Volume VII, No. 68 - Autumn 2014 Starshell ‘A little light on what’s going on!’ Celebrating 100 years of submarines in the RCN! 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 Our cover… The submarine HMCS Windsor is seen in this photograph taken on the east coast, returning to her home base Halifax following a three month deployment in 2006. Windsor was undocked on October 8th 2014 from Starshell the Syncrolift at HMC Dockyard in Halifax, after a generator was suc- ISSN-1191-1166 cessfully replaced, scheduled maintenance was performed and a ma- jor upgrade to the submarine’s main bow sonar system was installed. National magazine of The Naval Association of Canada She will now begin equipment tests and trials in harbour and at sea. Magazine nationale de L’Association Navale du Canada Photo by Cpl Eric Girard, Canadian Forces Combat Camera www.navalassoc.ca In this edition… PATRON • HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh HONORARY PRESIDENT • H. R. (Harry) Steele NAC Conference – Submarines: Past, Present & Future 4 Opening Remarks 4 PRESIDENT • Jim Carruthers, [email protected] Luncheon Address 6 Conference Wrap Up 8 PAST PRESIDENT • Ken Summers, [email protected] From the Bridge 11 TREASURER • King Wan, [email protected] The Front Desk 13 NAVAL AFFAIRS • Daniel Sing, [email protected] Schober’s Quiz #66 13 Bill’s Corner – Howe Goes the Battle? 14 HISTORY & HERITAGE • Dr. Alec Douglas, [email protected] A Selection of Naval Notes – World Ship Society Vancouver 14 HONORARY COUNSEL • Donald Grant, [email protected] Mail Call – Letters to the Editor 15 The Briefing Room – Assorted Items of Interest 15 ARCHIVIST • Fred Herrndorf, [email protected] Remembrance – The Inspiration for Unique Canadian Citizenship 18 AUSN LIAISON • Fred F. Abbott, [email protected] NAC Endowment Fund Donation Form 19 • Photographs from the 2014 NAC Conference Ottawa 20 CHAIR ENDOWMENT FUND Brooke Campbell, [email protected] This Will Have to Do – Episode 5 – Admiral Welland’s Memoirs 23 OBIT RESEARCH • Pat Barnhouse, [email protected] Regalia Sales and NAC Kit Shop 29 WEBMASTER • Robert (Bob) Bush, [email protected] Book Reviews 32 Fraser McKee’s ‘The Little Known Navy’ 34 Answers to Schober’s Quiz #66 37 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STARSHELL EDITOR Obituaries and In Memoriam 39 SECRETARY / COMMUNICATIONS George A. Moore Obscure & Offbeat Naval Oddities by J. M. Thornton 40 Kenneth B. 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[email protected] 2 Starshell | Autumn 2014 BAE SYSTEMS PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY SUBMARINE SERVICE Original designers and builders of the Victoria Class, supporting the Royal Canadian Navy since 1998. www.baesystems.com Starshell | Autumn 2014 3 Submarines, Past, Present and Future Speakers’ Remarks Delivered during NAC Conference 2014 Held at the National Arts Centre, Ottawa, October 2nd, 2014 The following three articles represent a small selection of the addresses delivered during the recent NAC Annual Conference in Ottawa. Regrettably, space precludes a more complete selection but the Conference Wrap-Up notes by Dan McNeil beginning on page 8 will provide some idea of the scope and importance of all the conference presentations. Ed. Opening Remarks By Rear-Admiral Ron Lloyd Deputy Commander Royal Canadian Navy Jacek Szymanski, Navy Public Affairs © 2012 DND-MDN Canada of your very busy schedules to be here and participate in what is clearly a very impor- tant conversation, not only for the Royal Ca- nadian Navy but Canada in and of itself. For 100 years, submarines — and subma- riners — have been our navy’s special forces. Those who operate and those who sustain this superb weapons system are unique in maritime service. Today we find ourselves at an interest- ing and challenging time of our transition, not just for our submarine service, but in- deed, for the entire Royal Canadian Navy. This transition includes, as many of you know, the recent announcement of the retire- ment of four of our most venerable and op- erational ships, who have reached the end of their operational lives. On the horizon, we see the completion of the Halifax-class Modernization Program, the introduction of service of three new classes of ships, and an enhanced maritime air capabil- HMCS Victoria SSK 876, transits in the vicinity of Esquimalt during sea training trials and exer- ity in the Cyclone and Aurora aircraft. And cises on February 20th, 2012. as Jim [Carruthers] was mentioning, we’re especially proud of the fact that we’ll be cut- embers of the Naval Associa- you enough for hosting this important con- ting steel soon on the HMCS Harry De Wolf. tion of Canada, distinguished versation about the past, present and future But my intent this morning is to focus guests, ladies and gentlemen, of submarines in Canada, here on this very my remarks on submarines and to give you mesdames et messieurs and fu- auspicious centenary of the Canadian sub- a brief update on the state of this program, Mture submariners … good morning. marine program. from my vantage point inside the RCN. Le vice-amiral Norman regrette de ne Looking over today’s speakers list in Everyone in this room is actually aware pas être présent aujourd’hui. Pour ma part, the comprehensive program, it’s obvious that submarines are among Canada’s most je suis honoré d’être avec vous au nom des that this event has truly drawn the best of strategic military assets. I say strategic, be- militaires de la Marine en service. the best, when it comes to strategic subma- cause of the effects they can generate, sim- Vice-Admiral Norman and I wish to ex- rine expertise from Canada and around the ply by having them in the Canadian Armed press our thanks to the Naval Association of world — both military and civilian. I sin- Forces inventory. Canada, Jim, and the team, we can’t thank cerely thank you all for taking the time out They are among the most complex 4 Starshell | Autumn 2014 MCpl Chris Ward, MARPAC Imaging Services machines on the planet, and they operate in an environment that tolerates very little error or technical defect. This is why our partnerships across the spectrum, but in particular with industry, are so crucially important when it comes to this platform. Later this year, HMCS Chicoutimi will come out of her Extended Docking Work Pe- riod—EDWP—and rejoin the fleet. She’s at sea now, and that’s a great thing. Chicoutimi’s was the first EDWP conduct- ed by industry under the Victoria In-Service Support Contract with Victoria Shipyards. The successful near-completion of Chi- coutimi’s long road back has not only been enabled by the skills and talent of our subma- rine community, but also by the relationships forged with industry. These partnerships en- abled the establishment of new supply chains for these subs, and the integrated logistics to sustain these complex weapons systems. Transferring the skills and knowledge needed to conduct the deep maintenance of our Victoria-class was a strategic outcome in its own right. And it’s one that will reap significant benefits in the years to come as HMCS Chicoutimi SSK 879, departed CFB Esquimalt for a month of trials and evaluations on industry learns from each extended dock- September 28th.