Town to celebrate Year of the Navy

2010 marks the Year of the Navy and Sackville is set to celebrate.

The town kicked off the year's events this past Friday by raising the 100th anniversary flag of the Canadian Navy in front of town hall.

The flag was a gift from the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust, the organization in charge of the upkeep of the HMCS Sackville. Named after the town, the HMCS Sackville is the only corvette warship remaining from the Second World War and is now harboured in Halifax, N.S.

"They gave us the flag because of the ship's connection with the town," said Coun. Virgil Hammock, who added that Sackville is fortunate to be one of the only municipalities in the country that is flying the flag this year (the flags will be mounted on every Canadian ship).

The town is working in collaboration with the local Legion Branch to organize several other events to commemorate the Year of the Navy.

Allan Sears, who served in the Canadian Navy from 1959-72 and is currently president of the Sackville Legion, said he is pleased the Canadian Navy is being recognized for its achievements.

"It's an important year . . . for all of the seamen who lost their lives during the war, it's a time to remember them, to remember the atrocious living conditions they were under and the ways in which they fought," said Sears.

High seas in winter storms, water slushing around the mariners' feet, cramped sleeping quarters, no laundry facilities or showers, and limited fresh water were just a few of the challenges faced by those who signed up to be a sailor during the war years.

But even with those paltry conditions during the Second World War, the Canadian Navy ballooned from a mere 13 ships and about 1,800 members to nearly 100,000 personnel working in more than 400 ships.

The RCN, which had become the third largest Allied navy in the world by the mid-1940s, played an extremely important role in the Allied victory, said Sears.

Mayor Pat Estabrooks said the RCN has been an invaluable resource to Canada and said she is glad to see the men and women who have served in the navy will be recognized this year for their contributions.

"They were a huge support, and we wouldn't have had the success we did without them," she said.

Later this spring, Sackville is planning to host an event to coincide with the day the HMCS Sackville was first launched (May 15) from the Saint John harbour during WWII.

As well, a new garden in Sackville's Memorial Park will be developed to commemorate the year of the Navy, which will include a plaque dedicated to the HMCS Sackville, a bench, colourful flowering trees and shrubs.

HMCS Sackville was one of more than 120 corvettes built in Canada during the Second World War. Corvettes were known as "the workhorses of the North Atlantic," escorting convoys and attacking submarines.