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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1996-11-06, Page 121$-T It HURON IIIXPOSITON, MovvnibN S, 1111111 Remembrance Day, Monday November 11 Freedom for future generations Remembering those who fought for us P L. McGrath PLUMBING & HEATING INC. SEAFORTH 522-0493 Saluting those who gave all SEAFORTH GROCERY Phone Orders & Free Delivery to Serve You Better 23 Main St. S. 527-2044 Honour freedom by honouring those who fought for it. FLOWER MAGIC 36 MAIN ST S. SEAFORTH 527-1110 42 Goderich St. W., Seaforth 527-0303 They Gave Their All For Us. pETE`S PAPPEW CL iJ• e 19 MAIN ST. SOUTH, SEAFORTH 527-1681 SEARS OUTLET - 527-1220 HMCS OTTAWA 11 - Harry Nesbitt served aboard the HMCS Ottawa II, pictured above, during. World War II. He recently attended the commissioning of the HMCS Ottawa IV. Former sailor at commissioning of new ship By Harry Nesbitt On Sept. 26 my wife, Mabel, and I were at the commissioning of HMCS Ottawa IV in Ottawa. All the Second World War ex -sailors of the Ottawa I and II were invited to attend a number of ceremonies in Ottawa to. commemorate the beginning of the new ship. Approximately 40 sailors from Ottawa I came to Ottawa from all parts of Canada to take part in these ceremonies. At about 10 a.m. the crew of Ottawa EV and the former sailors of Ottawa I and II, the hand from HMCS Stadacona lined up and paraded to Ottawa city hall. There a picked group asked for the keys to the city. After this ceremony a reception was held in the city hall audi- torium on Sussex Street. Several gifts were exchanged between the city and HMCS Ottawa IV. The commander of the ship,, Commander Goulet, accepted these gifts from the city. On Thursday night we took a bus to Cornwall for a recep- tion on the ship. The recep- tion was held in the heli- copter hanger (the helicopter was not aboard). A cloth canopy covered the how and a small dance hand from the ship's company played. Presentations of gifts were made by the crews of Ottawa I and II to the new ship. The `Ottawa II crew presented a framed picture of the ship we served on in the Second World War, I presented a book on the city of Stratford to the ship's librarian. On Saturday, Sept. 28 at 10:30 a.m., the members of Ottawa II drove to Cornwall for the commissioning. A heavy rain fell all through the ceremony. We sat in ; tent and kept dry but the saih.rs of the ship and sea cadets stood for over an hour in the rain. Governor General Romeo Leblanc arrived and the cere- monies began. The following people spoke: Governor General Romeo Leblanc, David Collonette, then Minister of Defence; Vice Admiral Mason, Atlantic Command; Mrs. S. Bata, sponsor of the ship; Brigadier Pellerier, Padre of the Armed Forces; Mayor Holtzman, city of Ottawa Commander Goulet, captain of HMCS IV. Commander Goulet recog-• nized the sailors from Ottawa I and II. After Commander Goulet spoke, there was a salute three times hip hip hooray and a gun fired after each hip hip hooray. The crew then hoarded the ship and lined the rails of the ship. The crew was then ordered to bring the ship alive which meant that the crew went to their assigned jobs. While nn the jetty, 1 met Mr. and Mrs. John Chippa, from Stratford. After our mutual questions as to why we were there. I discovered that their son Mike Chippa was one of the crew on - Ottawa IV. What a coinci- dence!• I met Mike on the. ship. He went to Listowel high school before his par- ents moved -to Stratford. He is a -petty officer and works in the communications branch of the ship. Later that day we returned to Ottawa. We embarked on HMCS Ottawa IV about 8 a.m. Monday morning. There were about 30 sailors and their wives from Ottawa II. about 100 sea cadets from - Cornwall and a number of naval officers from various countries in Europe. There were people from Latvia. Ukraine, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. We were treated royally by the Ottawa crew. Coffee and homemade muffins for break- fast, sandwiches for lunch and a full supper at night in the seaman's mess. This was a gigantic job for the galley crew, feeding not only the guests but the ship's crew, also. - We were taken on a tour of the ship. The bridge was quite exciting. There was a plot on board to -take the ship through the locks and down the river. The wheel was a half wheel about eight inches in diameter. Every .course change was recorded auto- matically in front of the the helmsman. The slightest touch on the wheel changed the direction of the ship. No great heave of the huge wheel to change direction. The captain was on the bridge. There were several computers also on the bridge. There were eight members of the crew on the hridge. All the missiles. the Bofors gun and helicopter are on the top deck. The second .and third decks .hold all the sleeping quarters, galleys. pay room, canteen, carpenters shop and many other items. The passageways are named after streets in Ottawa e.g. Banks Street, Rideau Street. Drinking is strictly regulated and no hard liquor is allowed on the -ship. .1 believe the crcw is allowed two beers a day. The crew is paid every two weeks. If the pay is over $500 they are paid by cheque. This was a tremendous experience. It is not often that•one can see people that were on a ship over 50 years ago. I will treasure this for many years to come ( I hope). This is the second trip from Cornwall to Montreal. In 1991 we travelled on Ottawa III. You might wonder why Ottawa III was not men- tioned. It was not built until after the Second World War. There were some sailors from Ottawa III at these cere- monies. Rekindling the spirit of Canada. The Canadian spirit of unity which many Canadians remember from the war years, is sadly absent today. We see it flicker occasionally when a Canadian athlete wins an Olympic medal. or the national hockey team tri- umphs in international com- petition. At such times, Canadians share a pride in their achievements. The poppy, worn on Remembrance Day, is a sym- bol which recalls the achieve- .ments of thousands of young Canadians. It symbolizes their bravery and sacrifice when this country was at war, but it also speaks of their love for Canada, a love which today finds little expression in our divided country. t In times of peace, remember those who fought to achieve it. ARCHIE'S 24 Goderich St. E. Seaforth CSI: l 527-0881 NOVEMBER 11 A Day to remember a lifetime of sacrifice A number of historians have said that Canada was not horn at Charolettetown. but in the frozen dawn of Easter, 1917. when Canadians took the heavily defended ridge at Vimy. France. It was the first time that units from all parts of the country had served together in a corps. It was a glorious victory. Remembrance Week is the perfect time to renew our Commitment to Canada. When we wear a poppy we recall the spirit that united those Canadian soldiers and - drove them to victory, and we reaffirm our own determina- tion to stay together, as Canadians. • May We Never Forget Their Courage Hildebrand OW Main St. Owens Seaforth 527-0555 Maplewood Manor 13 Church St., Seaforth 527-1440 1