1 ' W ' WADSWORTH, James Bruce, Electrical Lieutenant
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'A Little Light on What's Going On!'
Volume VII, No. 69 ~ Winter 2014-2015 Starshell ‘A little light on what’s going on!’ CANADA IS A MARITIME NATION A maritime nation must take steps to protect and further its interests, both in home waters and with friends in distant waters. Canada therefore needs a robust and multipurpose Royal Canadian Navy. National Magazine of The Naval Association of Canada Magazine nationale de L’Association Navale du Canada www.navalassoc.ca On our cover… To date, the Royal Canadian Navy’s only purpose-built, ice-capable Arctic Patrol Vessel, HMCS Labrador, commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy July 8th, 1954, ‘poses’ in her frozen natural element, date unknown. She was a state-of-the- Starshell art diesel electric icebreaker similar in design to the US Coast Guard’s Wind-class ISSN-1191-1166 icebreakers, however, was modified to include a suite of scientific instruments so it could serve as an exploration vessel rather than a warship like the American Coast National magazine of The Naval Association of Canada Guard vessels. She was the first ship to circumnavigate North America when, in Magazine nationale de L’Association Navale du Canada 1954, she transited the Northwest Passage and returned to Halifax through the Panama Canal. When DND decided to reduce spending by cancelling the Arctic patrols, Labrador was transferred to the Department of Transport becoming the www.navalassoc.ca CGSS Labrador until being paid off and sold for scrap in 1987. Royal Canadian Navy photo/University of Calgary PATRON • HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh HONORARY PRESIDENT • H. R. (Harry) Steele In this edition… PRESIDENT • Jim Carruthers, [email protected] NAC Conference – Canada’s Third Ocean 3 PAST PRESIDENT • Ken Summers, [email protected] The Editor’s Desk 4 TREASURER • King Wan, [email protected] The Bridge 4 The Front Desk 6 NAVAL AFFAIRS • Daniel Sing, [email protected] NAC Regalia Sales 6 HISTORY & HERITAGE • Dr. -
The Case of the Phantom MTB and the Loss of HMCS Athabaskan
Canadian Military History Volume 11 Issue 3 Article 2 2002 The Case of the Phantom MTB and the Loss of HMCS Athabaskan Michael Whitby [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh Part of the Military History Commons Recommended Citation Whitby, Michael "The Case of the Phantom MTB and the Loss of HMCS Athabaskan." Canadian Military History 11, 3 (2002) This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian Military History by an authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Whitby: Phantom MTB and the HMCS <em>Athabaskan</em> The Case of the Phantom MTB and the Loss of HMCS A th abaskan Michael Whitby n the early dawn hours of 29 April 1944, the It was not unusual, therefore, for HMCS Idestroyer HMCS A th a b a ska n plunged to the H aida an d A th a b a ska n to learn during the depths of the English Channel, her hull wracked forenoon of 28 April that they had been ordered by two powerful explosions. One hundred and to screen HOSTILE 26, a minelaying mission twenty-eight young Canadians died with her. off the French coast about a 100 miles south of Fifty-two years later, in the article “I Will Never Plymouth.5 The Tribals’ role was to act as distant Forget the Sound of Those Engines Going Away: covering force for eight Motor L aunches (MLs) A Re-examination into the Sinking of HMCS of the 10th ML Flotilla that were to lay mines Athabaskan” that appeared in this journal, Peter about nine miles north of the eastern point of Dixon advanced the theory - which was the lie de Bas.6 Two MTBs were to provide close presented as fact - that the second explosion, escort to the minelayers, with Lieutenant- the one that sealed the destroyer’s fate, was Commander T.N. -
Ships Depart Halifax After Hotel Quarantine
Monday, April 20, 2020 Volume 54, Issue 08 www.tridentnewspaper.com Ships depart Halifax after hotel quarantine HMC ships Moncton and Ville de Québec both departed Halifax on Thursday, April 16 to prepare for potential deploy- ment as part of Operation LASER, the CAF response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure the safety of the crew and the capability of the ships, all sailors were isolated in a Halifax hotel for 14 days prior to boarding. The ships will now remain at sea in Nova Scotian waters as they stay ready to assist Canadians if called upon. MARLANT PA 2 TRIDENTTRIDENT NEWS NEWS APRIL April 20, 6, 2020 PromotionCOVID-19 : Informations, ceremonies lignes continue directrices despite et socialressources distancing accessibles au public à l’intention Bydes Ryan Melanson, membres de l’Équipe de la Défense locale Trident Staff Nous sommes conscients du fait book à l’adresse www.facebook.com/ pourraient intéresser nos membres. MapleSeaLeaf queThe les Royal membres Canadian de notre Navy’s person ongo- - CANFLTLANTBaseHalifax. Cette HQ, note the ceremonycomprend was Suivez-nous! • BFC Halifax : @CFBHalifax ingnel effort n’ont topas recognize tous accès the au significant RED ou à aégalement necessary des step informations, as he prepared des for di -his • Commandant de la BFC Halifax : promotionl’intranet defrom l’Équipe the rank de ofla MasterDéfense. newrectives posting et des with ressources HMCS Toronto provinciales. Facebook @WardenNAtlantic SeamanPour cette to Petty raison, Officer, une grande 2nd Class partie is et“So fédérales we decided concernant to sort laof COVID-19.roll with • Forces maritimes de l’Atlantique : beginningdes informations to look asur little la COVID-19bit different. -
Starting the Conversation
oreganshyundaidartmouth.com 60 BAKER DRIVE, UNIT - D 902-465-7500 DON’T PAY UNTIL SPRING 180604 Trident Ad 10.25x2.indd 1 2020-01-10 4:33 PM Monday, February 10, 2020 Volume 54, Issue 03 www.tridentnewspaper.com Starting the conversation HMCS Harry DeWolf personnel enjoy the PSP Health Promotion photo booth while taking part in the mental health conversation on Bell Let’s Talk Day, January 29. From left: AB Luc Gillis, LS Raymond Kwan, and LS Daniel Bremner, all of HMCS Harry DeWolf. SYDNEY MACLEOD, CFB HALIFAX PA INTERN HMCS Fredericton deploys to CFB Halifax Base Bell Let's Talk Day MEGA Hockey Op REASSURANCE Pg. 3 Divisions Pg 6 Pgs 12-13 Championship Pg. 20 2020 TUCSON ESSENTIAL ALL WHEEL DRIVE I WINTERSALES EVENT Purchase from only Finance from only * OR 3625 Kempt Road $ , $ Halifax, Nova Scotia 25749 75 180609 Weekly* Local: 902.982.3980 www.steelehyundai.com *PLUS TAX, FREIGHT & FEES. INCLUDES LOYALTY. VEHICLES NOT EXACTLY AS SHOWN. SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS. 2 TRIDENT NEWS FEBRUARY 10, 2020 HMCS Halifax returns from Op REASSURANCE On Friday January 24, HMCS Hali- fax returned from a six-month deploy- HMCS Halifax comes alongside. ment as the flagship for Standing MONA GHIZ, MARLANT PA NATO Maritime Group Two, focusing on maritime security and deterrence measures in the Mediterranean and southern Europe, exemplifying the strength of allied solidarity on Op REASSURANCE. Friends, family, and senior members of RCN Command were on hand to welcome the ship and its crew. LS Ritchot reunites with her dog after a six-month absence. -
Vol 6, Issue 3
Crowsnest www.navy.forces.gc.ca Vol. 6, No. 3 Fall 2012 RIMPAC 2012 Largest multinational exercise breaks new ground By Lieutenant-Commander Nathalie Garcia as two teams from the Fleet Diving Unit stationed in Victoria. The Royal Canadian Air Force provided four fter months of preparation and weeks of CF-140 Aurora long-range patrol aircraft from 14 Wing training, 25,000 personnel from 22 nations Greenwood, N.S., and 19 Wing Comox, B.C.; seven Abreathed a collective sigh of relief as Rim of the CF-188 Hornet fighter jets from 3 Wing Bagotville, Que., Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2012 came to a successful with augmentation from 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alta.; and end. two CH-124 Sea King detachments assigned to Conducted in the operating areas in and around the Algonquin and Ottawa. Hawaiian Islands and in the Southern California The Canadian Army provided more than 122 exercise areas, the world’s largest maritime exercise members from the 2nd Battalion of Princess Patricia’s officially ended August 3. It included more than 1,400 Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), including Canadian navy, army and air force personnel. augmentation from 1 PPCLI, 3 PPCLI, 1 Combat “I am truly pleased with what we have achieved as Engineer Regiment and 1 Field Ambulance. Finally, part of this exercise,” said Rear-Admiral Ron Lloyd, the more than 100 members of the Canadian Forces Deputy Combined Task Force Commander and the occupied a variety of staff and leadership positions most senior Canadian participating in the exercise. “The within the exercise. challenging scenarios allowed Canadians and our “A significant highlight was HMCS Victoria’s Mk 48 Pacific Rim partners to develop the skills we will need to torpedo shoot,” said Rear-Admiral Peter Ellis, work successfully with each other, wherever we may be Amphibious Assault Task Force Commander for the called upon to deploy.” exercise. -
A POW's Account of the Loss of HMCS Athabaskan in 1944
Kriegsgefangenenlager: A POW’s Account of the Loss of Athabaskan in 1944 Pat Jessup Kriegsgefangenenlager, roughly translated, is German for Following basic naval training ‘English prisoner of war.’ And this is the story of Able at HMCS Cornwallis, Harry was files Seaman Harry Liznick and fellow shipmates who served “drafted” to sentry duty at the in HMCS Athabaskan, lost to enemy action in 1944. This Dartmouth refinery and French Liznick is also the story of the short life of Athabaskan, a power- Cable Wharf in Halifax. Bored, Photo: ful British-built Tribal-class destroyer which, along with he wrote: “I hated it. What a way sister ships Haida, Huron and Iroquois, played a pivotal to spend the war.” His complaints role in the English Channel, engaging and wearing down were short lived as he was soon enemy naval forces, in the days leading up to the D-Day posted to HMCS Athabaskan invasion. then under repair in England following a German glider bomb Liznick, a thoughtful and observant man, articulated his attack on a Canadian-British wartime experience in a series of articles titled “Kriegsge- support group near Gibraltar. fangenenlager,” published in his hometown newspaper, The Iroquois Falls Enterprise.1 This article is a shorter version By November 1943 Athabaskan, of a paper recounting the highlights of the stories of both was “ready to sail and fight,” and Liznick and Athabaskan, supported by the commentary she deployed to the Mediterra- of other shipmates as well as official scholarship. nean to escort the British battle- cruiser HMS Renown carry- First generation Ukrainian-Canadian Harry Liznick was ing Prime Minister Winston 15 when Hitler’s army invaded Poland. -
'A Little Light on What's Going On!'
Starshell ‘A little light on what’s going on!’ Volume XII, No. 54 Spring 2011 National Magazine of the Naval Officers Association of Canada Magazine nationale de l’association des officiers de la marine du Canada In this issue The editor’s cabin 2 Our cover and the Editor’s Cabin There is insufficient space here to adequately describe the 3 Where Land Ends, Life Begins trials that befell my miniscule publishing ‘empire’ following SPRING 2011 4 Commentary: ‘You heard it hear first’ the last issue of Starshell. The old Mac G4 that housed all my 6 Naval Syllogisms for Canada page layout software (including an ancient version of Adobe 8 Shipboard Tactical Data Systems Pagemaker) as well as all my newsletter templates (I publish four 10 View from the Bridge other periodicals besides this one), graphics, fonts, etc., suffered 10 The Front Desk a hard drive crash and the aforementioned was forever lost! Sensing such a calamity STARSHELL 11 Mail Call could well be in the offing, I had purchased a new Apple iMac computer last year, 12 The Briefing Room but had been putting off the substantial investment in new publishing software. The 13 Schober’s Quiz #53 hard drive crash effectively put me out of business; a trip to the local Apple com- 13 NOAC Regalia puter dealer was no longer an option. So—as evidenced by a much lighter wallet—I 15 The Edwards’ Files: ‘Captain’s Beer’ am now armed with the latest versions of Adobe In Design, Photoshop, Illustrator 16 Broadsides: ‘Honking Big Ships’ and Acrobat Pro. -
Hal Davies Remembered for Energy, Vision, Strong Leadership
GOLF TOURNAMENT AGM & Action Stations INSERTS INSIDE CANADA’S NAVAL MEMORIAL HMCS SACKVILLE MARCH/APRIL 2011 Hal Davies remembered for Energy, Vision, Strong Leadership By Len Canfield The late Captain (N) Hal Davies, who served as Chair of the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust 1997-2000, is remembered by fellow Trustees for his energy, vision and strong leadership in advancing the Trust and ensuring the long-term operation of HMCS SACKVILLE. His unexpected passing oc- curred in February in the Bahamas. Trustees recall that Hal not only brought his experience as commanding officer of ships and training establishments but also his civilian business management skills to the day to day operations of the Trust and SACKVILLE. Under Hal as Chair, the CNMT Board brought forward or advanced a num- Hal Davies is shown with other members of the CNMT ber initiatives and projects, including enhancing the visibility and relevance of Board during ‘Up Spirits’ in December 1997. Front, from left: Sherry Richardson, Hal, Ray Soucie, Dick SACKVILLE; expanding membership in the Trust especially among serving Aldhelm-White. At rear, from left: Mel Baird, Charles members; strengthening the Trust’s financial position including building up Westropp, Brian Leask, Ted Smith, Len Canfield, Mar- the endowment fund, and increasing collaboration between the Trust and the vin Moore, and Don Cameron. Navy, Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and other significant stakeholders. One of the initiatives advanced by Hal was formalizing the CNMT Executive Director position and Ray Soucie assuming the position. Ray recalls Hal’s organizational abilities and contributions in a number of areas, including website design, development of a long-term communications plan, transla- tion and installation of sound stations in the ship, supporting Mel Baird’s Life Membership initiative and Canada Post’s HMCS SHAWINIGAN and HMCS SACKVILLE stamp unveiling ceremonies in 1998. -
Carrying Canadian Troops
Carrying Canadian Troops The Story of RMS Olympic as a First World War Troopship David R. Gray Introduction sources provide interesting details of n the long adventurous life of Royal the experiences of sailing on the vessel IMail Ship (RMS) Olympic, the older and of life on board, including the sister of the ill-fated RMS Titanic, the difficulties of embarkation and disembarkation, the danger from time she spent as a troopship ferrying Canadian troops during the First World submarines, and the general supply and handling of this large ship in frequently War is a notable but frequently overlooked part of her career. Olympic hazardous circumstances. was cheered enthusiastically by Canadian troops who sailed aboard her, Prewar History respected as the “Old Reliable,” praised for ie first of three similar sister-ships, that services rendered to other ships, and honoured T included the Titanic an d the Britannic, the for her own success in attacking an enemy Olympic was built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast submarine. Carrying more Canadian soldiers and launched as RMS Olympic in 1910, a year than any other troopship, O lympic w as an earlier than Titanic, with her maiden voyage important part of Canada’s war effort. taking place in 1911. As the newest and largest of the trans-Atlantic liners, O lym pic w as Able to accommodate close to 6000 troops described with all the superlatives later applied at a time, Olympic made ten round trips from to Titanic: “Ocean Greyhound,” “Finest Steamer Liverpool to Halifax between March and Afloat,” “Largest vessel in the World,” and “Queen December 1916. -
The Royal Canadian Navy and Operation Torch, 1942-19431
"A USEFUL LOT, THESE CANADIAN SHIPS:" THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY AND OPERATION TORCH, 1942-19431 Shawn Cafferky Like other amphibious animals we must come occasionally on shore: but the water is more properly our element, and in it...as we find our greatest security, so exert our greatest force. Bolingbroke, Idea of a Patriot King (1749) The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) corvettes that supported the Allied landings in North Africa beginning in November 1942 achieved substantial success. This little-known story is important, for the Canadian warships gave outstanding service at a time when the fortunes of the main RCN escort forces in the north Atlantic had dropped to their nadir. Problems resulting from overexpansion and overcommitment had, as has been fully documented in recent literature, raised grave doubts about the efficiency of Canadian escorts.2 What has yet to be properly acknowledged was that the operations of RCN ships in the Mediterranean and adjacent eastern Atlantic areas during these same months of crisis demonstrated that given an opportunity Canadian escorts could match the best. On 25 July 1942, after months of high-level discussions concerning the strategic direction of the war, Allied leaders agreed to invade North Africa in a campaign named Operation Torch, rather than immediately opening a second front in Europe. On 27 August 1942 the First Sea Lord signalled Vice-Admiral P.W. Nelles, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), "that Admiral Cunningham's [Naval Commander Expeditionary Force] Chief of Staff, Commodore R.M. Dick, would be visiting him in Ottawa with some information."3 The material proved to be an outline of Operation Torch, along with a request that the RCN provide escorts for the operation. -
ACTION STATIONS! Volume 37 - Issue 1 Winter 2018
HMCS SACKVILLE - CANADA’S NAVAL MEMORIAL ACTION STATIONS! Volume 37 - Issue 1 Winter 2018 Action Stations Winter 2018 1 Volume 37 - Issue 1 ACTION STATIONS! Winter 2018 Editor and design: Our Cover LCdr ret’d Pat Jessup, RCN Chair - Commemorations, CNMT [email protected] Editorial Committee LS ret’d Steve Rowland, RCN Cdr ret’d Len Canfield, RCN - Public Affairs LCdr ret’d Doug Thomas, RCN - Exec. Director Debbie Findlay - Financial Officer Editorial Associates Major ret’d Peter Holmes, RCAF Tanya Cowbrough Carl Anderson CPO Dean Boettger, RCN webmaster: Steve Rowland Permanently moored in the Thames close to London Bridge, HMS Belfast was commissioned into the Royal Photographers Navy in August 1939. In late 1942 she was assigned for duty in the North Atlantic where she played a key role Lt(N) ret’d Ian Urquhart, RCN in the battle of North Cape, which ended in the sinking Cdr ret’d Bill Gard, RCN of the German battle cruiser Scharnhorst. In June 1944 Doug Struthers HMS Belfast led the naval bombardment off Normandy in Cdr ret’d Heather Armstrong, RCN support of the Allied landings of D-Day. She last fired her guns in anger during the Korean War, when she earned the name “that straight-shooting ship”. HMS Belfast is Garry Weir now part of the Imperial War Museum and along with http://www.forposterityssake.ca/ HMCS Sackville, a member of the Historical Naval Ships Association. HMS Belfast turns 80 in 2018 and is open Roger Litwiller: daily to visitors. http://www.rogerlitwiller.com/ HMS Belfast photograph courtesy of the Imperial -
In Peril on the Sea – Episode Seventeen Chapter 5Part 2
In Peril on the Sea – Episode Seventeen Chapter 5Part 2 “IF WE LOSE THE WAR AT SEA, WE LOSE THEWAR”: THE ORDEAL, MAY - NOVEMBER 1942 (cont’d) Continued from Chapter Five Part 1 …….. The loss of 11 merchantmen in return for two U‑boats was regarded by some Allied commentators as an acceptable rate of exchange -although the enemy’s use of submerged attacks, in contrast to the previous favoured tactic of surface attacks, did not bode well. Dönitz, on the other hand, noting that many of the submarine commanders involved were relatively inexperienced, was satisfied with the results. Problems increase: The RCN in the autumn of 1942 By the early autumn of 1942, the RCN had some reason to be happy with its recent successes. It had sunk three U-boats in the North Atlantic in August, more than the RN during the same -period, and HMCS Oakville got a fourth in the West Indies following a boarding operation that more closely resembled the age of sail than the age of steam.* But knowledgeable observers pointed out problems with the Canadian escorts’ training, maintenance, efficiency and, above all, their lack of modern equipment. Unfortunately, due to the many and overlapping commands concerned with the Atlantic convoys, its own distance from the theatre of war, and the absence of good technical liaison with the USN and RN, NSHQ in Ottawa did not have a clear picture of the difficulties faced by the escort fleet. When a problem was brought to their attention, they acted upon it, usually slowly, but all too often they remained oblivious to the day-to-day problems at sea.