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A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project
In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
HIRON, Bernard Edward, A/Gunner (T), O-33301, RCN, died - 31 Mar 1946, HMCS TALAPUS - son of Mr. and Mrs. F. R. Hiron, of Epsom, Surrey, England; husband of Mary Hiron, of Victoria.
A/Gunner (T) Hiron drowned after a small boat from HMCS TALAPUS capsized at Long Beach near Barkley Sound, Vancouver Island, BC on 31 Mar 1946. A/Gunner (T) Hiron was dispatched in HMCS TALAPUS to dispose of a Japanese mine that had washed up on shore. After the mine was disposed of, the small boat from HMCS TALAPUS capsized and Mr. Hiron was drowned. His body was retrieved and transferred to HMCS CRESCENT for passage to Esquimalt. He is buried in the Veterans' Cemetery, Esquimalt, BC.
B.E. Hiron enlisted in the RCN on 05 Feb 1931 and had attained the rank of A/CPO, TGM (Torpedo Gunner's Mate) before commissioning from the ranks and being promoted to Warrant on 31 Jul 1945.
Ships served in: HMCS SKEENA - Served in Skeena 02 Aug 1932 - 24 Feb 1933 as an OS and AB, RCN HMS COURAGEOUS - Served in Courageous 16 Jul 1935 - 13 Nov 1935 as an AB, RCN HMCS VANCOUVER - Served in Vancouver 18 Jan 1936 - 25 Nov 1936 as an AB, RCN HMCS SKEENA - Served in Skeena 14 Jan 1937 - 05 May 1938 as an AB and A/LS, RCN HMCS OTTAWA - Served in Ottawa 01 Dec 1938 - 09 Nov 1939 as a LS, RCN HMCS NOOTKA - Served in Nootka 10 Nov 1939 - 06 Mar 1940 as a LS and A/PO, RCN HMCS COMOX - Lent to Comox from Nootka - 29 Feb 1940 - 05 Mar 1940 HMCS COLUMBIA - Served in Columbia 24 Aug 1941 - 21 Oct 1942
Ships served in as an Officer: HMCS STADACONA (add'l for HMCS NOOTKA) - 27 Nov 1945. To be appointed to Nootka on commissioning. (Webmaster's note - A/Gunner (T) Hiron was appointed to HMCS Crescent prior to the commissioning of HMCS NOOTKA) HMCS CRESCENT - Appointed to Crescent 10 Dec 1945 an an A/Gunner (T), RCN (Navy List Apr 1946) HMCS TALAPUS - Loaned to Talapus from Crescent for mine disposal duty
(BH01) Seaman Hiron (BH02) Petty Officer Hiron (BH03) ID card for A/Gunner (T) Hiron (BH04-BH05) Newspaper article (dated 17 Mar 1946) and accompanying photo of RCN mine-disposal team destroying 500lb Japanese mine at Cape Cook on west Vancouver Island (BH05) Mine disposal team, L-R: Lt Fred Barber, RCN(R), Officer in charge of mine disposal team; WO B.E. Hiron, RCN, Mine Disposal Officer, PO W. Easton, RCN and AB Gordon Mitchell, RCN(R)
(BH06-BH09) Certificate of Service for Bernard Hiron (as a rating) (BH10) Bernard Hiron's cap tallies from the ships he served in
(BH11) Envelope from letter Bernard sent home to his wife from Panama while serving in HMCS SKEENA (BH12) Letter penned by CPO David Sadler and signed by shipmates expressing their condolences to Bernard's widow. (BH13) Naval Message reporting the death of A/Gunner (T) Hiron (BH14) Newspaper article on the death of A/Gnr (T) Hiron and civilian R. Whittington
(BH15) Newspaper article on torpedo firing exercise. Bernard Hiron in top left photo, front (BH16) HMCS SKEENA at Stewart, BC - 07 Aug 1933 (BH17) Torpedo School Executive and Instructional Staff (BH18) HMS COURAGEOUS - Jul 1935
HMS VERNON Torpedo School 08 Jul 1935
Names on back of HMS VERNON course photo
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For Posterity's Sake 
