Feb. 15, 2010

DUNDURN-The Canadian Navy renewed its ties with the Town of Dundurn with the presentation of a framed pictorial history of Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Dundurn to the community during a short ceremony on Feb. 4.

The presentation took place at Dundurn's Wilson Museum. Members of the public were invited to attend.

Commander Randy Hanson, Commanding Officer of Saskatoon's Naval Reserve Division, HMCS Unicorn, presented the namesake history to Dundurn Mayor Per Vinding.

The framed presentation includes a photograph and history of HMCS Dundurn, an auxiliary oil tanker that fuelled ships in harbour and coastal waters.

Built in Walkerville, Ont. and commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy in 1943, Dundurn spent the Second World War on the east coast of Canada fuelling and providing stores to escort ships.

At war's end, Dundurn was transferred to the Pacific Fleet and became an auxiliary vessel, carrying fuel from Vancouver to Esquimalt, B.C. and servicing ships in refit or that were too large to use the fuelling jetties. She was disposed of in 1993. She is currently serving as a breakwater.

Doug Narraway, Dundurn's mayor from 2007 to 2009 served in the Navy for 26 years, 17 on ships. Coincidentally, The Dundurn serviced his ship the destroyer Qu'Appelle, while on the Pacific.

Since the Canadian Navy was established in 1910, over 300 of Her Majesty's Canadian Ships have been named for Canadian communities, provinces and First Nations from coast to coast to coast.

To mark its centennial, the Canadian Navy is renewing these historic connections by making presentations of namesake histories to communities large and small in every corner of the country.

The leaderonline is a division of The Davidson Leader, Davidson, Saskatchewan, Canada.