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Restoration of the Name of the Royal Canadian Navy

by John M. MacFarlane 2011

Here is the text of the email naval message that was sent out to the navy on the occasion of the restoration of the name of the Royal Canadian Navy on August 12th, 2011.

R 151418Z AUG 11
FM NDHQ CMS OTTAWA
TO MARGEN
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UNCLAS MARGEN 035-11 CMS 041-11
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SECTION 1 OF 2
BILINGUAL MESSAGE / MESSAGE BILINGUE
SUBJ: RESTORING THE HISTORIC NAME OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY
1.  TOMORROW THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WILL ANNOUNCE THE RESTORATION
OF THE HISTORIC NAMES OF THE NAVY, ARMY AND AIR FORCE.  EFFECTIVE 16
AUGUST 2011, THE NAME QUOTE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY UNQUOTE (RCN)
REPLACES QUOTE MARITIME COMMAND UNQUOTE AS A COMMAND OF THE CANADIAN
FORCES
2.  IT IS NOT BY CHANCE THAT 16 AUGUST WAS SELECTED FOR THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT.  IT WAS ON THIS DAY 100 YEARS AGO THAT HIS MAJESTY
KING GEORGE V BESTOWED ON CANADA S THEN FLEDGLING NAVAL SERVICE THE
HONOUR OF A NEW DESIGNATION.  OUR NAVY STOOD WATCH AND FOUGHT FOR
CANADA UNDER THE BANNER QUOTE RCN UNQUOTE FROM THAT MOMENT UNTIL
PAGE 2 RCCLHAV6003 UNCLAS
1968 - THROUGH TWO WORLD WARS, THE KOREAN WAR AND A LARGE PART OF
THE COLD WAR
3.  YOU WILL REMEMBER THE OUTPOURING OF PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR OUR NAVY
LAST YEAR AS WE CELEBRATED THE NAVAL CENTENNIAL.  THE REINTRODUCTION
BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE EXECUTIVE CURL WAS A TANGIBLE HONOUR THAT
LINKED OUR PRESENT SERVICE TO OUR DISTINGUISHED PAST.  THE
GOVERNMENT, ON BEHALF OF ALL CANADIANS, HONOURS THE NAVY AGAIN TODAY
WITH THE TITLE RCN, RESTORING AN IMPORTANT AND RECOGNIZABLE PART OF
CANADA S NAVAL HERITAGE.  YESTERDAY S ACCOMPLISHMENTS, FORGED IN THE
SELFLESSNESS AND SACRIFICE OF PREVIOUS GENERATIONS OF SAILORS, SETS
THE STANDARDS FOR TODAY S GENERATION AND INFORMS OUR HIGHEST
EXPECTATIONS OF SERVICE AND ACHIEVEMENT.  WE HONOUR THOSE WHO
PRECEDED US NOT ONLY IN OBSERVING NAVAL CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS, BUT
ALSO IN THE SYMBOLS THAT ARE AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF OUR CULTURE.
THIS CAN ONLY HELP TO STRENGTHEN OUR IDENTITY AS A TREASURED
NATIONAL INSTITUTION AND INSPIRE US TO CONTINUE TO EXCEL IN SERVICE
TO CANADA
4.  TO MAKE IT CLEAR, THIS IS FUNDAMENTALLY ABOUT NAME CHANGE.
FOREMOST WE ALL ARE MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN FORCES.  INSIDE THE
CANADIAN FORCES, THE COMMAND CALLED QUOTE MARITIME COMMAND UNQUOTE
PAGE 3 RCCLHAV6003 UNCLAS
WILL BE RENAMED QUOTE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY UNQUOTE.  AT THE SAME
TIME, THE NAME ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY IS MUCH MORE THAN A COMMAND.  IT
IS ALSO THE INSTITUTION TO WHICH EVERYONE WHO WEARS A NAVAL UNIFORM
BELONGS, NO MATTER IN WHICH COMMAND THEY SERVE.  RESTORING THE TITLE
RCN WILL CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES, AND IN THE COMING WEEKS WE WILL
EXAMINE WAYS TO MAKE THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE OF THIS RESPECTED AND
WELL-RECOGNIZED BRAND IN REACHING OUT TO CANADIANS.  FURTHER WORK
WILL BE REQUIRED AS WE CONSIDER ITS EFFECTS ON WEBSITES,
ADMINISTRATION AND ORDERS.  FOR THE INTERIM ALL CURRENT MARITIME
COMMAND ORDERS, DIRECTIVES, RULES, INSTRUCTIONS OR SIMILAR
INSTRUMENTS REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT UNTIL AMENDED TO REFLECT
THE NAME CHANGE OF THE COMMAND.  ALL REFERENCES TO MARITIME COMMAND
SHALL BE READ AS READING ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY
5.  THE NAME CHANGE WILL BE LARGELY TRANSPARENT TO LIFE ON THE
WATERFRONT AND THE CONDUCT OF OPERATIONS.  THE SUCCESS OF THE
CANADIAN FORCES WILL CONTINUE TO RESIDE IN ITS ABILITY TO INTEGRATE
THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES OF THE NAVY, ARMY, AIR FORCE
AND SPECIAL FORCES FOR JOINT ACTION AT HOME AND ABROAD.  WE WILL
MAINTAIN THE NAVY S PROUD TRADITION OF QUOTE READY, AYE READY
UNQUOTE, BUT WITH ONE SMALL, BUT VERY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.  FROM
PAGE 4 RCCLHAV6003 UNCLAS
TOMORROW FORWARD YOU CAN SAY PROUDLY THAT YOU ARE IN THE ROYAL
CANADIAN NAVY 6.  AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED ON
FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS.  AS YOUR COMMANDER I AM PROUD TO LEAD A NAVY
THAT EMBRACES ITS ROOTS WHILE PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE - QUALITIES
THAT MAKE OUR SERVICE ONE OF THE FINEST AND MOST RESPECTED NAVAL
FORCES IN THE WORLD
END OF ENGLISH TEXT/LE TEXTE FRANCAIS SUIT
OBJET:  RESTAURATION DU NOM HISTORIQUE DE LA MARINE ROYALE DU CANADA
1.  LE GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA ANNONCERA DEMAIN LA RESTAURATION DES
NOMS HISTORIQUES DE LA MARINE, DE L ARMEE ET DE LA FORCE AERIENNE.
A COMPTER DU 16 AOUT 2011, LE NOM CIT MARINE ROYALE DU CANADA FINCIT
REMPLACERA CELUI DE CIT COMMANDEMENT MARITIME FINCIT POUR DESIGNER
CE COMMANDEMENT DES FORCES CANADIENNES
2.  CE N EST PAS PAR HASARD QUE LA DATE DU 16 AOUT A ETE CHOISIE
POUR CETTE ANNONCE. C EST A CETTE MEME DATE, VOILA MAINTENANT CENT
ANS, QUE SA MAJESTE LE ROI GEORGE V A CONFERE AU SERVICE NAVAL ALORS
NAISSANT DU CANADA L HONNEUR D UNE NOUVELLE DESIGNATION.  NOTRE
MARINE A ETE EN POSTE ET A COMBATTU POUR LE CANADA SOUS LA BANNIERE
DE LA CIT MRC FINCIT DE CETTE DATE JUSQU EN 1968, DURANT DEUX
GUERRES MONDIALES, LA GUERRE DE COREE ET UNE GRANDE PARTIE DE LA
PAGE 5 RCCLHAV6003 UNCLAS
GUERRE FROIDE
3.  VOUS VOUS SOUVIENDREZ DE L ENORME APPUI PUBLIC QUE NOTRE MARINE
A RECU L AN DERNIER LORS DES CELEBRATIONS DE NOTRE CENTENAIRE. LA
REINTRODUCTION PAR LE GOUVERNEMENT DE LA BOUCLE D OFFICIER ETAIT UN
HONNEUR TANGIBLE QUI RESSERRAIT LE LIEN ENTRE NOTRE SERVICE ACTUEL
ET NOTRE PASSE DISTINGUE.  LE GOUVERNEMENT, AU NOM DE TOUS LES
CANADIENS, HONORE LA MARINE ENCORE AUJOURD HUI EN LUI REDONNANT LE
TITRE DE MRC, RESTAURANT AINSI UNE PARTIE IMPORTANTE ET
RECONNAISSABLE DU PATRIMOINE NAVAL DU CANADA.  LES REALISATIONS DU
PASSE, ISSUES DE L ESPRIT DE DON DE SOI ET DE SACRIFICE DES
GENERATIONS ANTERIEURES DE MARINS, SERVENT DE MODELES A LA
GENERATION ACTUELLE ET ETAYENT NOS ATTENTES LES PLUS GRANDES EN
MATIERE DE SERVICE ET D ACCOMPLISSEMENT.  NOUS HONORONS CEUX QUI
NOUS ONT PRECEDES NON SEULEMENT EN OBSERVANT LES COUTUMES ET LES
TRADITIONS NAVALES, MAIS AUSSI EN RESPECTANT LES SYMBOLES QUI SONT
UN ELEMENT ESSENTIEL DE NOTRE CULTURE.  CELA NE PEUT AVOIR POUR
EFFET QUE DE RENFORCER NOTRE IDENDITE EN TANT QUE PRECIEUSE
INSTITUTION NATIONALE ET DE NOUS INSPIRER A CONTINUER A SERVIR D
EXCELLENTE FACON LE CANADA 4.  SOYONS CLAIRS, IL S AGIT
FONDAMENTALEMENT D UN CHANGEMENT DE NOM.  D ABORD ET AVANT TOUT,
PAGE 6 RCCLHAV6003 UNCLAS
NOUS SOMMES DES MEMBRES DES FORCES CANADIENNES. AU SEIN DES FORCES
CANADIENNES, LE COMMANDEMENT NOMME CIT COMMANDEMENT MARITIME FINCIT
SERA REBAPTISE CIT MARINE ROYALE DU CANADA FINCIT.  MAIS LE NOM
MARINE ROYALE DU CANADA DESIGNE EN MEME TEMPS BEAUCOUP PLUS QU UN
COMMANDEMENT. C EST AUSSI L INSTITUTION DONT FONT PARTIE TOUS CEUX
QUI PORTENT L UNIFORME DE LA MARINE, PEU IMPORTE LE COMMANDEMENT
DANS LEQUEL ILS SERVENT. LE FAIT DE RESTAURER LE TITRE DE LA MRC
CREERA DE NOUVELLES POSSIBILITES, ET AU COURS DES PROCHAINES
SEMAINES, NOUS EXAMINERONS DES FACONS D UTILISER DE LA FACON LA PLUS
EFFICACE CETTE IMAGE DE MARQUE RESPECTEE ET BIEN RECONNUE POUR NOUS
RAPPROCHER DES CANADIENS.  DES TRAVAUX PLUS APPROFONDIS SERONT
NECESSAIRES POUR EN ETUDIER LES EFFETS SUR NOS SITES WEB, NOTRE
ADMINISTRATION ET NOS ORDONNANCES.  ENTRETEMPS, TOUTES LES
ORDONNANCES, DIRECTIVES, REGLES, INSTRUCTIONS OU AUTRES INSTRUMENTS
JURIDIQUES DU COMMANDEMENT MARITIME RESTENT EN VIGUEUR JUSQU A LEUR
MODIFICATION OFFICIELLE.  TOUTES LES REFERENCES AU COMMANDEMENT
MARITIME DEVRAIENT DESORMAIS ETRE LUES OU ENTENDUES CIT MARINE
ROYALE CANADIENNE FINCIT
5.  LE CHANGEMENT DE NOM SE FERA EN GRANDE PARTIE DE FACON
TRANSPARENTE SUR LE FRONT DE MER ET POUR LA CONDUITE DES OPERATIONS.
UNCLAS MARGEN 035-11 CMS 041-11
SIC SAA
FINAL SECTION OF 2
LE SUCCES DES FORCES CANADIENNES CONTINUERA DE REPOSER SUR LEUR
CAPACITE D INTEGRER LES CONNAISSANCES, LES COMPETENCES ET LES
CAPACITES DE LA MARINE, DE L ARMEE DE TERRE,  DE LA FORCE AERIENNE
ET DES FORCES SPECIALES DANS LE CADRE DE LEURS ACTIVITES INTERARMEES
AU PAYS ET A L ETRANGER.  NOUS MAINTIENDRONS LA FIERE TRADITION DE
LA MARINE QUI VEUT QUE NOUS SOYONS TOUJOURS CIT PRETS OUI PRETS
FINCIT, MAIS AVEC UN PETIT CHANGEMENT TRES IMPORTANT.  A PARTIR DE
DEMAIN, VOUS POUVEZ DIRE FIEREMENT QUE VOUS FAITES PARTIE DE LA
MARINE ROYALE DU CANADA 6.  JE VOUS TIENDRAI AU COURANT DES NOUVEAUX
DEVELOPPEMENTS AU FUR ET A MESURE QU ILS SE PRESENTERONT.  EN TANT
QUE COMMANDANT,  JE SUIS FIER DE DIRIGER UNE MARINE QUI CELEBRE SES
RACINES TOUT EN SE PREPARANT POUR L AVENIR DES QUALITES QUI FONT DE
PAGE 2 RCCLHAV6004 UNCLAS
NOTRE SERVICE L UNE DES FORCES NAVALES LES PLUS EFFICACES ET LES
PLUS RESPECTEES AU MONDE
ENVOI DU VADM PAUL MADDISON SENDS
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WBO381 DELIVERED 2271702
Nauticapedia

Site News: December 21, 2024

The vessel database has been updated and is now holding 94,824 vessel histories (with 16,274 images and 13,929 records of ship wrecks and marine disasters).

Vessel records are currently being reviewed and updated with more than 45,000 processed so far this year (2024).

The mariner and naval biography database has also been updated and now contains 58,599 entries (with 3996 images).

Thanks to Ray Warren who is beginning a long process of filling gaps in the photo record of vessel histories in the database. Ray has been documenting the ships of Vancouver Harbour for more than 60 years.

Thanks to contributor Mike Rydqvist McCammon for the hundreds of photos he has contributed to illustrate British Columbia’s floating heritage.

My very 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.

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