Monthly Archives: June 2022

HMCS GLACE BAY visits

What's New?
HMCS GLACE BAY along east face of Pier 8 (Sheila Copps Pier), 25 June 2022, as seen from HMCS HAIDA.

The MCDV (Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel) HMCS GLACE BAY visited Hamilton 24-27 June as the first stop on her Great Lakes deployment. Two of her sister ships, KINGSTON & SUMMERSIDE, are leaving Halifax to take part in Op Reassurance activities in the Baltic Sea, while others frequently take part in counter drug operations either in the Pacific or the Caribbean as part of Op Caribbe. The ship was open to visitors and lots of people took advantage of the opportunity to get a look at life in the navy.

a white ensign showing the Union Flag before the addition of Ireland

Time Travel?

What's New?

A case can be made that HAIDA, as the Ceremonial Flagship of the RCN, should fly the Canadian Naval Ensign, or, as a museum ship, the white ensign that she would have flown during her service from 1943 to 1963. Parks Canada has introduced a new wrinkle. Yesterday, HAIDA was flying the white ensign with the Union Flag which was in use from 1706/1707 till 1801, before the addition of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. That flag certainly didn’t come from HAIDA’s flag locker!

a white ensign showing the Union Flag before the addition of Ireland

Naval Association June Lunch at CWH

What's New?
NAC-HAG with Grumman TBF Avenger

The Hamilton Area Group of the Naval Association of Canada held their June lunch at Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum on the 228th anniversary of “The Glorious First of June”. The food was excellent and the setting was marvellous, not in the least marred by the sound of school children in the background or warning klaxons sounding as hangar doors opened and closed.

Following lunch, we were treated to tours led by friendly& knowledgeable CWH volunteers, with a focus on naval aircraft such as the Avenger, the Firefly and the Tracker.