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Chief of Maritime Staff Visit
VAdm Paul Maddison in the Mess with (L-R) VAdm Duncan Miller ret’d, Kevin Power, Bryan Elson, Honourary Captain(N) Myra Freeman, Charles Dunbar and Don Wilcox
Less than one month in the job and Vice-Admiral Paul Maddision, Chief of Maritime Staff, took time out of his busy schedule for an impromptu lunch onboard to partake in our commanding officer’s famous chilli, renew acquaintances and apprise us of current naval operations including the role of HMCS ST. JOHN’s Sea King in the aftermath of the First Air crash in Resolute Bay. HMCS ST. JOHN’s was participating in Operation Nanook 11 – Canada’s annual sovereignty operations and security exercises in the Eastern and high Arctic.
VAdm Maddison also spoke of HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN’s efforts off the coast of Libya ensuring that the port of Misrata remained open in support of the anti-government forces.CHARLOTTETOWN called in more than 600 air strikes on military targets that were actively shelling the city or were threatening the port, he told our group.
Most of all, VAdm Maddison remarked how particularly proud he was of our good ship, and the role she played in the recent Royal Canadian Navy renaming ceremony and the role she continues to play as Canada’s Naval Memorial.
Governor General David Johnston with the Chair, VAdm MacNeil, Cdr Brown and the CFNES side party
Patron Visits HMCS Sackville
On a recent visit to Halifax to address the Canadian Bar Association at its annual convention in mid-August, His Excellency, David Johnston, the Governor General of Canada honoured HMCS SACKVILLE with a private visit to our good ship. His Excellency was met by Vice Admiral ret’d Hugh MacNeil, Chair – Canadian Naval Memorial Trust, Commodore Larry Hickey, Atlantic Fleet Commander and Cdr ret’d Wendall Brown, Commanding Officer of HMCS SACKVILLE; piped onboard by sailors from the Naval Engineering School and greeted by Battle of the Atlantic Veterans – whom he took great delight in meeting. This was the first time in recent history that a Governor General has visited Canada’s Naval Memorial. After touring the ship, His Excellency attended a small reception in the mess where he was presented with Donald E. Graves’ book, In Peril on the Sea, a Navy Centennial Decanter and a SACKVILLE tie – which he very quickly donned. To his amusement and prompted by Cdr ret’d Ted Smith, His Excellency “declared the bar open”. Going ashore, the Governor General thanked the Trust for its generosity and remarked that he found the ship in very good shape – to serve Canada in the years to come.
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