All posts by Dinger

About Dinger

A sea cadet at RCSCC LION from 1963 to 1968, I joined the Naval Reserve at HMCS STAR in 1968 as a Bos'n. I was an Officer Cadet in the ROUTP, commissioned in 1971, and awarded my watchkeeping ticket in 1973. I served at sea, at one time or another, in all five Gate Vessels and HMCS FORT STEELE & CHAUDIERE as well as the Coast Guard icebreaker Louis St. Laurent and served as OIC of the patrol vessels RALLY and RAPID. At STAR from 1968 to 2007, I served as XO twice and then as CO from 2002 to 2005. I rounded out my career by serving as SSO Training at NAVRESHQ in Quebec City in 2008, retiring in 2009 as CO of HMCS HUNTER in Windsor. I was Executive Director for the Friends of HMCS HAIDA till 2011 and have been an active volunteer onboard HAIDA since she arrived in Hamilton in 2003.

New VCDS & CRCN

What's New?

Not normally something that would fall within our remit to deal with Hamilton and area but . . . as Vice Admiral Topshee was almost our guest at our annual Battle of the Atlantic dinner, and as he will be coming back to Hamilton on June 16th for his Change of Command.

CANFORGEN 085/26 CMP 038/26 1213022Z MAY 26

Promotions, Appointments, Releases General/Flag Officers 2026

  • Rear-Admiral D.A. Charlebois will be promoted Vice-Admiral and appointed Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, in Ottawa, replacing Vice-Admiral A.I. Topshee
  • Commodore P.L. Belhumeur will be promoted Rear-Admiral and appointed Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic and Joint Task Forces Atlantic, in Halifax, replacing Rear-Admiral M.T.J. Kurtz
  • Commodore J.L. Murray will be promoted Rear-Admiral and appointed Deputy Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, in Ottawa, replacing Rear-Admiral D.A. Charlebois
  • Captain(N) W.B. Bown will be promoted Commodore and appointed Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific, in Esquimalt
  • Commodore B. Vallis, promoted to substantive rank
  • Vice-Admiral A.I. Topshee will be appointed Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, in Ottawa, replacing Lieutenant-General S.R. Kelsey

Vice Admiral Topshee will relinquish command to the 39th Commander of the RCN, Vice Admiral Dan Charlebois, on Tuesday, 16 June at 10:00 on Pier 8, directly adjacent to HMCS STAR and HMCS HAIDA.

BOA Dinner

What's New?

Our Battle of Atlantic dinner held on Friday, May 1st, at LIUNA Station, was a great success. With almost one hundred thirty present, this was the largest naval dinner in Hamilton for forty years. Although Admiral Topshee was not able to be there, Commodore Beth Vallis, Commander Naval Reserve, was an excellent substitute, and even presented us with a gift, a bottle of commemorative rum.

A bottle of Coastal Defence Reserve Naval Overproof Rum from Compass Distillers in Halifax.

Commander Bob Williamson, former CO of HMCS STAR, presented us with a valuable resource, a photocopy of the log of HMS WOLFE, from June to December 1813, the original of which is the US Archives.

The cover of the copy of the log of HMS WOLFE
A sample page from the log. Hard to read, transcription will be a laborous task.

INS TARANGINI

What's New?
INS TARANGINI

There is a Hamilton connection, however slight, to the sinking of the Iranian light frigate DENA on 4 March. DENA had been in Visakhapatnam in India for the International Naval Review 2026 from 15 to 25 February. One of the Indian ships involved was the sail training ship TARANGINI. After the sinking, TARANGINI responded to assist with search and rescue.

In 2003 and 2004, TARANGINI circumnavigated the world. One of her stops was Hamilton where she stayed for two weeks to get her hull sandblasted and painted at Heddle Marine, now Ontario Shipyards. TARANGINI and HMCS STAR held reciprocal receptions for each other. Some STAR officers ventured carefully up to the maintop while Indian Naval Cadets stood nonchalantly on the yards above us. The ship’s visit left a strong “brotherhood of the sea” feeling!

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