HMCS ASSINIBOINE 234

St Laurent Class Destroyer

ASSINIBOINE was the first ship delivered postwar to the RCN by Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel and was commissioned there on 16 Aug 1956. In January 1959, after two years' service on the east coast, she was transferred west, and in Jul 1959, had the honour of carrying Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip from Vancouver to Nanaimo.

In Jun 1962 she began her conversion to a helicopter carrying destroyer (DDH), the first of her class to under the procedure, which was largely carried out by the Victoria Machinery Depot. Re-commissioned on 28 Jun 1963, she returned to Halifax. In Jan 1975, ASSINIBOINE took off the crew of the freighter Barma, which was shipping water 185 miles off Boston.

Between Apr and Nov 1979, she completed her Destroyer Life Extension (DELEX) program at Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal.

On 30 Jun 1981, ASSINIBOINE grounded on Point Pleasant Shoal at the entrance of Halifax Harbour.

In Jan 1984, while en route to Florida for Exercise Northern Wedding, a crack was found in ASSINIBOINE'S main deck. She was forced to return to Halifax after a port visit at Fort Lauderdale while the rest of the squadron continued on the exercise.  En route to Halifax she had to remain within sight of land. Later that year, while acting as escort for the Tall Ships race from Bermuda to Halifax, ASSINIBOINE took a lead role in the search for survivors of the lost sailing vessel Marques.

Excerpt from the New York Times 04 Jun 1984 on the loss of the Marques:  A 150-foot, three-masted Polish training ship, identified as the the Zawisza Czarny, which was involved in the race and was in the vicinity, picked up the eight survivors and the body after hearing the distress signals, said Mr. Ludlow, the Coast Guard spokesman. He said another survivor was taken from the sea by a helicopter off the Canadian frigate ASSINIBOINE. The survivors remained aboard the rescue ships last night. The Zawisza Czarny was expected to arrive in Bermuda this morning. Besides the Canadian frigate and the American and Polish training vessels, the search was joined by a Coast Guard C-130 airplane, a United States Navy plane, two Canadian helicopters, and three Canadian ships, the frigates SKEENA and MARGAREE, and the oiler PRESERVER. The Coast Guard Cutter Taney was to arrive today.

On 17 Jul 1984 ASSINIBOINE went into refit at Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel, Que.

After thirty-two years' service, and with more than 700,000 nautical miles under her keel, she was paid off on 14 Dec 1988, afterward serving as a floating classroom for fleet technicians at Halifax until Jan 1995, when she was turned over to Crown Assets for disposal. She was sold for scrap in 1995.

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos          The Ship's Bell

RCN Memories:     Brace for Shock!

HMCS ASSINIBOINE and the 1974 Portuguese Coup or "Where was this covered in command exams?"  by Captain Robert H. Thomas, RCN, Ret'd

© Copyright NOAC 1998 - This article was re-published on "For Posterity's Sake" with permission of the Naval Officers Association of Canada, Executive Director Ken Lait.  This article is not to be re-published without permission of the NOAC.

Commanding Officers

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

V

W

Y

Former Crew Members

Photos and Documents

(ABN001) HMCS ASSINIBOINE'S bell - circa 1975-77  //  Courtesy of Danielle Boudreau

(ABN002) HMCS ASSINIBOINE, Hamburg German, 1957  //  Courtesy of photographer: Kent Malo

(ABN003) HMCS ASSINIBOINE and HMCS CRESCENT along side for the Big Exchange - Feb 1959 -  "In an orderly fashion by messes we exchanged ships while  in San Diego. I actually preferred the CRESCENT, older ship she had been converted with modernization of the Operations department plus all the updated equipment, with bunks similar to what the Yanks had for bunks, strapped canvas."  //  From the collection of Steve Hlasny, CPO2.LT

(ABN004) (SH176) LS Steve Hlasny and AB Dale Nordstrum in the Ops Room on HMCS ASSINIBOINE, 1960  //  From the collection of Steve Hlasny, CPO2.LT

(ABN005) HMCS ASSINIBOINE undergoing her conversion from DDE to DDH at the Victoria Machinery Depot - 1962  //  Courtesy of Richard Larcheveque

(ABN006) Helo Haul Down System on HMCS ASSINIBOINE 234  //  From the collection of LCdr Larry Zbitnew  //  Courtesy of Dennis Cardy

(ABN007) HMCS ASSINIBOINE 234  //  On 27 November 1963, the new landing platform aboard HMCS ASSINIBOINE was used for the first operational destroyer landing of a production CHSS-2.  //  DND- RCN photo

(ABN008) HMCS ASSINIBOINE 234  //  On 27 November 1963, the new landing platform aboard HMCS ASSINIBOINE was used for the first operational destroyer landing of a production CHSS-2.  //  Photographer: Raymond Cumby  //  Courtesy of Raymond Cumby

(ABN009) Newspaper article on HMCS ASSINIBOINE from The Halifax Mail Star, 24 Oct 1963  //  Courtesy of Art Moore

(ABN010) Splice the Mainbrace on board HMCS ASSINIBOINE  //  Governor General's Cruise, 1968  //  Courtesy of Tom Wright

LOST AT SEA - LSWU Wayne John Olan

20 Feb 1969

Memorial Service at held at sea for LSWU Wayne Olan

(WJO001) Ship's company musters aft

(WJO002) Cdr Edwards waits for ships in company to stop

(WJO003) Cdr Edwards conducts a Memorial Service for LSWU Wayne John Olan

(WJO004) Wreath made by ship's company for LSWU Wayne Olan

(ABN011) HMCS ASSINIBOINE 234 Routine Orders 11 Jul 1969

(ABN012) HMCS ASSINIBOINE 234  //  Courtesy of Nigel Whiteley, LCdr, RCN, Ret'd  //  DND-RCN photo

(ABN013) HMCS PRESERVER 510 conducting a RAS with HMCS ASSINBOINE 234 (Stbd side) and unknown DDH on port side - 22 Feb 1971 during Ex Maple Spring '71  //  Courtesy of Hugh Muir

(ABN014) HMCS ASSINIBOINE 234  //  Map of NORPLOY 74 trip - 06-31 Aug 1974  //  Courtesy of Ronald J. MacDonald

(ABN015) Atlantic rendezvous between a CH113A Voyageur Helicopter and HMCS ASSINIBOINE 234

(ABN016 - ABN017) Damage to HMS Cleopatra after being hit by HMCS ASSINIBOINE circa 1980  //  Courtesy of Warwick Franklin  //  HMS CLEOPATRA

(ABN018) HMCS ASSINIBOINE 234  //  USN Photo - 1986  //  Public domain