HMCS OTTAWA 341

Halifax Class Frigate

OTTAWA was floated up on 31 May 1996, and commissioned at Cornwall on 28 Sep 1996. On 16 Nov 1996, in company with the new MCDV NANAIMO, she left Halifax for Esquimalt, where the two are based. On 16 Jun 1998 OTTAWA sailed to join the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN Carrier Battle Group in the Arabian Gulf, enforcing the UN Trade embargo against Iraq. Although not the first assigned to such duties, OTTAWA was the first Canadian warship to be completely integrated operationally into such a group. She returned to Esquimalt shortly before Christmas. OTTAWA departed Esquimalt on 17 Feb 2002 to join Operation Apollo, Canada's contribution to the war on terrorism, returning on 17 Aug 2002. On 07 Aug 2003, while escorting HMCS VICTORIA some 200 nautical miles at sea in the Baja Peninsula, Mexico, HMCS OTTAWA experienced a major fire in its engine room. The fire was extinguished after several hours and OTTAWA was able to proceed under her own power afterward.

On 13 Aug 2005 the ashes of Sgt Ernest Alvia "Smokey" Smith VC, CM, OBC, CD were buried at sea from HMCS OTTAWA 334 off the coast of British Columbia in the Gulf of Georgia.

On 25 Aug 2016, HMCS OTTAWA rescued the crew from a burning fishing vessel off the coast of Uclulet, BC.

Honours awarded to crew members of HMCS OTTAWA 341

Chief Petty Officer 2^nd Class Sidney Rolland Allen Smith, M.S.C., C.D., Victoria, B.C. 

Meritorious Service Cross (Military Division)

On August 7, 2003, while escorting HMCS Victoria some 200 nautical miles at sea in the Baja Peninsula, Mexico, HMCS OTTAWA experienced a major fire in its engine room. For several hours, in extreme temperatures and with limited visibility, CPO2 Smith personally led and directed the efforts of 20 firefighters, ensuring their safety and welfare and the preservation of vital engineering equipment.  CPO2 Smith's leadership and calm decision-making in extreme conditions were instrumental in the favorable conclusion of a life-threatening situation. Thanks to his personal efforts, HMCS OTTAWA was underway again in a normal engineering mode within two hours.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Carla May Penney, M.S.M., St. Albert, Alberta, Canada

Meritorious Service Decorations - Military Division - Awarded on: October 18, 2006.  Invested on: February 19, 2007

While embedded with a British medical unit at Camp Souter during Operation ATHENA Rotation 4, Petty Officer 2nd Class Penney displayed extraordinary professionalism while responding to a double suicide bombing on November 14, 2005. Her remarkable leadership, clarity of thought and ability to work within a foreign quick-reaction force as well as her calmness in the aftermath of the bombing were instrumental to the recovery efforts. Petty Officer 2nd Class Penney’s dedication and professionalism have brought great credit to the Canadian Forces and to Canada.

Photos and Documents          Ship's Book and Booklets          Gunshield and Shipboard Art

Commanding Officers

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

Former Crew Members

Ship's Books and Booklets

Photos and Documents

Survivors of the sinking of HMCS OTTAWA H60 and other past HMCS OTTAWA crew members attended the commissioning of HMCS OTTAWA 341 in OTTAWA, ON on 28 Sep 1996. The photos here are from the collection of Sid Dobing, a survivor of HMCS OTTAWA H61, courtesy of his son, Brian Dobing.

Click here to read a portion of Sid's diary leading up to and including the commissioning of HMCS OTTAWA 341

(SD01) The ships' bells from OTTAWA 229 and OTTAWA 341 on display

(SD02) The ship's bells on display

(SD03) OTTAWA Mayor Jacquelin Holzman proclaiming Freedom of the City to the crew of HMCS OTTAWA 341

(SD04) OTTAWA City Hall

(SD05) Navy Band starts off the Freedom of the City March

(SD06) Ship's company formed up for Freedom of the City March

(SD07) The Freedom of the City March, led by Cdr Goulet

(SD08) HMCS OTTAWA H60 survivors, led by Al Underhill, followed by former crew members of HMCS OTTAWA H31 make their march past

(SD09) HMCS OTTAWA H60 survivors - eyes right salute at City Hall

(SD10) Al Underhill and Doug Reeves

(SD11) Roe Skillen, Sid Dobing, Al Underhill Doug Reeves, Eric Douglas, Alex Fraser, George Johnson - (at rear) Michael Barriault, Ken Carll, unknown at the Ramada Inn, Cornwall, ON

(SD12) Roe Skillen*, Sid Dobing*, Al Underhill*, Ernie Hawman, George Johnson*, Michael Barriault*, Alex Fraser*, Doug Reeves*, Ken Carll at the Ramada Inn, Cornwall, ON (* indicates OTTAWA H60 survivor)

(SD13) Al Underhill, Sid Dobing, Steve Logos, Alex Fraser at the Ramada Inn, Cornwall, ON

(SD14) OTTAWA City Hall

(SD15) Display at commissioning ceremony

(SD16) Steve Logos making a presentation to MS Minveille on board HMCS OTTAWA, 26 Sep 1996

(SD17) Gen Hawman, Sid Dobing, Bonney Dobing, Dundas Room, 24 Sep 1996

(SD18) H60 survivors and former crew members at the Naval Club, Cornwall, ON

(SD19) H60 survivors and  former crew members at the Naval Club, Cornwall, ON

(SD20) H60 survivors and  former crew members at the Naval Club, Cornwall, ON

(SD21) Bonney and Sid Dobing and Ed Fox of Toronto. Ed was also a H60 survivor

(SD22) Foreground seated Ernie Hawman, Alex Fraser; foreground standing Bob Taylor; background Sid Dobing, George Beveridge

(SD23) HMCS OTTAWA H60 reunion card for Sid Dobing (the reunion ID card has his a typo in his surname)

(OTW001-OTW003) HMCS OTTAWA 341 departing Esquimalt, BC on 17 Feb 2002 to join OP APOLLO  //  Note the Griffon badge mounted on the side of the bridge in photo 2.  In photo 3, OTTAWA's call sign CGAL is painted on the side of the house just aft the bridge wing  //  Source: CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum

(OTW004) HMCS OTTAWA 341 rescues crew from burning fishing vessel - 25 Aug 2016

On 25 Aug 2016, off the coast of Ucluelet, BC HMCS OTTAWA rescued crew members from a burning boat. A mayday call went out around 9:30 Thursday night from a 40 foot fishing boat, which was pulling a disabled fishing boat about 13 nautical miles off the west coast of Vancouver Island. The joint rescue coordination centre sent out a call and HMCS OTTAWA was the closest vessel. They got to the scene in just 20 minutes and rescued two people off the stern of the burning boat. They were taken to Ucluelet and a coast guard vessel took over the two fishing boats. Source: CHEK news

(OTW005-OTW007) Hands to Bathe!

On July 23, 2017, HMCS OTTAWA conducted a swim exercise in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The ship’s company ‘jumped’ at the opportunity to swim in water that was over 6000 metres deep. The weather and waves were perfect and the crewmembers of HMCS OTTAWA had both a good workout and a good time.

(OTW008) HMCS OTTAWA 341's Battle Honours board - 2017  //  Courtesy of Stan Budden

(OTW009) Twilight over CFB Esquimalt  //  HMCS OTTAWA with HMCS Winnipeg astern  //  Courtesy of / © Gary Woodburn 2018

(OTW010) HMCS OTTAWA sails through a heavy sea state alongside HMCS REGINA during Operation PROJECTION in the Pacific Ocean, February 10, 2019  //  Photo: Corporal Stuart Evans, BORDEN Imaging Services

(OTW011) HMCS OTTAWA 341 June 2019 while alongside in San Diego during work-ups.  USS Bonhomme Richard across the jetty on the right  //  Courtesy of Logan Mitchell

(OTW012) Article from the Lookout Newspaper on the new Morale Patch for HMCS OTTAWA 341 which was created by S1 Luke Wieler and S1 David Eaglestick  //  Lookout Newspaper 03 May 2023

(OTW013) HMCS OTTAWA 341 - Aug 2023  // Photographer Avr Gregory Cole, C.A.F. (Combat Camera)

HMCS OTTAWA 341 transits the Taiwan Straight - 09 Sep 2023

(OTW014) HMCS Ottawa approaching the Taiwan Strait on Saturday. Soon it would have Chinese warships on all sides, during a 14-hour crossing of international waters that China claims as its own. (Lyzaville Sale/CBC)

(OTW015) Chinese destroyer Nanjing seen from Canadian frigate HMCS Ottawa as it transited the Taiwan Strait, one of the world’s busiest waterways for commercial and fishing traffic. (Lyzaville Sale/CBC)

(OTW016) Taiwanese frigate Cheng Kung also shadowed the Canadian vessel for the entirety of the Taiwan Strait. It maintained position on HMCS Ottawa’s left side, while the PLA Navy ships of China took up spots behind the Taiwanese and on the right side. (David Common/CBC)

(OTW017) The U.S. guided missile destroyer Ralph Johnson took evasive action to avoid a suspicious Chinese vessel. The vessel carried an unusual radar system, leading to concerns it may have been a military surveillance boat disguised as a fishing vessel. (David Common/CBC)

(OTW018) As the Canadians passed this suspicious vessel, a military intelligence collection team took pictures and video for later analysis. (David Common/CBC)

(OTW019) HMCS OTTAWA 341 in the South China Sea conducts a transit of the Spratly Islands 27 Oct 2023 during Indo-Pacific deployment.

Photographer:  Aviator Gregory Cole, CAF