.)


Primary Reservists find civilian employmentsuccessBy David Calconi, Carrer Edge

new program is helping members of the Primary ReserveForce secure work opportunities that align with their civiliancareer goals, and that support and respect their continued

service with their respective reserve units.

Primary Reservists play a critical role in Canada’s strategy to devel-op a diverse and qualified pool of military personnel, yet many leavethe force when faced with limited job prospects within their civiliancommunities. Training for Primary Reservists represents a significantinvestment for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), so keeping activeReservists living, working, and serving in their community is vitallyimportant to Canada’s national defence.

To help Reservists connect with local civilian employment, CareerEdge – a Canadian social enterprise – has launched the CAFReservists’ Paid Internship Program. Supported by Employment andSocial Development Canada, in partnership with the Department ofNational Defence, the program is reinforcing the Government ofCanada’s Youth Employment Strategy, as well as the CAF’s missionof retention and high readiness in the Reserves.

GETTING A FOOT IN THE DOOR

Compared to the average job seeker, Primary Reservists face greaterbarriers when it comes to finding civilian jobs that can accommodatetheir training schedule and other military commitments. Recognizingthis challenge, Career Edge works with its network of employers toeducate them on the type of accommodations Reservists need, whilecreating work opportunities that allow Reservists to get their foot inthe door with employers that are committed to supporting theCanadian Forces.

Since the program’s implementation phase began last year,Reservists have already secured career-related internships in target-ed corporate industries such as financial services, IT and telecommu-nications, pharmaceuticals, and professional services.

GAINING CIVILIAN EXPERIENCE

After breaking into the civilian workforce through the internshipmodel, Reservists are able to gain meaningful work experience thatreflects their education and career objectives, while leveraging theskills they have developed through their military training and service.

“The internship has provided me with an excellent opportunity tolearn, and apply the skills and knowledge I’ve acquired throughoutmy military career and academic studies,” said Master Caporal(MCpl) Roy Liang of the 32 Signals Regiment, who secured aninternship opportunity with a major Canadian pharmaceuticals com-pany through the program. “Overall, [the internship] has been agreat support in helping me launch my career in the field of humanresources management,” he said.

Prior to completing his placement, MCpl Liang was offered a per-manent role with the same company that provided his internshipopportunity.

Similarly, Private Andrés Lapeña of the Royal Regiment of Canadaalso secured his civilian “dream job” following his internship.

“I received an offer of employment from RBC’s Know Your Clientdepartment as an Analyst. It starts as soon as my internship is over.This was the exact role I was aiming for when I started the internshipso the fact that it all came together is amazing for me,” said Lapeña.

RETENTION IN THE RESERVES

Securing a civilian job near their reserve unit has enabled Reserviststo shift their focus back to their military training and remain settledin their community. Employers that have hired Reservists throughthe program recognize the value they bring to the workforce, andhave made accommodations that allow for parade nights, weekendexercises, and summer training.

Civilian employers are also more understanding of Reservists’ needsand have augmented their recruitment strategies in order to be moremilitary-friendly. This has paved the way for more Reservists to con-nect with civilian employment opportunities, without having to limittheir training, relocate, or leave the military altogether, which is con-tributing to greater retention in the Reserves.

GENERAL INTEREST

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Commodre Marta Mulkins, David Calconi of Career Edge, Capitaine (Navy) Chris Ross.

For instance, Scotiabank has amplified its military recruitment strate-gies within its Diversity Recruitment Team by hiring Sergeant (Sgt)Ryan Vine, a Reservist with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. Withhis knowledge of the Canadian Forces rank structure and qualifica-tions, Sgt Vine is responsible for the sourcing and facilitation ofVeteran, active and former Reservists included, recruitment withinthe bank, while working with community partners to recruit Syriannewcomers.

Since he started his own internship in August 2016, Sgt Vine hashelped fellow Reservists join the bank through the recruitment andpromotion of candidates with military experience. “Being able tohave a direct positive effect on the hiring of Veterans and Reservistsmakes my job extremely rewarding,” he said. “I was able to hire anew Financial Advisor Trainee in Hamilton, Ontario straight fromthe Career Edge CAF Reservists Program. The member was havingdifficulty finding civilian employment in his field and wanted to workup the ranks as a Financial Advisor. Finding another member fromthe same brigade a position that is in-line with their career goals feltlike a major accomplishment.”

The CAF Reservists’ Paid Internship Program is a three-year pilotproject, but Career Edge is focused on making it self-sustaining, withplans to expand across Canada within the next year. To learn morevisit: www.careeredge.ca/caf

GENERAL INTEREST

HMCS Donnacona enrol thefirst recruit under theExpedited EnrolmentBy Lt(N) Benoit Plante, NAVRES HQ

Under this new initiative, HMCS Donnacona’s recruitersenrolled Naval Cadet Alanna Grace—an aspiring LogisticsOfficer. She has been enrolled in exactly 21 days from her firstcontact with the recruiters at HMCS Donnacona. This is a sig-nificant improvement over previous recruiting timelines andsupports the Chief of the Defence Staff’s initiative to strengthenthe Primary Reserves.

“We are always happy to have new members join the NavalReserve family. However, this one is special as she is the firstto join us under the Expedited Reserve Enrolment Program. Iwant to congratulate the recruiting team here at HMCSDonnacona who made this first happen for the Royal CanadianNavy,” said Commander Robert Taylor, Commanding OfficerHMCS Donnacona.

The Navy Bike Ride FirstEditionThe Navy Bike Ride will takeplace on Saturday, May 20.Participants can choose either a10K or a 30K route. This non-competitive event is open toeveryone, and will take riderspast Parliament Hill and throughthe streets of downtownGatineau. In the words of Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd, Commanderof the Royal Canadian Navy,“The Navy Bike Ride is a greatway to encourage physical activi-ty, celebrate Canada’s sesquicen-tennial, and promote the RoyalCanadian Navy in the NationalCapital Region, not to mention help out our naval families inneed.”

For more details, visit www.navybikeride.ca


The Executive Officer, Lieutenant-Commander Mathieu Leroux, swears Naval CadetAlanna Grace at HMCS Donnacona on March 15, 2017.

Remembrance Day 2016 observed by sailors atthe Naval Museum of Québec By Samuel Venière, Naval Museum of Quebec


GENERAL INTEREST

n 10 November 2016, the day before Remembrance Day,the Naval Museum of Québec welcomed several membersof the Royal Canadian Navy and many from the Naval

Reserve Headquarters for one of many commemorations dedicatedto veterans. The Director of the Naval Museum, André Kirouac, andits historian, Samuel Venière, were present to comment on Heirs ofWars, an exhibition dedicated to the memory of Second World Warveterans.

Even if very few of those who fought for the free world in thatbloody conflict are still alive to talk about it, we have to ask our-selves, once those last veterans are gone, what remains of their sto-ries, their experiences of war, the objects they used, and their day-to-day lives. It is their descendants (children or other relatives) thatcarry this tangible and intangible heritage which is the true legacy ofthose who served.

For example, that day was an opportunity to feature a sailor namedÉmile Beaudoin. Shortly after enlisting in the Navy, he was torpe-doed twice. The second time, in 1944, while he was on boardHMCS Athabaskan, he was rescued by members of the Germancrew that had sunk the ship. Beaudoin spent the rest of the war ina Nazi concentration camp, but he did not hate his jailers. Instead,he used his time in captivity to teach French to other prisoners andlearn about German culture. When he returned to Canada, he cre-ated the Cercle Goethe, a discussion group focused on culturalexchanges between Canada and Germany. He was one of the peo-ple who, after years of turmoil, worked to bring people together andrestore peace after the war.

Even today, little is known about the role of women in the war. Thestory of Germaine Perry, a woman from the Gaspé region who lefthome to join the Navy as a WRENS (the nickname for the membersof the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service), sparked lively dis-cussion. She became a nurse, then a radiologist, travelling from baseto base, from one military hospital to another, caring for sailors inneed. But at that time, radiologists taking X-rays of other peoplewere constantly bombarded with radiation themselves, becausesomebody had to hold the broken arm or shattered leg in placeunder the projector. When Germaine Perry died, she was very sickand almost blind. She really had given her life to help others.

The heirs of those veterans offered the stories of day-to-day lives,stories which were carefully recorded by the team of the NavalMuseum of Quebec. Their stories reveal the people behind the uni-form, their wartime memories, their souvenirs, the effects of war ontheir daily life after the war, their family stories, their habits, theirpersonalities, etc.

All of us, in some way, owe a debt to these veterans, who fought sothat we could enjoy the world we live in today. By learning aboutthem, especially on this day, we also become bearers of our com-mon heritage and history. We too become Heirs of Wars.

On Remembrance Day, we still need to know what we are remem-bering, and so many stories and sacrifices have yet to be told. Bytaking the time to listen to those featured in Heirs of Wars, currentmembers of our Navy upheld one of its oldest traditions: honouringthe fallen heroes.

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Mr. André Kirouac, Naval Museum of Quebec director, talking to Naval ReserveHQ members.

(Photo by Naval Museum of Québec.)

Naval Museum of Quebec(Photo by Wikipédia.)

GENERAL INTEREST


HMCS Glace Bay Sailors Reuniting with theCommunity of Cape Breton By LCdr Emily Lambert, HMCS Glace Bay

n 18 September 2016, friends, family and the commu-nity of Cape Breton gathered to celebrate a milestonein one of Sydney, Nova Scotia’s prominent figures, Dr.

Winnifred Chafe.

Mrs. Winnifred (Winnie) Chafe is Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship(HMCS) Glace Bay’s ships sponsor and turned 80 years old on25 Dec 2016. Winnie is an icon in the community who hasspent a life time playing her fiddle and bringing the wonderfulsounds of music into the heart of the community. 18 September2016 was the date chosen so that people from the communitycould attend to celebrate her lifetime achievements. Many per-sons were in attendance, including the Mayor (Mr. Cecil Clarke),family members and members from the RCN who have sailedonboard HMCS Glace Bay.

Mrs. Winnie Chafe was born in Cape Breton and was the firstwoman to become International Fiddling Champion inPembroke, Ontario. Winnie is still a very active member andprominent figure in her community. She teaches classical andCape Breton Scottish Fiddle Music and has lectured on theHistory of Celtic Fiddle Music. Winnie has also performed forroyalty and received two honorary doctorates in recognition ofher contribution to the legacy of Cape Breton’s music. In fact,many of Winnie’s fiddle students attended this momentous cele-bration. Winnie has spent many years playing music for all dif-ferent types of audiences, but on the day of her 80th celebra-tion it was her turn to enjoy wonderful music played by her stu-dents and friends.

Anyone who has had the chance to meet Winnie knows howactively involved she is with the ship, corresponding regularlywith the crew and helping to plan Namesake City visits.Winnie’s personality has made her a very warm, giving, vibrant,caring individual felt by many who have had the pleasure ofmeeting her and her daughter Pat Chafe and heard them playmusic together. Winnie has often seen herself as an honourary“mom” to the crew of HMCS Glace Bay. She always has awarm embrace for all the sailors onboard when the ship visitedSydney, NS and glows with pride when she talks about the shipand the crew.

HMCS Glace Bay had many success in the last few years, ofparticular note was in 2014 during Operation CARIBBE deploy-ment, Glace Bay made a major drug seizure resulting in 97bales of cocaine being taken off the street. Following theirreturn home, the ship was awarded the Admirals Cup. TheAdmirals Cup is awarded each year to the ship that demonstrat-ed the best overall efficiency, morale and leadership. This wasthe first time that an Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel has wonthe cup since its inception in 2004. HMCS Glace Bay recentlyconducted a Namesake City visit to Sydney, NS on October2015 before the ship went into refit. HMCS Glace Bay is dueto come out of refit and will be sailing again in early 2017.

Anyone who has served onboard HMCS Glace Bay is proud ofthe ship and boasts about how supportive the community is ofits sailors. From all the sailors who have sailed onboard GlaceBay, we just want to wish “mom” a very Happy Birthday.

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Chief Petty Officer 2nd class Rick Bungay, GLA commissioning crew member,Dr. Winnifred Chafe, GLA ships sponsor, Lieutenant-Commander (LCdr) EmilyLambert, former Executive Officer GLA and Mr. Cecil Clarke, Mayor of CapeBreton in attendance at the celebration.

(Photo by Lcdr Emily Lambert.)


Blessing from Pope Francis impacts RCN andNaval Reserve Lt(N) Catherinanne George, Acting NAVRES Chaplain & Chaplain to HMCS PREVOST

GENERAL INTEREST

hen selected to represent Canada at the Vatican’s IVWorld Congress on the Pastoral Care of InternationalStudents in Rome, I could never have imagined the

impact this would bring for the many people, communities, andsailors I am privileged to serve. Religious leaders, academics,and university students – 130 delegates in all – gathered fromaround the world to address the many concerns of students liv-ing and studying in a global community. We worked long daysto examine the issues faced and to provide advice on how bestto support international students. Part of this significant workincluded the opportunity for an audience with Pope Francis,where he called us to action, specifically to help those less for-tunate in our world, and to use our knowledge to advance thecommon good in society.

A Brescia student, Maggie McLellan, had been chosen in a blindselection process to be Canada’s student delegate. Together, wepresented Pope Francis with gifts we had brought. As Directorof Campus Ministry for Brescia University College, I had collab-oratively designed a resource for our community with a team of18 students. The Messengers of Hope program included: “Youare Loved ~ a journey in colour,” an adultcolouring book promoting wellness, multi-cultural, and multifaith dialogue, and a fivefoot tall mural coloured by over 500 mem-bers of the community. We gave PopeFrancis the book, a framed photo of themural, and a book of messages from thecommunity, including messages from HerMajesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Prevostsailors, two of whom are Brescia students.(Of note, Brescia has also graduated twoof the first four female Catholic Chaplainsin the CAF, Padre Teresa “Tess” Drabick,currently serving Maritime Forces Atlantic,and me, currently Acting NAVRESChaplain, serving HMCS Prevost.)

Beyond the gifts given, we had gifts tobring back. In a basket I carried with mesmall metal doves which Pope Francisblessed. I brought these to the Brescia,London, and Chaplain communities. Anumber of these doves, and copies ofYou are Loved ~ a journey in colour havealso been distributed throughout theRoyal Canadian Navy (RCN). They were presented toCommodore Mulkins, to the Chaplain General, and to RCNand Naval Reserve (NAVRES) Chaplains. They are also sailingthe Pacific as the course is set for Asia on Poseidon Cutlass17. HMCS Winnipeg and Ottawa and their crews are accom-

panied by doves blessed by Pope Francisas they embark upon a six-month deploy-ment for the maintenance of regionalpeace and security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. They will visit China,South Korea, Japan, the Philippines,Malaysia, India, and Sri Lanka. Eachdeployment brings a period of great per-sonal sacrifice for our sailors and theirfamilies. Padre Joachim Nnanna request-ed the doves and the colouring books toimprove the morale and well-being of thesailors he will journey with. In some smallway now, they are accompanied by eachof us in spirit, and joined inexplicably toa Pope praying for peace in the worldand the common good of society, to awomen’s university in London, Ontario,and to a World Congress attended lastDecember by delegates from that Indo-Asia-Pacific region. May peace prevail asthey journey.

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Brescia Student, Maggie McLellan (L) and Padre Catherinanne George (R) presentPope Francis with gifts from the You are Loved ~ Messengers of Hope program

(Photo by L’Observatore Romano.)

HISTORY


hen German submarines – the famous U-boats – firedtheir torpedoes in the St. Lawrence River, they wreakeddeath and destruction. From 1942 to 1945, 23 mer-

chant ships and warships were torpedoed by eight submarines.Those attacks gave rise to many rumours that the German sub-mariners had not only won a great military victory, and that they hadalso landed at the nearest coastal village and come ashore to gatherintelligence or have a drink. Some considered the Battle of the St.Lawrence a humiliation for Canada, but others regarded it as theprice paid by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) for engaging with theenemy far from home.

“Torpedoes away!”

Beginning in 1939, the Nazi submarines ruled the Atlantic.Operating in packs, they harassed the Allied convoys tasked withconnecting the United Kingdom, the USSR and North Africa.Although the Third Reich had no specific plan for the St. Lawrence,U boats hunted for convoys there. From May to October 1942, foursubmarines sank 19 cargo ships and two warships betweenRimouski and Gaspé. The attacks were alarming as no one wasexpecting to see the enemy so close to our shores, and barely300 km from Quebec City. MPs accused the federal governmentand the RCN of neglecting national waters in favour of the UnitedKingdom. The Allies, like the Germans, considered the St.Lawrence a secondary objective and, due to their limited resources,they abandoned vast sections of the trade routes linking the Gulf ofMexico, the Caribbean and the eastern seaboard of the UnitedStates with the United Kingdom. The RCN had its hands full in theAtlantic and the Mediterranean and could not adequately protect theSt. Lawrence. In addition, its ships had difficulty detecting sub-marines in the St. Lawrence because the mixture of saltwater andfreshwater interfered with their sonar.

The closing of the river

These losses, though relatively minor, were disturbing enough thaton September 9 the Canadian government ordered the St.Lawrence closed to trans-Atlantic traffic. That decision created theimpression that Canada had lost the battle, but it actually affordedno strategic advantage to the Germans. The movement of suppliesand equipment continued apace, with merchandise being transport-ed to Halifax by train. However, that did not prevent the torpedoingof a ferry, SS Caribou, in October, resulting in the deaths of 136 ofits 237 passengers. Although the U boats never stopped at the vil-lages along the coast, two German spies did land, one on the Bayof Fundy in May 1942 and one in New Carlisle on the GaspéPeninsula in November of that year. One was caught by the RCMP,and the other was taken prisoner in November 1944. In Labrador,a U boat installed a miniature automatic weather station.1 However,the air patrols out of Gaspé, Mont-Joli and other airfields were soeffective that in 1943 the German navy prohibited any attacks in theSt. Lawrence.

The tide turns

In 1943, the U boats began to sustain heavy losses when pittedagainst the Allies’ naval, air and technological power. The RCN wasnow better armed and equipped: in 1939 it had had only a few shipsand 2,000 men, but now its strength was 50 times greater. It escort-ed 48% of the convoys and proved more than a match for the Uboats. The St. Lawrence was reopened in April 1944, and the Nazisubmarines hunted for isolated prey. Between October 1944 andMay 1945, two U boats damaged the frigate HMCS Magog offPointe-des-Monts and sank a cargo ship near Matane and thecorvette Shawinigan in the Cabot Strait. The last battle in the St.Lawrence, in May 1945, ended with two U boats surrendering tothe RCN.

The St. Lawrence River was never a high-priority target for theGermans, but the U boats launched sporadic attacks because theyknew that the convoys were poorly protected. A total of 2,600 shipswere sunk during the Battle of the Atlantic, 23 of them in the St.Lawrence by eight U boats in the space of three years. The Battleof the St. Lawrence was won in the Atlantic, where the RCN distin-guished itself. The Navy made almost 26,000 crossings and trans-ported 165 million tonnes of supplies and equipment. On its own orwith the assistance of Allied ships, it destroyed about 50 Germanand Italian submarines. By the end of the war, with a strength of90,000 men and women and more than 400 vessels, the RCN wasthe third-largest naval power in the world.

1 The antenna and batteries are at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

Torpedoes in the St. Lawrence

75th anniversary of the Battle of the St. LawrenceBy Fabrice Mosseray

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German submarine: A Type VII U boat could cover 7,000 to 15,000 km, carried up to 15 torpe-does and was armed with an 88 mm gun.


HISTORY

Prairie Sailors & the Naval Museum of Manitoba By A/SLt Iain Frame, HMCS Chippawa

innipeg, Manitoba – When one thinks of the RoyalCanadian Navy (RCN) and the cities associated with itnames such as Halifax and Victoria/Esquimalt come to

mind. Winnipeg, Manitoba is not usually included on this list.Located at the longitudinal centre of Canada, over 1,000 kmfrom the nearest ocean, Winnipeg is more often associated withcold winters and mosquitoes than the senior service. But delve alittle deeper and the prairie city’s close ties to the sea can befound.

Winnipeg is home to HMCS Chippawa, a Naval Reserve divisionfounded in 1923 to help increase the presence of the Navy acrossthe country. HMCS Chippawa has seen many conflicts and tryingtimes but one thing has remained constant over her 93 years ofhistory, true to her motto of ’SERVICE’ she is always ready toserve.

During the Second World War HMCS Chippawa recruited 297officers and 7,567 sailors for the RCN and raised the secondlargest contingent of Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service(WRCNS) volunteers in Canada. Making it the third largest sourceof recruits despite her land locked location. These men andwomen worked both ashore and at sea, to help bring about theend of the war. Sailors from HMCS Chippawa participated in thelongest battle of the war, the Battle of the Atlantic and not all ofthem returned home. Following the war Winnipeg and HMCSChippawa continued to contribute to the operational success ofthe RCN with sailors serving in many capacities during theKorean Conflict, Cold War, and in the ensuing years.

With these sailors in mind the Naval Museum of Manitoba wasestablished in 1980. Located within HMCS Chippawa themuseum is dedicated to preserving the history and heritage ofManitoba’s naval personnel by telling their stories through thepreservation and display of important artifacts and stories. Aswell, over the years the museum has provided a place forWinnipeg’s naval veterans to come and socialize with theirbrethren. Every Wednesday, men, such as Bob Watkins, BertJolly and Harold Hughes all veterans of the Second World Warand Al Smith, veteran of the cold war RCN and currentPresident of the White Ensign Club veterans association andmember of the Board of Directors for the Naval Museum, cometo HMCS Chippawa. They spend their time volunteering in themuseum; helping to preserve the heritage they helped build, aswell as taking the opportunity to visit with old friends. They arejoined by current museum Curator Claude Rivard and Chair ofthe Display Committee, Mike Shortridge, who, along with ateam of dedicated volunteers, are the driving force behind themuseum and the efforts to increase awareness about Manitoba’snaval heritage.

I had a chance to sit down with a few of these dedicated volun-teers who are also Navy veterans and learn a little about theirexperiences in the Navy as well as what the Naval Museum ofManitoba and HMCS Chippawa mean to them.

Bob Watkins joined the RCN in July 1943 at the age of 18. Thedecision to join the RCN was an easy one as he had spent timein the sea cadet corps, had many friends already in the RCN and,as he put it, “there was a war going on.” Trained as a radar plot-ter and quartermaster he spent the majority of the war in theNorth Atlantic participating in the Battle of the Atlantic escortingconvoys between North America and the United Kingdom.Spending a total of 13 years in uniform, 3 during the war as amember of the regular force and an additional 10 as a reservistwith HMCS Chippawa, Mr. Watkins reflects back on his times inthe navy with pride. When asked what some of his most vividmemories of his time in the navy are Mr. Watkins recalls partici-pating in the sinking of U-1006 while a member of HMCS LochAchanalt with HMCS Annan. As well as an instance where,when HMCS Loch Achanalt was off the coast of England, a minewas spotted floating on the surface. Mr. Watkins was tasked withdestroying the mine, using an Oerlikon cannon he was “able tosink the mine but couldn’t get it to blow!”

After the war Mr. Watkins left the RCN to work with WinnipegTransit but the call of the sea was hard to ignore and in 1949 hejoined HMCS Chippawa as a reservist. He has served in a varietyof positions including spending 10 years on the Board of

W

Bob Watkins speaks at HMCS Chippawa’s Battle of the Atlantic Ceremony 2016.

(Photo by Cpl P. Shapka, 17 Wing Imaging.)

HISTORY


Directors of the Navy League, a term asthe National Vice-President of the Navyleague and President of the Naval OfficersAssociation of Canada Winnipeg Branch.Mr. Watkins was the first President of theNaval Museum of Manitoba in 1980 andhas served on the Board of Directors eversince. As well, Mr. Watkins has honouredHMCS Chippawa by speaking at many dif-ferent occasions including her 50th

Anniversary and numerous Battle of theAtlantic Ceremonies. Into his ninetiesnow, Mr. Watkins has become a fixture atHMCS Chippawa with ties stretching backover 7 decades. He takes pride in theNaval Museum and HMCS Chippawa andsees in them a way to preserve the her-itage he helped build.

Burt Jolly joined the RCN in March 1944.When asked why he chose the navy hegrins and quips “they were the only oneswho would take me!” Having been firstturned away from the Canadian Army andRoyal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) for pooreyesight I ask him why he believes theNavy chose to overlook this fact.“Simple,” he says “the recruiter looked atme and told me ’stokers don’t need tosee!” Mr. Jolly spent a total of two years inthe navy during the war serving as a stokeron corvettes performing convoy escortduty during the Battle of the Atlantic. Afterhis discharge in November 1945 hebecame a certified machinist, eventuallyfinding his way back to the armed forcesjoining the Air Reserve and spending 5years with 402 Squadron as a bartender.Reflecting on his time in the RCN, Mr.Jolly recalls being in New York City afterthe war had ended and attending a ballroom dance with some of his shipmates.Finding the punch served not to theirtastes the sailors instructed their hosts inhow to make a good stiff punch and thenhad a boisterous good time.

Mr. Jolly joined the Naval Museum ofManitoba in 1980 putting his skills as amachinist to good use helping to fix pewsand refurbish the 4 inch gun that is nowlocated on HMCS Chippawa’s quarter-deck and over the ensuing years continuedto put his skills to use whenever a museumartefact needed refurbishing. Now 91years old, Mr. Jolly, raising his hands,laments his great sadness that he is “nolonger being able to help out by working

with my hands.” While he may no longerbe able to help repair artefacts Mr. Jollycontinues to be an active participant in theNaval Museum of Manitoba and commentsthat the comradery is “great for me, it getsme out of the house.” In addition to thetime he spends at HMCS Chippawa withthe Naval Museum Mr. Jolly spends 2 daysa week volunteering with the Air Museum.

Initially intending to join the RCAF Mr.Harold Hughes was turned away due topoor eyesight. Not to be discouraged, hebecame aware of the Navy’s need forexperienced machinists while reading anewspaper article. Mr. Hughes, a trainedmachinist, jumped at the opportunity andon December 29, 1942 he joined theRCN. The early portion of his career wasspent training in Hamilton and Halifax forhis new position as a stoker, more specifi-cally as an Engine Room Artificer (ERA)apprentice, where he learned about “allthe machines of the ships, what they didand how to fix them”. Upon completion ofhis training Mr. Hughes was sent to St.John’s, Newfoundland, and from there tothe fleet. His first sea posting was to thedestroyer HMCS Niagara where helearned to apply the skills he had acquiredduring training and, in his own words,

“learned how to really be a stoker.” AfterHMCS Niagara Mr. Hughes spent 1944-1945 on HMCS Lanark working as anERA while the ship escorted convoys dur-ing the Battle of the Atlantic. In 1945 hewas sent to HMCS Outremont, where hequalified as a watch keeping ERA as thewar ended. Regarding his time at sea, Mr.Hughes comments that the “convoy workwas boring and monotonous but at least Iwas on a frigate and not a corvette” refer-ring to the notoriously uncomfortable andwet, nature of life at sea on a smallcorvette.

After the war, Mr Hughes worked forCanadian National Railway as a machinist.He also spent 46 years working for theCanadian Grain Commission as a machin-ist. His first experience with HMCSChippawa came in the winter of 1949-1950 when, though not at that time amember of the military, he was transferredfrom his Transcona hockey team to theHMCS Chippawa team where he playedfor several years. It was not until 2000 thatMr. Hughes again became associated withHMCS Chippawa when he joined themuseum after having been encouraged todo so by some of the museum staff. Hehas worked there ever since. When askedwhat it is about the museum that keepshim coming back Mr. Hughes, like Mr.Watkins and Mr. Jolly, speaks to the com-munity of likeminded people and the senseof camaraderie that he gets from beingpart of the organization, almost as if henever left the Navy.

It is through the dedicated efforts of muse-um volunteers like Mr. Watkins, Mr. Jollyand Mr. Hughes, as well as all the mem-bers of the organization, that the legacy ofManitoba’s prairie sailors is kept alive.True to HMCS Chippawa’s motto of’SERVICE’ these men and women havededicated themselves to preserving thatlegacy. Through their service the NavalMuseum of Manitoba has become a navalpearl in the heart of the prairies.

Bert Jolly celebrates his 91st birthday

(photo by LCdr I.A. Gillis, HMCS Chippawa.)


Why a Battle of the Atlantic Memorial?By Lt(N) David Lewis, HMCS Prevost

krainian immigration to Canada was largely agrarian andwaves of settlers had concentrated in the prairieprovinces. Philemon and Christina Leskiw, both of

Ukrainian extraction, had made a home in Saskatoon. The greatdepression hit the area hard and the population of Saskatoon andother urban areas surged as people searched for jobs.

Their son, young Anthony (Tony) Leskiw had seen the strugglesand was determined to rise above them. With a strong work ethicinherited from his parents he was already employed as a printer’sapprentice by the age of 17. When the dark shadow of war creptacross Canada he began to see other young men in uniform. Likeall young men he dreamed of seeing the world. He had neverbeen out of Saskatchewan, never far from Saskatoon. The posterin the shop-keepers window for the Royal Canadian NavalVolunteer Reserve immediately caught his eye.

It was a rainy day at the CP Rail station when Philemon andChristina said goodbye to their son. A teary-eyed embrace frommom, a firm handshake from dad, and Tony boarded the train.For days the train rumbled across new and exciting scenery. Thesadness of homesickness was displaced by the anticipation ofadventures to come.

Cornwallis was hard, but it was supposed to be hard. Tony knewthat. It was the new bonds of friendship which helped himthrough. Now that the training was over, Halifax was an excitingtown, much different than Saskatoon. Tony was proud to be asailor, a man, not a boy in Saskatoon. Daily he would watch theRoyal Canadian Navy warships, and the dozens of Merchant shipsin Bedford Basin, as convoys were assembled. He couldn’t wait tofind out what his assignment would be.

When his orders came Tony he was excited to learn that he hadbeen assigned as an RCN anti-aircraft gunner on the merchantship SS Whitford Point. The RCN escorted the convoys and alsoposted navy gunners on the larger merchant ships to man thetemporary guns.

The day came. From the deck of SS Whitford Point Tony couldsee the ships begin to move; whistles blew. Ships of every sizeand many flags exited the basin and found their station movingout into the open ocean. Tony watched as the small RCNCorvettes moved in like shepherds guarding their flocks. Tonydreamed that one day he would be stationed on a corvette. Fornow, he was proud as punch to be manning his gun. His first con-voy. His first duty.

What would his friends back in Saskatoon think when, in just overa week, he would send them a postcard from England. He wouldbuy his mom a silk scarf and for his dad, maybe some pipe tobac-

co. He imagined them receiving his package all the way fromEngland.

The merchant men treated Tony and the other young Navy menwell. He messed with them and the food was good. He kept mostof it down as seasickness didn’t seem to bother him much.

The flash of the explosion was blinding. The sound deafening.The torpedo from U-47 had skimmed through the convoy andmade a direct hit on SS Whitford Point. The cargo she was car-rying, almost 8,000 tons of steel, had no mercy. She plunged tothe bottom of the North Atlantic.

With wartime security and com-munications, it would be almost aweek before the telegram boywould lean his bike against thefence at the home in Saskatoon,and walk to the door.

Tony’s story is just one of over2000 individual stories. We willnever know most of them. TheBattle of the Atlantic Memorial atHMCS Prevost in London servesas a reminder. A reminder of ser-vice, of sacrifice, but also of ulti-mate victory.

HISTORY

U

For doors open: Battle of the Atlantic Memorial.

(Photo by Lt(N) David Lewis.)

Anthony (Tony) Leskiw

(Photo by Naval Reserve Archives.)

Vol. 26, No 1, April 2017 - Royal Canadian Navy · 2017-06-06 · By Capt(N) Chris Ross, Deputy...

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Transcript of Vol. 26, No 1, April 2017 - Royal Canadian Navy · 2017-06-06 · By Capt(N) Chris Ross, Deputy...