Operation LANCASTER - Canadian Navy

www.navres.forces.gc.ca Vol.15, No.3, December 2006 

Operation LANCASTER 

Arctic Operation a Sovereignty Success 

By Capt Joanna Labonté 

When you traverse Canada’s 

magnificent Arctic, by sea or by 

air, you come to recognize how 

stunning it truly is. There is a realization 

that Canada must continue to proclaim 

s o v e reignty of this beautiful land. 

Operation LANCASTER, which took 

place from August 12 to 25, has exercised 

the Canadian Forces’ ability to 

operate in a joint and integrated manner 

in very austere northern conditions. 

Ships, aircraft, soldiers, sailors and airmen 

and women have joined together 

with other federal government departments 

to assert Canadian sovereignty 

in the Baffin Region. 

This challenging operation began with a 

Canadian Forces (CF) celebration in 

Iqaluit, Nunavut on August 12 and 13, 

where the community joined the CF 

in a variety of activities and looked 

on as the Army, Navy and Air Force 

m a rched through the city streets as 

they were granted Freedom of the City 

by the Mayor. The Prime Minister 

of Canada joined the Commander of 

Joint Task Force North (JTFN) and the 

Commanding Officer of Her Majesty’s 

Canadian Ship (HMCS) MONTREAL 

to officially start the operation aboard 

HMCS MONTREAL. The ships then 

moved North to Pond Inlet where 

sea, air and land patrols commenced 

following the disembarkation of the 

Royal 22 e Regiment (R22 e R) and the 

Canadian Rangers at three Observation 

Posts located at strategic locations in 

the Lancaster Sound region. 

Continued on page 4 

HMCS GOOSE BAY and the Canadian Coast Guard Ship, 

Henry Larsen sit near Pond Inlet, Nunavut during Operation 

LANCASTER this past August. Operation LANCASTER was 

a joint, integrated operation which was lead by Joint Task 

Force North. (Photo by Capt Joanna Labonté)

IN THIS ISSUE 

From the Commander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

Operations 

Operation LANCASTER (continued) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Bell Buoy 2006 goes Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 

Reserve Divers are going North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

Divers Exercise their Port Security Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

Exercise Blackened Chicken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

It’s All A Mirage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

Training 

New and Improved Officers’ Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

Patrolling Canada’s Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 

In the NRDs 

A Passion Shared . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

A Naval Reservist Receives the Order of Military Merit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

A New Commander Takes the Lead of CHAMPLAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

General Interest 

Naval Reservists Support Local Sea Cadet Program! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 

Serving in the Canadian Forces while Studying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Visit of HMCS SUMMERSIDE to Saguenay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 

On Yukon Time! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

History 

The Royal Canadian Naval Air Service – “The Fleet Air Arm” . . . . . . . . 20 

Friends First! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

2 LI N K Vol.15, No.3, December 2006 

Vol.15, No.3, December 06 

Director: LCdr Luc Charron 

Editor: Lt(N) Peggy Thériault 

Contributors: 

Cmdre R. Blakely, Capt(N) H. Létourneau, 

LCdr A. Auclair, LCdr T. Khaner, 

LCdr M. Moutillet, LCdr N. Slonosky, 

Capt J. Labonté, Capt E. Mills, 

Lt(N) F. Ferland, Lt(N) A. Grove, 

Lt(N) P. Simas, Lt(N) C. Stewart, 

SLt B. King, SLt P. Kulmala, 

A/SLt S. Boivin, Slt E. Lemire, 

A/SLt D. Turcotte, CPO2 B. Mauro, 

CPO2 D. Oliphant, MS P. Zadlo, 

LS F. Mosseray, Mrs. S. Christopher, 

Mr. B. Forsyth. 

Translation: 

MARCOM Translation Bureau 

Graphic Design: 

Évolution Graphique 

www.evolutiongraphique.com 

Printer: 

Alain Bélanger imprimeur (Québec) 

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authority of the Commander Naval Reserve. 

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are not to be construed as official policy. 

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Email: charro n . l @ f o rc e s . g c . c a 

I n t e rnet: www.navre s . f o rc e s . c a

Xmas 

By Cmdre Robert R. Blakely 

T 

he Holiday Season is the traditional 

time of the year for us to enjoy 

family and friends, to celebrate 

according to our Faiths and to spread ‘Good 

Cheer.’ The time of celebration is a time 

of giving of ourselves and of our wealth to 

others, be they close to us or less fortunate. 

The ‘Spirit of Christmas’ (regardless of your 

religious belief) is a spirit of giving; where 

the gift need not be tangible and often is 

most appreciated if it comes from the heart. 

This Holiday Season, Canadians will be in 

harm’s way in order to assist in bringing a 

better life to people who can not get that 

better life unless people from a rich and 

peaceful country like ours stick their necks 

out for others. Those ‘others’ are people 

that we seemingly have little in common 

with and who we barely know. That has 

been the history of our Nation; we have 

never fought to grab someone else’s ‘stuff’ 

nor for conquest. We have fought and died 

for the cause of the person who has no one 

else to stand up for them. So, remember 

those men and women who are spending 

this time away from family and friends in 

this Season. They are at risk and in peril 

doing what our Country has sent them to do. 

FROM THE 

COMMANDER 

Remember also their families here in 

Canada; the stress of loved ones being 

away is bad enough, the danger just makes 

it so much worse. 

As Naval Reservists we will not likely be 

required to serve in this sort of overseas 

deployment, but we do serve Canada and 

contribute to our Nation’s Defense. We 

give our time, juggle the competing interests 

of our complicated lives and often are 

away from home for extended periods. 

I am grateful to have the honour to lead a 

F o rmation of such dedicated persons. 

I thank you for what you have done over the 

year and wish that your Holiday be joyous 

and filled with everything that our hearts 

can desire. May next year be even better! 

Keep the men and women in harm’s way in 

your hearts and their families in your 

thoughts, not just now that the Holidays 

are upon us but throughout the year. They 

a re worthy of being front and centre 

this Christmas. 

Cmdre Robert R. Blakely is the Commander 

Naval Reserve. 

LI N K Vol.15, No.3, December 2006 

3

O P E R AT I O N S 

2 0 0 6 

N AVAL RESERV E 

P H O T O G R A P H Y 

C O N T E S T 

This contest is being held 

for the seventh time and 

entries may be submitted by 

members of the Naval Reserve 

(and members of the 

Regular Force or 

Reserve Force 

who are attached to 

a Naval Reserve Unit). 

The contest has only one 

category: Military Life. 

Either black and white or 

colour prints may be submitted. 

The deadline for entries 

is February 1, 2007. 

Master rules and entry forms 

were forwarded to NRDs. 

Prizes will be awarded for first, 

second, and third place entries 

(provided there are enough entries). 

The names of the award winners 

will be published in the 

March 2007 issue of the LINK. 


Operation LANCASTER (continued) 

Arctic Operation a Sovereignty Success 

By Capt Joanna Labonté 

A multitude of organizations came together 

to conduct this sovereignty operation 

with JTFN in the lead. Also involved 

w e re the HMC Ships MONTREAL, 

GOOSEBAY and MONCTON, an Aurora 

from 405 Squadron, two 

G r i ffon helicopters fro m 

408 Squadron in Edmonton, 

and two CC-138 Tw i n 

Otters from 440 Squadron, 

Yellowknife. A platoon of 

soldiers from the R22 e R 

of Five Mechanized Brigade 

G roup was involved and 

supported by the true 

guides of the North, the 

Canadian Rangers of One 

Canadian Ranger Patro l 

G roup. Other federal 

departments that joined the 

operation were the Canadian Ice Service 

that provided information on arctic ice; 

shipping and pollution; the RCMP who 

conducted community policing and 

conducted a grave restoration on Devon 

Island; Parks Canada co-located with the 

two army observation posts located in 

S i r milik National Park; Fisheries and 

Oceans Canada took part in a fisheries 

patrol with the Canadian Navy; and the 

Canadian Coast Guard Ships, H e n r y 

Larsen and Terry Fox also participated. 

The Government of Nunavut co-hosted 

community day events in the communities 

of Iqaluit, Clyde River and Qikiqtarjuaq 

during the operation. 

“Operation 

LANCASTER was 

a great success 

due to the 

hard work and 

commitment 

of all parties 

involved.” 

“Operation LANCASTER was a great 

success due to the hard work and commitment 

of all parties involved,” said Colonel 

Chris Whitecross, Commander of JTFN. 

“Joint and integrated partnerships are the 

only way to conduct Arctic 

operations and to ensure 

that the sovereignty footprint 

is placed firmly on our 

Northern Canadian soil.” 

The operation in the eastern 

A rctic follows another 

s o v e reignty operation that 

was conducted by JTFN 

this summer in the western 

arctic. Operation BEAUFORT 

involved JTFN personnel, 

Canadian Rangers, the 

RCMP and the Canadian 

Coast Guard. JTFN intends to conduct 

routine sovereignty operations throughout 

the year in various areas in the Arctic. 

In 2007, Exercise NARWHAL will take 

place in the Mackenzie Delta region and 

will involve all three elements of the CF 

and other government departments in a 

domestic operations exercise. 

Capt Joanna Labonté is the Public Affairs 

Officer at Joint Task Force North.

Bell Buoy 2006 goes Wireless 

This Year’s Exercise is Revolutionnary 

By LCdr Tim Khaner 

T 

he annual Bell Buoy exercise was 

hosted by the US Navy this year, 

in San Diego and Keyport, 

Washington. About 28 sailors participated 

at the San Diego portion, including 

Lieutenant-commanders Dan ManuPopa, 

Dale Vincent and Tim Khaner and 

Lieutenants (Navy) Willy Wilkins and Becky 

Haydon from Canada. Another contingent 

deployed to Keyport. 

The exercise was run by Naval Cooperation 

and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) 

Detachment C (Det C), Captain William 

Dailey from the US Naval Reserve as 

O fficer in Charge. Although based in 

Chicago, members of Det C actually live 

anywhere in the US and are attached to the 

unit based on the availability of positions. 

Joining us in San Diego were officers from 

South Korea, Australia and a contingent of 

three officers and two senior non-commissioned 

officers from the Royal Navy (RN). 

Rounding out this operational side of the 

exercise were seven senior officers from 

Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Singapore and 

Argentina who participated as observers. 

One focus of the exercise was on interoperability 

of personnel, procedures and equipment, 

with the objective of creating an 

accurate picture of the commercial shipping 

p i c t u re and sharing it amongst all the 

players. Although this was a normal objective 

for the Bell Buoy exercises - the unusual 

factor this year was that no hard-wired 

equipment was to be provided, in order to 

simulate a true packed-up deployment with 

minimal support. 

A few laptops with a wireless router, three 

cell phones, the US standard Command 

and Control for the Personal Computer 

(C2PC) software and the RN standard 

NAMESIS software were provided. Luckily 

the RN and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) 

also provided a few computers and access 

to the online databases Fairplay and 

AISLive. Our target was to be able to 

display the same information on both 

systems by sharing data wirelessly and 

then integrating our information with an 

unclassified, wireless Global Command and 

Control System (GCCS) feed to present 

to the maritime component commander a 

comprehensive “white” picture. 

The exercise operated out of the conference 

room at the “shore side” naval station. The 

most basic communications tool we rely on 

- plain old telephone service – was not 

provided. This led to the rental of push-totalk 

(PTT) cell phones, which also operate 

like walkie-talkies. With only one phone 

per watch, billed by the minute, we had to 

economize on our conversations. The PTT 

feature provided the opportunity to practice 

s t a n d a rd voice pro c e d u re and simulate 

conversations with ships at sea in a 

realistic way. 

We maintained our situational awareness with 

a live, wireless connection to the internet. 

With direct access to current port shipping 

information and the ability to cross reference 

ships with the Fairplay databases and 

AISLive picture we were able to enhance 

ship information on our own systems and 

therefore add value to the recognized maritime 

picture. Although we did not feed information 

into the real GCCS, we were able to 

demonstrate the capability to do so had we 

also had the secure facilities required. 

Our principal input tool for capturing ship 

i n f o r mation was the Naval Merc h a n t 

Shipping Information System (NAMESIS). 

The RN has had a full-time NCAGS presence 

in Dubai for over three years, known as the 

United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization 

Dubai. This small outfit of three full 

time reservists provides broad situational 

information to the commercial shipping 

world on request. They have become very 

proficient at using NAMESIS as a standalone 

system, synchronizing over the internet 

on a scheduled basis. We received feeds 

from both Dubai and Singapore during the 

exercise, and combined all this with our own 

local information. With a bit of clever programming, 

one of the US officers combined 

Bell Buoy 06 San Diego contingents. 


our product picture with GOOGLE EARTH 

to show a full color geographic display less 

than a few hours timelate. 

The local NCAGS operations were divided 

into the functions of Shipping Control Point 

and Shipping Coordination Centre, and a 

D I S TAFF office. This arrangement was 

replicated in Keyport. While the three computers 

provided by the US proved too few 

to meet requirements, the RN and RAN 

machines were able to link to the ad hoc 

local network set up by each function. 

Besides the cell phones, the main communications 

tool was through an intranet portal 

set up on the internet for the occasion. This 

provided a common web page to hold 

documents, an email system and live chat to 

cover urgent technical issues. All this was 

happening over our single wireless connection, 

with sometimes up to ten computers 

trying to access the internet, and bandwidth 

proved to be a problem. During off-peak 

hours though, the concept worked beautifully. 

We could enter information in NAME- 

SIS, synchronize data to another office and 

export a GOLD message to C2PC and 

watch it show up seconds later in a different 

office across the wireless network. 

While the Canadians provided key expertise 

in pure NCAGS processes, were able to 

contribute as equals with RN and RAN, and 

provided guidance and NCAGS instruction 

to US Navy, we were operating at much less 

than flank speed in the technology and connectivity 

issues. Bell Buoy 2006 provided 

great experience and pointed a clear path 

forward for our NCAGS community. 

LCdr Tim Khaner is the Commanding 

Officer of NCAGSU 2. 


5


Reserve Divers are going North 

A First for many of them 

By MS Przemek Zadlo 

P 

ort Inspection Divers (PID) often 

look forward to the challenge of 

working in different environments, 

locations and weather conditions, since 

this experience improves individual and 

team diving capabilities. So, when the 

opportunity for PIDs from the Central 

Region Diving Centre (RDC(C)) to dive 

“North of 60” presented itself, it was something 

that the team had to participate in. 


In the spring of 2006, the Commanding 

O fficer of RDC(C), Commander Chris 

Ross, was challenged by Naval Reserve 

Headquarters (NAVRESHQ) to conduct a 

regional dive exercise within the Joint Task 

Force (Northern) (JTF(N)) area of responsibility. 

He quickly turned to Petty Officer 

1 st Class Dave Bennett and Petty Officer 

2 nd Class Mike Stiller, his Dive Chief and 

Senior Diver respectively, to discuss the 

feasibility and logistics of hosting such a 

diving exercise. 

A recognition to Yellowknife, N.W.T., was 

arranged in June 2006 to assess the “lay 

of the land” and establish contacts. With 

sound confirmation from his senior 

divers, Cdr Ross accepted the challenge 

and NAVRESHQ gave the green light 

to begin Diving Exercise SOMBAK’E 

(traditional Dogrib Tribe name for 

Yellowknife meaning “Money Place”). What 

started as a suggestion was soon to become 

a re w a rding and historic achievement. 

Naval Reserve divers have never conducted 

dive training in the Arctic. 

Central Region Port Inspection Divers led by 

Cdr Ross (seated 2 nd from bottom right) 

strike a pose at the City of Yellowknife sign. 

The Central Region divers are the first 

Naval Reserve divers to operate in the Arctic.

The task was quite a challenge; in under 

60 days from the time the exercise was 

approved, RDC(C) was to canvas, select and 

send a complement of 25 personnel from 

Central Region to Yellowknife including 

20 divers and five command and support 

staff, ship over two metric tons of dive 

gear, equipment and dangerous goods, and 

arrange all local logistical support needed to 

hold a successful and cost-effective four-day 

Regional diving exercise. All this was to be 

arranged during the late summer months 

when reservists are typically away conducting 

training, since diving was to be conducted 

before the first snow fall, which is often the 

middle of September. 

An advance party led by PO1 Bennett landed 

in Yellowknife on September 4. The 

remaining divers from Her Majesty’s 

Canadian Ships CATARAQUI, GRIFFON, 

PREVOST, STAR and YORK landed on 

September 8, and began diving few hours 

after the plane touched down. The first 

dive conducted by the RDC(C) PID Team 

was in Long Lake, adjacent to the 

Yellowknife Airport. The Team, with news 

reporters in tow, immediately located a 

wing from an aircraft reportedly belonging 

to a DC-3 that crashed at the airport 

during WWII. The wing was subsequently 

raised, towed and beached. 

The next day, the team went on to conduct 

a dive for the city of Yellowknife, where 

over one km of the city’s fresh water 

pipeline in the Yellowknife River was 

inspected. Local firefighters had planted a 

few training mines on the pipeline that were 

discovered during the inspection, along with 

some blasting caps that were not part of 

the exercise but were subsequently reported 

to the RCMP. That afternoon and evening, 

the Team worked on Great Slave Lake, 

joining the Department of Fisheries and 

Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard 

Auxiliary to conduct a bottom search and 

marine habitat study of the Back Bay area. 

Diving in Yellowknife was a significant leap 

from a geographical perspective, but it also 

created significant opportunities to build 

inter-governmental and municipal relations 

in Canada’s North. Substantial logistical and 

planning support was provided by JTF(N), 

specifically Lieutenant(N) David Connelly, 

and the Canadian Ranger Patrol Group 

(CRPG) stationed at the NORAD Forward 

Operating Location (FOL). Other local 

support was provided by the City of 

Yellowknife and its Fire Division and 

Territorial Hospital. 

One of the many exercise objectives for 

the RDC(C) was to promote Naval 

Reservists and divers in the JTF(N) region. 

After unpacking cargo, readying the dive 

gear, and setting up a storage and staging 

point in a CF-18 jet hangar. The Advance 

Party spent several days in and around 

Yellowknife conducting public affairs visits 

to local schools, newspapers, radio and 

television stations, describing what Navy 

Port Inspection Divers do and in general 

what the Navy and Naval Reserve are all 

about. Students were given an opportunity 

to ask questions and try on some of the 

diving equipment. 


Divers from Regional Diving 

Centre (Central) work with a 

WWII DC-3 plane wing that 

was located and recovered from 

Long Lake near the Yellowknife 

Airport. Clockwise from left 

are LS Tavares, LS Potoma, 

LS De Liberali and PO2 Skrban. 

Yellowknife has a population of about 

25,000 people, so news of the visiting 

Navy divers spread fast, and soon everyone 

knew Central Region was in town. Of course, 

the barrage of Navy bumper stickers, 

T-shirts and Naval Reserve recruiting paraphernalia 

that was given out during the local 

visits didn’t hurt to spread the word either. 

The team was well-received by everyone 

they met and it was quite an experience. 

So what did this exercise prove? RDC(C) 

has confirmed it is capable of effectively 

deploying north of 60, and further proved 

that it can successfully accomplish a mission 

in an environment diff e rent from what 

was considered typical. A testament to 

this was the estimated 50 hours of dive 

time and over 80 dive cycles accumulated 

during the exercise. In addition, JTF(N) also 

knows that its friends to the south are 

willing and able to provide dive support 

when required. 

MS Przemek Zadlo is a diver of the RDC(C) 

Port Inspection Diving Team. 


7


Divers Exercise their Port 

Security Capabilities 

By LCdr Nick Slonosky 

During the period from August 14 to 

25, 2006, a Navy Port Inspection 

Dive Team (PIDT) was tasked to 

execute a hull search on a B.C. Ferry. 

Not something done every day, and the 

challenge was further complicated by the 

fact that the dive had to occur after 

midnight in total darkness and had to be 

completed before the ferry loaded and 

sailed early the next morning. 

Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) crewed 

by Naval Reservists were seen in Nanaimo 

Harbour, and surrounding waters, conducting 

armed boat patrols, hailing and intercepting 

vessels, and escorting arriving B.C. ferries 

to the Nanaimo Duke Point Ferry Terminal, 

as well as protecting other High Value 

Assets. In addition, there were responses 

to protests, fuel spills, Search and Rescue 

and challenges requiring the exercise of 

controlled use of force through application 

of domestic rules of engagement and principles 

of self-defence. 

Three Port Security Unit Rigid-Hull Inflatable 

Boats escort a vessel out of the RCMP 

“Safety and Security Zone”. 

(Photo taken by Sea Training (Pacific)) 


All these events had one thing in common, 

they were part of Exercise WESTERN 

SENTRY 06 (WS06), a Maritime Forces 

Pacific sponsored port security exercise, 

held at Duke Point in Nanaimo, B.C., 

and involving Port Security Unit Four 

(PSU 4) and other government departments 

( O G D s ) , such as the RCMP, Tr a n s p o r t 

Canada, B.C. Ferries and the Nanaimo 

Port Authority. 

The aim for WS06 was to exercise domestic 

port security procedures and provide assistance 

to OGDs in the form of support to 

law enforcement agency operations under a 

basic threat scenario. An exercise such as 

WS06 provides an opportunity for Canada 

to exercise its port security capability and 

maintain a maritime security presence in a 

domestic environment. 

Maritime Operations Group Four 

( M A R O P S G R U 4) stood up PSU 4, 

in order to meet the exercise mandate. 

In all, PSU 4 was manned by reservists 

from 14 Naval Reserve Divisions, Fleet 

Diving Unit (Pacific), and both 741 and 

748 Communications Squadrons. Combat 

service support was provided by 11 (Victoria) 

Service Battalion. 

For the two-week exercise, PSU 4 consisted 

of a Command Team, Port Security 

Operations Centre, a Communications 

Centre, a Boat Section, Maintenance Cell, 

Port Inspection Dive Team, Intelligence 

Cell, Logistics Section and base camp Force 

Protection and access control point team. 

During the exercise, over 100 navy and 

army personnel lived under field conditions 

at the Nanaimo Duke Point Deep Sea 

Facility Terminal, and operated in the adjacent 

Northumberland Channel, Nanaimo 

Harbour and Straits of Georgia. 

“From start to finish, this was a challenging 

exercise in every respect,” said Lieutenant- 

Commander Doug Martin, Commander of 

PSU 4. “It was impressive to see individual 

reservists from all over Canada come 

together and operate effectively as a team 

so quickly and it was very interesting 

working with OGDs all of which have a role 

in domestic marine security.” 

A group of dignitaries and executives 

from Alberta were invited to visit the exercise 

as part of a Canadian Forces Liaison 

Council sponsored Executrek program to 

give a first-hand view of the quality of 

“On patrol”. 

(Photo taken by Sea Training (Pacific))

military training. Captain (Navy) Bill Truelove, 

Commander MAROPSGRU 4, who briefed 

these visitors, said “Reservists and the support 

that they receive from their employers 

are critical to all missions of the Canadian 

Forces. Canada’s Reserve forces provide a 

trained and motivated pool of citizen sailors 

and soldiers, which are relied on daily to 

fulfill the Canadian Forces’ missions, both 

at home and abroad.” 

Working with OGDs, and in particular the 

RCMP, in a supportive role is how a PSU 

would normally operate if the Navy was 

given a domestic task, valuable lessons are 

learned as a result of major training exercises 

such as WS06. 

Although the exercise concluded on 

August 25, naval reservists will continue 

to receive regular training, both regionally 

and within their home unit, throughout the 

year in order to maintain combat readiness. 

Petty Officer 1 st Class Rob Low from HMCS 

D I S C O V E RY in Vancouver who served 

as PSU 4’s senior naval communicator said 

“It is amazing how reservists from all over 

Canada come together and can function 

as an operational unit in such a short 

period of time. The high level of commitment 

and professionalism of everyone is 

very impressive. I am already looking 

forward to the regional training that we will 

be conducting this winter and when a 

PSU is stood up for the next exercise or 

operation, I’ll be there, so will many others. 

We are proud citizens that are also part of 

the military. We train and serve when and 

wherever needed.” 

LCdr Nick Slonosky is the Deputy Commander 

of Port Security Unit Two. 


Jean-Nicolas Maltais speaking with Cdr Gilles Couturier, Commanding Officer of HMCS FREDERICTON, 

while the ship is anchored in the Port of Montreal during a visit aimed 

at promoting the Canadian Forces’ recruitment efforts. 

(Photo by Cpl Peter Reed) 

Jean-Nicolas Realized his Dream 

By 2Lt Evelyne Lemire and Susan Christopher 

On September 19 and 20, HMCS 

FREDERICTON dropped anchor in the 

Old Port of Montreal for a short two-day 

visit. At first, this port visit resembled 

many others for Commander Gilles 

Couturier of the HMCS FREDERICTON. 

However, for Jean-Nicolas Maltais, an 

11-year-old Montreal boy, who dreamed 

of meeting the commander of a navy 

ship and of touring the ship with him, 

it was the start of an unforg e t t a b l e 

adventure. Jean-Nicolas’s story is a story 

of courage and perseverance because 

he fights cancer every day. When Cdr 

Couturier learned of Jean-Nicolas’s 

wish, the dream became a reality for the 

young boy and his family. 

Consequently, on September 20, Jean- 

Nicolas boarded HMCS FREDERICTON 

where several big surprises were awaiting 

him. Our young wannabe commander 

first had a guided tour of the ship, 

accompanied by Cdr Couturier. During 

the visit, he was able to ask any question 

imaginable. Jean-Nicolas also enjoyed a 

rare privilege: sitting in the commander’s 

chair in the command post. He was then 

taken to the personal cabin of the 

Commander where he was given a few 

gifts, including a commander’s hat and 

a t-shirt bearing the colours and symbol 

of the navy. These souvenirs will remind 

him of his visit to the HMCS FREDE- 

RICTON. Susan Christopher, Public 

A ffairs Office of National Defence- 

Quebec Region, and Catherine 

Dumouchel, Old Port of Montre a l 

Corporation Inc., also gave Jean-Nicolas 

a few gifts to remind him of his visit. 

Jean-Nicolas’s dream came true thanks 

to his aunt Annick Parent who contacted 

the staff of the Public Affairs Office. We 

hope that we have brought some joy 

to Jean-Nicolas and given him some 

happy memories. We wish him and 

his family good luck. 

2Lt Evelyne Lemire and Susan 

Christopher work at the Public Affairs 

O ffice of National Defence-Quebec 

Region in Montreal. 


9


Exercise Blackened Chicken 

By SLt Bill King 

S 

uppose Canadian Border Services 

Agents (CBSA), formerly called 

Canada Customs, encountered a 

passenger with severe flu-like symptoms 

attempting to enter Canada at passport 

control. Now add a World Health Organization 

phase four warning suggesting that 

the H5N1 virus was present in small clusters 

around the world with limited human-tohuman 

transmission and the possibility of 

a pandemic. 

Would healthy passengers be allowed to 

collect baggage and leave? 

Would ill passengers and crew be taken to 

an emergency ward or elsewhere to maintain 

the quarantine? 

Who would be in overall charge of the 

various response agencies involved? 

These are some of the questions that were 

brought up during the planning phase for 

such an emergency in preparation for 

exercise Blackened Chicken. In order to 

test the Thunder Bay Influenza Response 

Plan and develop Domestic Operations 

interoperability between the civilian agencies 

and military units, HMCS GRIFFON brought 

the various agencies together in an exercise 

designed to overload the system. 

Two CBSA agents board a foreign vessel 

and conduct a crew muster. Five crew members 

are too ill to get out of their racks and 

five others are showing flu-like symptoms. 

Consultation with Health Canada and the 

Thunder Bay District Health Unit results in 

a 911 response by paramedics and police. 

The number of contaminated personnel 

on board the ship initially rises rapidly 

until the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) 

on-site coordinator takes control. He must 

conserve his resources and manpower in 

o rder to evacuate the casualties while 

limiting the spread of infection. 


It becomes evident that the EMS resources 

available on a Saturday morning are insufficient 

to handle so many casualties. It would 

be more convenient if such an incident took 

place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a weekday 

when paramedics could be diverted from 

routine patient transfers. Through the 

Ontario Provincial Emergency Measure s 

Organization, the local EMS coordinator 

contacts the duty officer at Domestic 

Operations for the region and asks for 

help in securing a perimeter and evacuating 

casualties to a triage unit being set up 

at the Thunder Bay District Health 

Unit. An ambulance is dispatched from 

the 18 th Field Ambulance. Trucks and vans 

arrive from the 18 th Service Battalion, and 

HMCS GRIFFON diverts two boats from 

a Port Security Unit exercise to set up a 

controlled access zone around the ship. 

Within three hours, two of the crew are 

dead and all those infected and/or contaminated 

are being treated at the triage unit. 

Interpreters have arrived and a story of the 

smuggling of rare “blackened chickens” 

from China to the ship’s last port of call 

in Milwaukee is pieced together. 

The Emergency Medical Service personnel evacuate 

one of the infected crewmembers from the foreign vessel. 

Planning meetings including all of the 

agencies and units involved were held 

months in advance. No matter what we 

plan, there is nothing like handling this 

number of casualties in a realistic situation 

to iron out problems. 

Is an occurrence like this a realistic possibility? 

Yes, most certainly. Are we completely 

prepared for such an occurrence? We will 

never be fully prepared, but we are better 

than we were, and all of the civilian 

agencies and military units involved have 

an increased appreciation of their counterparts’ 

capabilities in an emergency. 

“Blackened Chicken” refers to an exotic 

dish prepared from specially bred chickens 

with black bones, meat and skin, and paradoxically 

pure white feathers. 

SLt Bill King was the exercise director 

and the Unit Information Officer at 

HMCS GRIFFON.

It’s All A Mirage 

A Naval Reservist Deployed 

By Lt(N) Colin Stewart 

I 

t’s the day before Remembrance 

Day at Camp Mirage and while 

preparations for tomorrow’s ceremony 

are ongoing normal activity goes on. 

Camp Mirage is home to the Theatre 

Support Element of Operation ATHENA – 

our mission to Afghanistan. At Camp 

Mirage we are the link between the Airbus 

from Canada and the Hercules to Kandahar. 

Of course changing planes here isn’t 

quite the same as catching a connecting 

flight at Pearson – Air Canada or WestJet 

tend not to issue live ammunition prior 

to the flight. 

That’s just one of the differences between 

being the Adjutant here at Camp Mirage 

and being the full time class B Logistics 

Officer at Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship 

CHIPPAWA. As the Adjutant, I work directly 

for the Commanding Officer and the 

Chief of Staff (army/air force term for 

Members of Camp Mirage salute as the remains 

of one of their fallen comrades is carried from 

a Hercules aircraft. (Photo by TSE Int Section) 

the Executive Officer) and the job has been 

p retty diff e rent from a Naval Reserve 

Division. I have been exposed to a level of 

army and air operations that will benefit my 

unit as the need for joint training increases 

with the further development of the Joint 

Regional Commands back in Canada. 

This is my second overseas deployment, but 

1990 and the Golan Heights are a long way 

from here. The Golan was hot, but not this 

hot. The low in June was 40 Celsius and in 

July during the troop rotation, the temperature 

on the tarmac was 71. Add humidity 

that stays above 75% all the time and you 

get a ‘different’ working environment than 

what a typical Naval reservist is used to. 

And while the sand at Wasaga Beach is 

pretty fine, the stuff here and in Kandahar 

makes it look like gravel. I’ll probably be 

shaking sand out of my clothes for months 

after I get back. 


While Camp Mirage is relatively safe, located 

as it is in the middle of a rather empty 

desert, I have been to Kandahar – and the 

first time a rocket attack comes in, you 

realize that there is indeed a war going on. 

The second realization is when you have to 

watch a flag – draped casket being carried 

off of a Hercules before it is loaded onto 

the Airbus. Unfortunately I have had to 

watch 26 caskets be carried off aircraft – 

something I hope to never have to do again 

in the last month of my tour. 

And to end on a more cheerful note, while 

some things have changed since our last 

major conflict – I wrote this on a laptop 

and sent it in by e-mail – some things 

haven’t changed. Back in March when they 

told me I was going to deploy to the desert 

in the summer they promptly issued me 

winter clothing. 

Lt(N) Collin Stewart is the Adjutant at the 

Theatre Support Element, Camp Mirage. 


11

T R A I N I N G 

New and Improved Officers’ Course 

By CPO2 Dennis Oliphant 

As another summer of basic officer 

training comes to a close, it seems 

appropriate that the Link bear testimony 

to the countless hours of mentorship, 

education and friendship that have been 

witnessed this past spring and summer at 

the Basic Officer Training Centre (BOTC). 

April saw ten Petty Officers and four officers 

arrive at NOTC Venture in Esquimalt, B.C., 

ready for the instructor indoctrination period. 

Lasting approximately two weeks, this 

period of time is used by the school to 

demonstrate, assess and familiarize the 

instructor cadre with BOTC policies and 

standard operating procedures, small party 

task assessments, inspection routine, student 

files, drill, fieldcraft and weapons and ranges, 

to name but a few areas of instruction. 

This year, all but two of the instructors had 

instructed with the program in years past – 

and even those two Petty Officers had 

in-depth experience with basic recruit 

training in Borden and Saint-Jean. As the 

O ff i c e r- I n - C h a rge of BOTC, Lieutenant- 

Commander Shawn Connelly, put it: “it 

makes sense that an institution that teaches 

officership is taught by officers” (the principle 

of leading by example). Accordingly, 

two more officer positions were added 

to the BOTC instructional and divisional 

mix; these four officers taught the bulk of 

leadership and management theory – no 

small feat. 

The year 2006 also saw the instructional 

organization at BOTC shift from a divisional 

cadre to a subject cadre. All the instructors 

were pooled into one resource and divided 

into an area of expertise, drawing upon 

their strengths to the advantage of the 

students. Such cadre areas included: drill, 

weapons, inspections, fieldcraft, task training, 

military knowledge, leadership theory 

and military writing. Other subjects that 

were taught by outside agencies included: 

first aid, harassment prevention, conflict 

resolution, Chemical, Biological, Radiation 

and Nuclear training (formerly NBCD), and 

physical fitness. The cadre system was well 

embraced by the instructors, as it allowed a 

limited amount of time off – something not 

previously seen in past years. This approach 


to instruction also saw the instructors 

become very conversant with their subject 

matter and parlay this to the students 

through confidence. 

The Initial Assessment Phase (IAP) began 

on April 30 and ended seven weeks later. 

The Basic Officer Training Period (BOTP) 

began immediately afterward and ended on 

July 11. Out of 61 hopeful students at the 

commencement of IAP, 42 were ultimately 

successful. The Commanding Officer of 

the Naval Reserve, Commodore Robert R. 

Blakely, attended the graduation parade 

as the Reviewing Officer and personally 

congratulated every student on their accomplishment, 

while reminding them that the 

most challenging times in their careers were 

still ahead. Sixteen Naval Cadets were commissioned 

on parade while an all-time high 

number of family members, friends and 

peers looked on, pride evident in their faces 

and in their tears. 

BOTC would like to again congratulate all 

the graduates and wishes them much luck 

in their future endeavours as Canadian 

naval officers. Further congratulations are 

extended to Naval Cadet Robin Whitney 

(top student), Naval Cadets Mallory Ackland 

and Markus Delves (academic achievement), 

and Naval Cadets Daniel Bernard, Jorim 

Disengomoka and Karen Lee (personal 

achievement). Petty Officer 2 nd Class Dale 

Warren earned the BOTC Instructor of 

the year Award. BZ to all! 

CPO2 Dennis Oliphant was the BOTC 

Company Chief Petty Officer.

Patrolling Canada’s Coast 

By Lt(N) Adrienne Grove 

Described to a layman, a Maritime 

Security Patrol (MARSECPAT) may 

not seem to be the most glamorous 

of missions for Her Majesty’s Canadian 

Ship (HMCS) WINNIPEG. Steaming up the 

West Coast and into remote inlets, showing 

Canada’s flag to small communities and 

the commercial shipping traffic transiting 

Canadian waters appears to be a simple 

task. Nevertheless, there was more than 

enough to keep even this experienced and 

well trained crew busy. 

M A R S E C PATs are designed to assert 

Canadian sovereignty and re i n f o rce the 

government’s presence in Canadian waters, 

contribute to situational awareness, detect 

and report suspected violations of Canadian 

law, and liaise with coastal communities. 

Within that mission, WINNIPEG was directed 

to visit a number of remote locations, sometimes 

launching her Rigid-hulled Inflatable 

Boat (RHIB) in order to access inlets too 

shallow for the ship. While patrolling these 

areas, WINNIPEG kept an eye out for any 

illegal or suspicious activities, collected data 

and was quick with a smile and a wave for 

passing recreational boaters. 

I joined WINNIPEG with the intent of broadening 

my understanding of naval operations 

and life at sea, as well as developing liaisons 

between the Intelligence and operational 

communities. For a reservist, this was a singular 

opportunity to spend a week among 

the regular crew of a Canadian frigate and 

to integrate into their daily lives. As the sole 

trained Intelligence officer on board, my job 

was to keep Command aware of any vessels 

of interest and to direct the data collection 

process. I improved my understanding of 

how operators can provide input to the 

Intelligence cycle and was able to talk to a 

professional crew about the products they 

require of the Intelligence community in 

order to complete their missions. 

HMCS WINNIPEG 

on patrol off the B.C. Coast. 

(Photo by Cpl Pier-Adam Turcotte, 

CFB Esquimalt) 

I was not the only guest board: eight Maritime 

Surface Subsurface Officer trainees, 

two Chaplain Cadets, an Air Force imagery 

technician, and two Members of Parliament 

rounded out the list of visitors during this 

deployment. Furthermore, a number of the 

ship’s crew are new faces on board – over 

50 percent of WINNIPEG’s crew has turned 

over since she returned from her Persian 

Gulf deployment last fall. 

This high turnover rate, however, has not 

changed the proverbial nature of this particular 

ship. Everyone was in good spirits 

and was happy – even eager – to discuss 

their jobs, the realities of life at sea and, 

most of all, the loved ones they leave 

behind. A week or two on a MARSECPAT 

is not long by comparison to deployments 

overseas, but the trip is lengthened by days 

filled with theoretical lectures, practical 

training exercises and long hours on watch. 

Every spare moment is filled with training 

to keep an already top-notch crew at the 

height of their game; I was proud to sail 

with such a fine ship. 

Lt(N) Adrienne Grove works at JTF(E) 

J2 Maritime. 

T R A I N I N G 

CH-124 Sea King Helicopter from 433 Squadron 

arrives for an emergency medical evacuation. 

(Photo by Cpl Pier-Adam Turcotte, CFB Esquimalt) 


13

IN THE NRDs 

A Passion Shared 

Two Maritime Coastal Defense Vessels Visit Rimouski 

By LCdr Mireille Moutillet 

T 

wo Maritime Coastal Defence 

Vessels, Her Majesty’s Canadian 

Ships (HMCS) SHAWINIGAN and 

KINGSTON, moored at the docks of 

Rimouski-Est and charmed 50 or more 

employers from teaching institutions in 

the region and from other areas. 

On August 11, a day when the sun shone 

brightly from a clear sky, an Executrek 

was staged in collaboration with Jean 

Fournier, Provincial Chair of the Quebec 

City area, and Lieutenant-Colonel Alain 

Boisvert, Canadian Forces Liaison Council 

representative. 

Lt(N) Bisson, Executive Officer 

of HMCS D’IBERVILLE, 

cooking for guests of the 

Canadian Forces Liaison 

Council during the tour 

of HMCS SHAWINIGAN 

and HMCS KINGSTON 

in Rimouski. 

The crew of 

HMCS SHAWINIGAN 

during a port visit to 

Rimouski as part of 

CF recruiting activities. 


All the employers present were eager to 

take part in an information activity on life 

aboard ship and the benefits available to 

reservists. 

Amazed by the responsibilities of Canadian 

Forces members and the tasks they carry 

out, the visitors took part in ship manœuvres 

and learned about the demands of 

military life. Thanks to the contributions 

and dedication of the ships’ crews and 

various members of HMCS D’IBERVILLE, 

the guests were astonished by the sacrifices 

of the men and women of the Navy, by 

their pride in wearing the uniform, and by 

the passion that drives each and every one 

of them. 

The employers were also overwhelmed by 

the benefits of serving in the Naval Reserve, 

by the knowledge required for each trade 

and by the many qualifications and experiences 

potentially beneficial to their own 

enterprises. And these were only some of 

the issues addressed in order to inform 

employers of the rewards associated with 

employing a reservist. 

On the following day, tours were staged of 

the two ships, and the general public 

was invited to attend a recruiting session. 

The numerous visitors were able to get a 

small taste of what life is like aboard the 

coastal defence ships. The weekend was 

t h o roughly appreciated by the general 

public, and the whole event was topped off 

by the outstanding team work of the crews 

of HMCS D’IBERVILLE, HMCS SHAWI- 

NIGAN and HMCS KINGSTON. 

LCdr Mireille Moutillet is the Commanding 

Officer of HMCS D’IBERVILLE.

A Naval Reservist Receives 

the Order of Military Merit 

CPO2 Sean Neraasen honoured 

by the Governor-General 

By CPO2 Dennis Oliphant 

hief Petty Officer 2 nd class Sean 

Neraasen received the Member of 

Military Merit (M.M.M.) on June 2, 

2006, in Ottawa. This auspicious ceremony, 

steeped in tradition, is always conducted 

in the Govern o r-General’s residence at 

Rideau Hall. Such was the case for the 

56th C 

List of Inductees. 

As is usual with this ceremony, the recipient’s 

families were also afforded an invitation 

to attend the ceremony, which they 

did. A personal friend of CPO2 Neraasen 

for over ten years now, it was my pleasure 

to begin the groundwork for his M.M.M. 

nomination in 2005. The plethora of 

paperwork began in earnest with 

Lieutenant-Commander Jim Vasey drafting 

the citation, and collating the documentation 

that is required by the governing body. 

The M.M.M. was designed by Bruce Beatty 

and replaced Britain’s Order of the Bath, 

said to have been created around 1128. 

Between 1947 and 1972, Canada did not 

have any equivalent for an order of this 

kind. The M.M.M. is awarded to members 

of the Canadian Forces for “conspicuous 

merit and exceptional service in the performance 

of their duties.” The award itself is a 

blue enamelled, silver edged, straight end 

cross, bearing a silver maple leaf in the 

centre surrounded by a red circle that bears 

the inscription MERIT-MERITE-CANADA. 

A royal crown adorns the top of the cross. 

The attached ribbon is blue and edged with 

yellow, giving the award a regal look. Each 

medal comes numbered on the reverse. 

CPO2 Sean Neraasen receiving the Medal of Military Merit from the Governor 

General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean. 

(Photo by Cpl Issa Pare) 

In CPO2 Neraasen’s case, he has close 

connections with volunteerism (he is the 

director the Baron Organization Initiative – 

a charity that aids street kids) working closely 

with the City of Victoria on projects such 

as the “Annual Scrub-Up” (beautification 

project) and plays a pivotal role in the Base 

Volunteer Services at CFB Esquimalt. He is 

the President of his condominium association, 

and is keenly interested in fitness and 

sports having now been invited to two international 

military heptathlon events. He was 

appointed as the trade advisor to the 

Headquarters for Naval Combat Information 

Operators in 2004 and is also the Coxswain 

of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship YELLOW- 

KNIFE, leading change and being an 

inspiration to his sailors every day. CPO2 

Neraasen also has a Bachelor of Science in 

Zoology. He is a true professional in every 

sense of the word. 

IN THE NRDs 

The honour of having the Order of Military 

Merit bestowed upon you is great indeed. 

Only one percent of In this cycle, CPO2 

Neraasen was the only inductee from the 

naval reserve. The Order is divided into 

three levels: Member (Non-commissionned 

members - Lieutenant(N)/Captain), Officer 

(Lieutenant-commander/Major - Captain(N) 

/Colonel) and Commander (Flag rank). 

Promotion is possible within the levels. 

A c c o rding to Sébastien Fleurant at the 

Directorate of History and Heritage, there 

have only been 49 naval reservists who 

have received the M.M.M. since it’s inception 

in 1972 and only 2,123 personnel in 

the Canadian Forces as a whole. 

Well done to CPO2 Neraasen in his accomplishment! 

By CPO2 Dennis Oliphant, Coxswain of 

HMCS QUEEN. 


15

IN THE NRDs 

CPO2 Dennis Oliphant, the Incoming 

Coxswain, LCdr John Bell, the Commanding 

Officer, and CPO2 Broderick Mauro, 

the Outgoing Coxswain participating in 

the Passing the Paddle ceremony. 

Steering 

the Ship 

By CPO2 Broderick Mauro 

When a new Commanding Off i c e r 

takes over a ship they usually take part 

in a ceremony known as “passing the 

sword.” At HMCS QUEEN when a 

new Coxswain is appointed they 

“Pass the Paddle.” This is a relatively 

new tradition at QUEEN, however it 

was quickly implemented after the 

Chief Engineer, Petty Officer 1 st Class 

Rick Lowry took it upon himself to 

make an intricately detailed paddle 

for the Coxswain’s Office. 

As history would have it, the term 

Coxswain actually comes from the 

former term “Cog Swain”. A Cog 

was a small vessel and a Swain was 

the person who steers, or drives that 

vessel. Figuratively speaking, the 

Coxswain is known as the person 

who steers the ship, but more literally 

they guide the crew in the right direction. 

Therefore, it only seemed fitting 

that this new tradition takes place as 

the new Coxswain takes the helm. 

CPO2 Broderick Mauro is the 

Operations Officer and Unit Information 

Officer at HMCS QUEEN. 


A New Commander Takes 

the Lead of CHAMPLAIN 

By A/SLt Daniel Turcotte 

n September 23, a Change of 

Command ceremony was held 

a b o a rd HMCS CHAMPLAIN. 

According to military tradition, Lieutenant- 

Commander André Thibeault off i c i a l l y 

became the new Commander of Naval 

Reserve Division Chicoutimi. Attending the 

ceremony were the Chief of Staff Policy 

and Procedures for the Naval Reserve of 

Canada, Captain(N) Hugues Létourneau, 

the Chief of Naval Reserve training, Chief 

Petty Officer 1st O 

Class Glenn Woolfrey, and 

a number of guests. 

For the crew, the Change of Command 

c e remony was also an opportunity to 

honour and thank their former Commander, 

LCdr Roger Gauthier, who commanded 

CHAMPLAIN from 1 July 2002 to 

1 July 2006. LCdr Gauthier currently 

occupies the position of Non Public Funds 

Accounts Officer at Naval Reserve Headquarters 

in Quebec City. 

During the reception following the ceremony, 

LCdr Thibeault, speaking on behalf of the 

crew, presented LCdr Gauthier with a work 

of art done by a local artist and a magnificent 

oar, whose rope braiding was the work 

of members of CHAMPLAIN. 

The new Commander of HMCS CHAM- 

PLAIN has served with this unit since 1994. 

LCdr Thibeault joined the Canadian Forces 

in 1984 as a Maritime Surface Officer. 

During his career in the Canadian Navy, he 

has held a variety of positions and has 

completed several tours of duty. Prior to 

his new appointment, he had served on 

two occasions as XO of HMCS CHAM- 

PLAIN. As a civilian, M Thibeault teaches 

high-school English. 

From left to right: The reviewing officer for the ceremony, 

Chief of Staff Policy and Procedures for the Naval Reserve of 

Canada, Capt(N) Hugues Létourneau, LCdr André Thibeault, 

incoming Commander of HMCS CHAMPLAIN, and LCdr 

Roger Gauthier, outgoing Commander of the unit. 

(Photo by MS Paulin) 

Lieutenant-Commander Thibeault is the 

ninth commander in the history of the Naval 

Reserve in Chicoutimi. HMCS CHAMPLAIN 

was commissioned and christened on 

15 August 1986 following its first recruits 

course. For the past 20 years, therefore, 

CHAMPLAIN has proudly asserted the 

presence of the Canadian Navy in the 

Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean area. 

A/SLt Daniel Turcotte is the Information 

Officer at HMCS CHAMPLAIN.

Naval Reservists Support 

Local Sea Cadet Program! 

MS Creswell Tunes in to the Relief 

By Lt(N) Paul Simas 

T 

he partnership between Her 

Majesty’s Canadian ship (HMCS) 

YORK and the Royal Canadian 

Sea Cadet Corps (RCSCC) VANGUARD 

dates back to the late 1950’s, and many 

of our former Sea Cadets are now seniors 

at HMCS YORK. During the following 

decades, this relationship had slowly cooled, 

and the only communication flowing 

between the two units was mainly limited 

safety. Although we shared the same 

uniform, misunderstanding of each other’s 

roles, mission and training reinforced the 

distance amongst our officers and staff. 

One YORKer alone, Master Seaman 

Jennifer Creswell, took upon herself the 

daunting task of approaching the two units. 

She quickly recognised that both units had 

similar goals, shared the same culture, and 

that both units would gain from each other, 

if a closer relationship was fostered. 

A full-time music teacher and Naval 

Reservist, MS Creswell added the teaching 

and evaluating of our Sea Cadets to her 

duties. Our cadets accepted MS Creswell as 

a member of their team. Her personality 

and her rank allowed the cadets to see her 

as a peer, and not as “just another officer.” 

She coordinated alone a combined Cadet- 

YORK band clinic and concert, and managed 

to get many more YORK musicians 

to volunteer their time with the cadets. 

Once she was settled and volunteering 

regularly with our unit, MS Creswell decided 

to act as the unofficial liaison with HMCS 

YORK. She would dutifully respect our 

requests and concerns, and bring them 

forward to her superiors. She was also 

instrumental in getting the officers on both 

units talking and establishing a long and 

lasting relationship. 

GENERAL INTEREST 

Since then, all YORKers have been strong 

supporters of our program, and have 

taken us as one of their own. Some of 

our success stories include some joint 

training, boatswains and other trades volunteering 

to teach their “trade-secrets” to our 

cadets, and many other YORKers have 

d i s c o v e red that they enjoy contributing 

to the successes of their younger naval 

brothers and sisters. 

Today, our relationship is strong, vibrant, 

and there is a clear sense of community 

within our officers, staff and cadets. In turn, 

our cadets are well motivated, well trained 

and very proud to be known as “VAN- 

GUARD, the HMCS YORK cadets”! 

Lt(N) Simas is the Commanding Officer 

of 18 Sea Cadet Corps VANGUARD at 

HMCS YORK. 

From left: CPO2 Robert Cammidge, Regulating 

Petty Officer at YORK, Cadet CPO2 Stephen Mailloux, 

CPO1 Gordon McLennan, Coxswain at YORK, and 

Cadet CPO2 Enamul Haque, after a range practice at CFB 

Borden. CPO1 McLennan was the Coxswain 

of RCSCC VANGUARD in 1973. 


17


Serving in the Canadian Forces while Studying 

Reservists get help in Academic Pursuits 

By SLt Peggy Kulmala 

Aman sits down at his computer and 

opens Microsoft Outlook. You see 

a castle through his ivy-draped window, 

and a Royal Roads University calendar 

over his shoulder. The first e-mail he reads 

is from a Canadian Forces (CF) naval 

reservist. The sailor is asking for help 

arranging academic leave from his studies at 

the University of British Columbia so he can 

go on the multinational Rim of the Pacific 

Exercise (RIMPAC). The man starts typing. 

What would be his response? The electronic 

version of “Sorry, wrong number?” No. As 

of November 1, 2006, CF reservists studying 

at a British Columbian university can get 

help balancing the demands of their school 

work with their military careers. This 

support comes thanks to a first-of-its – kind 

memorandum of understanding (MOU) 

between the Canadian Forc e s L i a i s o n 

Council (CFLC) and Royal 

Roads University (RRU). 

The MOU will see RRU 

work with the CFLC to 

p rovide both education 

and advocacy for CF 

reservists. As part of this 

historic agreement, a 

RRU staff member will be 

available to help studentreservists 

resolve conflicts 

between their studies and 

their commitment to the 

Canadian Forces. 

“We are pleased to support the CF Reserve 

Force in this fashion,” said Mr. Bob Skene, 

acting president of RRU. “Our enduring 

relationship with the Canadian Forces gives 

us an understanding to how CF reservists 

work and train, and we hope that knowledge 

will make the complex demands on 

student-reservists more manageable.” 


“Royal Roads 

University has 

made a solid 

commitment to 

accommodating 

the military service 

requirements of 

student-reservists 

in British Columbia.” 

Several reservists witnessed the signing of the Royal Roads University - CFLC MOU on September 29, 2006. 

A recent CFLC survey revealed that many 

student-reservists encounter academic challenges 

relating to their military careers. For 

example, military training exercises may 

conflict with their exams 

or assignment deadlines. 

In other cases, studentreservists 

coming back 

from operations overseas 

may find they have lost 

credit for courses already 

taken or even have to 

re-apply for admission. 

They may also forfeit 

registration fees or be 

forced to begin early repayment 

of student loans. 

“When situations like this 

o c c u r, student-re s e r v i s t s 

are sometimes forced to choose one commitment 

over the other; sacrificing their 

academic studies to advance in their military 

careers or vice versa,” said Mr. John Eaton, 

the National Chairman of the CFLC and 

Chancellor of Ryerson University. “The 

CFLC is aware of this conflict and wants 

to help student-reservists overcome it. We 

want to create win-win situations.” 

To date, 138 institutions have signed statements 

of support with the CFLC for students 

who are members of the CF Reserves. 

Many of these institutions, including Royal 

Roads University, have agreed to grant 

specific considerations to student-reservists 

so they may participate in military training 

and operations without negatively affecting 

their schoolwork. 

“Royal Roads University has made a solid 

commitment to accommodating the military 

service requirements of student-reservists in 

British Columbia,” said Major- G e n e r a l 

Petras, Chief of Reserves and Cadets. “The 

Royal Roads MOU and its related outcomes 

will also significantly advance the national 

effort to make education sector support 

for the Reserve Force the norm.” 

If you are a CF reservist studying or wishing 

to study at a B.C. university, and would like 

help on an academic issue you face relating 

to your military care e r, please contact 

Dr. Sherman Waddell at sherman.waddell@ 

royalroads.ca or (250) 391-2564. 

SLt Peggy Kulmala is the Unit Information 

Officer at HMCS MALAHAT and 

CFLC Volunteer.

Visit of HMCS SUMMERSIDE to Saguenay 

More than 1200 People visit the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel 

By A/Slt Daniel Turcotte 

S 

AGUENAY – During a port visit 

held on the weekend of August 12 

and 13, 2006, in Saguenay, Her 

Majesty’s Canadian ship (HMCS) SUM- 

MERSIDE was visited by more than 

1200 people. The ship was docked at the 

Chicoutimi Naval Reserve Pier, members 

of its crew and of HMCS CHAMPLAIN 

offered guided tours of the ship which were 

greatly appreciated. These visits enabled the 

public to become familiar with a Maritime 

Coastal Defence Vessel (MCDV) and the 

work of its crew, as well as to better understand 

the role of the Canadian Navy. 

SUMMERSIDE entered the waters of the 

Saguenay River on the morning of Friday, 

August 11. Near the municipality of Anse- 

Saint-Jean, about 40 people boarded the 

ship for a special cruise on the Saguenay. 

Several of these people had been invited 

by HMCS CHAMPLAIN and Commander 

Robert De Nobile (Canadian Forces Liaison 

Council), and represented businesses or organizations 

that employ reservists. The guests 

included the Mayor of Saguenay, Jean 

Tremblay, and members of his political staff. 

A journalist and cameraman from Radio- 

Canada (regional news) were also present. 

1200 people have visited the SUMMERSIDE 

during the weekend; the long line up from the ship, 

HMCS SUMMERSIDE to the stone frigate, 

HMCS CHAMPLAIN, forced the visitors 

to be very patient by moments. 

(Photo by A/SLt Daniel Turcotte). 

The Commanding Officer of SUMMER- 

SIDE, Lieutenant-Commander Peter Koch, 

and his crew warmly welcomed the group. 

After a good lunch, the guests were able to 

become acquainted with the ship and the 

work of reservists. Just before reaching La 

Baie, some special manoeuvres were conducted 

in order to demonstrate the ship’s 

great manoeuvrability. In the Chicoutimi 

channel, where navigation is very difficult, 

the guests witnessed the team’s exceptional 

work on the bridge. Arriving on schedule at 

5:30 p.m. at the Chicoutimi Naval Reserve 

Pier, SUMMERSIDE was welcomed by the 

Régiment du Saguenay Band. To the sounds 

of Heart of Oak, the guests disembarked 

f rom the ship and then proceeded to 

the Wardroom of CHAMPLAIN, where a 

reception was held. 

On Saturday morning at 9:30, people were 

a l ready lining up to visit the ship. 

T h roughout the day and until 4 p.m., 

580 people visited the ship. On Sunday from 

10 a.m. to 2 p.m., more than 620 people 

visited the MCDV. SUMMERSIDE and 

CHAMPLAIN crew members who acted 

as guides did a tremendous job which 

was greatly appreciated by the public. 

In addition to HMCS SUMMERSIDE, which 

was the highlight of the weekend, the Naval 

Reserve site also had a Light Armoured 

Vehicle (LAV III), a G-Wagon, a fire services 


truck from 3 Wing Bagotville, equipment 

used by the military police (including a 

patrol vehicle), a military encampment, as 

well as CF-18 parts and armament. On 

Sunday afternoon, the Régiment du 

Saguenay Band put on a mini concert on 

site. Soldiers of the three elements of the 

Canadian Forces and recruiting officers of 

the Canadian Forces Recruiting Center 

Detachment Chicoutimi were there to 

answer questions from the numerous visitors. 

The main organizer of the activity, Lieutenant(N) 

Richard Caron, was very satisfied 

with the weekend: “This visit of SUMMER- 

SIDE was an excellent opportunity to 

increase Canadians’ awareness of the role 

of the Navy and of the Canadian Forces.” 

The organizers estimate that nearly 2300 

people (including ship visitors) attended the 

weekend event. The event was a great 

success because of this attendance but also 

because of the interest in the Canadian 

Forces shown by the visitors and the media, 

who wanted to know more about the role 

of Canadian soldiers and about certain 

equipment used by them. 

HMCS SUMMERSIDE left the Naval 

Reserve Pier on Sunday evening at 5:30 

p.m., taking advantage of the high tide to 

again clear the Chicoutimi channel. Other 

guests, mainly friends and family of HMCS 

CHAMPLAIN crew members, were on 

board during the transit to La Baie. 

A/Slt Daniel Turcotte is the Unit Information 

Officer at HMCS CHAMPLAIN. 


19

H I S T O RY 

The Royal Canadian Naval Air Service – 

“The Fleet Air Arm” 

By Mr. Bruce Forsyth 

T 

he origins of the Royal Canadian 

Naval (RCN) Air Service go back 

to World War I, when the Royal 

Naval Air Service (RNAS) was formed in 

April 1915. The RNAS was short lived 

however, disbanding in April 1918. 

Undeterred, Canada also formed a naval air 

service on 5 September 1918, but this 

v e n t u re ended with the signing of the 

Armistice in November 1918. 

During World War II, the British Admiralty 

revived the idea of a Canadian naval air service 

but Canada would have to wait until the 

end of WWII before this would come into 

being. For the duration, Royal Canadian 

Navy pilots served with the Royal Navy Fleet 

Air Arm, distinguishing themselves as effective 

combat pilots. One of these pilots was 

Victoria Cross (VC) winner Lieutenant (N) 

Robert Hampton Gray, a member of the 

Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve 

aboard HMS FORMIDABLE. Lieutenant (N) 

Gray was posthumously awarded the VC for 

actions on 9 August, 1945, when he led 

an attack on Japanese shipping in Onagawa 

Wan, Japan. 

Canada did have two aircraft carriers 

during WWII: HMCS NABOB and HMCS 

PUNCHER. Although Canadian sailors 

manned both ships, they were commissioned 

as Royal Navy ships and the aircrews 

were members of the Royal Navy Fleet 

Air Arm. 

On 24 January 1946, the RCN commissioned 

its first official aircraft carrier, 

HMCS WARRIOR. Two air squadrons were 

also formed the same day: 825 Squadron 

and 803 Squadron, making them the 

first official RCN air squadrons. HMCS 

WARRIOR served the RCN for a brief 

two-year period, before it was replaced 

by HMCS MAGNIFICENT. 


The new air element was christened the 

Fleet Air Arm in May 1946, following in 

the footsteps of the Royal Navy. A year 

later, the name was officially changed to 

the Naval Air Branch, but the name “Fleet 

Air Arm” remained in the lexicon of many 

naval personnel in an unofficial capacity. 

Naval aviation in Canada received a boost 

with the acquisition of Royal Canadian 

Air Force (RCAF) Station Dartmouth in 

September 1948, which was re - n a m e d 

Royal Canadian Naval Air Station HMCS 

SHEARWATER. RCN air squadrons had 

been based in Dartmouth since 1946, but 

now they had a place to truly call their own. 

In April 1950, the RCN took possession of 

75 Avenger aircraft from the United States 

Navy, fitted with the latest anti-submarine 

warfare (ASW) equipment. The first ASW 

helicopter squadron was formed aboard 

HMCS MAGNIFICENT in 1955. The success 

of helicopters aboard ship was particularly 

significant in that when the St. Laurent class 

destroyers came on line in the early 1960s, 

they were all equipped with helicopter 

flight-decks, a uniquely Canadian creation. 

The RCN Reserve was also given authority 

to form air squadrons. In May 1953, VC 

920 Squadron was formed as tender to 

HMCS YORK. Next came VC 921, formed 

as a tender to HMCS CATARAQUI on 

30 September, 1953, and VC 922, formed 

as tender to HMCS MALAHAT on 1 December, 

1953. HMCS MONTCALM and 

HMCS TECUMSEH formed VC 923 

and VC 924 Squadrons respectively on 

1 June, 1954. 

Although HMCS STAR did not have its own 

s q u a d ron due to its close proximity to 

HMCS YORK, the unit maintained a support 

unit for ground crew and maintenance. 

HMCS STAR also had one Swordfish and 

two Seafire aircraft for their use at RCAF 

Station Hamilton and the unit conducted 

joint training with HMCS YORK at RCAF 

Station Downsview. 

HMCS YORK’s VC 920 squadron had the 

distinction of being the only Naval Reserve 

air squadron to achieve carrier qualification. 

Markings were painted on the runways at 

RCAF Station Downsview so that YORK’s 

pilots could practice simulated aircraft carrier 

take-offs and landings. 

In November 1955, the Royal Canadian 

Navy took possession of its first fighter jet, 

the F2H3 Banshee all-weather jet fighter, 

the crown jewel of naval aviation in Canada. 

VF 870 and VF 871 Squadrons replaced 

their Sea Fury aircraft with the new 

Banshee, flying them from the newly commissioned 

HMCS BONAVENTURE as well 

as HMCS SHEARWATER. The Banshee jet 

fighters would play an important role in the 

defence of Canada and, as a great source of 

pride for Canada’s naval aviators, the 

Banshee even out-performed the RCAF’s 

CF-100 jet fighter. 

In 1960, the RCN assumed control of the 

airfield at the former RCAF Station Debert 

as a training facility but this would be shortlived 

as the Debert facility was abandoned in 

the late 1960s. 

Despite all the successes of the Royal 

Canadian Naval Air Branch, the climate was 

once again turning against Canada's naval 

aviators. In 1962, the RCN turned down 

the opportunity to buy a United States Navy 

Essex-class carrier, with its state-of-the-art 

flight deck. The Banshees were slated for 

replacement, but instead of acquiring a new 

jet fighter, the government disbanded the 

Banshee squadrons. 

The RCN Reserve also suffered due to the 

downturn in Canadian naval aviation. By 

1964, all RCN Reserve air squadrons had 

been paid off.

The unification of Canada’s Armed Forces 

in 1968 was the beginning of the end 

for the Royal Canadian Naval Air 

Branch, which was re-named Maritime Air 

Group. HMCS BONAVENTURE, Canada’s 

only remaining aircraft carrier, was decommissioned 

in 1970 despite having just 

received a $17 million re-fit three years 

e a r l i e r, a move many saw as political. 

Although helicopters would still fly from the 

fleet’s Destroyers, all aircraft were now 

shore based. 

The end finally came in 1975 when Air 

Command assumed control of Maritime 

Air Group. All naval air personnel became 

members of the Air Force, thus ending the 

reign of Canada’s naval aviators. 

Lieutenant-Commander (Retired) Stuart 

Soward puts it best when he says, “No 

doubt history will establish that Canadian 

Naval Aviation failed through neglect and 

misunderstanding on the one hand and 

RCAF hostility toward RCN Aviation on 

the other”. 

Mr. Bruce Forsyth is a former member of 

the Naval Reserve. 

H I S T O RY 

Prairie Sailors far from Water 

While it is pretty far from both coasts, 

members of Her Majesty’s Canadian 

Ship CHIPPAWA have definitely found 

themselves pretty far afield – often in 

places you wouldn’t expect to find Naval 

Reservists. Sure, we have people on 

the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels 

and with the Port Security Units, but I’m 

talking a little further away than that. 

In the past sailors from CHIPPAWA have 

had the opportunity to travel the globe, 

usually sailing on board destroyers and 

frigates of the regular fleet. The Pacific 

Rim, NATO have been common destinations 

for sailors from Manitoba, we even 

had one sailor on CALGARY’s aroundthe-world 

cruise. But that kind of thing 

you expect in the Navy, this is something 

completely different. 

In the last two years, CHIPPAWA has 

sent seven members on overseas deployments, 

six of them reservists, in support 

of International Operations, most to 

the war in Afghanistan. 

By Lt(N) Colin Stewart 

Leading Seaman Adam White – 

OP DANACA (Golan Heights); April to 

September 2005 

Leading Seaman Dale Harper – 

OP ATHENA (Camp Mirage); December 

2004 to June 2005 

Leading Seaman Ahsam Khokhar – 

OP ARCHER (Camp Mirage); December 

2005 to Jun 2006 

Petty Officer 2 nd Class Craig Lemoine – 

OP ARCHER (Kandahar); February to 

August 2006 

Lieutenant(N) Colin Stewart – 

OP ATHENA (Camp Mirage); June to 

December 2006 

Petty Officer 2 nd Class Duncan Bowes – 

OP ATHENA (Kandahar); August 2006 

to February 2007 

While a close proximity to 1 Canadian 

Air Division which is responsible for 

filling the positions in Camp Mirage 

explains some of this windfall of deployments, 

it’s hard to pin it down to just 

that. The big key has been the support 

of the career managers and the chain of 

command – so if you are interested in 

deploying – ask your chain of command, 

you might be pleasantly surprised. 

Lt(N) Collin Stewart is the Adjutant at 

the Theatre Support Element, Camp 

Mirage. 


21

H I S T O RY 

Friends First! 

Account of a Veteran of the Minesweeper TROIS-RIVIÈRES 

By LS Fabrice Mosseray 

On my way to see Gaston Gervais, a 

veteran of the 1939-1945 war, I 

began wondering what he would 

have to say to me. Here was a man who 

had served for nearly three years on a 

minesweeper, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship 

(HMCS) TROIS-RIVIÈRES, which other 

than its routine missions escorting convoys, 

did not appear to have accomplished 

much of anything: not a single submarine 

destroyed or a single mine swept! And not 

a single ship attacked or lost during its 

escort missions! Yet despite my expectations 

of a rather straightforward interview, this 

veteran of our Canadian Navy launched into 

a tale of pride and friendship. 

Gaston Gervais and his wife, Margot. 

His technician’s certificate in his pocket, 

Mr. Gervais, born and raised in Montreal, 

left his job at Northern Electric and reported 

in November 1942 to HMCS CARTIER 

(later HMCS DONNACONA) to enrol in the 

Navy. Rejected by the recruiting officer, 

who felt that Francophones had no place on 

His Majesty’s ships, this young man of 

19 tried another task, appealing to a friend 

of his father, a veteran of the Great War and 

the Battle of Vimy, who persuaded the 

unit Commanding Officer to accept him. 

Once his enrolment papers were signed, 

Mr. Gervais took his “code” training at 

Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, after which he 

was transferred to Halifax and assigned to 

the minesweeper HMCS TROIS-RIVIÈRES 

(BANGOR class). The only French speaker 

in a crew of 77 men, Mr. Gervais did not 

take long to prove his worth. Barely had he 

come on board when he lost his given name 

for “Gus” and “Frenchie.” 


The TROIS-RIVIÈRES 

So it was as a “leading coder” that Mr. Gervais 

served aboard TROIS-RIVIÈRES. Somewhat 

cramped for space in the compartment he 

shared with his fellow telegraphers and 

the communications officer, he decrypted 

received messages and encoded the ship’s 

outgoing messages. And since the radio 

compartment also contained a turntable, 

Mr. Gervais helped raise the crew’s morale 

by playing popular songs of the day. So 

the loudspeakers rang to the sounds of 

Doris Day and Glenn Miller. 

TROIS-RIVIÈRES escorted convoys from 

Newfoundland to the middle of the Atlantic 

and conducted independent anti-submarine 

patrols. Earlier on, it had been divested of 

its minesweeping equipment, which had 

proved extremely heavy and cumbersome 

in perf o r ming such missions. As for 

mines, TROIS-RIVIÈRES never removed a 

single one of these murderous weapons. 

Did the minesweeper bring luck to the 

convoys it escorted? It remains a fact that 

not a single ship was lost on any of its 

escort missions, which were as monotonous 

as they were dangerous. TROIS-RIVIÈRES 

may never have sunk an enemy submarine, 

but this didn’t mean that they weren’t 

considered a target. Indeed, one day they 

escaped certain destruction when a torpedo 

b a rely missed them! Unfortunately, the 

U-boat managed to escape unscathed. On 

other occasions, the minesweeper detected 

submarines in the area, but they managed 

to get away with a few depth-charges 

and, of course, some moments of intense 

fear. The minesweeper had to go into 

drydock when its hull was slightly 

damaged by depth-charges that it had 

launched itself during exercises and attacks. 

Mr. Gervais noted that this kind of damage 

was common, pointing out that many ships 

were forced to totally refurbish hulls that 

had been damaged by their own depthcharges. 

He told me that one of the most 

impressive escort missions he completed 

involved a cableship charged with repairing 

the undersea telephone cable linking Great 

Britain to North America. Ten days spent 

circling around this great ship, the time 

needed to repair the cable damaged by 

anti-submarine depth charges! Yes, Mr. 

Gervais will tell you, it was boring having 

to circle around and around this one ship, 

but it was all part of the job! 

Action Stations! 

One night, the minesweeper’s crew was 

called to action stations: a ship with all its 

lights blazing had been seen in the fog. 

Contacted by the minesweeper and 

responding with a incorrect code, it was 

immediately placed in the gunners’ sights. 

The crew held its breath…according to its 

silhouette, the ship appeared to be a cruiser! 

But just when the sailors were about to open 

fire, the tension evaporated at the sight of 

the suspect ship: a splendid hospital ship, all 

lit up, emerged from the fog. Mr. Gervais 

noted that the Commander of TROIS- 

RIVIÈRES lectured his counterpart on the 

importance of using the correct codes!!! 

Although, owing to its lack of autonomy, 

the minesweeper never had the chance to 

cross the Atlantic, Mr. Gervais did describe 

the ship’s stopovers at Saint-John’s and 

Halifax as extremely pleasant. He also talked 

about docking at Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon 

in December 1943, where he played the 

role of translator between the French pilot 

and the Commander of TROIS-RIVIÈRES. 

He has pleasant memories of the warm 

reception he had from the islanders and 

the short time he spend on shore. 

Sailor Gaston Gervais holding the mascot, 

Newfie, in his arms.

Reality Overtakes Routine 

Although exchanges between the ship and 

its namesake city may have been rare, the 

Commander did send the Mayor of Trois- 

Rivières a most unusual request: a washing 

machine! The city acquiesced with pleasure, 

and the small machine helped enormously 

to improve the quality of life aboard the 

little ship. Mr. Gervais likes to talk about 

the spirit of family that developed aboard 

ship. He has nothing but praise for the 

quality of his comrades in arms, not to mention 

one of his commanders, Lieutenant- 

Commander Grant. He not only has fond 

memories of the man but of the sailor as 

well. He recalls that the storms in the 

Atlantic were so violent that they were every 

bit as frightening as enemy submarines. 

Mr. Gervais might not have known the 

deafening sound of exploding enemy 

torpedoes, but he points out that these 

storms hit him hard. During one storm off 

Newfoundland, the sea was so turbulent that 

he thought his time had come. He praises 

the skills of his commander, who managed 

to keep his ship facing into the wind. As for 

the crew, Mr. Gervais explains that because 

postings were so rare the ship’s complement 

remained basically unchanged during 

the years he served on board, which made 

it what could be called “tightly knitted.” Mr. 

Gervais was so attached to his brothers in 

arms, who were good at looking out for one 

another, that he even turned down a course 

that would have led to a promotion for fear 

he would be posted to another ship. He 

remembers that some of his comrades, used 

to a certain routine and complacent in this 

e n v i ronment of trusting camaraderie, 

seemed convinced that there was no threat 

to the ship, to the point where some of 

them put on their pyjamas to sleep rather 

than remaining in uniform as prescribed by 

regulation. A tear in his eye, he speaks of 

the terrible news of the loss in November 

1944 of the corvette, SHAWINIGAN, which 

was torpedoed in the Cabot Straits and lost 

with all hands 1 . For him personally, that was 

the worst moment of the war. He describes 

how hard this was on the crew, how it had 

reawakened him to the cruelty of war and 

showed him that he could never let down 

his guard. 

From the TROIS-RIVIÈRES 

to the RADISSON 

As the war in Europe wound up, Mr. Gervais 

volunteered to for the fight against Japan. 

He explains that he made this choice because 

he preferred to stay in a theatre of operations 

rather than sail around in circles in the 

English Channel sweeping mines laid by the 

Germans. This entitled him to 30 days’ leave 

before being assigned to a cruiser to take him 

to the Pacific. So it was that he had just 

received a series of vaccinations when, just 

like that, Japan laid down its arms! 

After the war, Mr. Gervais worked for the 

RCMP; TROIS-RIVIÈRES went back to sea 

after being recommissioned as the MCBRIEN 

by the RCMP! 2 

About his brothers in arms, Mr. Gervais is 

proud to say that the friendship that brought 

them together on the stormy waves of the 

Atlantic was kept alive following the conflict. 

H I S T O RY 

He even organized a reunion at Trois-Rivières 

in 1992. He stresses how much his comrades 

and he were touched by the welcome 

accorded them by HMCS RADISSON and 

the municipal council. As for the humble 

“record of kills” of the TROIS-RIVIÈRES, 

Mr. Gervais responds that it means nothing, 

since all his friends managed to return home 

in one piece and all of them did their duty! 

He merely hopes that the sacrifices made 

by his comrades and by all those who fought 

in the war, particularly those who fell on 

the field of honour – will not be forgotten 

and that young people will be taught about 

their deeds. 

1 The Corvette Shawinigan was sunk by U-1228 

on 25 November 1944 in the Cabot Strait. 

2 The minesweeper was scrapped in 1960. 

LS Fabrice Mosseray, from HMCS CAR- 

LETON, is a claims clerk in the office of 

the Director General Reserves and Cadets, 

in Ottawa. 

Sailor Gervais operating the anti-aircraft machine-gun. 

Minesweeper 

HMCS TROIS-RIVIÈRES. 

No ships were lost during 

any of its escort missions. 


23


On Yukon Time! 

By Capt Elisabeth Mills 

L 

ieutenant-Commander Linda 

Mushanski officially took command 

of both Joint Task Force (North) 

(JTFN) Headquarters Detachment Yukon 

and Regional Cadet Support Unit 

( N o r t h e rn) (RCSU(N)) on September 8 

in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. 

“As a Reservist, it’s a chance for me to give 

some full-time service to the Canadian Forces 

and help fill a requirement, especially with 

the stand-up of Canada Command,” says 

LCdr Mushanski, who is taking a leave of 

absence from her civilian position with the 

Saskatchewan Department of Health. This 

is the first long-term contract she has held 

with the Canadian Forces (CF) and she is 

looking forward to the opportunity. 

“There will be skills that I will be fine-tuning 

as far as management, to make me a better 

supervisor and employee and develop my 

leadership skills,” she says. As a former 

cadet, her involvement with the Cadet 

Program is also something that is close 

to her heart. 


LCdr Mushanski joined the Naval Reserve 

as an Able Wren at HMCS QUEEN and was 

selected for officer training in 1978. During 

her 26 years as a commissioned officer, 

LCdr Mushanski has held various appointments 

including Directing Staff of the Staff 

Training Reserve at CF Command and Staff 

College in To ronto and Commanding 

Officer of HMCS QUEEN from April 2001 

to June 2004. 

Detachment Yukon supports all CF activity 

in the Yukon, as well as providing a greater 

ability to liaise with Yukon governmental 

organizations. Additionally, RCSU(N) oversees 

all Cadet Program activity across the 

three territories. 

“The creation of JTFN Headquarters 

Detachment Yukon is part of a broader initiative 

to increase our presence and expand 

our capabilities across Canada’s Arctic. This 

is good news for the Canadian Forces, for 

the North, and for Canada,” said Colonel 

Chris Whitecross, Commander JTFN. 

LCdr Mushanski signs the Change of Command scroll for JTFN Headquarters 

Detachment Yukon during the ceremony. 

“The creation of 

JTFN Headquarters 

Detachment Yukon 

is part of a broader 

initiative to increase 

our presence and 

expand our capabilities 

across Canada’s Arctic.” 

This detachment will eventually see the 

number of Canadian Forces personnel, and 

Department of National Defence employees 

in the Yukon, increase from 5 to 20. 

Capt Elisabeth Mills is the Public Affairs 

Officer for RCSU(N) in Whitehorse. 

Don’t forget 

Let us know your comments 

and suggestions about 

your publication by 

contacting the editor: 

charron.l@forces.gc.ca 

For the next issue 

(March 2007) 

F e b ru a r y 9, 2007

Operation LANCASTER - Canadian Navy

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