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A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project
In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
ZBITNEW, Leonard Thomas (Larry) - passed away on Thursday, March 5, 2015 at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Barrie, ON. Beloved husband of Pauline Zbitnew and the late Sheila Zbitnew. Dear father of Anne Zbitnew and Lisa Zbitnew and grandfather of Gillian Berry, Hannah Zbitnew, Autumn Semkin, Calleigh Semkin, Kate McConville and Jake McConville. Also survived by son-in-law Dave Clark, sisters and their husbands Vivian and John Posniack, the late Dolores Zbitnew, the late Sharon and Al Hagan and Rand and Paulette Teed. Larry Zbitnew was a pilot in the Royal Canadian Navy, flying various aircraft from the aircraft carriers HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HMCS MAGNIFICENT and HMCS BONAVENTURE. He was trained as a test pilot and flew on a number of experimental projects, one of which was the development of the Helicopter Recovery System, allowing the operation of large helicopters from destroyer-class ships. For this project he was presented with the Order of Military Merit by the Governor General of Canada on behalf of the Queen. After retiring from military service, he joined INDAL Technologies in Mississauga and served as director of programs. His last position with the company was as Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand. Upon return to Canada, he retired and spent much of his time on the golf course until he departed from this world. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Paul the Apostle Church, 190 King St. S., Alliston, ON, at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 11, 2015. Interment St. Paul's Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy, if desired, donations made to the Alzheimer Society would be appreciated.
Ships served in: HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
The photos and documents below are from the collection of LCdr Larry Zbitnew. With the help of Mr. Dennis Cardy, Anne Zbitnew (LCdr Zbitnew's daughter), donated the collection to the Shearwater Aviation Museum for cataloging and preservation. They gratuitously provided scans of the collection for sharing her on For Posterity's Sake. My thanks to Anne Zbitnew, Dennis Cardy and the Shearwater Aviation Museum.
The photo file numbers are listed below the photos scanned by the Shearwater Aviation Museum.
(LZ01-LZ04) Memorial photos for LCdr Larry Zbitnew (LZ05) Service summary for LCdr Zbitnew
(LZ06-LZ07) Pilot's Log Books for LCdr Larry Zbitnew, RCN (LZ08) Cartoon of a Sea King lifting a destroyer by the "Bear Trap" (LZ09) SLt L. Zbitnew's Flight Qual Cert for the Firefly ST6 (LZ10) Firefly aircraft
(LZ11) Larry Zbitnew climbing in to a Firefly (LZ12) A/Slt Larry Zbitnew on the flight deck of HMCS MAGNIFICENT, Jun 1955 (LZ13) Flight deck of HMCS MAGNIFICENT (LZ14) HMCS MAGNIFICENT (LZ15) Sikorski Helo RCN 221 landing on HMCS MAGNIFICENT
(LZ16) HMCS LABRADOR 50 (LZ17 HMCS LABRADOR transiting an ice field - DND/RCN photo. Neg # LAB 2525 (LZ18) HMCS LABRADOR transiting an ice field - ship's helo hovering off bow - DND/RCN photo. Neg # LAB 2524 (LZ19) HMCS LABRADOR 50 (LZ20) Bell 47 Helo crash - DND/RCN Photo. Neg # LAB 2458
(LZ21) HMCS LABRADOR (foreground) and a US LSD (either USS Fort Mandan or USS San Marcos) In Aug - Sep 1956, HMCS LABRADOR assisted the US icebreaker Edisto in escorting a convoy westward through the Northwest Passage from Foxe Basin to the Bellot Strait - the Fort Mandan and San Marcos were part of that convoy. (LZ22) USCGC Storis W38 coming alongside HMCS LABRADOR 50 (LZ23) (L-R) USCGC Spar, USCGC Bramble, USCGC Storis, HMCS LABRADOR (LZ24) USCGC Spar, USCGC Bramble (middle) and USCGC Storis (furthest from camera) (LZ25) USCGC Storis W38, USCGC Bramble and USCGC Spar being lead through the Bellot Strait by HMCS LABRADOR. Photo taken from the flight deck of HMCS LABRADOR
Note: On 04 Sep 1957, HMCS LABRADOR rendezvoused with USCGC Storis (W38) USCGC Bramble (W 392) and USCGC Spar (W 403). These photos were taken during that rendezvous and the following transit of the Bellot Strait. The following link is to a write up of the voyage of the 3 US Coast Guard Vessels - Across the top of the World
(LZ26-LZ27) Convoy proceeding through the Bellot Strait led by HMCS LABRADOR. Photos taken from LABRADOR'S helo. (LZ28) Unknown event on HMCS LABRADOR, possibly Crossing the Line Ceremony. Note the officer with the rather large straight razor (LZ29) HMCS LABRADOR in Europe, spring 1957 - port unknown
The photos below from the Zbitnew collection were scanned by the Shearwater Aviation Museum and shared with For Posterity's Sake. No caption were available. The number below is photo is the museum file numberr
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For Posterity's Sake 
