Operation LANCASTER - Canadian Navy

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