HMCS Hunter is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve Division (NRD) located in Windsor, Ontario. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Hunter is a land-based naval training establishment crewed by part-time sailors and also serves as a local recruitment centre for the Canadian Forces Naval Reserve. It is one of 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada.
She was formally commissioned as a tender to HMCS Stadacona (Halifax) on 1 November 1941 during the Second World War. On 1 September 1942, she became an independent shore establishment.[4][5][6] Her first commanding officer was Lt. Jordon H. Marshall, RCNVR.[7]
The original HMCS Hunter building was built in 1929 by Fred W. Martin, the same man who built the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, and located at 960 Ouellette Avenue in Windsor. Planned as a giant food market the building was designed by president of the Toronto Building Company, R. J. Davies.[8] The unit originally housed and trained new sailors preparing to join Canadian naval ships during the Second World War.[9]
HMCS Hunter Naval Reserve Basketball Team (Windsor) c. 1945
After the Second World War, HMCS Hunter was reorganised into a peacetime footing, no longer required to train and ship new recruits off to war. During the post-war period, HMCS Hunter personnel actively participated in the city intermediate basketball league, playing other city teams, including teams from the 22nd Reconnaissance Regiment and the Essex Scottish Regiment. Basketball was a very popular sport amongst sailors at HMCS Hunter, with games being played on Friday sport nights.[10] The unit also entered a team in the Border Cities Baseball League.
In 1949, the officers organised a Naval Officers' Revolver Club, which later joined the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association. A sterling silver spoon bearing the Navy crest was awarded to the top marksman at each shoot.[11] In the same year, new gear was installed for the power operation of twin Oerlikon and twin Boffin gun batteries and the unit possessed a whaler to train personnel on land.[12] In 1949, HMCS Hunter had two dinghies, a harbour craft and a motor cutter in service on the Detroit River.[13]
In 1946 the University Naval Training Division (UNTD) was established at Assumption College with sailors reporting to Hunter for training. Not eligible for commission or service prior to completing university, UNTD student/sailors would conduct 60 hours of training during the school year two weeks on the coast each summer.[14][15][16]
In 1951, a new reserve summer Great Lakes Training Scheme was set up to provide basic naval training on the Great Lakes for new recruits and officers. Administered by the commanding officer of HMCS Prevost, Commander F.R.K. Naften, the program was conceived to provide seagoing experience for men of the RCN(R) who have not completed the six-month new entry training program. Before being sent to ships and fleet establishments, until they were considered sufficiently trained, the new scheme was intended to give new sailors the experience they needed on the Great Lakes. With six motor launches at his disposal, the new Reserve Training Commander Great Lakes called upon PTCs from HMCS Hunter, York, Cataraqui, Prevost, Star and Griffin to form the "Fairmile Flotilla". From 16 to 17 June, the flotilla conducted its first task, "Operation Beaver II", a 1,700 reserve troop tri-service amphibious landing and airdrop exercise at Erieau.[18] Prior to the amphibious landing of nearly 500 army troops on three beaches from the Fairmiles, PTC 716 from HMCS York laid a smokescreen and paratroopers from the 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment captured an airfield at nearby Chatham to allow friendly air support. Buzzing the "enemy" craft and ground troops with flour bags, a squadron of Harvard and Mustang aircraft, from No. 420 City of London Auxiliary Squadron, RCAF took on the role of enemy air forces.[19] After the successful exercise, the flotilla spent the rest of the summer conducting other sailing activities and evolutions on Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior before returning to their units.[18]
In the fall of 1951, HMCS Hunter stood up a Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRCNS) division that proved themselves adept on the rifle range on a number of occasions[20] and in 1952 showed up their male counterparts by capturing the divisional proficiency shield. The trophy, awarded every two months, was presented to the division that scored the highest number of points for attendance, smartness and drill.[21]
On 3 May 2015, the unit moved into a multi-million dollar state of the art facility to house the current members and equipment of the unit near Russell Street in Olde Sandwich Town, Windsor. The current building is located not far north of Amherstburg Navy Yard National Historic Site of Canada where the units namesake HMS GeneralHunter was constructed in 1806.
COOP students during their graduation ceremony attended by family and friends. (July 2018)HMCS Hunter in 2018
HMCS Hunter personnel conducting a small boat exercise in conjunction with HMCS NCSM Prevost, Windsor Police Service, Canadian Coast Guard Thames River Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) 2018
Tenders
HMCS Haidee (VR1)
From 1942 to 1945, HMCS Haidee (VR1) served as a tender to HMCS Hunter. Built by Ditchburn Boats Ltd., in Gravenhurst, Ontario. Prior to joining HMCS Hunter, she served as a tender to the Toronto Division of the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) from November 1939 to July 1941. She was then transferred to HMCS Star in Hamilton from 1941 to 1942 before being transferred to HMCS Hunter as a training vessel to be used by the unit during the Second World War.[22][23]
HMCS Haidee tied up in at the foot of James St in service with the Hamilton division R.C.N.V.R.
HMCS Wolf (PTC 762)
From 1949 to 1956, HMCS Wolf (PTC 762) served as a tender to HMCS Hunter.[24] Delivered to the RCN in 1942, HuntersFairmile-B originally served on the south coast of Newfoundland with the Free French Naval Forces out of Saint Pierre and Miquelon as Langlade V112. When she was delivered to HMCS Hunter in 1949, it is said that she still had the Cross of Lorraine painted on her bulkhead.[25] During the winter, she was placed in winter storage at McQueen Marine Ltd. in Amherstburg, Ontario and after her end with HMCS Hunter, she was used as a breakwater in the Windsor area..[26][27]
HMCS Wolf in Canadian service after the Second World War
Egret (925)
From 1970 to 1977, the 40-foot wooden high speed rescue craft was allocated to HMCS Hunter as a tender. Built by S.G. Powell Shipyard in 1952, prior to serving with Hunter, Egret served with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as M.925 Egret at Goose Bay, Labrador until she was handed over to the RCN on 1 April 1965 C.F.A.V. Egret (YAG.3). Leaving Hunter she stayed with the RCN on the west coast until 1984.[28]
YMU-116/Crossbow (197)
From 1977 to 1994, Crossbow (197) served as a tender to HMCS Hunter. Built by Russel Brothers Ltd. in 1954, she was originally known as YMU-116. Transferred to HMCS York in May 1994, Crossbow (197) was removed from the naval list the following year.[29]
HMCS Prevost is a Naval Reserve unit commissioned Her Majesty's Canadian Ship, of the Canadian Forces Naval Reserve based in London, Ontario.
YAG 300 vessels were a series of ten wooden boats built between 1954 and 1955 that throughout their service acted as yard ferries, training platforms and test beds for route survey equipment with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).
The Coastal Forces of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was a specialized naval force of well-armed, small and fast motor launch (ML) and motor torpedo boat (MTB) flotillas, primarily manned by members of the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR). Tasked with escort, coastal defence, anti-submarine, minesweeping and search and rescue duties, the Coastal Forces of the RCN contributed to securing Allied sea lines of communication off the coasts of Canada and Britain during the Second World War.
HMCS Star is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve Division (NRD) located in Hamilton, Ontario. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Star is a land-based naval establishment for training part-time sailors as well as functioning as a local recruitment centre for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The second oldest of 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada, Star was stood up on 15 March 1923 as the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) Hamilton Half Company and then on 1 November 1941 as HMCS Star.
The Canadian Forces Naval Reserve is the Primary Reserve component of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The primary mission of the NAVRES is to force generate sailors and teams for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations, including: domestic safety operations as well as security and defence missions, while at the same time supporting the Navy's efforts in connecting with Canadians through the maintenance of a broad national presence.
Rear Admiral Walter Hose, was an officer of the Royal Navy (RN), the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and founder of the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR).
Bruno Bitkowski was an all-star Canadian football centre for the Ottawa Rough Riders for eleven seasons. Bitkowski was a Grey Cup champion twice and won the Gruen Trophy as best rookie in the Big Four in 1951. The Ottawa Roughriders retired his number (#40).
HMCS Jonquière was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and again from 1954–1966 as a Prestonian-class frigate. She was named for Jonquière, Quebec.
Surgeon Rear-Admiral Timothy Blair McLean, CD, CStJ, QHS was the 21st Canadian Surgeon General.
Andrew Dyas MacLean was a Canadian naval officer, journalist, and publisher. His role in a controversy over Canadian naval operations in 1943, near the height of the Battle of the Atlantic, continues to be debated by Canadian naval historians. In 1943 MacLean's criticisms of the leadership of the Royal Canadian Navy, based on his personal experience and published in one of his magazines, led to questions in the House of Commons about the management of naval operations. Further investigations later that year eroded beyond repair the naval minister's confidence in Vice-Admiral Percy Nelles, until then chief of the Canadian naval staff, and Nelles was replaced early in 1944.
HMCS Brunswicker is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve Division (NRD) located in Saint John, New Brunswick. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Brunswicker is a land-based naval training establishment crewed by part-time sailors and also serves as a local recruitment centre for the Canadian Forces Naval Reserve and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). It is one of 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada.
HMCS Cabot is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve Division (NRD) located in St. John's, Newfoundland. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Cabot is a land-based naval training establishment crewed by part-time sailors and also serves as a local recruitment centre for the Canadian Forces Naval Reserve. It is one of 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada.
HMCS Cataraqui is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve Division (NRD) located in Kingston, Ontario. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Cataraqui is a land-based naval establishment for part-time sailors as well as a local recruitment centre for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). It is one of 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada.
HMCS Queen Charlotte is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve Division (NRD) located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Queen Charlotte is a land-based naval training establishment crewed by part-time sailors and also serves as a local recruitment centre for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). It is one of 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada.
HMC MLQ052 was a wooden Fairmile B Motor Launch (ML) upgunned submarine chaser delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) on 31 October 1941. Originally designed for the Royal Navy by W.J. Holt of the British Admiralty and built by British boatbuilder Fairmile Marine, during the Second World War eighty Fairmile B motor launches were built in Canada for service with the Coastal Forces of the RCN.
HMC MLQ053 was a wooden Fairmile B Motor Launch (ML) upgunned submarine chaser delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) on 17 November 1941. Originally designed for the Royal Navy by W.J. Holt of the British Admiralty and built by British boatbuilder Fairmile Marine, during the Second World War eighty Fairmile B motor launches were built in Canada for service with the Coastal Forces of the RCN.
HMC ML Q054 was a wooden Canadian-built Fairmile B Motor Launch (ML) upgunned submarine chaser delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) on 17 October 1941. Originally designed for the Royal Navy by W.J. Holt of the British Admiralty and built by British boatbuilder Fairmile Marine, during the Second World War eighty Fairmile B motor launches were built in Canada for service with the Coastal Forces of the RCN.
HMC ML Q055 was a wooden Canadian-built Fairmile B Motor Launch (ML) upgunned submarine chaser delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) on 6 November 1941. Originally designed for the Royal Navy by W.J. Holt of the British Admiralty and built by British boatbuilder Fairmile Marine, during the Second World War eighty Fairmile B motor launches were built in Canada for service with the Coastal Forces of the RCN.
HMC MLQ056 was a wooden Canadian-built Fairmile B Motor Launch (ML) upgunned submarine chaser delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) on 23 November 1941. Originally designed for the Royal Navy by W.J. Holt of the British Admiralty and built by British boatbuilder Fairmile Marine, during the Second World War eighty Fairmile B motor launches were built in Canada for service with the Coastal Forces of the RCN.
HMC MLQ057 was a wooden Canadian-built Fairmile B Motor Launch (ML) upgunned submarine chaser delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) on 28 October 1941. Originally designed for the Royal Navy by W.J. Holt of the British Admiralty and built by British boatbuilder Fairmile Marine, during the Second World War eighty Fairmile B motor launches were built in Canada for service with the Coastal Forces of the RCN.
References
↑ Personnel, Government of Canada, National Defence, Chief Military. "HMCS Hunter". www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
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