naval affairs

NAC News – Edition 386

NAC News – Edition 386

Your weekly national and international naval news for the week of December 4th, 2020

Edition – 386   “A commander should have a profound understanding of human nature, the knack of smoothing out troubles, the power of winning affection while communicating energy, and the capacity for ruthless determination where required by circumstances.  He needs to generate an electrifying current, and to keep a cool head in applying it.”  B.H. Liddell Hart: Thoughts on War 1944

Rod Hughes – Editor NAC News rhughes@shaw.ca  (comments welcome to help improve this service)

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NOTICES

  • A NAC Christmas Present – An Undersea Adventure – is NAC’s Naval Affairs programme second children’s book.  Now for sale – why not order an early Christmas present for your family or donate a copy to your local library.  $10 ($12 including shipping).  NAC donates $1 for every copy sold to your local MFRC.  SPECIAL OFFER – Order “An Underwater Adventure” and “Mom’s in the Navy for the low price of $18 (includes shipping!).  Just send an email to the NAC Executive Director, executivedirector-nac@outlook.com for this special offer.  Note: we have a French version of “Mom’s…” in inventory and expect the French version of “Undersea” very soon!  Same prices and same deal as for the English version!
  • Mon, 7th Dec 2020 @ 7:00 PM EST – Naval Association of Canada (NAC), Ottawa Branch Distinguished Speaker “Virtual” Presentation (via GoToMeeting).  Commodore (RCN) David Patchell, CD, Director General Naval Strategic Readiness will discuss the RCN’s strategic Human Resources planning efforts.  This includes the requirement to transform the RCN over the next decade to ensure that it has full-time and part-time sailors with the right skills and experience to crew the Canadian Surface Combatants.  Achieving this aim will require more effective recruiting, retention, occupation management and a culture of diversity and inclusion. Register at:  https://nac-o.wildapricot.org/events
  • Wednesday, 9 December 2020 – RUSI Nova Scotia extends an invitation to NAC members to hear a Zoom presentation 1PM AST Time on Wednesday, 9 December 2020 by Derek Moss, CCG, titled “Canadian Coast Guard Fleet Renewal”.   There is no fee to attend but registration is required.  To register, email RUSINovaScotia@gmail.com by close of business Sunday, 6 December.  Register with subject line: RUSI(NS) Distinguished Speaker 9 December 2020 Registration.  Include your name and your organization.  Instructions will be emailed to registrants by end Monday, 7 December.

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CANADA

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USA & AMERICAS

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INDO-PACIFIC

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EUROPE

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MIDDLE EAST

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GLOBAL INTERESTS

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SCUTTLEBUTT

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SIGNIFICANT RCN DATES – DECEMBER

(If you see any omissions or errors please inform me, and more modern significant dates are also welcome.  The list draws primarily from the Directory of History and Heritage’s comprehensive “Significant Dates in Canadian Military History”, the now defunct “Canada Channel”, “Legion Magazine”, Roger Litwiller’s excellent website, the encyclopedic guidance of NAC member and author Fraser McKee, and anywhere else I can find credible information.)

  • 1 December 1948 HMCS Shearwater, RCN Air Station, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, is commissioned.
  • 2 December 1946 HMCS Middlesex goes aground on Shut-in Island near Halifax and becomes a total loss.
  • 2 December 1968 The Canadian submarine HMCS Rainbow is commissioned; purchased from the United States, it was originally the USS Argonaut launched in 1944.
  • 3 December 1969 As the aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure is decommissioned, the aviation fuel tanks are emptied and cleaned, but on of the tanks does not vent properly; two sailors are overcome by the fumes and another two lose their lives during the rescue attempt.
  • 4 December 1940 HMCS Prince Henry is commissioned as an Armed Merchant Cruiser.
  • 4-6 Dec 1950 A United Nations task force under Captain J.V. Brock, RCN, in HMCS Cayuga, and consisting of HMC Ships Athabaskan and Sioux, His Majesty’s Australian Ships Warramunga and Bataan, the USS Forest Royal, covered the seaborne withdrawal of civilians and elements of the 8th Army (US) threatened by enemy advances in the Chinnampo area, Korea.
  • 5 December 1950 HMCS Athabaskan and HMCS Cayuga bombard the port of Chinnampo, Korea (04-05 Apr).
  • 6 December 1917 Halifax Explosion.  A huge explosion in Halifax harbour destroys the naval facilities and much of the city.
  • 7 December 1941 Canada declares war on Romania, Hungary, Finland, and Japan.
  • 7 December 1941 HMCS Windflower is lost and 23 of her crew perish after a collision with a Dutch freighter SS Zypenburg on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.
  • 8 December 1918 The Royal Canadian Naval Air Service is discontinued and the cadets being trained are demobilized.
  • 10 December 1939 The first Canadian troop convoy of 7,400 soldiers sails for Britain escorted out of Halifax by HMC ships Ottawa, Restigouche, Fraser and St. Laurent.
  • 12 December 1969  RCN retires aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure after 12 years of service; “Bonnie” never saw combat, but was scram­bled dur­ing the Octo­ber Mis­sile Crisis; later sold for scrap. Halifax, Nova Scotia
  • 13 December 1940 HMCS Royal Roads is commissioned as a training establishment for Probationary Sub-Lieutenants.
  • 14 December 1915 Flight Sub-Lieutenant A.S. Ince, RNAS while flying as observer in a Viewpoint aircraft shot down in flames a German two-seater.  The victory, the first confirmed success credited to a Canadian airman, won for Ince the DSC, the first decoration awarded a Canadian in the RNAS.
  • 17 December 1944 HMCS MONTREAL (frigate) rescues survivors of U-Boat 1209 wrecked on Wolf Rock southwest of Land’s End.
  • 19 December 1945 The Government of Canada approves in principle the formation of a naval air branch.
  • 20 December 1941 HMCS Adversus, ex-RCMP patrol ship, while on patrol was lost at sea when caught in a blizzard and run aground on McNutts Island near Shelburne, NS.  All 16 crew survive.
  • 20 December 1943 HMCS Prince David is re-commissioned as a Landing Ship Infantry (Medium).
  • 24 December 1944 HMCS Clayoquot is torpedoed by a U806 and sinks while taking station on convoy XB.139, in the approaches to Halifax harbour.  Eight of her crew were lost.
  • 26 December 1954 HMCS ships HURON and IROQUOIS leave Korea for their home base in Halifax.
  • 27 December 1942 HMC Ships St. Laurent commanded by LCdr Guy S. Windeyer, RCN, with HMCS Chilliwack, commanded by LCdr Clifton P. Coughlin,  RCNVR, with HMCS Battleford commanded by Lt F.A. Beck, RCNVR, and HMCS Napanee commanded by Lt L.S. Henderson, RCNVR and other escorts in a melee sank the German submarine U-356 in the mid-Atlantic.
  • 27 December 1944 HMCS St. Thomas commanded by LCdr Leslie P. Denny, RCNR in company with HMCS Sea Cliff commanded by LCdr J.E. Harrington, RCNVR directed St. Thomas onto her ASDIC contact and sank the German submarine U-877 in the North Atlantic.
  • 28 December 1940 HMCS Prince David is commissioned as an Armed Merchant Cruiser.
  • 29 December 1837: Canadian ‘volunteers’ under Captain Andrew Drew (ex-RN) cross upper Niagara River, seize supply schooner Caroline, supporting W.L. Mackenzie’s rebellious force on American Navy Island above the Falls.  1 US citizen killed, the ship is cut loose, strands on rocks above the Falls, breaks up and goes over.  Canadians row home.
  • 31 December 1990 The crew of HMCS Preserver flies to the Persian Gulf to relieve HMCS Protecteur’s crew.
  • 31 December 1992 New Canadian military honours are created: The Victoria Cross, Star of Military Valour, Medal of Military Valour and Mention in Dispatches.