News and Coming Events At Haida

PAST EVENTS OF THE 2010 SEASON

    The Athabaskan Memorial service, held on Sunday April 25, was a great success despite the persistent rain.  There were approximately one hundred twenty-five persons in attendance including a group of WRENS who came by bus from Toronto and the Oshawa RCNA Guard.  A group of FOH volunteers arrived early to clear the quarterdeck and set up chairs.

        Board member Andy Barber gave the welcome remarks while Board member emeritus Cdr (Ret'd) Bob Willson acted as MC and Board member Canon Bill Thomas served as Padre.  Scripture readings were done by our President Glenna Swing and Kelley Mills from Parks Canada.

        Our special guests were Cdr Peter Crain, Commanding Officer of HMCS ATHABASKAN III, recently returned from duty in HAITI, the ship's Cox'n CPO Josh Frechette, and Sub Lieutenant Damien Ciotti, who flew down from Halifax and had to fly right back again since their ship was sailing at 08:00 on Monday morning.  Vi Connolly spoke about her husband Bill and other Hamiltonians who had served on ATHABASKAN while Cdr Crain spoke about the navy in our Centennial year.

        Ed Stewart, brother of Bill Stewart who was killed when the ATHABASKAN went down, showed a video featuring pictures that his brother had taken both before joining the navy and while he was serving while Air Cadet Devin Castilloux from Oakville, known as "the boy with the flag" brought a swatch of bunting for veterans to sign.  His original flag has been to Afghanistan and displayed in several museums in Canada.

        After the service, wreaths were thrown from the quarterdeck of HMCS HAIDA by Ernie Takelow for HMCS ATHABASKAN I, Cdr Crain & CPO Frechette for HMCS ATHABASKAN III, Andy Barber for the HMCS HAIDA Association and me for the Friends of HMCS HAIDA, while the Oshawa Naval Vets guard fired volleys.

Andy Barber throws a wreath on behalf of the HAIDA Association. (Photo by Jerry Proc)

        A reception was held in the messes afterwards with a sumptuous spread provided (thanks to my wife Gail who picked up the food and arranged it while I was running around doing other things).  We received a thirty second news spot featuring interviews with Vi and Andy from CHCH and the Spectator published the attached picture of Andy throwing his wreath on page 3.

        Many thanks to HMCS STAR for their support and in particular to Petty Officer Finlayson and his Duty Watch and Petty Officer DiBerardo who surprised by arriving with a ten piece band instead of just a trumpeter.  Thanks also to Jim Brewer (and Marg) from Parks Canada who returned from their vacation to ensure that the ship was open for the event and flying a large Sunday ensign and then led the current ATHABASKANs on a tour afterwards.

Yours aye,
Neil S. Bell

MUSEUM SHIPS WEEKEND EVENT

On the weekend of June 5 and 6,  The Battleship New Jersey Amateur Radio Station sponsored the Museum Ships event in which international museum and naval ships tried to contact each other via amateur radio. The effort aboard HAIDA, spearheaded by Kevin Clements, resulted in a total of 246 voice and Morse code contacts.
 

JUNE 6 GALA FUND RAISER

Vice-Admiral Dean McFadden delivers his speech speech. " A Tribute to Hamilton's Navy  - Past and Present". (Photo by Jerry Proc)

On 4 May 2010, the Canadian Navy celebrated its Centennial.  To honour this event, the Naval Officers Association of Canada (Ottawa Branch) has produced a CD containing the nine volumes of the books known as Salty Dips, the first eight revised to include many photographs not in the original printed versions, many new footnotes to help clarify terms and acronyms that are no longer in common use, and indexes. There is also a "master index" to guide the reader through the stories in the nine volumes.

Part of the stated purpose of the Canadian Naval Centennial is to "build and strengthen in Canadians an appreciation of their Navy".  To this end the Salty Dips Centennial Collection CD gathers in one place the reminiscences of men and women who served their country at some time over the last 100 years in the Navy and Merchant Service. These are not stories limited to war; included are many stories of peacetime experiences.

There are interviews with some who were present at the formation of the Royal Canadian Navy and its participation in the First World War.  There are Dips by some who witnessed the near abolition of the Navy during the 1920's and the depression years of the 1930's. There are wonderful Dips by Veterans of the Second World War and by those who participated in the Korean War, the Cold War, Peacekeeping in Africa, the Gulf Wars and Afghanistan; and yes, many Dips from the years in between.

Volume 9 also contains two excellent Prologues.  One describes the early and challenging days of the Royal Canadian Navy and the second deals with the unification of the Canadian military and the evolution of the Canadian Forces as they stand today.  These essays were considered essential for the reader to develop an understanding of the tenacity of the Navy and those who served in it through this 100 year period.

"Salty Dips Volumes 1-9 The Centennial Collection" is available for purchase from the Naval Officers Association of Canada (Ottawa Branch) at a cost of $15.00 plus shipping through their website at www.noac.ottawa.on.ca
 

Above and below: The boathouse has been renamed to "The DeWolf Pavillion" in April 2010. (Photos by Neil Bell)

Last updated: July 28/10