| 
 
   HMCS
    IROQUOIS 280
            
           IROQUOIS
    Class Destroyer
            
           
  
           
      
        
          |  
  
             RELENTLESS IN CHASE |  
 HMCS IROQUOIS 280 Flagship Standing Naval Force Atlantic 1978/79 Source: Macsnavylinks.ca |  
          |   Battle honours and awards:  Atlantic 
            1943,   Arctic  1943-45,   Biscay 1943-44,   Norway 
            1945,   Korea  1952-53,   Arabian Sea   |    
      
        
          | Laid down: 15
            Jan
            1969
             Launched: 28
            Nov 1970 Commissioned: 29
            Jul 1972 | TRUMP
            refit: 01 Nov 1989 TRUMP
            refit complete: 03 Jul 1992 Paid off: 01
            May 2015 |    First of her class, she was built by Marine
            Industries Ltd. at Sorel and commissioned on 29 July 1972.  In 1978,
            a fairly typical year for the period, she took part in exercises off
            Portugal, with French units in the Bay of Biscay, and with German
            units off the coast of Denmark, returning home on 07 Jul 1978 after
            logging some 14,300 nautical miles. In Sep 1980, IROQUOIS was the
            subject of shock trials for the 280 class. These took place off the
            coast of Nova Scotia.  After the 3rd and largest of the
            explosions, IROQUOIS had to be towed. During this evolution, one of the tow lines parted
            and killed a
            crewman, Robert J. Purcell, on the tug Glenevis. On 4/5 Dec 1983, while on
            fishery patrol off the Grand Banks, IROQUOIS answered a SOS from the
            Panamanian-registered Ho Ming 5, in danger of capsizing owing to
            shifting cargo. In gale-force winds, the destroyer’s Sea King took
            off eleven of the twenty-man crew, the remaining nine being rescued
            by her Zodiacs. Eighteen of her ship’s company were decorated for
            their bravery during the episode. She underwent her TRUMP refit
            between 01 Nov 1989 and 03 Jul 1992. Between 25 Sep 1993
            and 15 Apr 1994 served with the blockading force off the former
            Yugoslavia. While so employed she conducted 98 boarding. Relived by
            HMCS HALIFAX on 15 Apr 1994, she returned to Halifax, arriving on 25
            Apr 1994. She was appointed flagship of Maritime Operations Group
            1 (MOG 1) on 17 Jun 1995. Maritime Operations Group 1 left Halifax
            on 22 Feb 1996 and headed south for exercises, stopping in
            Grenada where she played host to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and a
            number of Caribbean heads of state. Aug 1998 saw IROQUOIS replace ATHABASKAN
            as flagship of the NATO Standing Naval Force Atlantic
            (SNFL). She returned to Halifax on 15 Dec 1998. On 21 Mar 2000, IROQUOIS, as a member of a Canadian Task Group, left Halifax and
            headed south for spring exercises. While enroute south, news arrived
            that the bulk carrier Leader L had gone down some 700 kilometres
            northeast of Bermuda. The task group was re-directed to offer
            assistance. When all was said and done, 13 survivors were picked up
            along with six bodies, 12 sailors were missing. IROQUOIS landed the
            survivors and bodies in Bermuda before rejoining the task group. On
            17 Oct 2001, with CHARLOTTETOWN and PRESERVER, IROQUOIS departed
            Halifax for the Arabian Sea to support a U.S.- led coalition against
            international terrorism. Returning to Halifax on 27 Apr 2002, in the
            course of that 193-day deployment, she spent 171 days at sea, 51 of
            them consecutively, one of the longest continuous patrols in the
            history of the RCN. Soon after departing Halifax for a second
            deployment to the Arabian Sea, on 27 Feb 2003 she suffered a
            Sea King crash on deck, fortunately without serious injuries. Upon
            arriving in the Arabian Sea, she served as the flagship of the
            multi-national Task Force 151 from Mar to July 2003. She made a third
            deployment to the Arabian Sea as flagship of the multi-national Task
            Force 150, Jun-Sep 2008. In her last years of service, she
            performed two major representational voyages: to Baltimore MD in Jun 2012 for the War of 1812 Bicentennial; and to Liverpool UK in
            May 2013 for the 70th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of the
            Atlantic. In 2014, it was found the rust had caused extensive damage
            to her hull and she was laid up alongside Halifax - deemed not worth
            repairing. IROQUOIS was paid-off on 01 May 2015 at HMC Dockyard,
            Halifax.  At 1600 on 24 Nov 2016, under tow from the tug Atlantic
            Spruce, the former HMCS IROQUOIS departed Halifax en route to
            Liverpool, NS and the breaker's yard.   The
            5"54 cal gun on the 280s were named after the Oto Melara
            technicians who built and did the FSR work in Canada.  The
            names for the guns were as follows:  IROQUOIS - Pasquale, HURON
            - Tulio, ATHABASKAN - Leno and ALGONQUIN - Luigi.   
   RCN Memories:    
    My
    First Voyage     Out
    of Bounds to Unauthorized Personnel     Shock
    Trial Memories - HMCS IROQUOIS   
   Photos
    and Documents          Ship's
    company photos          The
    Ship's Bell          Commissioning
    book          Paying
    off book     
    Commanding Officers    
      
        
          | Cdr
            Darroch N. MacGillivray - 29 Jul 1972 - 24 Mar
            1975 Cdr Gerald George Freill - 24 Mar
            1975 - 04 May 1977 Cdr Robert Earl D. George - 04 May
            1977 - 30 Jun 1979
             Cdr Edward Joseph Kelly - 01 Jul 1979 - 16 Apr
            1981 Cdr Lynne Gordon Mason - 16 Mar 1981 - 30 Jun
            1982
             Cdr Gary Leslie Garnett - 30 Jun 1982 - 13 Jan
            1983
             Cdr L.E. Murray - 18 Apr 1983 - 04 Jan
            1985
             Cdr B.R. Brown - 04 Jan 1985 - 25 Jun
            1986 Cdr Peter John Ballard - 26 Jun 1986 - 10 Oct 1988
             LCdr Gregory Romanow - 15 Jul 1990 - 05 Aug
            1991
             Cdr L.J. Edmonds - 08 Sep 1991 - 29 Jul
            1994 Cdr Roger Girouard
            - 29 Jul 1994 - 07 Jul 1996 Cdr A.G. Munroe - 07 Jul 1996 - 13 Feb
            1998 | Capt
            (N) S.E. King - 13 Feb 1998 - 07 Jul 1999
             Capt (N)
            Lloyd David Sweeney - 07 Jul 1999 - 26 Jan
            2001 Capt
            (N) C.L. Mufford
            - 26 Jan 2001 - 28 Jun 2002 Capt
            (N) P.A. Maddison
            - 28 Jun 2002 - 14 Jul 2004
             LCdr R.V. Lambert - 14 Jul 2004 - 16 Aug
            2005 Capt
            (N)
            D.M. MacKeigan - 16 Aug 2005 - 29 Jun 2007
             Capt (N) B. Ryan - 29 Jun 2007 - 09 Jan
            2009 Cdr R. Brisson
            - 09 Jan 2009 - 21 Jul 2010
             LCdr J. Allen - 21 Jul 2010 - 08 Dec
            2010
             Cdr J.M. Hamilton - 08 Dec 2010 - 18 Jan
            2013
             Cdr M. Coates - 18 Jan 2013 - 02
            Oct 2014
             Cdr R.J. Watt - 03 Oct 2104 - 01
            May 2015 |    
   Coxswains   
      
        
          | CPO1 D.L. Tracy - Nov 1970 - Jun 1974 CPO1 J.W. Forsyth - Jun 1974 - Dec 1976 CPO1 R.S. Clouthier - Dec 1976 - Dec 1978 CPO1 W. Cherry - Dec 1978 - Dec 1979 CPO1 John MacDonald - Dec 1979 - Dec 1980 CPO1 F. Carter - Dec 1980 - Jul 1983 CPO1 P.A. Mattice - Jul 1983 - Jul 1984 CPO1 D. Mackey - Jul 1984 - Jul 1986 | CPO1 L.J. Gordon - Jul 1986 - Jul 1988 No Cox'n - TRUMP REFIT  Jul 1988 - Jul
            1991 CPO1 S.J. Desprey - Jul 1991 - Jul 1994 CPO1 B.H. Schimpf - Jul 1994 - Sep 1996 CPO1 C.B. Calvert - Sep 1996 - Aug 1998 CPO1 C.W.G. Lang - Aug 1998 - Aug 2000 CPO1 E.M. Carberry - Aug 2000 - Aug 2002 CPO1 P.K. Evans - Aug 2002 - Apr 2004 | CPO1 W.S. Forrester - Apr 2004 - Apr 2007 CPO1 J.S. Morrison - Apr 2007 - Jul 2009 CPO1 J. Denis - Jul 2009 - May 2010 CPO1 J.G. Chapadeau - Jun 2010 - Jun 2012 CPO1 D.C. Elbourne - Jun 2012 - Jul 2014 CPO1 B.T. Burke - Jul 2014 - Jan 2015 CPO2 J.P. Haas - Jan 2015 - May 2015 |    
    In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice  
  Lest We Forget  
  
              
 GRAHAM,
            Brian J. MS,
    RCN / C.A.F. died - 27 Oct 1980
       
    In memory of those who have crossed the bar  
 They shall not be
            forgotten
  
   A     B   
      
  
    
      | 
      Bain, George
            W.
       | 
 Baker,
            Brian G. | 
 Baker,
            Mark R. | 
 Ballard,
            Peter J.
       | 
 Barnes,
            Christine
       |  
      | 
 Barrette,
            Armand J. G. | 
 Bednarz, Andrew
        M. | 
 Black,
            Christopher D.
             | 
 Blake,
  Douglas C.
       | 
 Boswell,
            Robert R.
       |  
      | 
 Boutilier,
            John C.
       | 
 Boyce, Donny | 
 Branch,
            William B.
       | 
 Brayman,
            Martin
       | 
 Broyden,
            Wilfred
       |  
      |  
 Butler,
            Lawrence W.
       |  
       |  
       |  
       |  
       |    C   
      
  
    
      | 
 Caisse,
            Joseph A. R. | 
      Carrigan,
            Harold R. | 
 Carter,
            Frederick T. | 
 Caswell,
            Robert G.
       | 
 Charest,
            Henri A.
       |  
      | 
 Cherry,
            William W. | 
 Clarke,
            David S.
       |  
 Cleough,
            Doug
             | 
 Cloutier, Rénald
       | 
 Cogdon,
            David |  
      | 
 Collins,
            James E.
       | 
 Collins,
            Stephen M. | 
 Cormier,
            Clarence N. | 
 Cormier,
            George A.
       | 
 Corn, W. Earl
       |  
      | 
 Cox,
            Donald E. | 
 Currie,
            Darrell F. | 
 Currie,
            David W.
       |  
       |  
       |    D     E     F     G     H     I     J     K     L   
      
  
    
      | 
 Lafford, R. Joy
       | 
 Lahey,
            Murray |  
 Langlois,
            Stephen G.
             | 
 Latour,
            Joseph J-Y. | 
 Lavers,
            Keith |  
      | 
 Leamon,
          Michael T. 
       |  
 LeBlanc,
          Robert J.I. | 
 Leonard,
            Norman J. | 
 Leroux,
            Lorne E. | 
 LeVernois,
      Leon D.
             |  
      | 
 Lewis,
            Larry N.
       |  
 Lloyd,
            James M.
       |  
       |  
       |  
       |    M   
      
  
    
      |  
 Mac
            Innis, A.J.
             | 
 MacDonald,
            John O. | 
 Mackey,
            Donald M.
       | 
 Mah,
            William J. | 
 Mailloux,
    Richard J. |  
      | 
 Martin,
            Sidney J.
     | 
 Marquis,
            Réjean
       | 
 Maser,
            William J.
       | 
 Matchem,
      Clarence C. | 
 McDonald,
            Cyril A. |  
      | 
 McGowan,
            Louise C. | 
 
                  McGregor,
            Douglas B. | 
 McLeod, Gordon A.
       | 
 McMahon,
            Daniel
             | 
 McNeil,
            Samuel F.
       |  
      | 
 McQuade,
            Shawn M. | 
 McWeeney,
            Ronald C.
       | 
 Meadows,
  Paul
       | 
 Melchoir,
            Leo K.
       | 
 Merritt,
            James |  
      | 
 Metcalfe,
            Samuel L.
       | 
 Middleton,
            Maurice | 
 Morgan,
            Philip W.
       | 
 Morrison,
            Dennis C.
       | 
 
                  Mullen, Tyler L.
       |  
      | 
 Murchie,
            Joseph H.
       | 
 Murray,
            Robert
       |  
       |  
       |  
       |    N     O     P     R     S   
      
  
    
      | 
 Samuel,
            David J.
       | 
 Sauer,
            Eugene G.
             | 
 Schneider,
            Lawrence | 
 Sequin, J.
            A.
            Ronald
       | 
 Simard,
            Delbert L.
       |  
      | 
 Simms,
            Donald
       | 
 Smith,
            David A. | 
 Smith, Wayne
            R.
       | 
 Spencer,
            Myles R.
       |  
 Stanick,
            Steve
             |  
      | 
 Stevenson,
            George F. | 
 Street,
            Ronald
       |  
 Sweeney, L.
            David
       |  
       |   |    T     V     W     
   Former Crew Members   (CC) commissioning crew   
      
        
          | 
            Austin, Richard, OS-LSRP, 1977-1980 / MS, Radar Tech, 1982-1983
             
             
             
            Blakeney, Floyd, Stoker - 1980-1986
             
             
             
            Boulet, Billy
             
             
             
            Brannen, James
             
             
             
            Budge, Jack, Stwd
             
             
             
            Burton, Dennis, OS-LS, EW 242, 20 Dec 1982 - 29 Jun 1986 / MS, NESOP
            276, 10 Sep 1993 - 08 May 1994 / PO2 NESOP 276, 27 Sep 2000 - 31 Mar
            2002      
             
             Chiasson, Mike, PO2, SN, Apr 2008 - Feb
            2011 / Feb 2013 - Jan 2015
             
             
             
            Clarke, Dave (Knobby), P2-P1SN, Feb 1977 - Dec 1978
             
             
             
            Cleough, Doug, P1SN - 1972-1974    
             
             
            Coates, Douglas, LSSN, 07 Oct 2002 - 12 Sep 2006    
             
             
            Cormier, Mitch, Stwd
             
             
             
            Corn, Earle, P2-P1SG Apr 1976 - Dec 1979
             
             
             
            David, Jarrod, BN, 1987-1990      
             
             
            Davis, Paula - 2008
             
             
             
            DeGrace, George, LS, AVN (CC)
           | 
            Delisle, Denis, WU, Jul 1972 - 1978 / PO1, AVN, Jun 1992 - 1993 (CC)
             
             
             Dicks, Brian, ABSN, 1984-1985
             
             
             
            Evans, Mike, RM
             
             
             
            Fitzgerald, Ed, OS-LSFC, Mar 1974 - Jun 1978 / MS-PO2, FC, Sep
            1979 - Dec 1986
             
             
             
            Edison, William GH. (Bill), C2ET
              
             Gasse, André, P2SG, Mar 1979 - Jun
            1979
              
             Halverson, Ron, PO1, Stwd
              
             Hicks, David T., MarEng, Dec 1978 - Dec 1984
              
             Hogan, Mike, LS, Stwd, Dec 1986 - Dec 1988 /
            Dec 1990 - Dec 1993
              
             Howell, Doug, MS-PO2, Mar Eng, Jan 1973 - Jan
            1978 / PO1 Mar Eng Art, Jun 1985 - Dec 1989
              
             Joudry, Lorn
              
             Lance, Mark
              
             Langland,
            Kristof
              
             Lapierre,
            Brian, ElT
           | MacEachran, Lionel
              
             Musseau, Randy, P1SN, Oct 2006 - Jun 2010
              
             Nadeau, Danny, LS, Stwd     
             Newbury,
            George, ER
              
             Olsen, Darren Mark
              
             Pearson, Loren, NET(A), 1994 - 1999 / MARE(CS)
            2002-2004
              
             Perry Frank, MS, 1986-1988 / PO1, 2001-2003 /
            CPO2, 2005-2007
              
             Pike, David, Mar Eng, 2000-2003
              
             Poulin, Serge, Stwd
              
             Rigby, Brent, LSBN 2004-2009
              
             Swallow, Paul, PO2, Mar Eng Tech, 14 Aug 1992 -
            08 Nov 1995 / PO2, Mar Eng Art, 08 Nov 1995 - 05 Jan 1998 / PO1, Mar
            Eng Art - 24 Jan 2000 - 14 Feb 2003
              
             Simms, Guy, MS, Stwd     
             Tremblay, Gilbert (Gigi), PO1, NESOP, 23 Sep
            2001 - 03 Jun 2002
               Weir, Garry, MSRM -
            1990 (Shore office while in refit)   Wright,
            Dara, Sgt |    
   Photos and
    Documents   
 HMCS IROQUOIS under construction at Sorel, Que,
          21 Jan 1971
           Courtesy of Mike England
     
   HMCS
          IROQUOIS 280 under construction at Marine Industries Ltd., 
          Sorel, Que DND Photos   
   The
          launching of HMCS IROQUOIS 280 at Marine Industries Ltd.,  Sorel,
          Que. 28 Nov 1970 DND Photos   
       Photos of HMCS IROQUOIS
  280 taken at various time frames - pre-Trump DND Photos   
   
    
      
        | 
 | Artist's rendition of a 280 at sea   Courtesy of Hugh Muir
         |  
        | 
 | Battle board for HMCS IROQUOIS 280 Courtesy of Jarrod David |  
        | 
 | HMCS IROQUOIS 280 launches a Sea
          Sparrow missile off Peurto Rico, 1976 |  
        | 
 | Willy Wilson lucky winner of a charity raffle to
          fly off IROQUOIS early before arrival in Halifax c1978   Courtesy of Brian Lapierre
         |  
        | 
 | HMCS IROQUOIS - 22 Oct 1979 Courtesy of Jim Brannen
         |  
        |  
           Splice the Mainbrace - HMCS IROQUOIS 1979           
   
                 Courtesy Ted Kendall, Communicator (See RCN
          Memories for the story behind the photos) |  
        | HMCS IROQUOIS 280 - Shock
          Trials - Sep 1980   Fifteen photos taken during HMCS IROQUOIS' shock
          trials.  Photos were taken at 1/2 second intervals.           
   
                     
                     © / Courtesy of Michael Sleigh - 1980   Click
          here to view the photo of the Shock Trials Crew - taken O/C of the
          shock trials. |  
        |   
 HMCS IROQUOIS 280 during Shock Trails - Sep 1980 Click on the above photo to view the full
          image   Courtesy of Michael Gilbert   |  
        | 
 |   Write-up on the rescue of the crew of the Ho Ming
          5 by HMCS IROQUOIS 280 on 05 Dec 1983 Four of HMCS IROQUOIS' Crew awarded the Star of
          Courage   |  
        |   
            
              
                | 
 DM01 | 
 DM02 | 
 DM03 | 
 DM04 | 
 DM05 | 
 DM06 |    (DM01)
          The
          rescue of the crew of Ho Ming 5 by HMCS IROQUOIS - 05 Dec 1983.  One
          of IROQUOIS' zodiacs is at the bottom right just below the stern of
          the Ho Ming 5  (DM02-DM06) Newspaper articles on the rescue of the Ho Ming 5
          by HMCS IROQUOIS on 05 Dec 1983         
 Article from the SENTINEL magazine on the rescue
          of the Ho Ming 5's crew by HMCS IROQUOIS   Courtesy
          of Dennis Morrison   |  
        |  
 | Chief of Defence Staff Commendation to the crew
          of HMCS IROQUOIS for the Ho Ming 5 rescue   Courtesy of George Damczyk
         |  
        |  
 | Admiral Wood presenting PO2 Willy Wilson with a
          certificate relating to the Ho Ming 5 Rescue in Dec 1983   Courtesy of Brian Lapierre
         |  
        | 
 | HMCS IROQUOIS 280 - NATO 1985 entering Den Helder,
          Holland   Courtesy of Dennis Burton |  
        | HMCS IROQUOIS crew members jigging cod at Virgin
          Rocks, Grand Banks, 1986 on the way home from a four month Standing
          Naval Force Atlantic deployment         
   Courtesy
          of John Newton, Rear-Admiral, RCN |  
        | 
 | HMCS IROQUOIS' Schedule for 1988 |  
        |  
           
            
              
                | 
 JL01 | 
 JL02 | 
 JL03 | 
 JL04 | 
 JL05 | 
 JL06 |  (JL01)
          IOL preparations on HMCS IROQUOIS 280  (JL02) Deck Department HMCS
          IROQUOIS with Buffer front
          and centre  (JL03) Deck department HMCS IROQUOIS  (JL04) Deck dept. and FX part ship hands
          prepare HMCS IROQUOIS to be taken in tow by HMCS Charlottetown 339 
          (JL05) A few crew members of HMCS IROQUOIS  (JL06) Deck Department HMCS
          IROQUOIS 280   
            
              
                | 
 JL07 | 
 JL08 | 
 JL09 | 
 JL10 | 
 JL11 | 
 JL12 |  (JL07) Deck department HMCS
          IROQUOIS 280 at Christmas
          time  (JL08) CO and XO of HMCS IROQUOIS 280 on bridge wing 
          JL09)
          Naval Landing Boarding Party from HMCS IROQUOIS 280  (JL10) "Another nice day at sea" on HMCS
          IROQUOIS 280  (JL11) Prayers onboard HMCS IROQUOIS 280 
          (JL12) 27 Feb 2003 - Sea King helicopter
          crashes on flight deck of HMCS IROQUOIS three days after departing
          Halifax to become flagship of multi-national Task Force 151 in Persian
          Gulf region. Two of the four helicopter crewmembers sustained minor
          injuries in the crash. IROQUOIS forced to return to Halifax   Courtesy of John Le Forte
             |  
        | 
 | "Stand Easy", HMCS IROQUOIS 10 Mess
          Mascott |  
        |   Sequence of 4 photos showing a depth charge
          exploding as seen from HMCS IROQUOIS 280 circa 1982-84         
   Courtesy of Mitch Cormier
            
         |  
        |   
            
              
                | 
 photo 1 | 
 photo 2 | 
 photo 3 | 
 photo 4 | 
 photo 5 | 
 photo 6 | 
 photo 7 | 
 photo 8 |    (1)
          Flying fish dinner on HMCS IROQUOIS 280 circa 1982-84  (2) Hangar on HMCS
          IROQUOIS 280 with two Sea Kings on
          board circa 1982-84  (3) Banyan on HMCS IROQUOIS 280 circa 1982-84 
          (4 & 5) Banyan on HMCS IROQUOIS 280 circa 1982-84  (6) Lorn Joudry and Lionel MacEachran.
          Banyan on HMCS IROQUOIS 280 circa 1982-84  (7) Preparing for
          TOWEX on HMCS IROQUOIS 280 circa 1982-84  (8) Banyan on HMCS IROQUOIS
          280 circa 1982-84.
          Someone drinking beer through a pipe   
            
              
                | 
 photo 9 | 
 photo 10 | 
 photo 11 | 
 photo 12 | 
 photo 13 | 
 photo 14 | 
 photo 15 | 
 photo 16 |    (9)
          Wardroom of HMCS IROQUOIS 280 set for breakfast
          circa 1982-84  (10) Storm in the Bermuda Triangle. Photo taken
          from IROQUOIS  (11) "That's gotta hurt".  Casualty clearing exercise on HMCS
          IROQUOIS 280
          circa 1982-84  (12) "Lionel is okay".  Casualty clearing exercise on HMCS
          IROQUOIS 280
          circa 1982-84  (13) Billy Boulet and Lionel MacEachran. 1 Mess settee area HMCS
          IROQUOIS 280 circa
          1982-84  (14) Breakfast being served in the wardroom circa
          1982-84  (15) Leading Seaman Danny Nadeau circa 1982-84 
          (16) Master Seaman Guy Simms circa 1982-84   
            
              
                | 
 photo 17 | 
 photo 18 | 
 photo 19 | 
 photo 20 | 
 photo 21 | 
 photo 22 |    (17)
          PO1 Ron Halverson, HMCS IROQUOIS 280 circa 1982-84  (18) (L-R) Guy Simms, Mitch Cormier,
          Ron Halverson,
          Jack Budge and Serge Poulin on HMCS IROQUOIS 280 circa 1982-84 
          (19) Sea Sparrow Missile on HMCS IROQUOIS 280 circa
          1982-84  (20) Billy Boulet on the flight deck of HMCS IROQUOIS 280 circa 1982-84  (21) Torpedo tubes on HMCS
          IROQUOIS 280 circa 1982-84 
          (22) Zodiac on the quarterdeck of HMCS IROQUOIS 280
          circa 1982-84   Courtesy of Mitch Cormier
         |  
        | 
 | Mortar
          well door on HMCS IROQUOIS during EX MARCOT 84
            
           Courtesy
          of Pierre (Landry) Hébert |  
        | 
 | Mario
          Cordeau, Met Tech (aka Weather Witch) on HMCS IROQUOIS 280 - 1987   Courtesy
          of Mario Cordeau |  
        | 
 | "Battle
          Ensign" for HMCS IROQUOIS 280 - this flag was flown at ships
          events and while conducting a RAS |  
      | The
        sinking of the motor vessel Leader L, March 2000   The
        following is an excerpt from a write up by By Rear-Admiral John Newton,
        Commander Joint Task Force Atlantic and Maritime Forces Atlantic 13 Oct
        2016   Sailors
        respect the power of the sea. The relentless motion of a ship saps the
        energy of even the fittest. Personnel instinctively brace against the
        repetitive slamming and heavy rolls. The experienced tune their senses
        to smells, sounds and sensations; uncanny early warning of equipment
        working under strain. Unnerving vibrations radiate through the hull as
        rigid steel flexes like plastic; stress that insidiously works away at
        welds and joints.   Lessons
        handed down from centuries of seafaring, the shared experiences of a
        crew, and good leadership soothe anxieties in the most dangerous
        conditions. Crews tend intently to the idiosyncrasies of machinery
        systems. Electrical power and propulsion are life. When they fail, the
        energy of a storm attacks every material weakness possible. Countless
        hours of diligent attention to equipment maintenance assures that
        emergency systems will operate in defiance of nature’s propensity to
        overwhelm the less prepared.   The
        crew of the Leader L had no doubt seen worse. Yet, circumstances vary in
        every experience. In this storm, hull plating failure started the chain
        of reactions. Flooding turned the ship’s cargo of salt to slurry.
        Sloshing in the holds created unbearable stresses on the hull. Ruptured
        hatch covers hastened flooding. There was only a brief interval between
        realizing that all was lost, and the moment when flooding drove the bow
        below the surface and power failed.   As
        we raced to the last known position of the Leader L, we focused on our
        own safety. Crashing waves had ripped a hatch from our fore deck,
        flooded the gun turret, destroyed electronics and stove in the steel
        face of the superstructure. Hours of battling through heavy seas
        fatigued the crew, but as the position was approached, extra lookouts
        appeared and boats were readied for launching.   In
        time, an eerie scene developed ahead. Illuminated by flares from
        circling planes, a frantic search was underway by helicopters sent forth
        from our Task Group. Salt water activated lights marked lifesaving gear
        rapidly dispersing on the windblown sea. The 750-foot-long freighter had
        disappeared from humanity in the seconds following explosive hull
        failure. Orderly abandonment was all but impossible.   An
        object thought to be a lifeboat was spotted dead ahead. Before our speed
        could be reduced, an ugly spectacle slid past the starboard side. Where
        we had hoped to discover survivors, we were horrified to see a massive
        steel hatch cover torn free from the sinking ship. Floating vertically
        like a giant razor blade, its 20-meter length periodically appeared and
        disappeared in the passing waves. Then it was gone, into the darkness
        astern and not long afterward, into the deep. We had missed by mere
        meters becoming ourselves a casualty in the search and rescue.   Our
        boats’ crews stayed on the water for hours, fighting cold and fatigue
        while executing some of the most dangerous boat work that I have ever
        witnessed. Miraculously, 13 members of the Leader L crew were rescued.
        It was a mere coincidence that found our Task Group only 200 miles
        distant from the floundering freighter. Sadly, 18 Filipino and Indian
        crewmembers perished in the violence of the sinking, from drowning and
        hypothermia. |  
      |  
 | Article on HMCS IROQUOIS rescuing crew of the
        stricken Leader L    March 25, 2000. From: Associated Press
       |  
      |  
 | HMCS IROQUOIS 280 departing St. John's,
        Newfoundland - 2010   Photographer: Gary Morgan
       |  
      | 
 | HMCS IROQUOIS lit up for Christmas 2013 |  
      | 
 | HMCS IROQUOIS - date unknown |  
      | 
 | Photo of waterspouts in the
        Mediterranean. Taken from HMCS IROQUOIS Courtesy of Stevan Ellis Hulan |  
      | The last missile shoot by HMCS IROQUOIS 280. 
        This photos are screen captures from the videos taken of the missile
        shoot
          
                
  
         Courtesy of  Robert Cox |  
      | The last missile shoot by HMCS IROQUOIS 280. 
        This photos are screen captures from the videos taken of the missile
        shoot
          
                  
  
         Courtesy of  Robert Cox |  
      | The last missile shoot by HMCS IROQUOIS 280. 
        This photos are screen captures from the videos taken of the missile
        shoot
          
                
  
         Courtesy of  Robert Cox |  
      | The last missile shoot by HMCS IROQUOIS 280. 
        This photos are screen captures from the videos taken of the missile
        shoot
          
                
  
         Courtesy of  Robert Cox |  
      | 
 | The last missile being removed from HMCS IROQUOIS,
        Oct 2014 Source: Facebook / Photographer: unknown |  
      | The End |  
      | 
 | HMCS IROQUOIS 280 on the morning of 01 May 2015,
        just prior to her paying-off ceremony in Halifax |  
      | 
 | The former HMCS IROQUOIS 280 in Halifax 0n 02 May
        2015 - one day after being paid off Courtesy of Barry Gerrard |  
      | 
 | A little over a year later, on 02 Jun 2016, the
        former HMCS IROQUOIS 280, with guns and radars removed awaits disposal. Courtesy of Barry Gerrard |  
      | 
 | With
        the Naval Ensign of her sister ship HMCS Athabaskan 282 waving in the
        breeze, the former HMCS IROQUOIS 280 leaves HMC Dockyard, Halifax under
        tow from the tug Atlantic Spruce, destined for the breaker's yard in
        Liverpool, NS. 24 Nov 2016 Photographer
        / © Justin Corbeil 2016 |  
      |  
  
         
 | The
        former HMCS IROQUOIS 280, southbound in Halifax Harbour, under tow from
        the tug Atlantic Spruce, on her final voyage - destined for the
        breaker's yard - 24 Nov 2016 Photographer
        / © Clarence Hameon 2016 |  
      | 
 | On
        25 Nov 2016, her final voyage complete, the former HMCS IROQUOIS 280 is
        tied up at the breaker's yard in Liverpool, NS alongside her sister
        ship, the former HMCS Algonquin 283.   Historical
        note: the last time these two ships were tied up together was at Palma
        Majorca, Spain, in Oct 1993, for a turnover of duties for OPERATION
        SHARP GUARD. Algonquin was heading home and IROQUOIS was on her way to
        the Adriatic. Photographer / © Josh Naud 2016 |  
      | 
 | The breaking up of the former HMCS IROQUOIS 280 is
        underway at Liverpool, NS - 24 Aug 2017 |  
      | 
 | The breaking up of the former HMCS IROQUOIS 280 at
        Liverpool, NS - 23 Sep 2017   The hull is all that remains after being stripped
        of her gun, bridge and hanger.   Courtesy of Jocelyn Josh Naud |   
     
  
     
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