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Navy Editor  
Ruthanne Urquhart (613) 567-7643

St. John's

sails on

Op APOLLO

Another Canadian warship has left home waters behind, bound for the Arabian Sea region.

HMCS St. John's departed Halifax May 1 for an estimated five-month deployment on Operation APOLLO. The multi-role patrol frigate carries a crew of about 245, including a Sea King helicopter air detachment. St. John's will join HMC Ships Algonquin and Ottawa, currently in-theatre.

Among other taskings, Maritime Force Atlantic's newest Halifax-class frigate will conduct Maritime Interdiction Operations, in search of disallowed cargoes moving into and out of Iraq, and Leadership Interdiction Operations, in search of Al-Qaeda and Taliban fleeing Afghanistan.

HMCS Toronto will arrive in Halifax May 27 after a deployment of almost six months on Op APOLLO. HMCS Protecteur departed Esquimalt May 21 to serve as the Canadian Naval Task Group and coalition fleet supply ship in the Arabian Sea region.

Le

St. John's

se joint aux forces de l'Op

Apollo

Un autre navire de guerre canadien est en route vers la région; de la mer d'Arabie.

Le 1^er mai, le NCSM St. John's a quitté Halifax pour être; affecté à l'opération; Apollo durant environ cinq mois. La frégate; de patrouille polyvalente compte environ 245 membres d'équipage;, y compris un détachement; aérien; d'hélicopt;ères; Sea King. Le St. John's se joindra aux NCSM Algonquin et Ottawa, qui sont actuellement dans le théâtre; d'opérations.;

La plus récente; frégate; de classe Halifax des Forces maritimes de l'Atlantique mènera; des opérations; maritimes d'interdiction, afin de repérer; des cargaisons illicites en provenance ou à destination de l'Iraq, ainsi que des opérations; d'interdiction de leadership, dans le but de trouver des membres d'al-Qaïda; et des talibans qui fuient l'Afghanistan.

Le NCSM Toronto arrivera à Halifax le 27 mai, après; avoir ét;é déploy;é pendant près; de six mois dans le cadre de l'Op Apollo. Le NCSM Protecteur a quitté Esquimalt le 21 mai pour servir de navire de ravitaillement au sein du Groupe opérationnel; naval du Canada et de la flotte de la coalition, dans la région; de la mer d'Arabie.

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen Ray Henault and RAdm Bruce MacLean, Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic, exchange salutes with HMCS St. John's as she departs Halifax harbour.

Le gén; Ray Henault, chef d'état-major; de la Défense;, et le cam Bruce MacLean, commandant des Forces maritimes de l'Atlantique, saluent le NCSM St. John's, tandis que celui-ci quitte le port d'Halifax.

St. John's crewmembers wave a final goodbye to family members and friends on the jetty at HMC Dockyard Halifax.

Les membres d'équipage; du St. John's envoient une dernière; fois la main aux membres de leur famille et à leurs amis réunis; sur la jetée; à l'arsenal CSM Halifax.

Migrant workers wait for their vessel to be boarded by members of HMCS Algonquin's Naval

Boarding Party May 5 in the Gulf of Oman. Area air defence destroyer Algonquin is deployed on Op APOLLO, providing defence capabilities for the

Canadian Naval Task Group contributing to the coalition forces' campaign against terrorism.

Le 5 mai, dans le golfe d'Oman, des travailleurs migrants attendent que des membres de l'équipe; d'abordage du NCSM Algonquin arraisonnent leur embarcation. Le destroyer de défense; aérienne; Algonquin est déploy;é dans le cadre de l'Op Apollo. Il met ses ressources de défense; à la disposition du Groupe opérationnel; naval du Canada qui contribue à la campagne de lutte contre le terrorisme menée; par les forces de la coalition.

Vol. 5 No. 20 * 2002

Rédactrice; de la Marine  
Ruthanne Urquhart navyeditor@canada.com

Wrens mark 60th anniversary

Some early groundbreakers for the Canadian women's movement gathered in Halifax's Grand Parade April 29 to mark the 60th anniversary of the standing up of the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service.

More than 50 former Wrens, as they were referred to almost immediately after the WRCNS was stood up, participated in a commemorative parade and flag raising ceremony. The weather was East Coast Spring at its worst-cold, blustery, wet- but the Wrens scoffed at the suggestion that the ceremonies be moved indoors. They had marched in worse than that, they agreed.

"They; marched as if they'd been marching for the last 55 years," said Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) Public Affairs Officer Lt(N) Pat Jessup. "You; could see such pride in their faces, to have been Wrens and to have served their country."

The WRCNS was established in 1942 to free up badly needed sailors for sea duty. Wrens performed duties that in the Second World War era were utterly nontraditional for women. They maintained anti-submarine equipment and aircraft; they practically took over East Coast cryptography, communications, signaling, and wireless telegraphy, and contributed in many other fields; and they earned the reputation for being able to drive anything over any kind of road in any weather, all in support of the war effort. Of the 6 665 who served during the Second World War, about 1 000 served overseas, many in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and more than 500 in Newfoundland, the island nation off Canada's East Coast still four years away from becoming a province.

"You; helped shape the women's movement for the last 30 years. You were, I believe, trailblazers, pathfinders,"

Rear-Admiral Bruce MacLean, Commander MARLANT, said during his address. "You; had an important influence on two generations of daughters."

"We; thank them," said Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly, "for; their outstanding service to our country in wartime, and throughout their lives as active community members."

Marching with the Wrens were female members of MARLANT, Halifax Regional Police, and the RCMP, as well as a Royal Canadian Legion Colour Guard and a contingent from the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires.

As members of the Stadacona Band played "Heart of Oak", Mable Clarke and Petty Officer, 2nd Class S. Legge raised the White Ensign which flew at Halifax City Hall during Battle of the Atlantic Week.

Visit collections.ic.gc.ca/navy/wrens.htm for more information about the WRCNS.

The Girls of the King's  
Navy is a song recorded by Wrens at Halifax's  
Canadian Navy Training Center in 1943, and a book written by Rosamond Greer in 1983. Both commemorate the women who served.

The Girls of the King's Navy est le titre d'une chanson enregistrée; par les Wrens au Canadian Navy Training Center d'Halifax en 1943, et c'est aussi un ouvrage écrit; par Rosamond Greer en 1983. Les deux oeuvres honorent la mémoire; de ces femmes qui ont servi leur pays.

Le WRCNS cél;èbre; son 60

^e

anniversaire