Signal June 2018 Draft - hmcsventure.com Signal.pdf · Navy Day AM-PM Includes tour of Venture Ship Simulator and possibly ... orders and other activities, ... members in good standing,

June 2018 �1 The Newsletter of the Venture Association

The Signal is published twice a year by the Venture Association. Send letters, articles, photos, etc., to the Editor and pay dues by cheque payable to the Venture Association, c/o D. G. Longmuir, Editor and Registrar, 903-168 Chadwick Court, North Vancouver, BC V7M 3L4; e-mail [email protected]. Changes of address and other personal info should be sent to your Class Rep (see p.7) with a copy to the Registrar. Go to our comprehensive website for breaking news: www.hmcsventure.com. and keep Darryl Harden, our webmaster, in the loop: [email protected] . And, if you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, contact us by e-mail or Canada Post.

The Signal

The Venture Association Reunion Organizing Committee is at the stage where updates are urgently required from individuals whether or not you intend to join the Reunion, and also (most important) which functions you wish to participate in. This information is needed to firm up the costs for each event and to organize the appropriate venues. We emphasize that, at this point, it is only your intention to attend that is requested and not a firm commitment. PLEASE provide your participation response by no later than 14 June 2018, directly to your Class Rep (see p. 7 for the list) who will, in turn, report the results to the Organizing Committee.

The Program for the Reunion is outlined below, followed by the requested response from Members for attendance at each event.

1. Reunion Program

Wed. 11 Sept. 2019 Registration 1500 Venture Gunroom Meet and Greet 1700-2300 Wardroom

Thur. 12 Sept. 2019

Naval Air Day AM Tour of New Helicopter Facility at Pat Bay

Navy Day AM-PM Includes tour of Venture Ship Simulator and possibly time at sea on an Orca training vessel, a bus tour of HMC Dockyard and a demonstration of the Naval Boarding Party training/drill.

Class Functions PM As organized by Class Reps

Venture Reunion 2019: One Year Away! Celebrate our 65th!!

mailto:[email protected]?subject=

http://www.hmcsventure.com

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]?subject=




Fri. 13 Sept. 2019

Annual General Meeting 1000-1200 Admiral Collier Building Auditorium Gala Dinner 1800-2300 Wardroom with Naden Band Celebrating 65th Anniversary of HMCS Venture! Sat. 14 Sept. 2019

Service of Celebration and Remembrance 1100 St Peter & St Paul (Garrison) Church, followed by reception

2. Attendance Response Request

a. Intend to attend the Reunion Yes / No Accompanied Yes / No b. Intend to attend the Meet and Greet event. Yes / No Accompanied Yes /No c. Intend to attend the Venture Ship Simulator Yes / No Accompanied Yes / No d. Intend to attend the Navy Day program Yes / No Accompanied Yes / No e. Intend to attend the Naval Air Day program Yes / No Accompanied Yes / No f. Intend to attend the Gala Dinner Yes / No Accompanied Yes / No g. Intend to attend Church service & reception Yes / No Accompanied Yes / No

Note: Accommodation

Please note that it will be the responsibility of individuals to book their own accommodation for the Reunion. The Organizing Committee is investigating the possibility of discounts at various Victoria area hotels, plus the availability of rooms at the wardroom. Further information will be promulgated.

St. Peter and St. Paul (Garrison) ChurchTypical September Day in Victoria Harbour


Letters to the EditorFrom Oakville, ON Dear Editor

I have backed away from my interest in marine art, at least for the present. My current subject matter is, believe it or not,

craft beers (the potential is limitless). I know that sounds strange so I have attached an image of the latest one to prove my

point. Enough said. Perhaps of greater interest will be the image of the last marine work I completed, titled ‘Coming

Home’. While the patrol frigates were introduced at the end of service tenure for all but a very few of the Venture

graduates, I pass this along as a contribution should you need to fill a space in an upcoming issue of the Signal.

Best regards and thanks for your part in keeping Venture alive and well.

Aye, Don Macmillan, Class of ‘58

From Halifax, NS Dear Editor

Re: Naughtical Terms, The Signal June 2017:

“Hawse pipe”, ….me thinks.

Aye,

Harley Kieran, Class of ‘56

Harley, I would agree, but some of the these expressions are “ancient”, and another term for “hawsepipe” does seem

to be “hawse hole”. Anyway, your classmate Cunningham is responsible for these items — he being an engineer, I’m

sure he must have had a good reason for choosing the older term.

Surprised and elated that someone is actually reading the Signal — bravo!

Aye,

Y’r Editor

(cont’d p. 4)


From Victoria, BC

Dear Editor

Hawse hole or hawse pipe, either is common terminology. Some ships, especially smaller wooden ones, have a weather

gunwale above the weather deck. The anchor cable is brought up from the cable locker through a pipe that pierces the

weather deck or in some cases simply a hole in the deck and it passes overboard at deck level through a hawse hole, that is a

hole in the gunwale.

See The Oxford Companion To Ships and the Sea page 379 and 380. As well you will be interested in the item following

“Hawse”on page 380: Hawse Bag, which is de sack ‘o stuff, oakum, cork pieces etc. that be stuffed into de hawse hole to

stop the green ones from comin’ inboard t’ru de hole. None of this of course has any relation to ships being called “she”….

Aye, Joe Cunningham, Class of ‘56

2017 - Venture '62 Reunion in Virginia Beach

The Class of '62 has traditionally been reluctant to wait five years for a chance to get together. Accordingly, in September we enjoyed a mini-reunion in Virginia Beach.

Although we had a few late cancellations because of ill health, we were able to muster fifteen hearty souls for three days of tours, camaraderie and general revelry. Participants came from eastern Canada (the Chiassons & Halladays), western Canada (the Dannhauers, S. Smiths & Doug Mitchell) New Zealand (the Baldwins) and, of course, Virginia Beach (the Van Dijckes & Nesbits).

Yours Aye, Keith Nesbit, Class of ’62 Ed note: For lots more photos, go to the website “Events” page: www.hmcsventure.com

Letters to the Editor (cont’d)




The Stone Frigate We hadn't put one foot near one,our terra firma proxy served in name only to serve as a surrogate Ship and School.As members of Stevens Division,placed at the rear of three other dead Admirals,the scuttlebutt ran the gamut from 'we were last picks' to the our 'admiral' fitting a similar scenario;the first nettled,whereas the later didn't.Our big brass exposure had only reached four rings at that juncture and as Naval Cadets it seemed precipitous to Venture into that realm. Our daily routine of meals,school,sports and p a r a d e s q u a r e appearances,starting before dawn and going to 2200 hours,quite filled our agenda.

And then came 'lights out',a breather from orders and other activities, albeit the athletics made the day for many of us. Winding down precipitated our soon to be felt punishment. The Petty Officer gave us two warnings ' to cut the cackle',which we more or less ignored and when our heads should of been in some sailor like dream, the parade square took its place.The moon cast our many shadows helter skelter as we marched off the parade square in step and then we went to the 'double' as we approached the hill to the Stone Frigate. Our murmurings ran along the lines of 'he will take us up and back and then we will get some beddy-by'. As we approached our Barracks he shifted us back into normal cadence and we were sure sleep would soon follow. With about two more steps to go before 'halt', the order to 'about face' thundered into our ears and we headed back to the Frigate, again at the double and to humble us

completely He doubled with us. In our young minds 'this old guy' probably sailed with Nelson or Drake,when in fact he was a well seasoned WW2 warrior,tough as nails as we would find out. In the early hours of the morning watch,after midnight land lubber time,he let us off the hook.Perspiration had reached all parts of our naval wool garb and hitting the sack had become uppermost in our minds,except for one astounding revelation.We now saw him as a hero, a real live one who had transformed us from a body of recruits into the beginnings of a 'band of brothers '. As a bonus,we were now the 'talked about' as a Division of some note, and maybe the Old Admiral would have been proud of Us.

The Chieftain

aka Bob Graham, Class of ‘56

The Dreaded “Dues”One of the rituals associated with our five-yearly Venture Reunions is the paying of “dues”. For those who are not familiar with the drill (or have either deliberately or geriatrically forgotten), here is how it works: At the upcoming Reunion, members will receive an invoice covering all the events for which they have signed up, including a box for the payment of dues. We emphasize that, since everyone who ever darkened Venture’s doors, whether he graduated or not, is automatically registered as a member of the Venture Association. For that reason, dues are NOT mandatory. However, most of us, as members in good standing, choose to pay a nominal amount which, for the sake of convenience, is pegged at $10 a year; the practice is to pay it forward five years, i.e., $50 at each Reunion. We do not charge retroactively. If you do not attend, or if you wish to contribute more to the general revenue of the Association (covering such things as the publication of this little newsletter and the running of the website), you are free to send a cheque to the Registrar, (℅ D.G. Longmuir, 903-168 Chadwick Court, North Vancouver, BC V7M 3L4) who will make a record of your payment and send it to the Treasurer for deposit. Some members have demonstrated unparalleled generosity — one in particular (no names, no pack drill) has paid up to 2033 (we should live so long!)


Register Changes

Class of ’56 Harley Kieran email: [email protected] Dennis Briggs email: [email protected] Joella Christenson (Hon), 11106-153A St, Surrey, BC V3R 9H8; email [email protected] Robert Ferguson, 120 Central Park Drive, Suite 115, Ottawa, ON K2C 4G3; tel (613)798-2658. email [email protected] Keith Sterling, St Lawrence Lodge,1803 County Rd 28, Brockville, ON K6V 5T4, tel: (613) 345-0255 Norm Etheridge, #504C- 460 Belmont Ave W, Kitchener, ON N2M 0B4 email [email protected] Al Horner, 309-2080 Oak Bay Ave, Victoria, BC V8R 6W2

Class of ’57 Cheryl Masters (Hon), daughter of Bob Deluca, 17 Elaine Avenue, Prospect Bay, NS B3T 1Z5; tel (902) 471-6836; email: [email protected] Don Uhrich tel: 902-407-2352

Class of ’58 Peter Cairns email: [email protected] or [email protected] Tim Porter email: [email protected]

Class of ’59 Art Schwartz, 10 Shinnecock Drive, Palm Coast, FL 32137; Cel: (864) 325-1401 Lorne MaDonald email [email protected]

Class of ’60 David Abrahams email: [email protected]

Class of ’62 Sheldon Smith email: [email protected]

Class of ’65 Carol Kenny (Hon) email: [email protected]

Staff/Honorary John Kinross-Kennedy (Jake), 1121 Back Bay Drive, Apt 238, Newport Beach, CA 92260-9377; tel (949) 278-6771; email [email protected] George Kinch 1074 Lucille Drive, Brentwood Bay, BC V8M 1C7

In Memoriam

Glenn Christenson, Class of ’56 Bob Deluca, Class of ’57 Derek Hood, Class of ’57 Eric Neilsen, Class of ’60

Ron Richards, Class of ’56 Gordon Gray, Class of ’58

Donald John Sheppard, XO

The President’s Report

I keep getting medical reports on people’s conditions. Its an age thing I guess. Then I find out that I am, we are, all there too. I was recently at my youngest grandson’s high school track meet to watch him compete. I saw all these young, slim, healthy bodies running and jumping like I used to do about a hundred years ago. I was envious. Where did it all go? Was I ever like them? What we enjoyed when we were young is long gone. Instead we now sit at home with our aches and pains and medications wondering “what happened”? Well, we got educated through the hard knocks of life. Watched our children grow up and marry and are now watching our grandchildren grow up and and reach the age of marriage. Its a progression called “life”. We should all be wise enough know that all things, good or bad, must end. Remember the good and try to forget the bad. Remember friends who have gone and friends who are still here. Contact them when you can or you’ll regret that you didn’t if they go before you. I had a classmate who moved to Powell River where my son now lives. I intended to look him up on my next visit and due to family activities didn’t have time. Then learned that he had died. I regret that to this day. So a word of advice: Remember friends and family. Contact them when you can. Life is too short, so enjoy what you have left.

So did you hear there is going to be Venture Reunion in Victoria in September 2019. Yes, back where we all started the interesting part of our lives. So pack up your pills, canes and wife and join us in Victoria. Meet the old friends, maybe for the last time. You'll never know if you don't attend.

Aye,

Ed Vishek, Class of ’61, President

⚓ ⚓ ⚓ ⚓ ⚓ ⚓






















The Editor’s Corner

Spring/Summer Greetings to all — We are back from Mexico and have seen spring go by quickly on the Wet Coast, with rapid snowmelt and unfortunate flood disasters. Barely a year to go to the 2019 Reunion in Victoria, so this edition of the Signal features up-to-date information on the process leading to that grand event. And our Letters to the Editor (one rather belated) would indicate that we are still reaching a critical mass of Association members. Keep them coming, in addition to short articles, memoirs, photos, jokes and anything else your fellow members will enjoy — and I do encourage our francophone members: quelque mots dans la langue de Molière, s’il vous plait . Very importand also to send me news about “mini-reunions” and other gatherings, along with photos! I am beginning to receive a few more “In Memoriam” messages as we all move inexorably toward the later stages of what have been, mostly, busy and productive lives. Please let me and our webmaster, as well as your Class Rep (see below) know of changes of address, significant changes in your lives and, of course, the passing of dear friends and shipmates. Have a wonderful summer wherever you are!

Aye, Gordon Longmuir, Class of ’57, Registrar and Editor of the Signal

The Executive*

Ed Vishek (’61) - President: (250) 598-9794; [email protected] John Westlake (’67) - Past President: (613) 837-0081; [email protected] Ken Scotten (’61) - Vice President: (250) 472-6187; [email protected] Ron McLean (’65) - Treasurer: (250) 595-5087; [email protected] Gordon Longmuir (’57) - Registrar and Editor of the Signal: (604) 760-7038; [email protected] Darryl Harden (’65) - Webmaster: (306) 216-2141; [email protected] Matt Durnford (’65) - Director at Large Halifax: (902) 766 4104; [email protected]

Richard Duffield (’62) - Director at Large Ottawa: (613) 837-1412; [email protected] Richard Neveu (’67) - Director at Large Victoria: (250) 360-0019; [email protected] Wilf Lund (’61) - Venture Historian and Chair, 2019 Reunion: (250) 598-5894; [email protected]

Class Representatives* 1956: Bob Lancashire (902) 446-7107; [email protected] 1957: Doug Henderson (250) 370-0790; e-mail [email protected] 1958: Tony Smith (250) 479-5676; [email protected] 1959: Tom Essery (250) 477-9321; [email protected] 1960: Pierre Yans (250) 592-5997; [email protected]

1961: Wilf Lund (250) 598-5894; [email protected] 1962: Eric Waal (250) 477-1425; [email protected] 1963-I: Russ Rhode (250) 642-0086; [email protected] 1963-II: Tim Kemp (250) 494-5043; [email protected] 1964: Gord Oakley (250) 544-1616; [email protected] 1965: Graeme Evans (250) 361-2646; [email protected] 1966: Ross Beck (613) 492-0130; [email protected] 1967: Errol Collinson (250) 704-0048; [email protected] Staff: Joe Cunningham (250) 360-0450; [email protected]

*NB: Class Reps are members of the Executive

Distribution of The Signal As of this edition, copies distributed,: 401 electronically via the website or direct e-mail; 52 by snail mail. To addresses in: Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Thailand, the UK and the USA.

Naughtical Terms* Scran Bag

In the days days beyond sail, victualling improved sufficiently that any gash or left-over food was almost always thrown out. The Scran Bag became the depository of left-over clothing or other personal articles left in the mess. Because it was important to keep mess decks clear of debris so a clear passage was maintained for damage control, a penalty was imposed to reclaim items from the Scran Bag. The money collected was added to the ship’s fund which bought amenities for the ship’s company. To prevent the Scran Bags from overfilling, the contents were auctioned off every week or two and the remaining items gashed. These auctions were often the source of discovery of missing gear and the miscreant was then forced to become the highest bidder for his own belongings. The method was effective in keeping gear stowed and mess decks tidy.

*Courtesy of our distinguished past/past/past President, Joe Cunningham.








































A bit of nostalgia, courtesy of Ken Stephens,

Class of ‘57

Visit Canada’s Naval and Military

MuseumsEsquimalt Naval & Military Museum, CFB Esquimalt (Naden) Victoria, BC V9A 7N2 Telephone: (604) 363-4312 www.navalandmilitarymuseum.org

Vancouver Naval Museum, HMCS Discovery, P.O. Box 43595 RPO Alberni, Vancouver, BC V6G 3E2; Telephone (604) 837-6691

The Military Museums, 4520 Croschild Trail SW, Calgary, AB . T2T 5J4 Telephone: (403) 410-2340 https://themilitarymuseums.ca/

The Naval Museum of Manitoba HMCS Chippawa, 1 Navy Way Winnipeg, MB R3C 4J7

HMCS Haida National Historic Site, Pier 9, HMCS Star, 658 Catherine St, Hamilton, ON L8L 8K4 Telephone (905) 526-6742; www.pc.gc.ca/eng/hn-nhs/on/haida/index.aspx

Musée Naval de Québec, 170 rue Dalhousie, Québec, QC G1K 8M7; Tele-phone: (418) 694-5387 www.nmb.org

Shearwater Aviation Museum,54 Bonaventure St, Shearwater, NS B0J 3A0 www.shearwateraviationmuseum.ns.ca

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, 1675 Lower Water Street, Halifax, NS B3J 1S3; Telephone (902) 424-7490; www.maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca

The Canadian War Museum, 1Vimy Place, Ottawa, ON K1R 1C2; Tel: 1-800- 555-5621 www.warmuseum.ca

The Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, 11 Aviation Parkway, Ottawa, ON K1K 2X5; Telephone (613) 993-2010 www.casmuseum.techno-science.ca

HMCS Sackville—Canadian Naval Memorial Trust, PO Box 99000, Stn Forces Halifax, NS B3K 5X5; Telephone (902) 444-3773 www.hmcssackville-cnmt.ns.ca

Maritime Command Museum, 2729 Gottingen St, Halifax, NS B3K 5X5; Telephone (902) 721 -8250 www.psphalifax.ca

Roger Chiasson, Class of ’62, has published his autobiography; available from Friesen Press https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000030160683/Roger-Chiasson-Cape-Bretoner-at-Large)See an excerpt about his time at Venture on our website www.hmcsventure.comAlthough this book, written for his grandchildren, is one man's chronicle of his life and his 38 year career in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Cold War, it is also a compelling story about pride in one's cultural roots, the pursuit of adventure, the role of curiosity in life's travels, and an abiding passion for leadership. The story starts in a pastoral setting in Nova Scotia and winds its way to British Columbia, where the author is immersed in the hectic life of a Naval Cadet. Upon graduation from the Royal Military College Chiasson goes to sea and attains a Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate before joining the engineering branch. He spends the next few years as the Engineering Officer of two Naval destroyers prior to attending Staff College to broaden his horizons. The remainder of his Engineering career is devoted to overseeing and managing refits and new construction in Canadian shipyards and in National Defence Headquarters. Following attendance at the National Defence College, hIs crowning Engineering achievement is as the Commanding Officer (and religious change-management fanatic) of Canada's East Coast Naval Dockyard. In a remarkable quirk of fate he ends his career as Canada's Defence Attaché in Japan.

L to R: Brian MacKenzie, Ken Stephens, Satch Lauer, Gordon Longmuir, Long Beach (?), 1956

L to R: Chuck Regan, Ken Stephens, Don Wallace, Lt. Bill

Munroe, Pensacola, 1958

Signal June 2018 Draft - hmcsventure.com Signal.pdf · Navy Day AM-PM Includes tour of Venture Ship Simulator and possibly ... orders and other activities, ... members in good standing,

Documents