Typical Routines of the University Naval Training Division at H.M.C.S. Cornwallis

Weekday (Monday-Thursday) Routine
Time Action
0530 (Men under punishment were awakened, dressed for PT and did 'circles' doubling around in a route prior to the official PT that followed Wakey Wakey.)
0600 Wakey Wakey - Cadets to PT (physical training) except those on Duty Watch and the Extra Work Party to Cleaning Stations. (The Fire Watch would find an imaginative way to wake everyone up - as noisily as possible). We would quickly change into PT gear and assemble on the roadway for marching around the base at the double time.)
0620 All cadets secure and clean into the dress-of-the-day. (We had 10 minutes to shower, shave, dress and clean our bunks before mustering  to march to breakfast. The showers would be jammed and the hot water always ran out before everyone got in.)
0630 Cadets to breakfast. (We marched evrywhere as a unit.)
0710 Cadet Guard to muster and proceed to the drill shed. (Each week a different group acted as the Guard at the daily Divisions ceremony on the Parade Square. They had to turn up on the roadway in webbing and march to the drill shed to draw rifles and bayonets.)
0725 Markers to muster and proceed to the Parade Square. (Each unit had a man who acted as the landmark on which all the other units would take their position on the Parade Square. We took turns at this and it involved marching alone onto a spot on the Parade Square in full view of everyone.)
0730 Sick Parade to muster and proceed to Sick Bay. (Those who were ill had to march at a designated time, in a group, to the Sick Bay for diagnosis and treatment.)
0735 Cadets to muster and proceed to Daily Divisions. (The rest of us would assemble togther and march to the Parade Square for the ceremonies.)
0830 Cadets to be inspected by Term Lieutenants. (Immediately following the marchpast we were inspected by our Term Lieutenant. This was an opportunity to attract punishment for any number of trivial offences at the whim of the inspecting officer.)
0845 Cadets to instruction. (After the inspection we marched to class in some distant point on the base.)
1030 Cadets to Stand Easy. (This was the equivalent of a coffee break, without the coffee. It was actually a 'smoke break' and many took up smoking to have something to do to pass the time. We would go outside to get fresh air to fight the fatigue of the classroom.)
1050 Cadets resume instruction. (We would return to the classroom. When the instructor returned we would stamp our feet on the deck and sit 'at attention.')
1140 Cadets secure instruction and proceed to dinner. (We would assemble on the roadway and march to the galley. We ate wih the men-under-punishment (under guard), the female recruits, and some male recruits. We were officially forbidden to 'fraternize' with the ratings, especially the females, but this was always an opportunity to flirt while we were in the food lineup.)
1245 Duty Watch to muster. Extra Work Party to muster for inspection. (Those on punishment had to undergo frequent roll calls and inspections. Each one of them was an opportunity to 'slip up' and draw even more punishment. In fact, it was difficult to get off punishment once a Cadet began to partcipate in the process.)
1300 Cadets to muster. (We would gather in formation in the roadway, under the command of one of us, inspected and ready to march to classes.)
1315 Cadets to instruction.
1450 Cadets to Stand Easy. (Another 'smoke break')
1510 Cadets resume instruction.
1555 Cadets secure Instuction and clean into dress for Dog Watch Activities. (Every day before supper we would participate in sports, do the obstacle course, extra PT, or other schemes. This required changing into sports gear or working dress.)
1620 Cadets to muster for Dog Watch Activities. (Every day before supper we would participate in sports, do the obstacle course, extra PT, or other schemes. We would march or double-time to the activity.)
1720 Cadets secure Dog Watch Activities and clean into Dress-of-the-Day. (Before we could eat at the galley we had to change back into teh uniform of the day.)
1730 Cadets to supper. (We marched together to the galley for supper.)
1815 Duty Watch and Extra Work Party to muster for Cleaning stations (working dress). (The Duty Watch and those punished by Extra Work (known as 'birds') would clean the barracks.)
1830 Liberty Boat (Wednesday only). (This was an opportunity to leave the base for the evening. There really wasn't anywhere to go, the base was well removed from any town (such as Digby) for car-less Cadets. Almost no one took this opportunity.)
1845 Rounds by Duty Officer UNTD. Duty Watch and Extra Work Party stand by their cleaning stations (working dress). (The Duty Officer inspected the building - the inspections matched the personalitiesof the officers. The professional ones carried out a common-sense look over while the twisted ones delighted in finding trivial fault accompanied by forcing the cleaning to be repeated.)
1915 Cadets on Compulsory Study to UNTD Administration (Dress-of-the-day.) No muster. (Some Cadets were obliged to go to what was a 'study hall' to do afterclass assignments.)
1930 Liberty Boat (Wednesday only). (Usually an opportunity to leave or enter the base.)
2100 Cadets secure Compulsory Study.
2115 Extra Work Party to muster for Inspection (Dress-of-the-day).
2130 Liberty Boat (Wednesday only). (Time to return to the base.)
2230 Pipe Down. (The lights in the barracks were turned out. We were supposed to actually get under the covers to sleep, but many slept on top so the sheets would not be creased by use, thus ensuring a good inspection during the following day.)
2300 Lights Out except in Heads.(Those who felt they needed to study, or carry out otherwise forbidden shoe shining or uniform pressing carried this out in the Heads where there was light. Both were rewarded with punishment if caught. The building was guarded by a watch constantly patrolling the H-hut in case of fire.)
 
Friday Routine
Time Action
0530 Men under punishment were awakened, dressed for PT and did 'circles' doubling around in a route prir to the official PT that followed Wakey Wakey.)
0600 Wakey Wakey - Cadets to PT (physical training) except those on Duty Watch and ExtraWork Party to Cleaning Stations.
0620 All cadets secure and clean into the dress-of-the-day.
0630 Cadets to breakfast.
0730 Sick Parade to muster and proceed to Sick Bay.
0830 Cadets to be inspected by Term Lieutenants.
0845 Cadet to instruction.
1030 Cadets to Stand Easy.
1050 Cadets resume instruction.
1140 Cadets secure instruction and proceed to dinner.
1245 Duty Watch to muster. Extra Work Party to muster for inspection.
1300 Cadets to muster.
1315 Cadets to instruction.
1400 Cadets to secure from Instruction and clean for Ceremonial Divisions. (This was a laborious dressing and grooming process. Everyone would shave, and dress in their best uniforms. Brown leather gloves woud be worn. We would then de-lint each other's uniforms  in an effort to produce a spotless turn out.)
1500 Cadet Guard to muster and proceed to the Drill Shed.  (The Guard would turn up in Battle Dress and webbing.)
1505 Markers to muster and proceed to the Parade Square.
1510 Cadets to muster and proceed to Ceremonial Divisions. On completion proceed to Liberty Boat.  (Those who could would leave the base for the weekend and try to get to Halifax (aka 'Slackers') by bus, car or hitch hike. We had to leave in a white shirt, jacket and tie that hampered our social life greatly at a time when hippies were the norm.)
1730 Cadets to supper.
1815 Duty Watch and Extra Work Party to muster for Cleaning stations (working dress).
1830 Liberty Boat.
1845 Rounds by Duty Officer UNTD. Duty Watch and Extra Work Party stand by their cleaning stations (working dress).
1930 Liberty Boat.
2030 Liberty Boat.
2115 Extra Work Party to muster for inspection (Dress-of-the-day.)
2230 Pipe Down.
2300 Lights Out except in Heads.
 
Saturday Routine
Time Action
0530 Men under punishment were awakened, dressed for PT and did 'circles' doubling around in a route prir to the official PT that followed Wakey Wakey.)
0615 Wakey Wakey - Cadets to PT (physical training) except those on Duty Watch and ExtraWork Party to Cleaning Stations.
0630 All cadets secure and clean into the dress-of-the-day and proceed to breakfast.
0750 All Caets on board muster for Saturday morning work party (working dress).
1100 Saturday morning work party secure, return gear and clean into Dress-of-the-day.
1140 Cadets proceed to dinner.
1245 Duty Watch to muster. Extra Work Party to muster for inspection.
1300 Liberty Boat.
1400 Liberty Boat.
1600 Cadets to Stand Easy.
1510 Liberty Boat. Extra Work Party to muster for Inspection.
1730 Cadets to supper.
1815 Duty Watch and Extra Work Party to muster for Cleaning stations (working dress).
1830 Liberty Boat.
1845 Rounds by Duty Officer UNTD. Duty Watch and Extra Work Party stand by their cleaning stations (working dress).
1930 Liberty Boat.
2030 Liberty Boat.
2115 Extra Work Party to muster for Inspection (Dress-of-the-day).
2230 Pipe Down.
2300 Lights Out except in Heads.
 
Sunday Routine
Time Action
0700 Wakey Wakey - Duty Watch and ExtraWork Party to Cleaning Stations. (No extra PT for men under punishment on Sunday.)
0720 Duty Watch and ExtraWork Party secure and clean into the dress-of-the-day.
0730 Cadets to breakfast.
0840 Roman Catholic Church Party to muster and proceed to Roman Catholic Chapel.  (Some of us Protestants would muster to attend the RC service but were always turned away. We wanted to get the Church parade over with early - instead of losing the balance of the morning until the Protestant service at 1010).
1010 Protestant Church Party to muster and proceed to Protestant Chapel.
1140 Cadets secure instruction and proceed to dinner.
1245 Duty Watch to muster. Extra Work Party to muster for inspection.
1300 Liberty Boat.
1400 Liberty Boat.
1600 Liberty Boat. ExtraWork Party to muster for inspection.
1730 Cadets to supper.
1815 Duty Watch and Extra Work Party to muster for Cleaning stations (working dress).
1845 Rounds by Duty Officer UNTD. Duty Watch and Extra Work Party stand by their cleaning stations (working dress).
1930 Liberty Boat.
2030 Liberty Boat.
2115 Extra Work Party to muster for Inspection (Dress-of-the-day).
2230 Pipe Down.
2300 Lights Out except in Heads.


To quote from this article please cite:

MacFarlane, John M. (2012) Typical Routines of the University Naval Training Division at H.M.C.S. Cornwallis. Nauticapedia.ca 2012. http://nauticapedia.ca/Articles/Navy_UNTD_routines.php

Nauticapedia

Site News: March 24, 2024

The vessel database has been updated and is now holding 91,427 vessel histories (with 15,578 images and 12,853 records of ship wrecks and marine disasters). The mariner and naval biography database has also been updated and now contains 58,612 entries (with 4,007 images).

In 2023 the Nauticapedia celebrated the 50th Anniversary of it’s original inception in 1973 (initially it was on 3" x 5" file cards). It has developed, expanded, digitized and enlarged in those ensuing years to what it is now online. If it was printed out it would fill more than 300,000 pages!

My special thanks to our volunteer IT adviser, John Eyre, who (since 2021) has modernized, simplified and improved the update process for the databases into semi–automated processes. His participation has been vital to keeping the Nauticapedia available to our netizens.

Also my special thanks to my volunteer content checker, John Spivey of Irvine CA USA, who has proofread thousands of Nauticapedia vessel histories and provided input to improve more than 10,000 entries. His attention to detail has been a huge unexpected bonus in improving and updating the vessel detail content.


© 2002-2023