Lead Line Naval Association of Canada Vancouver Island Newsletter
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Lead Line Naval Association of Canada Vancouver Island Newsletter May – June 2017 • Volume 32, Issue 3 OPERATION POSEIDON CUTLASS WINNIPEG AND OTTAWA REPRESENT CANADA IN THE INDO-ASIA-PACIFIC Leading Seaman Qing Li of HMCS Winnipeg observes HMCS Ottawa and Her Majesty's Australian Ship BALLARAT (FFH 155) as they sail in formation during Op Poseidon Cutlass. – Photo by Cpl Carbe Orellana, MARPAC Imaging Services INSIDE THIS ISSUE President's Message ............................................2 Cadet Vimy experience sparks pride ................. 8–9 Captain's paintings adorn Wardroom ...................4 Divers search shipwreck for ordnance ..................12 New and Retired officers gather ...........................5 One last sail in HMCS Athabaskan .....................13 Veteran's Corner .............................................6–7 Naval trades amalgamated ................................14 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE MEMBERSHIP AND EVENT UPDATE A lot has happened in the last due to changed (or miss-typed) will also be looking to gather few months and a lot is planned email addresses. Again, Bill proxies for the National AGM as we move forward. Macdonald has been working in St. John’s in October. As soon Membership Director, Bill hard to make sure all areas of as I receive information I will Macdonald is working to get our database are in sync. If you send this out to you all in an our membership up to date for have any concerns or need help e-letter. 2017. Our membership dates checking your account info, Finally, it is time for all of us have now settled on the calen- please contact him. to consider helping build our dar year and were due at the be- Our move to the Yacht Club membership. I encourage you ginning of January. We are still for our lunches and presenta- to identify someone who wish- a few short on our renewals. If tions has been very successful. es to work with us while we Bill Conconi you are currently in arrears I Many have commented to me support, and educate about, our encourage you to contact him that they enjoy the ambiance, and connected as introductory Navy. Invite them to become and bring yourself up to date. round tables, easy parking, and members in Ottawa. We look involved. At the same time, Many of you have taken ad- good sound and visuals. Your forward to their active involve- they can enjoy good fellowship vantage this year of our ability Executive continues to work on ment as their careers unfold. and educational opportunities. to accept memberships via our bringing in excellent speakers May is also the time to It is an important time right website and to pay your dues and appreciates any leads or consider recipients for NAC now in Canada as our govern- using Paypal. This simple pro- opportunities you suggest. Awards and to apply for an En- ment looks to rebuild our fleet. cess immediately brings you We have also had one very dowment Grant. Please check Serving members of our Navy, up to date and saves the cost of successful “Weepers” with our, and the National, website retired former members, or an envelope and stamp. While Venture MARS trainees, and for details. Let me know if you those just keen on supporting renewing, there is also an op- have another planned for May. have an interest or would like our Navy are eligible. portunity to make sure all your More info will follow as details to make a proposal for either of Please help us move this information is up to date. A are confirmed. This is part of these and I will help you make forward. few members have been miss- an initiative that was started it happen. Yours Aye, ing emails and this is primarily when they were RMC Cadets Starting at our own AGM we Bill UPCOMING LUNCHEONS upcoming EVENTS Church and Canada's 150th Community Celebration Walk with the Naden Band May 25, 2017 May 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Speaker: Dwight Owens The community celebration walk will start at the Ward- "Hot, Sour and Breathless: Oceans Under Stress." room (1586 Esquimalt Rd) and end at the Parish Hall Yard Our global ocean is under stress from warming, acidi- (1379 Esquimalt Rd). Celebrations following the walk. fication and oxygen declines. Why are these changes Battle of Atlantic Ceremonies - Sunday, May 7 happening and what impacts can we expect? This talk • Victoria Legislature Cenotaph outlines these three interrelated stressors, examining the impacts and the actions we can take to counteract 10:45 a.m. them. • Qualicum Beach Legion, 180 Veterans Way 10:15 a.m. Luncheons are held at the Royal Victoria Yacht Followed by a parade along Veterans Way from Memorial Club, 3475 Ripon Road (Cadboro Bay) starting Drive to the Legion and a wreath laying ceremony. at 11:30 a.m. Lunch will be served at 12:15 p.m. • Comox Marina Park $25/person. Members are asked to confirm their at- 1:00 p.m. tendance with Peter Bey, 250-652-2225. HMCS Alberni Museum and Memorial in Courtenay (625 Cliffe Ave) will be open before and after the ceremony. 2 • LEAD LINE & NAC VI NEWS EXECUTIVE ASSISTS WITH MALAHAT DIVISIONS Left: Commander (Retired) Rod Hughes presents the Navy League of Canada Certificate of Appreciation to Lieutenant (Navy) Kay van Akker. The Navy League Certificate of Appreciation is awarded in recognition of significant contributions to the Canadian Sea Cadet program. Right: Commander (Retired) Bill Conconi presents the Naval Association Sword to Lieutenant (Navy) Andrew Janes. The sword is presented to an officer that best exemplified the overall leadership qualities expected of his or her rank and who represented Malahat throughout the year in an outstanding manner. Photos by PO1 Al van Akker, HMCS Malahat NAC-VI Executive Committee President Bill Conconi [email protected] 250-652-1634 Past President Michael Morres [email protected] 250-592-8897 Vice President Rod Hughes [email protected] 250-472-8905 Secretary Mike Brossard [email protected] 250-544-1425 Treasurer Peter Bey [email protected] 250-652-2225 Membership Services Bill Macdonald [email protected] 250-661-3731 Director at Large David Collins [email protected] 778-265-0872 Director at Large David Cooper [email protected] 250-472-8905 Director at Large Gerry Pash [email protected] 250-658-6509 Director at Large Steve White [email protected] 250-652-8215 special appointments Editor Carmel Ecker [email protected] 250-661-1269 Photography John Webber [email protected] 250-920-4159 Historian Stan Parker [email protected] 250-734-3360 Webmaster Eric Griffiths [email protected] 250-537-0608 Naval Association of Canada – Vancouver Island (NAC-VI) mailing address: P.O. Box 5221, Victoria, BC, Canada V8R 6N4 LEAD LINE • 3 & NAC VI NEWS WATERCOLOURS PAINTED BY HONOURED CAPTAIN ADORN WALLS IN THE WARDROOM By Rachel Lallouz room. “When you see this imagery you Class Destroyers. He retired in 1968, Reprinted with permission from can recognize that some folks have done embarking on a successful career as a Lookout Newspaper some pretty important and powerful marine artist in Victoria before passing things in our history. They are a beauti- away on May 19, 2008. Hanging in the Wardroom’s lower ful reminder of what the navy has done.” A member of the Chadwick family level are nine realist watercolours that Cdr Chadwick was born on May 6, donated the watercolours to the Naval take viewers back in time to ships of 1921, and served with distinction in the Association of Canada Vancouver Canada’s naval past. Royal Canadian Navy. He participated Island Branch in 2010. Painted by Commander (Retired) in the Battle of the Atlantic and served, In 2011, Carlé joined the association Ernest Maurice Chadwick, who died in most notably, as an officer on Tribal and decided to help find a permanent 2008 at the age of 87, the detailed works home for the art. are made up of tiny brush strokes in He ensured that they were properly Ships in the collection: tones of blue and gray – a tribute to his framed, and researched locations where time as a sailor on ships ranging from HMS Sardonyx they could be mounted that did not HMCS Uganda to Skeena to Nootka. HMS Vindictive have direct exposure to the damaging Each of the Wardroom paintings HMCS Gatineau rays of sunlight. features a ship cutting confidently HMCS Uganda When the Wardroom was suggested through breaking waves, capturing Cdr HMCS Skeena as a potential location, the Wardroom Chadwick’s spirit for adventure and HMCS St. Stephen Mess Committee agreed and found a dedication to a life at sea. HMCS Nootka place for them. “These paintings demonstrate re- HMCS St. Stephen (again, oddly “I think we’re all delighted that they markable stories,” said Captain (Re- enough) are in an accessible place where not only tired) Kevin Carlé, who arranged for HMCS Saguenay navy folks, but civilians can come in and the pieces to be displayed at the Ward- take a look,” says Carlé. 4 • LEAD LINE & NAC VI NEWS BRINGING GENERATIONS OF LEADERS TOGETHER By Jeremie Fraser, NOTC Venture The relationship between past and future officers of the navy is vital to the strength of the naval community. The Naval Association of Canada plays a key role in fostering this growing relationship. On March 31, the NAC VI helped to strengthen the relationship between past and future officers as the future MARS Officers of the Chaudière MARS 4 class at Naval Fleet School (Pacific) Venture Division hosted the first NAC social at Work Point. The night was filled with fun, social interactions of people from all aspects of the naval community, and a presen- tation that not only intrigued attendees, but also aided in the education of future officers in the fleet.