With over 17 years of experience in • CANADIAN MILITARY’S TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE • DRYWALL FINISHING NEED and specializing in HOME RENOVATIONS Volume 66 Number 34 | August 30, 2021 NEEDMORE W ca help! MORESPACE? SPACE?FOR RENTAL PERIODS! VETERANS SPECIAL 2 WE WILL % OFF *Some restrictons apply PLUS... Receive a COVER 30% SPACE?50 military discount: OF THE COSTS OF MATERIALS 10% OFF newspaper.com EACH FOLLOWING MONTH MARPAC NEWS CFB Esquimalt, Victoria, B.C. 250-880-8242 | [email protected] 4402 Westshore Parkway, Victoria www.facebook.com/soldierdrywallvictoria (778) 817-1293 • eliteselfstorage.ca 4402 Westshore Parkway, Victoria (778) 817-1293 • eliteselfstorage.ca REGINA PRIDE S3 Kian Kamyabi Pour raised the LGBTQ2+ Pride flag on board HMCS Regina for National Public Service Pride Week. Pride events span the course of several months. Pride Season is a unifying term that refers to the period between June and September when LGBTQ2+ communities and allies come together at different times throughout the summer to spotlight the resilience, talent, and contributions of LGBTQ2+ people in many Canadian cities. Photo courtesy HMCS Regina Molly Maids Display 2 (3.322”) x 2” Weekly Beautiful smiles We proudly serve the Island Owned and Operated start here! since 1984. Canadian Forces Community As a military family we understand your cleaning needs during ongoing VIEW OUR FLYER service, deployment and relocation. Capital Park www.mollymaid.ca IN THIS PAPER WEEKLY! Dental check out our newly renovated esquimalt store 250-590-8566 CapitalParkDental.com (250) 744-3427 Français aussi ! Suite 110, 525 Superior St, Victoria [email protected] 2 • LOOKOUT CANADIAN MILITARY’S TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE • CELEBRATING 77 YEARS PROVIDING RCN NEWS August 30, 2021 NEWFOUNDLAND WRECKS CLEARED OF EXPLOSIVES Peter Mallett lar tourist attraction; the colours and sea Staff Writer life around the wrecks is spectacular,” says MS Joseph Falletta, Mine Countermeasure Beneath the icy blue water off Belle Island, Maintenance Supervisor with FDU(P), one of Newfoundland, are the remnants of naval four divers from Maritime Forces Pacific who wartime history – sunken ships. took part in the mission. It’s a favourite spot for recreational divers, Sea life encountered ranged from cod fish but with any sunken warship, there are dan- to a family of Minke whales. gers associated with unexploded ordnance “We believe the whales are residents of the and ammunition. area and kept an eye on us throughout the In July, a team of clearance divers from deployment,” he adds. Fleet Diving Unit Pacific and Atlantic, and Before starting their mission, divers were Combat Divers from 4 Combat Engineer uncertain if they would be handling live Support Regiment spent three weeks finish- ammunition designed to cause maximum ing the removal of these items, which began damage to enemy warships and submarines. in 2019. Thankfully, says MS Falletta, none of the Clearing the site of hazards will allow the ordnance removed was fused. They were still Government of Canada to declare the ship- in their original shipping containers located wrecks a national historic site. in ammunition lockers underneath the gun The sunken relics are freighters SS Saganaga, decks, notably on the SS Lord Strathcona. SS Lord Strathcona, SS Rose Castle, and “Once inside the ammo lockers, we encoun- Paris-Lyons-Méditerranée 27. In the Second tered very poor visibility due to the rust and World War, they were equipped with weap- debris being stirred up and falling from the onry and explosives for protection against deckheads when our [air] bubbles would hit German U-Boat attacks during the Battle of it,” says MS Falletta, adding they used the the Atlantic. They were tasked with carry- Ultra Lightweight Diving System. ing iron ore from Belle Island’s mine to steel To get the ordnance out, divers attached mills in Nova Scotia as part of the war effort. them to lift bags and floated them to the sur- Over 60 sailors died when German subma- face. They were then transferred to Moncton. rines sunk them. Since the ordnance was required to be Military divers were tasked with removing disposed of the same day, gun rounds and the final 60 pieces of 4.75-inch deck gun ammunition were taken to a quarry in rounds and small arms from the hulls of the Holyrood, with assistance from the RCMP four sunken freighters. A similar operation and Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. by clearance divers in 2019 removed and They were destroyed by FDU (A) Explosive destroyed 140 pieces of ordnance. Ordinance Disposal Technicians. With this mission, divers operated from “All four wrecks have been rendered safe the deck of HMCS Moncton, with support from explosives and are now safe for civilian personnel from Naval Reserve Unit HMCS diving,” says MS Falletta. “For me, this mis- Cabot in St. John’s, Nfld. sion was a career high. I got to do something “Visibility underwater on most days was really neat and challenging while ensuring near perfect, and from a sightseeing angle our sovereign waters were made safe for it is easy to see why the site is such a popu- people to enjoy.” All four wrecks have been rendered safe from explosives and are now safe for civilian diving” – MS Joseph Falletta, Mine Countermeasure Photos by Corporal Braden Trudeau, Maintenance Supervisor with FDU(P) Canadian Armed Forces Imagery Technician August 30, 2021 CANADIAN MILITARY’S TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE • CELEBRATING 77 YEARS PROVIDING RCN NEWS LOOKOUT • 3 Sailor Third Class Daniel Heath, Wit over 17 year of a new HMCS Malahat recruit, DRYWALL FINISHING practices throwing a line as EXPERIENCE part of summer training at the an special in i naval reserve unit. HOME RENOVATIONS W ca help! 250-880-8242 [email protected] www.facebook.com/soldierdrywallvictoria VETERANS SPECIAL: WE WILL COVER 30% OF THE COSTS OF MATERIALS OPEN EVERY DAY • NO LIMITS • PLENTY OF PARKING TRY OUR NO SORT BOTTLE DRIVES! FAST & EASY FUNDRAISING Photo by S2 Emma Stewart Top 3 reasons to use a mortgage broker: HMCS Malahat’s Newest So, you’ve made an offer on a property and it’s been accepted, congratulations! Now what? Securing the right kind of financing should now be at your forefront. However, how do you know you are getting your optimal situation? Here are the top 3 reasons you should Recruits Get Competitive use a mortgage broker: 1 SAVE TIME AND MONEY: We genuinely care about our clients and want what is best for them. We have During Summer Training over two decades of experience in the mortgage lending industry. This, combined with our access to a wide range of financial Institutions, ensures you are getting not only the best rate, but terms and conditions that best suits your SLt Donald Den (life/buoy) ring tossing, nautical flag recognition, unique financial needs as quickly as possible. Creative HMCS Malahat and, being able to drive a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat financial solutions are our specialty! (RHIB) outside of Victoria’s Inner Harbour. 2 QUALIFIED ADVICE: Buying a home can be Throughout July, HMCS Malahat’s new recruits “The idea in taking recruits out and letting them overwhelming, especially if you do not have impartial have been undergoing summer training at Victoria’s drive the boats is to get them familiar with how the advice you can rely upon. Allow us to help guide and Naval Reserve Division, following all COVID-19 throttle feels, how the boat goes, and what it is like explain to you all that you need to know so you can feel confident and empowered in your financial decisions. health and safety protocols. to operate in a sea-based environment,” explains This latest batch of Naval Reserve recruits are Sailor Second Class Emma Stewart, Acting Chief 3 ACCESSIBILITY: Have you ever called a bank and currently under contract at Malahat through the Boatswain Mate. got placed on hold, then transferred, just to be placed Training culminated in Malahat’s first-ever on hold again? We know your time is important. Our team Guaranteed Employment Offer (GEO) as outlined is always available to help you with anything you may need in Canada’s Defence Policy Strong, Secure, Engaged, Boatswain’s Olympics. Recruits competed in events throughout your approval journey. We are committed to the which offers summer employment for Reservists. based on their training, including flag recognition, highest standard of customer satisfaction and have over The main focus for the summer has been learning seamanship trivia, and a kisbee ring toss, with both three dozen 5-star Google Reviews! the basics of the sea, and giving recruits their first the recruits and current Malahat members of taking navy on-the-water experiences. This is something part. they will be immersed in throughout their navy “The recruits were learning pretty quickly, and we At Miller Mortgages, career. can be pretty competitive, so it was a great opportu- we are dedicated to “Allowing new sailors the opportunity to expe- nity and a fun contest,” says S2 Stewart. help you achieve your rience life in the navy is essential, not only for For those new members of Malahat, the summer homeownership goals. their training but for unit cohesion and morale as training period has been filled with both new experi- well,” says Sub-Lieutenant Eric Jakubowski, GEO ences and challenges. Whether it is your first time Coordinator. “Having recruits go through activities “The opportunity to learn about the day-to-day buying, a second home, based on the fundamentals of sailorship gives them duties of a Naval Reservist has been great, and being or a rental property, let us provide you a stress-free something to look forward to in their future career able to go out on the boats and learn some maneu- Dan Miller as Naval Reservists.” vers has helped make the summer more enjoy- Mortgage Broker mortgage undertaking.