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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-04-22, Page 4Page A4 - Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, April 22, 2009 Final Atlantic battle Dominiaus Milburn signal -star staff In a solemn testament to the service led by Huron County's Naval officers, the Royal Ca- nadian Naval Association of Huron are pre- paring for the Battle of the Atlantic Parade for the last time. Now in its 63rd year, the parade and service hosted on Goderich's waterfront will be the last of its kind in the area. As members have dwindled down to just three, the chapter has handed in its charter. "There are only three Navy veterans left; we're handing our charter back," said Rev. Chris Morgan, veteran and RCNA Huron Chaplain for more than 25 years. On his way to perform a naval* funeral ser- vice in London last Friday, Morgan said that the scene is a familiar one for Naval asso- ciations throughout Canada. In recent years, the Stratford Chapter surrendered its charter and absorbed itself into the Royal Canadian Legion. Here in Goderich, 2009 marks a sim- ilar turn. He said that the statistics have skyrocketed since the turn of the century, now at 250 vet- eran deaths every day through the country. Soon, he said, "there will be none of us left." "It's sad, but it comes to pass," he said. "We've had a good run, and the [Royal Ca- nadian Legion Branch 109] has been a great support for our last services." The final salute to the men and women who gave their services to the Canadian Navy will take place on April 26 by way of the Battle of the Atlantic Parade and service. The event will for the last time be marked with the firing of a cannon, and is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. arade set for Sunday File Photo The Final Battle of the Atlantic Parade and Service is scheduled to march from the Main Beach CPR Station toward the shore beginning at 10:30 a.m. along the shore of the Main Beach near the Canadian Pacific Railway station. Morgan said that everyone is welcome to attend at no cost. A celebration of the Battle of the Atlantic is a renewal of the bond of comradeship that exists among all those who served in the RN, RCN, RCNR, RC - NVR, and the Mer- chant Marine. As trib- ute is paid to departed WHEN IT DOESN'T BELONG, IT STANDS OUT. Tim Hortons wants to get together with you to dean up our neighbourhood and put litter in its place. Because it's not just any community. it's our community. So come out and join us and Goderich Communities in Bloom on April 25th, 9atn at your local Tim Hortons on Hwy 8. shipmates, it's remembered that the Battle of the Atlantic was not only the longest battle of WWII, but also one of the most critical and destructive. The Battle of the Atlantic, which lasted 2,075 .days, was the longest campaign of the Second World War. It pitted allied navies against German and Italian naval forces, es- pecially submarines, in a battle to safeguard the essential flow of shipping between North America and Europe. On any given day 125 merchant vessels were sailing in convoy, across the North Atlantic. It was during these treacherous, stormy crossings that Canada's navy ma- tured and won the mantle of a professional service. Our navy escorted 25,343 merchant vessels across the Atlantic. These ships car- ried 181,643,180 tons of cargo to Europe - the equivalent of eleven lines of freight cars, each stretching from Vancouver to Halifax. With- out these supplies, the war effort would have collapsed. Although it was largely unprepared for war in 1939, Canada's navy grew at an unparal- leled rate, eventually providing 47 per cent of all convoy escorts. Rear Admiral Leonard Murray, Commander -in -Chief North-West Atlantic, who directed convoy battles from Halifax, would become the only Canadian to hold an Allied' theatre command during the war. By 1945, the Royal Canadian Navy com- prised 378 fighting ships and 95,000 uni- formed men and women. It had suffered 2,210 fatalities, including six women, and had lost 24 warships. It had destroyed or shared in the destruction of 33 U -Boats and 42 enemy surface craft. In partnership with Canada's maritime air forces and merchant navy, it had played a pivotal and successful role in the contest for seaward supremacy. Driver flees scene of crash in Goderich On April 13, shortly after 5 p.m. witnesses observed a vehicle strike a parked vehicle and leave the scene on Cameron Street in Goderich. Information provided to police by. witnesses enabled officers to locate the driver within minutes of the col- lision in his residence. After speaking to the driver, a demand was made for him to provide a roadside sample of his breath but he refused. As a result of the investigation, a 42 -year-old Goderich man has been charged with Dangerous Driving, Impaired Operation, Fail to Provide Breath Sample and Fail to Remain at the scene of a collision. He; will ap• - pear in Goderich Court on June 8. INTERSECTION COLLISION SEND TWO TO HOSPITAL At approximately 5 p.m. on April 14, Huron OPP officers were called to a two vehicle collision on Zurich- Hensall Road at Bronson Line in the Municipality of Bluewater. The col- lision involved two vans. One was travelling on Bronson Line and the other on Zurich-Hensall Road. The collision occurred in the intersection. OPP Technical Collision Investiga- tors were on scene for several hours gathering evidence. One 75 -year-old female driver was taken • to the South Huron Hospital where she was treat- ed and released. The second driver, a 57 -year-old male, was also taken to the South Huron Hospital but was then transported to the London Health Sciences Centre with possible critical injuries. The investigation remains ongoing. SPEEDER FOUND TO BE OVER LEGAL LIMIT On April 10 at approximately 9:30 p.m., Huron OPP officers were pa- trolling on Winthrop Road in Huron East when a vehicle entered the mov- ing radar traveling at 144 km/h in a posted 90 km/h zone. A traffic stop was made. As the officer spoke to the driver, an odour of an alcoholic bev- erage was detected coming from his breath. The driver was arrested for Drive Over 80 milligrams of alcohol and was taken to the Huron Detachment where he met with a Qualified Breath- alyzer Technician to supply two more samples of his breath. The results of the tests confirmed that the speeding driver had over two times above the legal limit of alcohol in his. system at the time of driving. As a result of the investigation, a 30 -year-old Dublin area man has been charged with one count of Drive with Over 80 Milli- grams of Alcohol. He will appear in Goderich Court on June 15 to answer to the charge. The man's licence was suspended for 90 days as per statute. UPDATE TO JOYRIDE CRASH (Bluewater, ON) Huron OPP have laid two counts of Dangerous Driv- ing Causing Bodily Harm following the investigation into an incident that occurred on private property on April 4. An 18 -year-old Huron East resi- dent will appear in Goderich Court on June 25 to answer to the charges. The charges came as a result of an in- cident where an unsecured sofa was placed on the back of a pickup truck and driven around a farm property with four riders. Unfortunately, the sofa fell off the chassis causing injury to two of the riders. One 17 -year-old male remains in hospital. Piot pair remain in police custody A North Huron man and woman, charged with conspiracy to commit murder and counseling to commit murder, have both been remanded in custody and will mare appear- ances in bail court this week. The 38 -year-old woman .from North Huron made a video appear- ance in bail court Thursday and was remanded in custody at the El- gin•NMiddlesex Detention Centre in. London, She will have a bail hear- ing in Superior Gaunt in Goderich on Friday, April 24 at 10 a.m. A 39 -year-old Wingham man charged in the case appeared in bail court via video and was rernanded in custody until his next appear- ance, Thwrday, April 23. The pair was arrested Thursday, Mar. 12 forconspiring to commit a murder. Names have not been re- leased to pnt the identity ofwit- nesses and the intended vim..