TO EXCEL

HMCS ANNAPOLIS 265

Source: USN Defence photo

Laid down: 02 Sep 1961

Launched: 27 Apr 1963

Commissioned: 19 Dec 1964

Paid off for DELEX refit: 19 Aug 1985

DELEX refit completed: 08 Jan 1987

Re-commissioned: 08 Jan 1987

Placed in reserve: 15 Nov 1996

Paid off: 01 Jul 1998

Fate: Anchored in Howe Sound, British Columbia, to be turned into an artificial reef.  Project has been on hold for several years due to environmental protests/concerns.

Cdr Robert Claude K. Peers, RCN - 19 Dec 1964 - 06 Sep 1966

Cdr D.N. Mainguy, RCN - 06 Sep 1966 - 18 Dec 1967

Cdr Douglas Ross, RCN - 04 Jan 1968 - 21 Aug 1969

Cdr Alan Gordon Lowe - 21 Aug 1969 - 20 Feb 1971

Cdr Albert Peter Campbell - 01 Apr 1971 - 08 Sep 1972

Cdr Jan Jansz Drent - 08 Sep 1972 - 18 Jul 1975

Cdr Robert A. Willson - 08 Aug 1975 - 14 May 1977

Cdr Anthony Roy Hamilton Wood - 14 May 1977 - 16 Apr 1979

Cdr Peter William Dumbrille - 16 Apr 1979 - 01 Oct 1980

Cdr J.C. Braconnier - 01 Oct 1980 - 28 Jun 1982

Cdr James Clayton Bain - 28 Jun 1982 - 23 Apr 1984

Cdr George Oscar S. Hurford - 23 Apr 1984 - 01 Aug 1985

LCdr R.J. Kerr - 01 Aug 1985 - 16 Dec 1985

LCdr D.G. McNeil - 16 Dec 1985 - 26 Jul 1986

Cdr Brian Frank Beaudry - 26 Jul 1986 - 04 Jul 1988

Cdr R.J. Neveu - 04 Jul 1988 - 28 Sep 1989

Cdr A.L. Vey - 28 Sep 1989 - 27 Sep 1990

Cdr J.D. Fraser - 27 Sep 1990 - 25 Jan 1991

Cdr Richard R. Town - 25 Jan 1991 - 05 Jul 1991

LCdr Robert W. Stacey 05 Jul 1991 - 27 Sep 1991

Cdr Richard R. Town - 27 Sep 1991 - 26 Jul 1993

Cdr S.C. Bertrand - 26 Jul 1993 - 04 Jan 1995

Cdr D.W. Robertson - 04 Jan 1995  -  22 Jul 1996

Cdr J.W. Hayes - 22 Jul 1996 - 19 Dec 1996

HMCS ANNAPOLIS - Commissioning Day.

Cdr R.C.K, Peers, first C.O., piped onboard

HMCS ANNAPOLIS 265

DND / RCN photo

Note: this photo was used in the welcome aboard pamphlet below

HMCS ANNAPOLIS Welcome Aboard pamphlet - 1966

From the collection of /  Courtesy of Heinz Gohlish, Lt (N), RCN / C.A.F.

The Queen Mom chats with sailors on HMCS ANNAPOLIS during her visit to the ship - 18 Jul 1967

(First seven crew members, R-L: CPO Laye, CPO Hall, CPO Armston, PO2 Holland, LS Tanner, Pinkeron, and unknown

Courtesy of Bill Edison, P2ET

(HG01) HMCS ANNAPOLIS - Escort to the Royal Yacht and the Queen Mother  (HG02) Memo accompanying change to the MARESC orders from HMY BRITANNIA  (HG03) The Queen Mum on HMCS ANNAPOLIS  (HG04) HMCS ANNAPOLIS conducts a sail-past of the BRITANNIA on completion of her escort duties and salutes the Queen Mother

HMCS ANNAPOLIS and Centennial Year

ANNAPOLIS spent the summer of 1967 in local waters. Her deployment can be divided into three phases: port visits to towns and cities in Eastern Canada, as escort for HMY Britannia for two weeks and as guard ship at Expo 67 in Montreal for three weeks. It was a wonderful summer and my recollection is that the crew thoroughly enjoyed showing the flag in local venues, some persons in places where they grew up. The only downside that summer was the unusually heavy fog across almost the entire Maritimes which made some port entries a bit tense and took away some of the festive atmosphere.

The ports visited for "Centennial Visits" over the period May to August were the following:  Baie-Comeau, St. John's, Bathurst, Corner Brook, Newcastle, Port aux Basques, Charlottetown, Quebec City, Souris and finally Montreal.

In July, ANNAPOLIS spent two weeks in station 1000 yards astern of HMY Britannia, with HM the Queen Mother on board and with only the occasional glimpse of the royal yacht. Almost all navigation and station keeping was done with radar.

The ports visited were the following, with HM seldom seeing the place she was visiting until she stepped ashore: Saint John, Summerside, St. Andrews, Shediac, Campobello, Sydney, Canso Lock, Charlottetown, Arisaig and St. John's where HM visited ANNAPOLIS to meet some of the ship's company. 

Note on the sail past photo: Prior to final departure as escort for the royal yacht we were stationed on HMY's port quarter. We cranked up to 25 knots. The wind was light and the sea was completely flat but there was a considerable swell causing the ship to pitch heavily, especially at speed. The foc'sle crew was hanging on for dear life.

(HG05) HS50 Helairdet 1967  (HG06)  Beartrap trials in Halifax Harbour Apr 1967  (HG07) A clean flight deck is a safe flight deck  (HG08) This is how it's done  (HG09) Helairdet commander, LCdr. Jean Véronneau.

ANNAPOLIS was one of the first DDHs with an operational Helicopter Air Detachment (helairdet). Trials were conducted in early 1967 and a CHSS-2 was deployed with ANNAPOLIS for the remainder of her commission.

( HG10-HG12) HMCS ANNAPOLIS covered in ice during Helo Heavy Weather Trials - Jan 1968  (HG13-14) Storm Damage - Jan 1968

In  early 1968 ANNAPOLIS was tasked with heavy weather trials for the flight deck. We sailed in January looking for rough weather – and found it! The ship iced up so severely that, on at least one occasion, lower decks were cleared to chip ice – a rather unpleasant experience. I don’t recall what useful work got done under these conditions but suspect it was not very much.

(HG15-HG16) HMCS OTTAWA 229, HMCS FRASER 233, HMCS ASSINIBOINE 234, HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257 and HMCS NIPIGON 266 alongside in San Juan, PR during WUPS - Feb/Mar 1967.  Flags are at half-mast for the death of Governor General George Vanier  (HG17) Naval Assembly in Halifax - 1967  (HG18) HMCS ANNAPOLIS arrival at Dublin, Ireland 12-15 Sep 1968  (19) USSR Kotlin Class during Exercise Silver Tower 16-29 Sept 1968

(HG20) ANNAPOLIS Helairdet Sept 1968 including deployment to Europe and the Eastern Arctic for Exercise Silver Tower 16-29 Sept.

(Standing L-R)  "Goose" McClellan, Doug Robinson, Herb Harzan, Herb Parsons, Willie Madder, Ron Zboril

 (Front)  Bob Henderson.

(HG21) HMCS PROVIDER - photo taken from HMCS ANNAPOLIS during a RAS  - Sep 1968  (HG22) HMCS ANNAPOLIS arriving at Portsmouth, England for a port visit 14-22 Oct 1968  (HG23) HMCS ANNAPOLIS at Norfolk, VA Norfolk, 30 Nov - 4 Dec 1968. The Commissioning of HMCS RAINBOW taking place across the jetty on 02 Dec 1968  (HG24) Port visit to USNA Annapolis, Maryland 5-10 Dec 1968

From the collection of /  Courtesy of Heinz Gohlish, Lt (N), RCN / C.A.F.

(1) Newspaper article on the last tot issued on HMCS ANNAPOLIS  (2) Garnet Estabrooks preparing to issue the last tot on board HMCS ANNAPOLIS, Mar 1972  (3) Art Fallas (right) receiving his last official tot on HMCS ANNAPOLIS, March 1972  (4) LS Sonny Gray on the flight deck of HMCS ANNAPOLIS, circa 1971-1973  (5) Lorne Baird and Art Fallas "up the stick" on HMCS ANNAPOLIS  (6) HMCS ANNAPOLIS tied up outboard of HMS Belfast, London, England

Courtesy of Art Fallas

Life below decks, HMCS ANNAPOLIS, 1971-1973

(1) #1 Mess  (2) #1 Mess - (L-R) Brian Patrick and Harry Israel  (3) #1 Mess  (4) #1 Mess (L-R) Thom Scheldrick and Harry Israel  (5) #1 Mess (L-R) Wayne Oliver and Harry Israel, Feb 1972  (6) #1 Mess (L-R) Thom Scheldrick, Rick Rogers and Art Fallas  (7) #1 Mess (L-R) Wayne Oliver, Mo Alain, Art Fallas, ??, Harry Israel  (8) #1 Mess (L-R) Lorne Baird, Mo Alain, Art Fallas  (9) #1 Mess (L-R) Lorne Baird, Wayne Oliver and Art Fallas  (10) #1 Mess, Mo Alain  (11) #1 Mess, Rick Rogers

Courtesy of Art Fallas

HMCS ANNAPOLIS - Sailing south to the Caribbean - Canada at War Series 1971-1973

(1) Tanning Stations - Art Fallas relaxing on the foc'sle. Note the can of Olands beer  (2) Tanning Stations  (3) Tanning stations  (4) Three sailors modeling the latest Canadian Armed Forces tropical rig  (5) Art Fallas on the STBD wing

Courtesy of Art Fallas

Webmaster's note:  Canada was not at war at this time ... this is just sailor's humour

3"50 mount on HMCS ANNAPOLIS 265

HMCS ANNAPOLIS 265 conducting a RAS with RAS Hr Ms Poolster - NATO 1975

Photo taken from Hr Ms Hr MS Poolster

Courtesy of Cor van Dongen, Ttelegrafist Royal Dutch Navy 1972-1979

HMCS ANNAPOLIS 265 with the Standing Naval Force Atlantic, Funchal, Madeira, 1977

Courtesy of Serge Joncas

The ship's wheel of former HMCS ANNAPOLIS which for sale at Trinity Marine

HMCS ANNAPOLIS wins Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Proficiency Shield

Courtesy of Jean Viau

HMCS ANNAPOLIS 265, Jan 1969

Courtesy of Jean Viau

Cadillacs at sea in 1972

Photo taken from HMCS ANNAPOLIS 265

Courtesy of John Knudsen

HMCS ANNAPOLIS 1982

The Happy Ship

After about 30 days at sea during an extended exercise the heads of department and crew members were asked for creative ideas to boost morale and relieve boredom. The Air Department came up with using Happy Faces. These photos show the result.

Gary recalls learning a valuable lesson in planning ahead ... on the return trip to Halifax he discovered there wasn't any battleship grey paint left to restore the hanger door. So she was showing her happy face to the world for several days back alongside.

Artwork by A/B Tom Taylor and M/S Gary Gunnell

Gary Gunnell provided these photos and anecdote

Courtesy of Dave Borrowman

                  Crossing the line on HMCS ANNAPOLIS 265 in 1988

Courtesy of Stephane Tardif

Former HMCS ANNAPOLIS at Gambier Island, BC being prepared for becoming an artificial reef

Credit: Artificial Reef Society of BC

The scuttling of the former HMCS ANNAPOLIS 265

A cold war warrior becomes an artificial reef

On 04 Apr 2015 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific time, ANNAPOLIS was sunk as an artificial reef near Gambier Island, British Columbia

Photographer: Dennis Cardy  /  © Dennis Cardy 2015

These photos are not to be resold, re-used or republished without written permission of the copy write holder

February 2022 sonar image of the Former HMCS ANNAPOLIS provided by the Canadian Coast Guard Base, Sea Island.  The image shows a massive school of shiny perch over the flight deck and forward safety stop station.  The ANNAPOLIS is routinely used by the Canadian Coast Guard as a training center for their dive team and share a working relationship with the Reef Society in support of strengthening mooring lines.

Source: Facebook post by the Artificial Reef Society of BC