ACTION STATIONS HMCS SACKVILLE - CANADA’S NAVAL MEMORIAL MAGAZINE VOLUME 31 ISSUE 2 SUMMER 2013 VICE CHAIR REPORT Captain(N) ret’d Bryan Elson, Vice Chair Canadian Naval Memorial Trust This is my first report Trust. In the coming weeks we expect to receive from since the Board of the contractor the Fundraising Concept document Directors (BOD) which will be a critical tool in moving ahead with the elected me as Vice- BOAP, and will also help to focus our efforts to re- Chair in early invigorate the Trust. September. You will I believe that as trustees we must do understand that in the everything we can to make the organization as circumstances my effective as possible. Among other things that means, message will be brief. as always, that volunteers are needed in a wide As you know, variety of tasks. Please take a good look at your life the office of Chair circumstances to decide whether you can find the time remains vacant, but to play a more active part in what will be an exciting every effort is being made to identify a retired flag time for the Trust and for the BOAP. officer or community leader who would be prepared A path ahead is slowly emerging. We have to take on the role. In the meantime I will do the best I known from the outset of the BOAP that bringing it to can as a substitute, concentrating mainly on the fruition would entail changes in the way the Trust has internal operations of the BOD. Ted Kelly and Cal traditionally functioned. What those changes might be Mofford are more than capable of speaking for the will become more apparent as events unfold. I can Trust in regard to our Battle of Atlantic Project assure you that they will be managed through the due (BOAP) and the associated fundraising activity. processes of the organization, including consulting the Predictions are always difficult, especially membership on material issues. about the future, but perhaps I could just touch on In short, an exciting voyage lies ahead. We all some of my perceptions. The coming year could well need to be at our stations for leaving harbour. be one of the most important in the history of the MARITIME FORCES ATLANTIC RAISES MONEY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF HMCS SACKVILLE Over the years the men and women of CFB Halifax and HMC Dockyard have been exceptionally generous in their support of Canada’s Naval Memorial – HMCS Sackville. They have volunteered their time, cared for our good ship, tended to our veterans at commemorative ceremonies and remembered us during fund raising events. This month we were honoured to welcome onboard Rear Admiral John Newton, who on behalf of the Halifax defence team presented us with a cheque for $7000 representing monies raised during the Dress With a Difference campaign. While Admiral Newton and his father, retired CPO1 John Newton are well known to our ship, this was John Newton junior’s first official visit as Commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic and Joint Task Force Atlantic. RAdm Newton has always taken a personal interest in promoting the CNMT and now has a model of HMCS Sackville in his office as a visual reminder of Canada’s role in the Battle of the Atlantic. The model was painstakingly made by the late Rear Admiral Gordon Edwards, one of three of K181 completed in his retirement. This one, the third, is reputed to be the best. Vice Admiral ret’d Duncan Miller had originally purchased the model kit and gave it to Adm Edwards on the proviso that they would donate the finished product together to a worthy and high profile establishment to publicise and profile the ship as Canada’s Naval Memorial. Sadly Admiral Edwards passed away less than a month after completing it and the proviso was never realized. “I know he would be delighted to see it as a permanent fixture in the Admiral’s office”, remarked VAdm Miller. Ed. Cover: Vice Admiral Ralph Hennessy, May, 2008 at Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa during Battle of the Atlantic Sunday ceremonies. Photo by David Snaschall, Canadian Forces Imagery. 2 CAPTAIN’S CORNER Lieutenant-Commander ret’d Jim Reddy With the part ship and technical assistance of an wood bedding refurbishing under the fo’c’sle windlass. informally arranged team of reservists from the MCDV So your team is busy coordinating this work. fleet, we shifted to our winter berth on Trafalgar Day. It One of the great pleasures of serving in Sackville had been a very successful season on the is getting to know very accomplished waterfront with visitor numbers up over Canadians who directly support the ship. 2011 and 2012 and actually matching the Pat and I recently visited Jack Price in highlight Centennial year 2010. Hantsport who made a long and I am especially pleased to successful career in building. Jack is the announce that we now have a 1st Lt. After son of a sea captain from Saint John, NB. some time as a Trustee and nearing Jack has combined his remarkable, retirement in December, LCdr Scott Smith practical ability and his heritage to has stepped up to take over this position. I Captain Jack showing Jim the construct an authentic ship’s cabin atop know Scott well and welcome him. ropes in his Hantsport cabin. his Hantsport home. Included is a In similar career circumstances, CPO2 Lionel washplace cabinet from the famed Jervis Bay which, as Thomas, a Steward, has joined us to relieve Mike Meyers you would imagine, carries a long story of its own. in bar management and Mess In the same vein, we travelled hospitality. Mike deserves a break after to London for the 90th birthday outstanding, direct service to the ship celebration of longtime Trustee Rolfe that earned him a Jubilee medal last Monteith. We accompanied him in the year. Lionel, with his ideal background, Canadian contingent for the is expected to bring a new view to our Remembrance Sunday parade down Mess operation. Whitehall of over 10,000 veterans of all As we begin winter maintenance, forms in unusually fine weather. The we expect to commence the final Princess Royal took the salute, asbestos removal and certification which resplendent in her naval uniform. is a precondition to 2014 docking I’m hoping to be able to report preservation work. We also need steel Rolfe Monteith leading the Canadian equally adventurous encounters in the repair in the way of the starboard contingent in the UK Armistice next issue. galley scuttle as well as naval pipe and Parade. BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC PLACE - STATUS REPORT Captain(N) ret’d Ted Kelly – Chair, Battle of the Atlantic Place Project Working Group Since my last report in Action Stations progress on the We are well advanced, in developing new project has continued on schedule. At this writing, we communications materials, a “Battle of the Atlantic are in possession of a completed concept design book, Place” website and a new video to support promotional the associated design sketches and other related activity across the country as well as a public unveiling interpretive material. We have also had an Economic of the project. This new material is expected be ready in Impact Assessment done by the Economic Planning a few weeks. In order to avoid conflict with the Group a company whose analysis work is frequently community preoccupation, which surrounds the referenced by the Canadian and Nova Scotia Christmas season, it is intended to defer the project’s Governments. public unveiling event, until mid-January. We have continued to expand public awareness The ongoing work to bring Battle of the Atlantic through presentations to industry associations, business Place to realization will take a sustained effort from the individuals and government officials. We are Trust. The means to maintain this effort is not in hand continually buoyed by the encouraging response Also, and I therefore urge all trustees and other readers of the establishment of Chapters across the country to Action Stations to support this project through making a engage local centres of power and influence is also well financial donation of whatever amount individual underway. circumstance may allow. 3 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT It has been a busy summer on the waterfront, with had a good knowledge of Canadian history, was numbers of visitors comparable to 2010’s Naval articulate, had very good interpersonal skills, was Centennial and Royal Visit. The quality of our tours well-organized, was fluent in English with some has improved, due largely to the leadership of Dennis bilingual ability, and had a demonstrated good work- May and the dedication of those provided by the ethic. While there were several excellent candidates, Chief & Petty Officers’ Association and augmented by Emma impressed us with her knowledge of the Battle keen guides such as Barry Wile, Bert Walker, Graham of the Atlantic, her enthusiasm, and her ability to McBride and Don Wilcox (who sadly has recently think on her feet. She proved to be an outstanding crossed the bar). member of our team through the summer, and In addition to this stalwart team, we had a befriended all of us. very bright young interpretive guide, Emma Wilson, Emma received her BA in Political Science and who was partially funded through the Federal History from the University of Guelph in May, and Summer Jobs Program. It was an interesting process was given a full-scholarship at Dalhousie University to apply for funding, advertise the position, and then to do a one-year MA program in Political Science. We select the best candidate.