A Tour of a Cold War O-Boat (5)

 Continuing our tour aft on board HMCS Ojibwa, we have passed through the accommodation space with its assorted messes and berths. The photo to the left is part of the starboard side of the control room, featuring the chart table, a prominent red light bulb, various communication outlets, a clock, etc.

And to the right is an image of part of the port side of the control room under red lighting conditions.
The red lighting is switched on at dusk and off at dawn, even when running at great depth, in case it is necessary to surface in a hurry. Also, if at periscope depth, it allows the periscope watchkeeper's eyes to be adjusted for night vision.

Not shown in either photo are the periscopes, which are on the centre-line of the boat, with the attack (monocular) periscope forward of the search periscope, which is binocular.

D-Day Corvette, HMCS Kitchener

The picture at left is of Bill Cameron, posing with "Terror on the Alert" at the White Rock Library on February 15th this year. The occasion was a Sunday afternoon presentation by 6 local writers.

The Friends of the Library showed up with refreshments, and had done a wonderful job of organizing the writer/presenters, never an easy thing to manage.

I was excited to meet Bill, who served in HMCS Kitchener, which as far as Bill knows was the only corvette actually in the immediate area of the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, June 6th, 1944. Bill was an Able Seaman manning an anti-aircraft Oerlikon for what seemed like days straight.

More about Bill, and HMCS Kitchener, in the near future.

A Great War Trooper's Last Ride

A short time ago I posted a photo of my father, Tom Mackay, when he was training in Winnipeg before joining his regiment, Lord Strathcona's Horse (RC), in France. (See 22 January 2015 )

Tom's legs were badly shot up when he rode with Gordon Flowerdew at Moreuil Wood in 1918. He was then a sergeant, Acting Troop Leader of 1st Troop, and was right behind Flowerdew as they made their desperate charge.

I don't remember ever seeing Dad ride, because he constantly suffered leg pain; but I recently came across this photo, taken in c 1963. Dad was motoring across the Chilcotin from Williams Lake westward, when he came across a herd of cattle being driven by three first nations cowboys. He persuaded one of them to drive his car on to their next stop, and he mounted the man's horse and took part in the drive. The dismounted man, now a motorist, took this photo of the three men. Dad is in the middle. He died in 1969, a trooper--and a cowboy--at heart.
 

Submarine Lecture in Ladner

This was the scene at the Ladner Yacht Club the evening of Friday January 30th. The Fraser Power and Sail Squadron held a graduation ceremony for recent boating course students. I was honoured to be asked to speak about "Submarines, Canada, and Terror on the Alert". Above, I'm being introduced by instructor Bob Juulsen.

It was a real pleasure to talk submarines to an appreciative and enthusiastic audience.

Many thanks to the Squadron for having me as a guest.

Photos courtesy Kathleen and Paul Vanderwood.

Philip Sherwood, Lifewriter, at Canadian Authors-Vancouver

Philip Sherwood presented to the Canadian Authors-Vancouver on January 14th. His presentation was dynamic and well-received, appealing to potential memoirists, biographers, autobiographers, and family historians.

Through his firm lifewriters.ca, Philip assists families, companies, and individuals to tell their own stories. His books have won many awards.

Among other subjects have been members of Philip's own family, including his father. Freddie Sherwood was a renowned RCNVR submariner, notably commanding the RN's HMS Spiteful during World War II.



Here is the cover of "It's Not the Ships...", Freddie Sherwood's own story of his war years. It's a good example of Philip's work.
(I posted about the book last year.)

A Tour of a Cold War O-Boat (4)

 We are continuing aft on board HMCS Ojibwa, as she rests in her permanent berth ashore in Port Burwell, Ontario. We have passed through the watertight door into the accommodation spaces. On the left is a shot of a couple of bunks and some lockers. My memory fails me as to whether this is in the crew's quarters, or the chiefs and petty officers mess. Can someone help with a comment?

And here, on the right, we have the rather palatial commanding officer's cabin as seen from the passageway that threads its way the length of the boat. The lucky captain has hardwood to sleep on as opposed to a canvas sling. Not sure that would make it more comfortable.

Other features include a miniscule desk, a couple of drawers, and gauges and instruments so the captain can monitor the boat's progress. The cabin is very handy to the control room, so he can be there within seconds in case of an emergency or other development.

A Trooper of Canadian Cavalry 100 Years Ago

One hundred years ago in January 1915, the Canadian Mounted Brigade was training in the mud and slime of Salisbury Plain, preparing for a chance to charge German infantry.

They didn't get that chance for some time, as years of duty in trenches awaited them first.

This photo is of my dad, Tom Mackay, MM. It was probably taken on the training ground of Fort Osborne Barracks in Winnipeg, before embarking for the UK.

Note the sword, primary weapon of the cavalry of the day. The horse stands proudly, mane and tail clipped, ears up, alert. No doubt the result of many hours of grooming, stable duty, and army discipline for trooper and charger.

More about the Canadian cavalry, and Tom, in my novel Soldier of the Horse.