Volume VII, No. 73, Winter 2015-16 Starshell ‘A little light on what’s going on!’ On our cover… One of the ‘workhorses’ of the Battle of the Atlantic, the RCN Flower- class corvette HMCS Pictou (K-146), appears to be at Action Sta- NAVAL ASSOCIATION OF CANADA tions as she shares convoy escort duties with her kin in the North ASSOCIATION NAVALE DU CANADA Atlantic, part of her merchant ‘flock’ visible on the horizon. Royal Canadian Navy photo/Naval Museum of Alberta. Starshell ISSN-1191-1166 National magazine of the Naval Association of Canada In this edition… Magazine nationale de L’Association Navale du Canada www.navalassoc.ca From the Editor 4 PATRON • HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh From the Front Desk 4 HONORARY PRESIDENT • H. R. (Harry) Steele From the Bridge: “A Defence Review” 5 Fraser McKee’s Navy (When the Lights come on…”) 7 PRESIDENT • Jim Carruthers, [email protected] From the National Archivist 8 PAST PRESIDENT • Ken Summers, [email protected] Survival as an Ordinary Seaman (Officer Candidate) 9 TREASURER • King Wan, [email protected] Mail Call 15 NAVAL AFFAIRS • Daniel Sing, [email protected] • The Briefing Room (All that’s news and then some…) 16 HISTORY & HERITAGE Dr. Alec Douglas, [email protected] HONORARY COUNSEL • Donald Grant, [email protected] Schober’s Quiz #70 17 ARCHIVIST • Fred Herrndorf, [email protected] This Will Have to Do (Part 10) “A Mansion & Marriage” 25 AUSN LIAISON • Fred F. Abbott, [email protected] Book Reviews 30 CHAIR ENDOWMENT FUND • Michael Morres, [email protected] Some Food for Thought – “Russia’s Militarization of the OBITS EDITOR • Pat Barnhouse, [email protected] Arctic (map) 33 WEBMASTER • Robert (Bob) Bush, [email protected] The Belt of Orion Award 35 Endowment Fund Grant Application Form 36 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STARSHELL EDITOR SEC’Y / COMMUNICATIONS Answers to Schober’s Quiz #70 37 George A. Moore 1871 Primrose Crescent Fraser McKee’s Navy 38 Kenneth B. Lait 308 Kennedy Lane E Kamloops BC V1S 0A5 Obituaries 39 Orleans ON K1E 3M4 Telephone 250-314-1284 Telephone 613-841-4358 Facsimile 250-314-1286 “Our Navy - War Comes to Canada” 40 [email protected] [email protected] STARSHELL magazine is published quarterly by The Naval Association of Canada (NAC) in February, May, August and November. The editor is solely responsible for the selection of material. Contributions are encouraged and should be sent direct to the editor. PLEASE NOTE: ALL MATERIAL MUST REACH THE EDITOR Advertise in Starshell NO LATER THAN THE 15TH DAY OF THE MONTH PRIOR TO THE MONTH OF We are pleased to print camera ready advertisements PUBLICATION. All photographs submitted for publication must be accompa- nied by suitable captions and accreditation. CHANGES OF ADDRESS ARE TO BE Advertising rates available on request SENT TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NOT THE EDITOR. The opinions expressed in this publication are deemed to be exclusively those of the author(s) and are not necessarily shared by The Naval Association of Canada, the Royal Canadian Navy or the Department of National Defence. If copyright is Starshell is printed in Canada by Postlink Corporation, Ottawa specified for any item, permission to copy must first be obtained through the edi- tor, otherwise material may be copied without permission provided appropriate attribution is given to both the author(s) and STARSHELL. Editorial services, layout and design are provided by DISTRIBUTION and SUBSCRIPTIONS – STARSHELL circulation exceeds 2,000 ® copies and is distributed to members of NAC, HMC Ships and shore establish- Cascade Creek Publishing ments, NDHQ and other interested individuals. Except for copyright material, LCdr (Ret’d) George A. Moore, President copying and internal circulation to interested officers is encouraged. Non-mem- 1871 Primrose Crescent, Kamloops, BC V1S 0A5 bers may subscribe by sending $20.00 in Canada, $25.00 elsewhere for each Phone 250-314-1284 • Fax 250-314-1286 subscription to the Executive Director. Cellular 778-220-2868 • Mobile (Satellite) 778-538-6831 [email protected] From the editor NAVAL ASSOCIATION OF CANADA George A. Moore | Editor | [email protected] ASSOCIATION NAVALE DU CANADA Fred R. Fowlow… s events at the time of the last is- published under the subheadings of both publication entitled, The Niobe Papers. While sue of Starshell precluded my de- “Opinion” and “Broadsides.” some may have argued this was ahead of its sire to properly honour the pass- Of all the concerns Fred expressed for his time, events in Arctic waters in recent years ing of a close acquaintance and Navy over the years, his cause célèbre was have fully justified this important public ‘FriendA of the Navy,’ Commander (Ret’d) Canada’s naval presence, or more appropri- seminar. Fred Fowlow of Calgary Branch late last ately the lack thereof, in our Arctic waters In addition to this, Fred also found the summer, I would like to take the opportu- ... a concern which due to rapidly advanc- time to raise funds and arrange for the erec- nity to do so now. ing climate change, has finally taken centre tion of a stone Memorial in Calgary to hon- Fred served in both the Battle of the Atlan- stage. Back in 1990, Fred was responsible our those members of the RCN who lost tic and Korea. A full accounting of his naval for arranging a seminar in Calgary’s Palliser their lives during the Korean conflict. service will be found in his obituary on page Hotel entitled “Maritime Defence Strategy The naval community and I have indeed 38 of the Autumn issue of Starshell. Over the and Resource Development in Canada’s Arc- lost a good friend. Fred will be missed. We years in both the Calgary Branch’s newslet- tic,” which included many noted speakers all join in sending our rather late but heart- ter The Bowline and in Starshell, Fred per- from the academic world, naval flag ranks felt condolences to Joyce and the family. severed, frequently taking pen in hand on and the oil patch. The various presentations behalf of the welfare and future of our Royal were to form the nucleus of the first edition Yours aye Canadian Navy in his well researched essays of The Naval Officers Association of Canada George From the front desk NAVAL ASSOCIATION OF CANADA Ken Lait | Executive Director | [email protected] ASSOCIATION NAVALE DU CANADA s we enter a new year, much is year for National as well as the scheduling Manual is the procedure for election of Di- happening in the Association that of future Conference and AGMs in the fall rectors in accordance with the Canada Not will hopefully encourage and al- to better allow RCN participation from the For Profit Corporations Act and our By- low each member to become more highest levels of leadership. Some changes laws. Now is the time to start thinking of engaged.A The long awaited Administra- of note are the requirements for Branch Re- your or another’s possible candidacy. The tion Manual is now posted, in draft form ports, full Membership Reports due end timelines for the election require an early pending final Board approval, on the web- of January and Applications for NAC Na- start of the process and I will be including site. The manual is considerably smaller tional Awards due set weeks in advance more detail in the Spring 2016 edition of than the last Guidance Manual. Many of of the AGM. One submission date has not Starshell. the submission dates and reporting dates changed —namely the application for En- As you read this column, the call is al- have changed. These reflect the change that dowment Fund grants. ready out for Endowment Fund grant ap- aligned the fiscal year with the membership Another new item in the Administration plications for 2016. Applications are due 4 Starshell | Winter 2015-16 by April 10th, 2016 for consideration in this It is for that reason that applications re- on the website and an application form is fiscal year. The Endowment Fund Commit- ceived after April 10th cannot be consid- included in this edition of Starshell on page tee considers all applications at the same ered and will need to be resubmitted next 36. time to ensure the objects of NAC and re- year as appropriate. Details have been Yours aye gional representation are fairly considered. sent to Branch Presidents and are available Ken From the bridge… NAVAL ASSOCIATION OF CANADA Jim Carruthers | National President | [email protected] ASSOCIATION NAVALE DU CANADA A Defence Review n 12 January, the Minister of we must focus on educating Canadians and in both St. John’s and Victoria based branch- National Defence Harjit Sajjan their parliamentarians, specifically those in- es. The breadth and depth of our member- confirmed Canada would un- volved in the review of the need for a navy. ship allows us to speak with some authority dertake a defence review to be Fortunately, we have recently become on naval matters. Ocompleted by 31 December 2016. Pundits more capable at tackling this task. The re- A second key to success are the financial have speculated that the decisions of this re- sources we possess now include both a resources to support our education efforts, view will impact Canada’s defence posture strong membership able to speak with some be it through funding noted scholars to ad- for decades to come. Given the alarm over authority and the financial resources neces- dress key issues or expanding our outreach. terrorism, the Middle East and Africa, it sary to support our work When we looked at the need to assemble may be difficult to ensure due consider- We have grown in numbers but equally a ‘war chest,’ members made it quite ation is given to longer term, lower pro- clear that increasing dues would not fly.