The Admiral’s LogThe Admiral’s LogThe Admiral’s Log Official Newsletter of the ADPNAOfficial Newsletter of the ADPNAOfficial Newsletter of the ADPNA

Winter Issue 2010

Admiral Desmond Piers Naval Association Charter Member

Royal Canadian Naval Association

Patron-in-Chief Mrs. Janet Piers

Rear-Admiral Desmond W. Piers DSC, CM, CD, DscMil, Klj, RCN (Ret’d) (photo as LCdr. Piers, Commanding Officer HMCS Restigouche 1941)

Admiral Desmond Piers Naval Association 450 LaHave St., Unit 17, Suite 121

Bridgewater, NS B4V 4A3

Web Site - www.adpna.com E-mail - Secretary - adpna@bwr.eastlink.ca E-mail - Editor - jerry.sigrist@eastlink.ca

Admiral Desmond Piers Naval Association

2010 Slate of Officers. Elected Executive Officers President Frank Wells CD 902-627-2748 Imm. Past President Milton Williams 902-543-4997 1st. Vice President Verne Lunan 902-543-5826 2nd Vice President Ivan Foote CD 902-644-3629 Secretary/Membership Martin Field CD 902-527-2660 Treasurer Richard Moss 902-527-1221 Master-at-Arms Stephen Daubs 902-624-8677 Appointed Committee Chairmen

ADPNA Board of Directors. Chaplain Larry Truelove CMM CD 902-354-2901 RCNA Director Jerry Sigrist CD 902-543-6763 Jerry Sigrist Entertainment Marty Martel 902-543-2368 Doc Halliday Supply Officer David Heming CD 902-543-7054 Larry Truelove Bursary Gordon Crouse CD 902-477-5197 Maurice Legault Historian Ronald Lepage CD 902-543-2390 Robert Bell Webmaster Martin Field CD 902-527-2660 2010 Committee Verne Lunan 902-543-5826 2010 Reunion Cornwallis Doc Halliday CD 902-685-2342 Newsletter Editor Jerry Sigrist CD 902-543-6763

Royal Canadian Naval Association

RCNA National Executive 2010. President Blaine Barker CD North Bay Br. RCNA - North Bay Ontario Imm. Past President John Sullivan CD Montreal Quebec Executive Vice President Kenneth MacAskill Thunder Bay Naval Vets – Thunder Bay Ontario Vice President (Membership) Don Spiece Brant Naval Vets – Brantford Ontario Executive Treasurer Art Caravan CD Oxford County Naval Vets – Woodstock Ontario Executive Secretary Jerry Sigrist CD Admiral Desmond Piers NA – Bridgewater NS Recording Secretary Jack Chapman CD Calgary Naval Vets – Calgary Alberta Liaison Officer Vets Affairs Doc Halliday CD Admiral Desmond Piers NA – Bridgewater NS Supply Officer Ray Thomson North Bay Br. RCNA – North Bay Ontario Honorary President Admiral John Anderson CMM CD (Ret’d) North Saanich BC Honorary Judge Advocate Richard Baker Toronto Ontario Division Vice Presidents British Columbia Joe Duffy CD Penticton Naval Association Prairies June Greig Edmonton Br. RCNA NW Ontario & Manitoba Harold Quick Sault Ste Marie Br. RCNA South Central Ontario Mike Edwards Kitchener-Waterloo Naval Association South West Ontario Gerry Coulter CD London Ontario Naval Association Maritimes Jerry Sigrist CD ADPNA Bridgewater Nova Scotia

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2010 Proof Silver Dollar—100th Anniversary RCN 1910-2010 Theme: A Century of Service and Achievement. It was the Second World War that really brought the RCN to fruition. More than 120 corvettes were built to become the guardian of the North Atlantic escorting convoys and attacking submarines that had so threat-ened the fledgling Navy during the first world war. His/Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Sackville was one of the original 1939-1940 Flower Class

corvettes ordered for the RCN. She was built at Saint John NB and entered service in 1941. The corvette class with 122 built in Canada by war’s end, had elevated the RCN to the third largest Navy in the world. HMCS Sackville gained recognition for engaging three U-boats at sea. Although she sustained heavy damage, Sackville was re-tained for post-war service, first as a training ship and afterwards as a research vessel for the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. In 1982 she was acquired by the Canadian Naval Memorial and reconverted to her original state in 1994. Today, as the last surviving corvette, Sackville serves as The Canadian Naval Memorial, a living museum dedicated to the courageous people who have served in Canada’s Navy. She is berthed at the Sackville Landing Wharf, Lower Water Street in Halifax Nova Scotia. Special features: > The coin features HMCS Sackville, the last surviving corvette and living memorial to the RCN, its pennant number K-181 clearly visible on its hull. > The Canadian Navy’s motto “Ready Aye Ready/Pret Oui Pret” in morse code surrounds the design. > A coin rich in tradition and old world artistry! The 51st issue in the enduring series. > An inspiring keepsake for history buffs and military enthusiasts. Specifications: Item # 105795, UPC 6-23932-01909-6, Face Value One Dollar, Mintage 50,000, Composition 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper. Weight(g) 25.175, Diameter (mm) 36.07, Edge serated, Finish Proof, Artist Yves Berube, Certificate serialized. Packaging Each coin is encapsulated and presented in a marood clamshell case lined with a flock and protected by a clack sleeve. For information contact Royal Canadian Mint 1-800-267-1871 www.mint.ca

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Shipmates/Members of the ADPNA are asked to please send in any changes you may have to your address, phone numbers etc., or anything else you wish changed. We would like these newsletters to arrive at the proper places and it cost us money to have to send them out more than once. It seems some are always re-turned. Also if you know of anyone sick at home or in hospital please let Dave Heming or one of the Executive know. ——————— When space permits I plan to include a few Naval Traditions, Terms and Trivia. This is the first. Many years ago Viscount Cunningham, a British Admiral was quoted as saying “It takes only three years to build a ship, but it takes three hundred to build a tradition.” It is these traditions that differentiate us from the civilian world and that we must strive to keep alive. If we ignore our old traditions and pay them lip service then we cease to become a military and will simply become civil servants who wear a uni-form. Most of our Canadian Naval Traditions are based on British Navy traditions, some of which date back centuries. When the British decided it was time for us Colonials to look after ourselves we formed our own Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) on 10th May 1910, which was patterned after the RN. This association with the RN is of important note when we are referred to as the “Senior Service” and you will see why when you read the explanation. Some of the traditions have been updated around the turn of the Millennium to give them a “true” Canadian Flavour in recent years. However most of the traditions and trivia that follow are the old RCN traditions that were originally carried over from the RN and evolved from the time the fledgling RCN came into existence and remained more or less steady state until the turn of the Millennium HEART OF OAK When a Royal Navy ship in the age of sail “beat to quarters” to prepare for battle, it was the strains of this song that were tapped out on the drum. All on board heard it as guns were loaded and run out, marine sharpshooters were mustered and placed in the fighting tops, powder was carried to the guns by boys called powder monkeys, the decks were sanded, and the surgeon’s awful instruments were laid out below. The music was written in the 1700s by a Doctor William Boyce. Interestingly, the stirring words were penned by that famous British actor, David Garrick for whom the Garrick Theatre in London is named. The rousing tune has inspired generations of sailors, a point proven by the fact that the American Navy “borrowed” it, added their own less British lyrics, and called it The Liberty Song. Come cheer up, my lads! ‘tis to glory we steer, As an aside, the “wonderful year” referred to To add something more to this wonderful year; in the first verse was 1759. In that year To honour we call you, not press you like slaves, during the Seven Year’s War, 1756-63, the For who are so free as the sons of the waves? Royal Navy achieved notable victories at Chorus Lagos and Quiberon Bay. As well Admiral Heart of oak are our ships, heart of oak are our men; Saunders was seen as being on the same We always are ready, steady boys steady! heroic level as General Wolfe We’ll fight and we’ll conquer again and again. for his unparalleled navigational feat of moving a major fleet up the St. Lawrence We ne’er see our foes but we wish them to stay. River. No ships of similar size had ever They never see us but they wish us away; made such a passage beyond the rapids If they run, why we follow, and run them ashore, below Quebec, let alone a major battle For if they won’t fight us, we cannot do more. fleet in close proximity of its enemy. Chorus The support of the navy in almost all They swear they’ll invade us, these terrible foes. facets of the battle, much of it at night They frighten our women, our children and beaus; was instrumental in securing the victory But should their flat bottoms in darkness get o’er, that made Canada British. Still Britons they’ll find to receive them on shore. Chorus We’ll still make them fear, and we’ll still make them flee,