No Sadness, Only Celebration: HMCS Preserver Paid Off After 46 Years

Remembrance MFRC Day 2016 HMCS Glace Bay celeb- Stories of courage Programs and services Slackers win 3rd rates longtime friend and valour for military families straight Mini Grey Cup Pg. 3 Pgs. 6-9 Pg. 13 Pg. 16 Monday, October 31, 2016 Volume 50, Issue 22 No sadness, only celebration: HMCS Preserver paid off after 46 years By Ryan Melanson, their times on board. Trident Staff For LCdr Vicky Marier, the final CO of Preserver, the day As current and former sailors, was about reflecting on the diffi- along with friends and family, cult job handed to her and her gathered to say goodbye to a crew, to prepare the ship for its Royal Canadian Navy workhorse decommissioning. And while she after nearly five decades of ser- gave a heartfelt thank you to all vice, the current commander of of those who helped make Pre- MARLANT and JTFA made it server the outstanding ship it was clear that October 21 was not a through the years, she focused a day for sadness. special shout out on those who The day marked the paying off served under her command and ceremony for HMCS Preserver, marched off the ship for a final the last of the RCN’s Protecteur- time at the ceremony. class auxiliary oiler replenish- “Without them, I would not ment ships. And while there were have been able to accomplish the certainly emotions as a large mission that we set out on,” she crowd looked on, including many said, adding a reference to the former Commanding Officers ship’s motto as she prepared to and crewmembers, RAdm John say goodbye to the tanker ship. Newton called for celebration of “If a frigate is the eyes, ears the ship’s consistent and faithful Crewmembers of HMCS Preserver hand along the ship’s final pennant during Preserver’s paying off cere- and hands of the Royal Canadian service. mony in HMC Dockyard on Friday, October 21, 2016. MONA GHIZ, MARLANT PA Navy, then surely Preserver was “There’s no sadness in my the heart of our fleet.” mind today, only celebration of Official aspects of the paying- 46 years of world-class capability a great utility in coalition for throughout his career and into sair Flight 111 in 1998 off Peggy’s off ceremony included a sailpast sailing the globe,” he said. food, stores and fuel, which were retirement, like it did for so Cove, and Operation APOLLO in from HMCS Ville de Quebec and When Preserver was commis- and are always in short supply.” many.” 2001, in support of American the ceremonial passing of the sioned in Saint John, New Brun- Among the crowd were a few The ship deployed and suppor- operations in Afghanistan. commissioning pennant along the swick on August 7, 1970, she and who made up the very first crews ted Canadian and allied task “We can all take something deck. The crew, followed by their her sister ship, HMCS Protec- to board the ship, and RAdm groups on missions around the from the stories of accomplish- CO, marched off the ship, the teur, were an example of cutting- Newton mentioned retired sailor world through its life, beginning ments and operations and friend- commissioning pennant, jack and edge technology and modern Gerry Curry, who made it a point in the Cold War years and con- ship that get told when a member ensign were presented to LCdr underway replenishment proced- to be there see the ship out, just tinuing well into the 21st century. retires, and for just a few hours Marier, who then in turn presen- ures. As RAdm Newton de- as he saw her in back in 1970. Some of those were highlighted we slow down enough to celeb- ted them to RAdm Newton. With scribed it, “They allowed our “I spoke to Gerry and what I during the paying off, including rate a shipmate, or in this case, a the paying off official, the crew Navy to act big. These ships gave took from his words is that Pre- UN peacekeeping efforts in ship itself,” RAdm Newton said, marched past the MARLANT the Navy global reach, sustainab- server inspired him from the first Cyprus, enforcing sanctions in before encouraging those in Honour Guard and down the ility, fast deployment when called time he stepped aboard it in 1970, the former Yugoslavia in 1994, attendance to share their own jetty, to loud cheers from all to action by the government, and and it continued to inspire him the response to the crash of Swis- stories and a few laughs about those in attendance. Ship’s wheel from HMCS Niobe returns home By Darlene Blakeley, acquire and conserve artifacts of made stand. seeing active service early in the Senior Editor and Writer, significance to Canada’s heritage. “This was the largest remain- First World War. By 1915, requir- Navy PA The acquisition comes as the ing artifact from Niobe,” Noakes ing extensive repairs, it became a Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) says. “We had a rare opportunity depot ship in Halifax. An historic part of Canada’s marks Niobe Day, celebrated to acquire something of import- On December 6, 1917, the naval past has returned home annually on October 21. ance to Canada’s naval history. Mont Blanc, carrying a cargo of after nearly 100 years. “The process to acquire We were in a position to take explosives, collided with the Imo The ship’s wheel from HMCS Niobe’s ship’s wheel took place advantage of the opportunity and in the Halifax Harbour. When a Niobe, one of Canada’s first two over the past year after the mu- are thrilled that we will be able to fire broke out on the Mont Blanc, warships, has been acquired by seum in New Jersey approached preserve the wheel for present Niobe’s Acting Boatswain Albert the Canadian War Museum in us to see if we wanted it,” says and future generations.” Charles Mattison led a rescue Ottawa. Jeff Noakes, Second World War Launched in 1897, Niobe attempt of six men in the ship’s Niobe saw active service in the historian at the Canadian War served with the Royal Navy until pinnace, a small steamboat. As First World War and its crew- Museum. “We are excited to have The ship’s wheel of HMCS Niobe 1910. That year, it was purchased the men approached the Mont members played a significant it back in Canada.” is now at the Canadian War by the newly formed Naval Ser- Blanc, it exploded, killing them role in responding to the 1917 Museum. Noakes says that the acquisi- SUBMITTED vice of Canada, which became instantly, destroying the pinnace, Halifax Explosion. tion of the wheel is “one of those the RCN in 1911. Niobe arrived in damaging Niobe and devastating bow, the second of Canada’s first The Canadian War Museum fascinating stories about how Halifax on October 21, 1910, much of Halifax. purchased the wheel from the objects like this can go around two warships. making it the first Canadian Niobe’s wheel requires conser- For their rescue efforts during Camden Shipyard and Maritime the world and then come back to vation work before it can be warship to enter Canada’s territ- the explosion, Acting Boatswain Museum in New Jersey with the Canada.” The Canadian War displayed. At over 158 kilograms, orial waters. Niobe was the main Mattison and Stoker PO Ernest support of the National Collec- Museum also has one of the with a diameter of two metres, sovereignty patrol and training tion Fund, which was created to ship’s wheels from HMCS Rain- the wheel also needs a custom- vessel on the East Coast before See HMCS NIOBE / Page 2 Get your Don’t miss out on our... CFOne card! Benefits available exclusively to members of the CAF Community - offering program discounts, savings FEATURE OF THE WEEK CANEX Rewards and more! One Community, One Million Strong Une communauté, forte d’un million de membres JOHN SMITH One Community, In-store and online at CANEX.CA One Million Strong 1 000 000 001 001 Family of Canadian Forces Member CF-FUne communauté, Famille demembre des Forces armées canadiennes Exp. 08/18forte d’un million de membres JOHN SMITH 1 000 000 001 001 ExtendedSecurity & Defence Team D LE MAGASIN MILITAIRE DU CANADA Équipe de la Défense et sécurité élargie Exp. 08/18 CANADA’S MILITARY STORE CANEX WINDSOR PARK | 902-465-5414 CF1FC.ca 2 TRIDENT NEWS OCTOBER 31, 2016 Leadership breakfast inspires us By Cdr Dave Colbourne sands of registered charities and Cdr Geoff Steed, across Canada, you will know that co-directors NDWCC you are making a difference right here at home or wherever you Leadership does not always come wish. By contributing in any way from the top. You can be a leader that you can, your donation to in your own right. We are partially NDWCC can go a long way. If all through this year’s National De- of us considered a small contribu- fence Workplace Charitable Cam- tion of only $5.00 per pay (the paign (NDWCC) and we look to cost of a burger and fries or a people like you to become a lead- specialty coffee) we would make er in any way that you can. an overwhelming positive influ- Whether it is through volun- ence in our neighbourhood. teering your time at a community Through the power of teamwork centre, sorting canned goods at a and leadership, the Defence Team local food bank or by donating to can show that we are part of the the NDWCC, you are showing community and we are invested in leadership.

Load more