NAC News - Edition K458 HMCS Teme - Naval Association of Canada

NAC News – Edition K458 HMCS Teme

Your weekly national and international naval news for the week of April 22nd, 2022

Edition K458 HMCS Teme (WWII River Class Frigate that survived a collision with a aircraft carrier, but not a GNAT strike)

Quote of the week “Without a solid civil foundation, Wilson concluded, the navy was never able to muster the material, technology, and moral support it needed to prosper; consequently, it remained an artificial construct imposed on a disinterested public, fighting a continual rearguard action for survival.” W.A.B. Douglas The Creation of a National Air Force, The Official History of the Royal Canadian Air Force Volume II, University of Toronto Press in co-operation with DND… 1986, page 43.

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

Links to keep in touch with the NAC and RCN can be found at the bottom of this email. Contact David Soule executivedirector-nac@outlook.com if you wish someone to be added to the NAC News email distribution. (Influencer or good candidates to become a NAC member, and note the first year’s NAC & Branch membership dues are waived)

NOTICES

NEW 11-13 May 2022 Nautical Institute of British Columbia will be hosting their 2022 Conference – Maritime Arctic, Changing Opportunities and Challenges, at the Marriott Inner Harbour Victoria. This is a 2.5-day international conference that will bring together key Canadian and International stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with the maritime sphere in the Arctic. There will focus on Maritime Security, including a panel discussing the topic and speakers from the Canadian Navy and USCG. Registration can be found at this Link or the NIBC website.

17-19 May 2022 Niagara Falls, ON. Mari-Tech 2022 Conference and Exhibition titled Industrial Revolution Making Wave. Mari-Tech was created by the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineering (CIMarE) in 1976 and is the premier event for the marine engineering community in Canada. Held annually, Mari-Tech is hosted in turn by each of the CIMarE’s seven branches; the 2022 event is Co-Hosed by CIMarE Great Lake Branch and SNAME Great Lakes/Great Rivers Section. The conference has earned a respected position as a neutral, non-political event devoted to engaging the private sector, government, and academia. Connect with hundreds of leading professionals from across the world, including Industry leaders, Government policymakers, Innovators, consulting firms, Academics, Communications and government relations professions, and young professionals and the next generation of marine engineers.

15 June 2022 at 1200 (Ottawa time) – NAC National AGM via GoToMeeting. Details to follow mid-April.

14-16 November 2022 The MSC organisers have decided given the ongoing COVID-19 environment to postpone MSC22 which was originally scheduled for March 2022. The team announced that the in-person MSC22 will now take place in Victoria, BC. The draft program for this November’s MSC22 is now posted on the MSC website and is available on the MSC social media channels.

Navy Bike Ride 2022 (Editor – This virtual edition is open to all ages and abilities from across Canada, as well as sailors, soldiers and aviators deployed around the globe. Registration is open for this free event, which will run from 12 June – 7 August. If you’re keen, the “Naval Association of Canada” Bike Team is reforming under Barry Walker’s direction. All events are available at early bird rates until midnight 30 April 2022)

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THIS WEEK’S SIGNIFICANT ARTICLES

Canadian military announces new army, air force and navy commanders

GEM: Arctic Blue with Peter Mansbridge (Editor – illuminating 44:08 min CBC documentary)

Windward: 1 in 5 Containerships Globally Are Stuck Waiting Outside Congested Ports

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CANADA

Canadian soldiers heading to Poland to assist Ukrainian refugees

Professor Rob Huebert has some thoughts about Initial Lessons of the Ukrainian-Russian War for the Royal Canadian Navy. He shared them in a guest editorial in Starshell Magazine.

Top commander warns Canadian military ‘stretched thin’ amid growing threats yet New poll suggests most Canadians think the government is spending enough on defence (Editor – see this week’s quote…hence why our naval affairs programme is so important)

Future HMCS Max Bernays badge unveiled

Looking back as HMCS Scotian gets set to celebrate 75 years

Raising a glass to HMCS Halifax – brewer supplies frigate with its own special brew

Legacy of Honour founder receives VAC Commendation (Editor – Legacy of Honour Videos)

National Defence says fewer unvaccinated troops kicked out of military than reported

Kraken Successfully Completes Robotics as a Service (RaaS) Contract from Government of Canada

UNTD remembering three HMCS Esquimalt heroes April 2022 CSVC-CVMC Vignette

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USA & AMERICAS

USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: April 18, 2022

Gerald R. Ford CVN 78 Aircraft Carrier Program Update at Sea Air Space 2022 (Editor – useful summary in a 11:51 min video)

Navy Could Extend the Oldest Nimitz-class Carriers, Decision in Next Budget

After a Decade of Debate, Cruisers Set to Exit Fleet in 5 Years

Destroyers Mitscher, The Sullivans conclude surge deployments to 6th Fleet

New Navy Long Range Shipbuilding Plan Calls for Decommissioning More Cruisers, Littoral Combat Ships

Navy Proposes to Cut Five EA-18G Growler Electronic Attack Squadrons

What should the US Navy learn from Moskva’s demise? and Russia’s Sunken Warship Is A Warning To All Navies

‘Out of Commission’ Destroyer CO Assigned to Shore Duty, Lawyers in COVID-19 Vaccination Suit Say

MARTAC Mantas and Devil Ray USVs at Sea Air Space 2022 (Editor – 5:29 min video)

Navy IDs 3rd USS George Washington Sailor Dead from Suicide, Investigation Ordered into More Deaths From Last Year

How an executive officer’s misconduct — and a commander who failed to correct him — got them both fired

Study on Navy’s Waterborne Firefighting Capability After Bonhomme Richard Loss

USCG to commission 47th Sentinel-class cutter

USSOCOM Invests $10M in Jet Boots Dive Propulsion Systems

Biden Bans Russian Ships From U.S. Ports

Chilean Maritime Authority Oversees Strait of Magellan

Philly Shipyard Awarded Contract for Fifth and Final National Training Ship

U.S. Refiners Receiving Last Russian Oil Cargoes Before Sanctions Wind-Down

Ever Forward Refloating Follows 35-Day Salvage Operation – PHOTOS

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INDO-PACIFIC

Japan Monitoring Russian and Chinese Military Activity in Sea of Japan, Defense Minister Says

Japan Scrambled Fighter Jets to Intercept Foreign Aircraft Over 1,000 Times in FY2021

U.S. carrier, Japan defense force vessels conduct drills in Sea of Japan

Russia deploys Ilyushin Il-38 antisubmarine aircraft in Pacific

Chinese H-6N bomber aircraft seen carrying hypersonic missile

Chinese Navy’s Type 055 destroyer launches hypersonic missile

Indian naval officers mourn the loss of RFNS Moskva Naval ships take part in operational support drills for days (Editor – Despite modern RAS gear the Chinese are doing astern refuelling near the end of a 45 sec video!)

India Launches Its Sixth and Final Scorpene Submarine

Australia’s Collins-class submarines to get $381 million upgrade

China signs security deal with Solomon Islands, alarming neighbors and From “Friendship” to Bases: China’s Growing Influence in the Pacific

Securing Asia’s sub-sea network (Editor – extraordinarily intertwined)

Maersk Says No To China Meat And Fish Exports

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EUROPE

Ukraine:

Fiona Hill on Whether Ukraine Can Win — and What Happens if Russia Loses (Editor – credible details and an insightful perspective in a 47 min podcast)

Putin loses another top commander: Captain of 370ft Black Sea landing ship is killed in battle as Russian troop death toll ‘reaches 20,800’

Editor – caution, there is so much disinformation surrounding this story, only time will uncover the truth) Analysis: Chain Of Negligence Caused The Loss Of The Moskva Cruiser and What the Sinking of the Moskva Missile Cruiser Means for Russia and the War in Ukraine although not an in-depth analysis, it does bring up some interesting points (Neptune SSM vs Moskva Cruiser) in a 11:21 min video. The first image Ukraine war: Dramatic images appear to show sinking Russian warship Moskva and First pictures of sinking Russian warship Moskva as survivor describes horrors on board

(Editor – the appearance reminds me of the Falkland’s War and HMS Sheffield)

US Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft reportedly assisted Ukrainians in hitting Moskva (Editor – interesting wrinkle)

Oligarch Yacht AIS Warns ‘Armed Security Onboard’ As It Sails Towards The Black Sea and Turkey Welcomes Russian Oligarch Yachts

Some Stranded Seafarers Escape Ukraine As Russia Continues Port Bombardment

Britain examining anti-ship missile solution for Ukraine

76 ships from 18 countries continue to be blocked at Ukrainian ports – defense ministry (Editor – TASS article)

Europe General:

Full speed ahead in rearmament of the Kola Peninsula, says Russia’s defence minister

UK’s top nuclear submarine arrives in Gibraltar as Putin issues Boris Johnson warning

U.S., Iceland Wrap Up Exercise Northern Viking 2022

HMS Talent retired. Royal Navy down to just 5 attack submarines

HMS Iron Duke back afloat after upgrade

German Navy christens the sixth Braunschweig class corvette

Dearsan Unveils New FAC46 Design At DIMDEX-2022

ALSEAMAR Naval Communication Systems for Submarines and Surface Ships

Communication Antenna: A Key System of Modern Submarines (Editor: 10:02 min video)

Lithuania ditches Russian gas thanks to LNG while EU remains heavily dependent | DW News (Editor – good news for Lithuania in a 6:02 min video)

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MIDDLE EAST

International Coalition Hosts Stakeholders Conference

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GLOBAL INTERESTS

EU launches Operation IRINI to enforce Libya arms embargo

Mozambique duty for SAS Spioenkop

USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams Completes Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security Patrol

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SCUTTLEBUTT

HMS Unicorn – No Ordinary Ship (Editor – history is strange indeed 53:58 min video)

Titanic’s Anchors (Editor – The Mariner’s Mirror Podcast in 34:36 min video)

Iconic Ships 15: Carpathia (Editor – The Mariner’s Mirror Podcast in 42:30 min video)

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THIS WEEK IN RCN/MARITIME HISTORY

23 April 1947 HMCS Malahat re-commissioned as Victoria’s Naval Reserve Division; originally commissioned as naval recruiting centre January 15, 1944. They grew from the No.1 Half Company of the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve (RNCVR) that was established 18 May 1914. HMCS Scotian was commissioned as Halifax’s Naval Reserve Division. The first reserve unit was the Halifax Half-Company, which operated from 1925 to 1935. From 1935 to 1939, the unit name was changed to Halifax Division. The two were the 14th and 15th of the 24 divisions commissioned. The remainder of the 24 Naval Reserve Divisions would be subsequently commissioned, with the last being HMCS Queen Charlotte (Charlottetown) in 1994.
25 April 1945 Canada one of 50 nations attending founding United Nations Conference on International Organization, opening in San Francisco; will approve United Nations Charter on June 26. San Francisco, California.
25 April 1967 Commons passes Bill C-243, “The Canadian Forces Reorganization Act,” unifying the RCN, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force into one service, the Canadian Armed Forces, with common uniform and rank designations; act comes into effect February 1, 1968.
26 April 1778 Captain James Cook sails from Nootka Sound, tracing the coast of British Columbia.
26 April 1944 HMCS Huron commanded by LCdr Herbert S. Rayner, DSC, RCN, with HMCS Haida commanded by Cdr Harry G. DeWolf, DSO, RCN, and HMCS Athabaskan commanded by A/LCdr John H. Stubbs, DSO, RCN fought two German destroyers off Ile de Bas, France, and drove a flaming German warship T-29 aground. The modern HMCS Harry DeWolf is named in DeWolf’s honour.
28 April 1818 U.S. Senate ratifies the Rush-Bagot Convention, signed April 28 and 29, 1817, making it a lawful treaty of the United States; limits naval forces on the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain. Washington, DC
29 April 1941 Lt A.G.S. Griffin appointed C.O. of HMCS Pictou, first RCNVR of an operational escort warship.
29 April 1944 German torpedo boat T-24 sinks HMCS Athabaskan commanded by A/LCdr John H. Stubbs, DSO, RCN who was killed in action; 128 lose their lives and 86 are captured.
30 April 1884 Victoria coal baron Robert Dunsmuir starts building the Esquimalt and Nanaimo (E&N) Railway, later known as the Vancouver Island Railway, to support the coal and lumber industry, and the Royal Navy Base at Esquimalt Harbour; on August 13, 1886 John A. Macdonald will drive home the last railway spike at Cliffside near Shawnigan Lake.
30 April 1941 The passenger /cargo ship SS Nerissa was pressed into service as a troopship. Her home port became Halifax. Her accommodation was increased from 229 to 250 passengers, and she was fitted with guns. In her 6 eastbound crossings to the UK, many of the passengers were Canadian and Newfoundland armed forces plus civilians, refugees, and Merchant Navy seamen. Convoy escort protection had been provided for 7 of her 12 transits through the most dangerous Western Approaches. On her 13th wartime crossing originated in Halifax, she was eastbound for Liverpool via St John’s Newfoundland. Embarked were: 105 (British, Newfoundland and Canadian) crew members, 152 armed forces, 14 American volunteer Air Transport Auxiliary pilots and 20 civilians. Her cargo was: 1,872 Tons of general items, 574 Tons of Aluminum, 352 Tons of ammunition shells, and 251 Tons of trucks (Canadian Army ambulances). Nerissa was sailing independently and was sunk by U-552, about 80 nautical miles northwest of Ireland and about a half-day from Liverpool. Of the ship’s eight lifeboats, only one was successfully launched, one was upright but flooded, four were capsized and two were pulled down with the ship. The next morning on the 1st of May, only 84 survivors remained alive to be rescued by HMS Veteran. The sinking resulted in the third largest loss of life for a ship sunk by U-boats in the approaches to the British Isles. The 207 casualties were: 81 Merchant Navy; 10 RCN; 73 Canadian Army; 4 Royal Navy; 8 RAF; 3 Royal Norwegian Air Force; 11 American ATA pilots; 3 National Defence HQ auditors; and 14 civilians (including 3 children).
30 April 1943 The Flag Officer Atlantic Coast, RCN, takes over control of all shipping movements in the western North Atlantic under the title of Commander-in-Chief Canadian North West Atlantic.

SIGNIFICANT RCN DATES – If you see any omissions or errors please inform me, and any more modern significant dates are also welcomed. 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”, The Naval Service of Canada, Its Official History Vol 1-3, NAC member Roger Litwiller’s excellent web site, encyclopedic guidance from NAC member Fraser McKee, the Uboat.net site, and anywhere else I can find credible information. For the merchant ship history, I thank NAC member Bill Dziadyk for his able assistance and detailed work. A comprehensive list of the staggering merchant losses – sunk, damaged, or lost – Canadian Merchant Ship Losses of the Second World War, 1939-1945 by Rob Fisher {Revised June 2001}, and for the loss of individual personnel RCN Ship Histories, Convoy Escort Movements, Casualty Lists 1939-1947)