Biographical data

Biographical Data
Buzza, Percival Charles If you have images associated with this Person, please contact us at admin@nauticapedia.ca

Title	Ordnance Lieutenant-Commander (RCN)
Official Number	U-12030; O-11025

Birth	19/09/1924	Death	31/03/2006
Place	Winnipeg	Place	Halifax
Area	MB	Area	NS
Country	Canada	Country	Canada

Titles
Honours	Commendation of the Flag Officer Atlantic Coast.
Awards
Qualifications

Biography
In his civilian life, he served as a science instructor with the Adult Vocational Training Centre, and after completing the Guidance Post Graduate Program at Dalhousie University, he served as chief guidance counsellor at the Dartmouth Regional Vocational School (Akerley Campus). He left the educational field to serve as a program manager with Hermes Electronics, building Sonabuoys for USN and RCN. When that contract was completed, he served as a department head at Dartmouth General Hospital. He later served as a project coordinator with Spantec Limited and with Defense Construction Limited on the Dockyard redevelopment project. (He retired in 1982.)

Biography

In his civilian life, he served as a science instructor with the Adult Vocational Training Centre, and after completing the Guidance Post Graduate Program at Dalhousie University, he served as chief guidance counsellor at the Dartmouth Regional Vocational School (Akerley Campus). He left the educational field to serve as a program manager with Hermes Electronics, building Sonabuoys for USN and RCN. When that contract was completed, he served as a department head at Dartmouth General Hospital. He later served as a project coordinator with Spantec Limited and with Defense Construction Limited on the Dockyard redevelopment project. (He retired in 1982.)

Military Service
He was appointed as an Officer Cadet Drummer Queen's Own (Cameron) Highland Regiment (With seniority dated 01/09/1936). He served in the Royal Winnipeg Rifles 1938. He was appointed as a Trooper Lord Strathcona's Horse (The Royal Canadians) 01/10/1940). He was appointed as a Lance-Corporal (With seniority dated 01/04/1943). He was appointed as a Corporal (With seniority dated 01/07/1943). He was appointed as a Sergent 1944. (Released 01/09/1945). (Transferred to RCN(R) 01/10/1946). He was appointed as a Stoker (2nd Class) (Officer Candidate UNTD) RCN(R) (With seniority dated 01/10/1946). (He enrolled in the University of Manitoba) (CFR). He was appointed as an A/Ordnance Sub-Lieutenant RCN(R) (With seniority dated 01/09/1949). (Transferred to RCN). He served in HMCS Ontario for Training 1950. He was appointed as an Ordnance Sub-Lieutenant RCN 1950. He was appointed as an A/Ordnance Lieutenant RCN (With seniority dated 01/12/1950). He served on the RCN and USN Underwater Explosives Disposal Qualifying Courses for Heavy Ordnance Manufacture, Artillery Proof Procedures, Explosives Production Methods) 1950. He was appointed as an Ordnance Lieutenant RCN (With seniority dated 01/03/1952) (With seniority dated 01/03/50). He served in HMCS Iroquois (Korean War Service) 1952. He was seconded to US Marine Corps as Shore Fire Control Officer operating into North Korea from islands on the west coast of North Korea 1952. He served in HMCS Stadacona as Inspector of Naval Ordnance (East Coast) 1953. He was seconded to the Royal Canadian Artillery for NIKE Guided Missile Arctic Trials (Fort Churchill) 1954. He served in NHQ on Staff of Director of Guided Missiles 1955. He served in NHQ on Staff of Naval Overseer (Montreal) for Installation of Weapons Systems and Fire Control Equipment 1956. He was appointed as an Ordnance Lieutenant-Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/03/1958). He served in HMCS Stadacona as Officer-in-Charge Weapons School 1959. He served on Staff of Commander First Canadian Escort Squadron as Assistant Squadron Technical Officer 1960. He served in the RCN Armament Depot (Dartmouth) as Deputy Superintendent and as Engineering and Production Officer 1961. He served in FOPC Staff for Command Technical Officer as Officer-in-Charge Weapons Trials Unit (West Coast) 1963. He served in FOAC Staff for Assistant Chief of Staff (Operational Readiness) as Officer-in-Charge Operational Trials Unit (East Coast) 1965. He served as Officer-in-Charge Variable Depth Sonar Project Team 1966. (He was retired 01/03/1968). (He was awarded the Commando Fighting Knife while serving with the Canadian Army.) (He was qualified with a Watchkeeping Certificate 1961.) (He received the commendation from the Flag Officer (Atlantic) "for bringing a highly sophisticated submarine detection system into operational use.")

Military Service

He was appointed as an Officer Cadet Drummer Queen's Own (Cameron) Highland Regiment (With seniority dated 01/09/1936). He served in the Royal Winnipeg Rifles 1938. He was appointed as a Trooper Lord Strathcona's Horse (The Royal Canadians) 01/10/1940). He was appointed as a Lance-Corporal (With seniority dated 01/04/1943). He was appointed as a Corporal (With seniority dated 01/07/1943). He was appointed as a Sergent 1944. (Released 01/09/1945). (Transferred to RCN(R) 01/10/1946). He was appointed as a Stoker (2nd Class) (Officer Candidate UNTD) RCN(R) (With seniority dated 01/10/1946). (He enrolled in the University of Manitoba) (CFR). He was appointed as an A/Ordnance Sub-Lieutenant RCN(R) (With seniority dated 01/09/1949). (Transferred to RCN). He served in HMCS Ontario for Training 1950. He was appointed as an Ordnance Sub-Lieutenant RCN 1950. He was appointed as an A/Ordnance Lieutenant RCN (With seniority dated 01/12/1950). He served on the RCN and USN Underwater Explosives Disposal Qualifying Courses for Heavy Ordnance Manufacture, Artillery Proof Procedures, Explosives Production Methods) 1950. He was appointed as an Ordnance Lieutenant RCN (With seniority dated 01/03/1952) (With seniority dated 01/03/50). He served in HMCS Iroquois (Korean War Service) 1952. He was seconded to US Marine Corps as Shore Fire Control Officer operating into North Korea from islands on the west coast of North Korea 1952. He served in HMCS Stadacona as Inspector of Naval Ordnance (East Coast) 1953. He was seconded to the Royal Canadian Artillery for NIKE Guided Missile Arctic Trials (Fort Churchill) 1954. He served in NHQ on Staff of Director of Guided Missiles 1955. He served in NHQ on Staff of Naval Overseer (Montreal) for Installation of Weapons Systems and Fire Control Equipment 1956. He was appointed as an Ordnance Lieutenant-Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/03/1958). He served in HMCS Stadacona as Officer-in-Charge Weapons School 1959. He served on Staff of Commander First Canadian Escort Squadron as Assistant Squadron Technical Officer 1960. He served in the RCN Armament Depot (Dartmouth) as Deputy Superintendent and as Engineering and Production Officer 1961. He served in FOPC Staff for Command Technical Officer as Officer-in-Charge Weapons Trials Unit (West Coast) 1963. He served in FOAC Staff for Assistant Chief of Staff (Operational Readiness) as Officer-in-Charge Operational Trials Unit (East Coast) 1965. He served as Officer-in-Charge Variable Depth Sonar Project Team 1966. (He was retired 01/03/1968). (He was awarded the Commando Fighting Knife while serving with the Canadian Army.) (He was qualified with a Watchkeeping Certificate 1961.) (He received the commendation from the Flag Officer (Atlantic) "for bringing a highly sophisticated submarine detection system into operational use.")

Vessels Owned
Aircraft Flown
Named Features

Anecdotes
He served as a Drummer Boy with The Queen's Own (Cameron) Highlanders (1938 to 1939) and with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles (1939 to 1940), and after training in the Elements of Armour he was assigned as a wireless operator in the tank Screwball, and then in the tank Scimitar. He was a silver medalist at the Canadian Forces Boxing Competitions in London in 1942. He trained with No. 2 Commando (Wales) and was awarded the Commando Fighting Knife in 1943. He was promoted during the Battle of the Hitler Line at the Melfa River in Italy and reassigned as Commander of the tank Spartan, which he commanded throughout the Italian and North West Europe campaigns. At age 19, he was the youngest tank Crew Commander in the Canadian Armoured Corps. Percy's tank Spartan is on display in front of the Administration Building, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) in Edmonton, Alta. After the Second World War, Percy returned to Winnipeg and completed high school and joined the Naval Reserve as a Stoker in 1946.

Anecdotes

He served as a Drummer Boy with The Queen's Own (Cameron) Highlanders (1938 to 1939) and with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles (1939 to 1940), and after training in the Elements of Armour he was assigned as a wireless operator in the tank Screwball, and then in the tank Scimitar. He was a silver medalist at the Canadian Forces Boxing Competitions in London in 1942. He trained with No. 2 Commando (Wales) and was awarded the Commando Fighting Knife in 1943. He was promoted during the Battle of the Hitler Line at the Melfa River in Italy and reassigned as Commander of the tank Spartan, which he commanded throughout the Italian and North West Europe campaigns. At age 19, he was the youngest tank Crew Commander in the Canadian Armoured Corps. Percy's tank Spartan is on display in front of the Administration Building, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) in Edmonton, Alta. After the Second World War, Percy returned to Winnipeg and completed high school and joined the Naval Reserve as a Stoker in 1946.

References
Government of Canada The Canadian Navy List Ottawa ON; https://passages.winnipegfreepress.com/passage-details/id-107110/Percy_Buzza;
Last update
2020-09-26 00:00:00

The Nauticapedia

The Virtual Maritime Museum of Western North America

Biographical Data

Buzza, Percival Charles