April 15, 2014 One of our friends (Don Scurlock) a member of the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineers NL Branch (CIMarE) passed peacefully away at the St. Lukes Home today at the age of 78. Don was born in Hampshire, England and was buried on Good Friday, April 18 th. Don was a Canadian Soldier, Marine Engineer, Shriner, Gardener and a Grandfather. Don Scurlock (in the wheel chair) with Bill Conway. This was taken at Bill Conway s retirement party held in 2013. CIMarE NL Branch wrote: "We regret the passing of our longtime member, Donald Scurlock. Don was known to the marine community in many capacities. We first knew him as a marine contractor dealing with vessels of all kinds and purposes. We then knew him as a DSS (now PWGSC) contract officer. At the same time, Don was actively engaged with CIMarE, both at Branch Level and National. He was also deeply involved with Newfoundland Branch Mari-Techs ( 5 in total). He touched all, in the marine community through his finesse in fair play, interest and overall sense of humour. His resounding infectious laugh can still be heard today. Don will be sadly missed." April 29, 2014 The regular monthly meeting of the Division took place at the Crow s Nest Officers Club. The sinking of the South Korean ferry with a full load of young students was discussed. The unusual escape of the Captain of the ferry, while passengers (students) were told not to move from where they were, was also discussed. Membership was another item of discussion. Majority of the members attending the meeting felt that, to keep the membership motivated and also to increase the numbers the Division must be willing to take a stand on marine related topics of interest in the region. The Division is now gearing up for the upcoming biennial Seminar on October 22 nd and 23 rd. For the first time the CMMC NL Division will join forces with The Council of Marine Professional Associates (COMPASS) in this two day Seminar. Web link for COMPASS is: www.compasscanada.info/ The Battle of the Atlantic parade and church service will take place on Sunday May 4, 2014. The ceremony will commemorate sailors and air crew who gave their lives in the Battle of the Atlantic. The church service Page 1
will be held at George Street United Church. Here are a couple of pictures from the meeting: of Newfoundland and Mr. Glenn Blackwood, Vice President, Memorial University of Newfoundland (Marine Institute). The invitees came from the Marine Industry and the Provincial Government. Also the Honourable (former Lieutenant Governor of NL) Mr. John Crosbie was there. Some former students of the College from around the province and some as far away as Singapore and Hong Kong were in attendance. April 30, 2014 The Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland (former College of Fisheries, Navigation, Marine Engineering and Electronics at that time known simply as Fisheries College) is celebrating 50 th Anniversary (1964-2014). In addition to many other activities there was a reception at the Marine Institute (MI) this evening invited by Dr. Gary Kachanoski, President and Vice Chancellor of Memorial University L-R: Dr. Gary Kachanoski and Mr. Glenn Blackwood The Marine Institute is organizing activities throughout the year 2014 to celebrate this 50 th Anniversary. Some of it will be reunions of various graduating classes and various functions in St. John s and other places in the Province. Page 2
Few more pictures taken at the 50 th Anniversary Some of the 1969 Graduates of Nautical Science with the then Head of the Department, Capt. J. J. Strong. L-R: S. Davis, E. Way, Capt. Strong, W. Yates, A. Zaki and E. Anthony A group picture with the Fisheries College in the frame L-R: G. Blackwood, W. K. Yeo and A. Zaki, Yeo cutting the 50 th Anniversary cake Page 3
May 2, 2014 For the first time in the history of the Division, a webinar was held today. The Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland was extremely kind to provide the space for this webinar. The meeting was with Mr. Stig Dayanandan, part owner of a Norwegian IT company INNIT AS. The topic was WEBCADET. They have developed an online and offline training record book for future seafarers worldwide. The aim is to provide a reliable and secure electronic documentation system. This will assure quality documentation of the training and assessment for upcoming Officers and Engineers. This of course can be used by Apprentices, Cadets, Officers and Engineers. This will provide good feedback and meet the requirements from the Norwegian Maritime Association (NMA). This month they are starting the webcadet programme in the Philippines with 350 cadets. Second from right is Mr. Dayanandan May 4, 2014 The ceremony to commemorate sailors and air crew who gave their lives during The Battle of the Atlantic was held at the George Street United Church today. Lieutenant- Commander Shannon Lewis- Simpson, the Commanding Officer, as usual invited the CMMC NL Division to attend this ceremony. Mr. Stig R. Dayanandan of the Nowegian IT Company INNIT AS Water Street St. John s NL Page 4
The candidates pay a course fee of just under $3,000.00. When they are unable to obtain the required sea time during the five year period their investment just goes down the drain. The Division has prepared a Position Paper for the Company of Master Mariners of Canada (CMMC) to help take some action on this matter. After more than a year no positive action has come about. The Division is preparing another DP Position Paper for the CMMC National hoping something positive may happen to help with this professional development problem. Some of the members of the Division are familiar with several other countries that have various agreements with Oil Companies providing this very important professional development for the locals. Some of the members of the Division attended the ceremony. L-R: Zaki, Hearn and Turner May 27, 2014 The Division held regular monthly meeting at the Crow s Nest Officers Club. The main topic on the agenda was professional development of the young and upcoming mariners. It has become evident to the NL Division that nautical science students who graduate with a Dynamic Positioning (DP) Induction course are having great difficulty obtaining required sea time to the next level during a regulated five (5) year time frame. The same evening the above meeting took place, the Crow s Nest Officers Club held their Annual General Meeting (AGM), also at the Crow s Nest. This was a very historic AGM for the Crow s Nest as they elected a female as their President, for the first time in their history Lieutenant-Commander Margaret Morris. She has spent 25 years as a member and, on the Board of the Crow s Nest since 1990. Lieutenant-Commander Margaret Morris joined the Naval Reserve as an Ordinary Wren in 1972 at HMCS Carleton in Ottawa. She later transferred to HMCS Cataraqui while attending Queen s University in Kingston, Ontario. While studying for a Page 5
degree in economics, LCdr Morris spent her summers serving at communications centres at CFB Summerside, CFS Mill Cove, CFS Aldergrove and CFB Esquimalt. She graduated with a B.A. (Honours) in 1976. Immediately after university, LCdr Morris travelled extensively around the world in a working holiday lifestyle. Among other jobs, she picked apples in Tasmania, washed dishes in Tel Aviv and spent two winters in the Caribbean crewing on charter boats. This phase of her life also included a trip across the Soviet Union on the Trans- Siberian Railway. Despite all this travel, LCdr Morris always met her annual training commitment to the Naval Reserve. LCdr Morris was promoted to Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class in 1985 and took her commission in l989. Since attaining her Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate in 1990, LCdr Morris has held a wide variety of positions both at sea and ashore. A highlight of her career was being Officer in Charge of PB199 STANDOFF for the vessel s final summer deployment in 1996. This deployment took STANDOFF around Newfoundland and into the Maritimes. The vessel covered move than 4,000 NM and made 42 port visits. LCdr Morris also experienced considerable sea-time while working with the Newfoundland fisheries observer program. In particular, she had considerable exposure to Eastern European cultures while assigned to Russian and Estonian factory freezer trawlers. LCdr Morris served as Commanding Officer of HMCS CABOT from 1998 to 2003. Since then, she has served with Port Security Unit One and also with the Canadian Forces Liaison Council. She reached compulsory retirement age in November 2013 and after 40 plus years with the Canadian Naval Reserve, she is now enjoying her retirement. Some members of the Division who attended the meeting Some members of the Crow s Nest and NL Division Page 6
June 6, 2014 (70 th Anniversary of D-Day) L-R: Ian Wheeler (new Director), Dick Hyslop (standing Past President), Margaret Morris (new President), Tony Dearness (Immediate Past President), Gary Walsh (Vice President) Planning for the operation began in 1943. The weather on D-Day was far from ideal, but they had to carry out this operation. Some 14,000 Canadians went on the beaches on that day. President Ronald Reagan was the 1 st US President to take part, and it was the 40 th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Members of both groups enjoying some refreshments Lieutemant Commander Margaret Morris Troops and landing craft occupy a Normandy beach shortly after the D-Day landing. The bombardment of the beaches began at 6 a.m. on June 6, 1944, and within hours soldiers from Canada had established the beachhead at Juno Beach and the German defenses were shattered. (The Canadian Press) Page 7
Captain Joseph (Joe) Prim writes: Here is some information on marine activities on this side of the Atlantic during and after D-Day. U-boats were still sinking vessels during that time (61 were torpedoed and sunk between Greenland and New York in 1943 alone), not counting vessels that were lost through natural causes. To protect vessels leaving St. John s, the Canadian Navy swept a channel outside St. John s harbour daily. The Fort Amherst, the vessel on which I sailed, was a passenger cargo ship that had been requisitioned by the Admiralty as a Commodore ship in coastal convoys. The vessel was armed with a four-inch gun and fitted with machine gun turrets on either side. The Fort Amherst was also fitted for rescue operations and supplied the ships in the convoy with provisions. As well the ship had a doctor and a surgery. U-boats were still active on the east coast to some extent until V-Day. Six days before that we intercepted a westbound convoy headed for various ports in Canada. Five of the convoy, which included our ship, formed up and headed to Boston. We left the other vessels outside Boston Harbour and headed for New York. We received a message from the Coast Guard advising that U-boats were reported outside Long Island, New York. Our master then decided to go through Cape Cod Canal and up through Long Island Sound. Before reaching the Sound entrance we passed five vessels at anchor all had been torpedoed. Three vessels had heavy lists, one was burnt out, and of the fifth one, a tanker, only half of the ship remained. We went through the canal and out in Buzzard s Bay. While rounding a buoy of Point Judith, our lookout sighted a periscope and the mate sounded the claxon horn for general quarters. This was much to the dismay of the offwatch crew, who hadn t had their clothes off for a week and thought that it was just a practice. The captain came on the bridge and when he saw the periscope he mistakenly figured it was a U.S. sub out of New London navy yard and ordered us to stand down, About 10 to 15 minutes later we heard an explosion astern. The sub had torpedoed a collier" black point "which sank with the loss of the 12 crew members on the eve of V-E Day. This was the last ship on this side of the Atlantic to be lost to enemy action. Two American destroyers sank the sub later that day. June 4, 5, 6, 2014 IFSMA Annual General Assembly Captain Peter Turner International Federation of Shipmasters Association (IFSMA) held their 40 th Annual General Assembly in Sandefjord, Norway June 5 th and 6 th. Captain Peter Turner represented the Company of Master Mariners of Canada (CMMC) at these Page 8
meetings. The programme called for an Executive Council Meeting in the afternoon of the 4 th and, an evening boat cruise organized by the Norwegian Maritime Officers Association (NMOA). During the two day meeting some fourteen (14) papers were scheduled for presentation. At the end of the 2 day meetings a new Council was to be elected. Please check the website below: www.ifsma.org/ June 28, 2014 Summer BBQ of the Division was held at the residence of the Divisional Master Captain Chris Hearn. This been a very long weekend good many members headed out to their cabins and or camping. However a reasonable number of the members with their partners attended the BBQ. L-R: Denise, Dianne, Elizabeth, Ed and Ruth It was a fantastic day. Everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable evening. At the end of the BBQ there were some lucky (name) draws. Here are some pictures taken at the BBQ: Maria Halfyard and Chris Hearn Page 9