Biographical data

Biographical Data
Vondette, Henry William Photo Credit: RCN Crowsnest Magazine

Biographical Data

Vondette, Henry William

Photo Credit: RCN Crowsnest Magazine

Title	Captain (N) (MARS)
Official Number	(nk)

Birth	14/11/1924	Death	20/07/2006
Place	Pembroke	Place	North Vancouver
Area	ON	Area	BC
Country	Canada	Country	Canada

Titles
Honours	OMM.
Awards
Qualifications	nwc.

Biography
After his naval career he was the Harbour Master in Vancouver BC and retired again in 1991.

Military Service
He was appointed as an Ordinary Seaman RCNVR (With seniority dated 01/01/1942). He was appointed as a Leading Signalman RCNVR. (Transferred to RCN). He was appointed as a Leading Signalman RCN (With seniority dated 01/09/1944). He was appointed as a Petty Officer RCN. He was appointed as a Chief Petty Officer RCN, (CFR. He served in the Royal Navy Upper Yardmen's College 1948). He was appointed as a Sub-Lieutenant RCN (With seniority dated 01/09/1948). He was appointed as a Lieutenant RCN (With seniority dated 01/04/1949). He served in H.M.S. Excellent for RN Long Gunnery Course 1953. He qualified as an interpreter of Spanish Second Class 1954. He served in HMCS Cayuga (Korean War Service). He served in HMCS Naden on Staff of Gunnery Training Centre 1958. He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/04/1959). He served in HMCS Ontario. He served in HMCS Naden for HMC Fleet School in Operations and Weapons Division 1960. He was the Colour Lieutenant-Commander of the parade to receive the new Queen's Colour at Victoria 1960. He was the Parade Lieutenant-Commander for the parade to lay up the old HMCS Kings Color at Victoria 1960. He served in HMCS Stettler (In command) 1961. He was appointed as a Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/01/1963). He served in HMCS Stadacona on Staff of Flag Officer Atlantic Coast, Restgouche (II) (In command) 1965. He served in HMCS Bonaventure as Executive Officer 1969. He served in HMCS Bonaventure (In command) 1970. He served as Director Naval Reserves 1970. He was appointed as a Captain (MARS) (With seniority dated 01/01/1974). He served in HMCS Preserver (II) (In command) 1975. (He was released.)

Military Service

He was appointed as an Ordinary Seaman RCNVR (With seniority dated 01/01/1942). He was appointed as a Leading Signalman RCNVR. (Transferred to RCN). He was appointed as a Leading Signalman RCN (With seniority dated 01/09/1944). He was appointed as a Petty Officer RCN. He was appointed as a Chief Petty Officer RCN, (CFR. He served in the Royal Navy Upper Yardmen's College 1948). He was appointed as a Sub-Lieutenant RCN (With seniority dated 01/09/1948). He was appointed as a Lieutenant RCN (With seniority dated 01/04/1949). He served in H.M.S. Excellent for RN Long Gunnery Course 1953. He qualified as an interpreter of Spanish Second Class 1954. He served in HMCS Cayuga (Korean War Service). He served in HMCS Naden on Staff of Gunnery Training Centre 1958. He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/04/1959). He served in HMCS Ontario. He served in HMCS Naden for HMC Fleet School in Operations and Weapons Division 1960. He was the Colour Lieutenant-Commander of the parade to receive the new Queen's Colour at Victoria 1960. He was the Parade Lieutenant-Commander for the parade to lay up the old HMCS Kings Color at Victoria 1960. He served in HMCS Stettler (In command) 1961. He was appointed as a Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/01/1963). He served in HMCS Stadacona on Staff of Flag Officer Atlantic Coast, Restgouche (II) (In command) 1965. He served in HMCS Bonaventure as Executive Officer 1969. He served in HMCS Bonaventure (In command) 1970. He served as Director Naval Reserves 1970. He was appointed as a Captain (MARS) (With seniority dated 01/01/1974). He served in HMCS Preserver (II) (In command) 1975. (He was released.)

Vessels Owned
Aircraft Flown
Named Features

Anecdotes
I joined the Navy as an Ordinary Seaman towards the end of 1941, when I was seventeen years of age and was trained as a Visual Signalman. I started signal training at the Signal School at St. Hyacinthe, Quebec. After I became a trained signalman, I was sent to the manning depot at Halifax, where I was immediately assigned to HMCS Trail and sent to Levis, Quebec. I later transferred to HMCS Arrowhead. Arrowhead arrived in St. John's, Newfoundland and I was drafted to HMCS Trillium in early March 1943. Later, I was the Yeoman of Signals in a frigate, HMCS SeaCliff, and later still in HMCS Restigouche. With the war in Europe over, there was a call for volunteers for the Pacific. I volunteered and was sent to the Signal School at St. Hyacinthe to become familiar with USN Signal Communications and USN Signal Publications. After the war, I was recommended as a CW candidate (Commissioned by Warrant) and drafted to HMCS Micmac, From Micmac, I joined HMCS Warrior, Because I had joined the Navy when I was seventeen, my education required enhancement. There was a policy in wartime that students joining the service were generally awarded their year. Although I was a good student, I did not get my year awarded to me. This didn't bother me at the time, but it was to prove a real hurdle later; in fact, I was required to meet university entrance levels. I was allowed to meet the academic standards for officer training as an Upper Yardman. I studied very hard, many hours each day and wrote the required exams during transit of the Panama Canal eastbound to the Caribbean during the spring of 1947. I qualified academically and when I left Warrior at Portsmouth, England. When I completed my Upper Yardman's Course at the Upper Yardman's College at HMS Hawke, I was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant.

Anecdotes

I joined the Navy as an Ordinary Seaman towards the end of 1941, when I was seventeen years of age and was trained as a Visual Signalman. I started signal training at the Signal School at St. Hyacinthe, Quebec. After I became a trained signalman, I was sent to the manning depot at Halifax, where I was immediately assigned to HMCS Trail and sent to Levis, Quebec. I later transferred to HMCS Arrowhead. Arrowhead arrived in St. John's, Newfoundland and I was drafted to HMCS Trillium in early March 1943. Later, I was the Yeoman of Signals in a frigate, HMCS SeaCliff, and later still in HMCS Restigouche. With the war in Europe over, there was a call for volunteers for the Pacific. I volunteered and was sent to the Signal School at St. Hyacinthe to become familiar with USN Signal Communications and USN Signal Publications. After the war, I was recommended as a CW candidate (Commissioned by Warrant) and drafted to HMCS Micmac, From Micmac, I joined HMCS Warrior, Because I had joined the Navy when I was seventeen, my education required enhancement. There was a policy in wartime that students joining the service were generally awarded their year. Although I was a good student, I did not get my year awarded to me. This didn't bother me at the time, but it was to prove a real hurdle later; in fact, I was required to meet university entrance levels. I was allowed to meet the academic standards for officer training as an Upper Yardman. I studied very hard, many hours each day and wrote the required exams during transit of the Panama Canal eastbound to the Caribbean during the spring of 1947. I qualified academically and when I left Warrior at Portsmouth, England. When I completed my Upper Yardman's Course at the Upper Yardman's College at HMS Hawke, I was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant.

References
Macpherson, Ken & Ron Barrie (2002); Government of Canada The Canadian Navy List Ottawa ON; Starshell (NOAC Newsletter) Obituaries Autumn 2006;
Last update
2011-02-16 00:00:00

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Biographical Data

Vondette, Henry William