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.

Visiting Naval Ships

What's New?

Dating back to the visit of HMS HERON, a Britomart Class gunboat, which visited Hamilton  August 17-19 1866, to the recent visit of HMCS ORIOLE and the current visit of HMCS MONCTON,  a steady stream of naval vessels have visited Hamilton.   Perhaps it is a sign of the times that on HERON’s arrival, the Mayor was there to greet her, there was a civic reception at the Royal Hotel followed by a trip to the Mountainview Hotel at the top of the escarpment, and the next day the City Council went for a sail, while  ORIOLE and MONCTON’s visits have gone almost entirely unnoticed in the city.

BRITOMART, the name ship of the class & HERON’s sistership.

I have been able to identify thirty-six vessels from the Royal Canadian Navy plus another thirteen from the United States Navy, Royal Navy, Netherlands Navy and Indian Navy.  I’m sure that there are others that I have missed.  If you know details of any ship visits, please let me know.

  • ANTICOSTI MSA-110
  • BUCKINGHAM FFE-314
  • CAP DE LA MADELAINE FFE-317
  • CORMORANT ASL-20
  • FRASER DDH-233
  • FREDERICTON FFH-337
  • GATINEAU DDE-236
  • GLACE BAY MM-701
  • HAIDA DDE-215
  • INCH ARRAN 308
  • KINGSTON MM-700
  • KOOTENAY DDE-258
  • LANARK FFE-321
  • LAUZON FFE-322
  • MARGAREE DDH-230
  • MONCTON MM-708
  • MONTREAL FFH-336
  • MORESBY MSA-112
  • NIPIGON DDH-266
  • NOOTKA DDE-213
  • OKANAGAN S-74
  • ORIOLE YAC-3
  • OTTAWA DDH-229
  • PORTAGE FSE-169
  • PORTE DAUPHINE YMG-186
  • PORTE ST JEAN YMG-180
  • PORTE ST LOUIS YMG-183
  • RESTIGOUCHE DDE-257
  • SAGUENAY DDH-206
  • SIOUX DDE-225
  • CROIX DDE-256
  • TERRA NOVA DDE-259
  • TORONTO FFH-333
  • VICTORIAVILLE FFE-320
  • VILLE DE QUEBEC FFH-332
  • WALLACEBURG FSE-172
  • HMS BRAVE F-94
  • HMRY Britannia
  • HMS HERON
  • HNLMS ROTTERDAM D-818
  • INS TARANGINI
  • USS DANIEL A. JOY DE-585
  • USS EGRET AMS-46
  • USS HURRICANE PC-3
  • USS LCU 1680
  • USS PROWESS MSF-280
  • USS SAMUEL ELLIOT MORRISON FFG-13
  • USS SEAGULL AMS-55
  • USS ZELLARS DD-777