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| FRANK HACHEY'S NAVY DAYS |
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| ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY MY NAVY DAYS 1949 - 1959 VOLUME III |
| 1953 |
| SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT EVENTS: JUNE 2, 1953, QUEEN ELIZABETH II IS CORONATED AND THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY SENDS A FLEET TO SPITHEAD, PLYMOUTH TO TAKE PART IN THE CORONATION CEREMONIES. THE FLEET CONSISTS OF THE HMCS QUEBEC, 1 CARRIER, 2 CRUISERS, 1 DESTROYER AND 2 FRIGATES. JULY 27, 1953 THE ARMISTICE IS SIGNED THAT PUTS AN END TO THE KOREAN WAR. THE CANADIAN NAVY STAYS I KOREA UNTIL THE END OF 1955 TO ENSURE THAT THIS AGREEMENT IS HONOURED. THIS MISSION IS CALLED (UNCMAC). SOON AFTER IS 'EXERCISE MARINER' A NATO EXERCISE INCLUDING 9 NATO COUNTRIES, 300 SHIPS AND 1,000 AIRCRAFT FOR TRIALS. |
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| EARLY THIS YEAR WE WENT TO ENGLAND, BELGIUM AND FRANCE. WE VISITED THE WW II MEMORIAL IN DIEPPE. WE ALSO WENT THROUGH THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTOR (A SMALL STRAIT BETWEEN SPAIN AND AFRICA). AFRICA WAS SO HOT THAT YOU COULD FRY AN EGG ON THE TOP DECK. FRANK HACHEY |
| LIVING QUARTERS ARE SO CLOSE, BUNKS OVERHEAD, AND WE ARE ALL SO TIRED. WE CAN'T DRINK THIS STUFF WITHOUT AN OPENER MATES. MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST HIT "THE FART SACK" TONIGHT. TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY. FRANK HACHEY |
| THE FATAL SHORES OF DIEPPE WHERE IN 1942 ABOUT 5,000 CANADIANS LANDED, 1,000 WERE KILLED AND 2,000 TAKEN PRISONER. |
| 1954 |
| HMCS LA HULLOISE |
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| KING GEORGE VI DIED AND PRINCESS ELIZABETH IS TO TAKE THE THRONE. SHE IS SAID TO HAVE CLIMBED A TREE IN KENYA A PRINCESS (WHERE SHE WAS WHEN HER FATHER DIED) AND CLIMBED DOWN A QUEEN. WE ARE TO BRING THE HMCS LA HULLOISE TO SPITHEAD ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE CANADIAN FLEET FOR THE QUEENS CORONATION CEREMONIES. IT WAS A MEMORIABLE EVENT THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET. SO MUCH POMP AND SPLENDOR. I WAS PROUD TO REPRESENT CANADA ON THIS ASSIGNMENT AND PROUD TO SERVE MY COUNTRY. FRANK HACHEY |
| NATO EXERCISES ARE IN FULL FORCE. MANY SHIPS ARE ASSIGNED TO NATO TASKS. SOME CALL IT THE NATO NAVY. THE ROLE IS STILL ONE OF ANTI SUBMARINE WARFARE ALONG WITH PROTECTING OUR SHORES WITH POLICING AND ESCORTING ASSIGNMENTS. |
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| NO SOONER BACK FROM THE CORONATION AND ON TO NATO'S "EXERCISE MARINER". NINE NATO COUNTRIES TOOK PART WITH SOME 300 SHIPS, 1,000 AIRCRAFT FOR 19 DAYS OF TRIALS. I WAS CHIEF PETTY OFFICER ASSIGNED TO THE HMCS LA HULLOISE FOR THESE EXERCISES. FRANK HACHEY |
| NEXT ITS OFF TO QUEBEC, BY WAY OF THE ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY, TO PICK UP A BRAND NEW SHIP, HMCS LAUZON, AND BRING IT TO HALIFAX. THIS SHIP IS LUXURY. IT'S BRAND NEW WITH REAL BUNKS. FRANK HACHEY |
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| I HAVE NOW BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE HMCS WALLACEBURG. WE GO TO BERMUDA AND THE WEST INDIES FOR TRAINING. MOST OF THE TRAINING IS FOR ANTI SUBMARINE WARFARE. DUTIES INCLUDE SONAR VARIABLE DEPTH CHARGES, TORPEDOES AND TRIALS WITH THE LATEST EQUIPMENT. BERMUDA CONDITIONS WERE PERFECT FOR TRAINING. FRANK HACHEY |
| WE ENCOUNTERED HURRICANES AND DANGEROUS WINDS ALONG WITH HEAVY SWELLS AND 20 - 30 FOOT WAVES. WE WERE ALSO NO STRANGER TO THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE AND ALL THE MYSTERY IT HOLDS. FRANK HACHEY |
| I AM ASSIGNED TO HMCS LA HULLOISE (RATED CHIEF PETTY OFFICER). I HAVE NOW PASSED ALL MY TORPEDO ANTI SUB INSTRUCTION AND LSTD1 advanced. I HAVE SPECIALIZED IN SONAR. FRANK HACHEY |
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| CONTINUE THE JOURNEY click on NEXT VOLUMES |
| HMCS LAUZON |
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