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HMCS KOOTENAY 258
Restigouche Class Destroyer
First of her class to be launched, KOOTENAY was built at Burrard Dry Dock, Vancouver, and commissioned there on 07 Mar 1959. In Jul 1959, GATINEAU, KOOTENAY and HMS ULSTER shared close consort duties for the Royal Yacht BRITANNIA during Great Lakes and St Lawrence Seaway portion of the 1959 Royal Tour. After working up, she was transferred to the east coast.
In Apr 1963, 12 RCN ships, ALGONQUIN, MICMAC, CAYUGA, ST CROIX, TERRA NOVA, KOOTENAY, SWANSEA, LA HULLOISE, BUCKINGHAM, CAPE SCOTT, CNAV BLUETHROAT and CNAV ST CHARLES, took part in NATO Exercise New Broom Eleven, an exercise designed to test convoy protection tactics (click here to see the newspaper article).
On 23 Oct 1969, while in European waters, she suffered a gearbox explosion that killed 9 crewmen and injured 53 others. She was towed to Plymouth - part of the way by SAGUENAY and then to Halifax by a salvage tug. It was the RCN's worst-ever peacetime accident. While she was under repairs, it was decided to convert her to an IRE. She was re-commissioned on 07 Jan 1972.
Transferred to the west coast, she departed Halifax on 23 Jan 1973 and arrived in Esquimalt on 12 Feb 1973. HMCS KOOTENAY had left Esquimalt on 14 May 1973 on Westploy 2/73. KOOTENAY’s routine was similar to that of TERRA NOVA, exercising with American and Australian naval vessels, and assisting broken-down fishermen. When the Canadian continent left Saigon on 31 July 1973, she was just fifty miles off the coast, the closest either ship was allowed to approach Vietnam. KOOTENAY then proceeded home to Esquimalt.
On 08 May 1986, HMCS PROVIDER, HMCS RESTIGOUCHE, HMCS TERRA NOVA and HMCS KOOTENAY, departed Esquimalt for Exercise RIMPAC 86 and returned on 21 Jun 1986.
On 01 Jun 1989, KOOTENAY collided in fog off Cape Flattery with the M.V. Nord Pol, sustaining a sizeable gash in her bow, which was replaced with a matching section from Chaudiere.
From 03 to 07 Jun 1990, KOOTENAY visited Vladivostok as part of a Canadian Task Group, the first to do so since World War II.
On 16 May 1994, HMCS KOOTENAY 258 departed Esquimalt, BC for Exercise RIMPAC. She departed Hawaiian waters and the exercise on 21 Jun 1994, for Operation Forward Action, Haiti, arriving in the Op Area on 13 Jul 1994. She returned to Esquimalt on 10 Oct 1994.
In 1995, KOOTENAY participated in EX UNITAS off the coast of Chile. During that deployment, on 15 Oct 1995, she Rounded the Horn - the second ship of the RCN to do so. Her transit schedule was as follows: 13 Oct 1995- Punta Arenas, aux steaming, short visit. 14 Oct 1995 - Full Power Trial on the way to the Horn. 15 Oct 1995 - Rounded the Horn then headed North. 20 Oct 1995 - Puerto Montt, aux steaming, short visit. She made a final port visit at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; departing there on 16 Nov 1995.
KOOTENAY's boilers were shut down for the final time on 05 Dec 1995 after she returned from de-ammunitioning at Rocky Point. On 18 Dec 1995, she was paid off and, on 06 Nov 2000, towed out of Esquimalt with RESTIGOUCHE to be sunk as an artificial reef off Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The RESTIGOUCHE was sunk off Acapulco, but KOOTENAY was not. She was later towed to Manzanillo, Mexico where she was last photographed in 2003. The KOOTENAY ended up under arrest as the purchasers didn't pay some kind of import fee and it ended up in a proverbial Mexican mess between the Mexican federal government and the harbour authorities and the owners. Last seen she was being scrapped at the dock and they later ran the remaining part of the hull up on the beach and took her right down to the keel. Sad ending for a great ship.
In 2019 and 2020, fourteen members of her crew were recognized with the Wound Stripe for injuries received 23 Oct 1969 during the explosion and ensuing fire onboard. They were : Allan Bell, Al Kennedy, Clem Bussiere, Brian Galletly, Hugh MacPhee, John Roy, Kenneth McEachern, John MacEachern, Garry Hadden, Paul Millar, David Ashley, John Judd, Al Peers and John Gregory
Photos and Documents Ship's company photos The Ship's Bell
* HMCS KOOTENAY - Dedicated to those who were on HMCS KOOTENAY on the day of the explosion, 23 Oct 1969
* HMCS KOOTENAY 1969 Fact Sheet - updated Nov 2020
* 38 pages of news articles on the Kootenay Explosion - Researched by Robert Langille
RCN Memories: A West Coast Drug Bust Inglefield Clip Amnesty The Final Shutdown
Commanding Officers
They shall not be forgotten
(c) - crew member on the day of the KOOTENAY Explosion, 23 Oct 1969 A
Ba-Be
Bl - Bo
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Ma-Mc
Me-Mu
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They shall not be forgotten
Those listed here were on board HMCS KOOTENAY on 23 Oct 1969. This includes Squadron staff that were attached to HMCS KOOTENAY at the time of the explosion and crew from HMCS BONAVENTURE and HMCS SAGUENAY that were transferred to assist in fire fighting on this day.
Former Crew Members
Those listed here were on board HMCS KOOTENAY on 23 Oct 1969. This includes Squadron staff that were attached to HMCS KOOTENAY at the time of the explosion and crew from HMCS BONAVENTURE and HMCS SAGUENAY that were transferred to assist in fire fighting on this day.
Photos and Documents
(KNY001) HMCS KOOTENAY 258 - undated // DND-RCN photo (KNY002) HMCS KOOTENAY 258 - undated // DND-RCN photo (KNY003) HMCS KOOTENAY 258 - undated // Courtesy of David Shirlaw
(KNT004) HMCS KOOTENAY 258 // Courtesy of John Hawley (KNY005) HMCS KOOTENAY 258 - undated // DND-RCN photo (KNY006) HMCS KOOTENAY 258 - undated // DND-RCN photo (KNY007) HMCS KOOTENAY 258 - undated // DND-RCN photo (KNY008) HMCS KOOTENAY 258 - date unknown // From the collection of Sid Dobing // Courtesy of Brian Dobing // DND-RCN photo
(KNY009) KOOTENAY's commanding officer cutting the 1st anniversary cake with his sword - May 1960 // Courtesy of Steve Rowland (KNY010) Cake celebrating HMCS KOOTENAY's 1st Anniversary - May 1960 // Courtesy of Steve Rowland (KNY011) OSSG Don Logan on HMCS KOOTENAY in 1961 // Courtesy of Don Logan (KNY012) HMCS KOOTENAY 258 during Maple Spring 1966 // Note the dark grey USN paint colour on the hull // Courtesy of Ed Paquette (KNY013) Tot time on KOOTENAY - 1966 // William Hawke (left); Davie Schuman (centre); Wayne Robertson (Right); Brian Jackson (on deck Right); and Serge Bastien an RP at the time, (on deck Left) in One Mess - HMCS KOOTENAY // Courtesy of William Hawke
(KNY014) HMCS KOOTENAY going through the locks on the Welland Canal during the Great Lakes Cruise, 1967 // Courtesy of David Stewart (KNY015) Ron Hildebrand on HMCS KOOTENAY 258 // Courtesy of Ron Hildebrand (KNY016) ROUTINE ORDERS - HMCS KOOTENAY // Saturday 18 Oct 1969 // Courtesy of Patti Christie
(KNY017) The Last Tot on board HMCS KOOTENAY 258 (KNY018) HMCS KOOTENAY 258 undergoing post-conversion sea trials - Oct 1972 // Courtesy of Richard Larcheveque (KNY019) Certificate issued to KOOTENAY crew members who were on her when she transited the Panama Canal on 20 Jan 1973 while transferring coasts from Halifax to Esquimalt // Courtesy of Grant Reid (KNY020) KOOTENAY Kommandoes flag - created during the return from Westploy '73 // When we were returning from duty off Vietnam, an RP named Mike Caine helped me make a flag to fly off the mast to add a little extra colour for the occasion. It was flag “Quebec”, being an overall yellow, on which we caricatured a warrior, the “KOOTENAY Commando” // Courtesy of James Pye, LS.SG (KNY021) HMCS KOOTENAY and HMCS RESTIGOUCHE, Pearl Harbor, Spring 1978 during Ex RIMPAC '78 // Courtesy of Hugh Muir
(KNT022) Gerry Rockwood on HMCS KOOTENAY during Ex Horizon View 81 // Courtesy of Mike Engeland (KNY023) Kevin Kirk standing in HMCS KOOTENAY's rope stores after her collision with the bulk carrier Nordpol on 01 Jun 1989 // Courtesy of Kevin Kirk (KNY024) HMCS KOOTENAY after her collision with the bulk carrier Nordpol (KNY025) Photo showing the replacement of KOOTENAY's bow from Chaudiere after her collision with bulk carrier Nordpol - both ships with their bow sections removed // Courtesy of / Photographer: Ian Ball, PO1, ERA, Ret'd (KNY026) Photo showing the replacement of KOOTENAY's bow from Chaudiere after her collision with bulk carrier Nordpol - KOOTENAY has her new nose job and her damaged bow is on CHAUDIERE // Courtesy of / Photographer: Ian Ball, PO1, ERA, Ret'd
(KNY027) HMCS KOOTENAY Rounding the Horn 15 Oct 1995 // Courtesy of Chuck Henderson (KNY028) Certificate issued to PO1 NavSig Andre Sheppard after HMCS KOOTENAY rounded Cape Horn on 10 Oct 1995 // Courtesy of Andre Sheppard
The KOOTENAY Explosion - October 23, 1969
At 6:05 AM KOOTENAY and SAGUENAY were ordered to separate from the task force and carry out a routine full-power trial. SAGUENAY completed her trial at 8:00 a.m. and KOOTENAY started her trial at 8:10 a.m. At 8:21 AM KOOTENAY suffered the worst peacetime accident in the history of the RCN when her starboard gearbox reached an estimated temperature of 650 °C (1,202 °F) and exploded. The explosion and the ensuing fire killed 9 crew members and injured at least 53 others. The fire was brought under control by 10:10 a.m. and was extinguished between 10:30 and 11:00 a.m. KOOTENAY was badly damaged but was kept afloat by the actions of her crew.
(TKE001) Board of Inquiry testimony on the Kootenay Explosion (TKE002) HMCS KOOTENAY photographed from a CS2F Tracker 1546 off HMCS BONAVENTURE 23 Oct 1969 // Crew: Lt. Snowie, SLt Dan Elder, PO Monty Montgomery, LS Scottie Mills. // Photo taken by Lt. Allan Snowie (TKE003) The bodies of those who died in the KOOTENAY explosion are being placed in a helicopter to be taken ashore from HMCS BONAVENTURE // Courtesy of Jack Soble
Remembering KOOTENAY's Fallen (TKE004) Funeral service being conducted for those who died as a result of the gearbox explosion on HMCS KOOTENAY, 23 Oct 1969 (TKE005 - TKE007) HMCS SAGUENAY leaves Plymouth, England for the burial at sea of three of KOOTENAY's sailors who died as a result of the gearbox explosion on HMCS KOOTENAY, 23 Oct 1969 // From the collection of CPO Gord Giroux, Chief Steward // Courtesy of Debbie (Giroux) Graham
Remembering KOOTENAY's Fallen (TKE008 - TKE014) HMCS SAGUENAY leaves Plymouth, England for the burial at sea of three of KOOTENAY's sailors who died as a result of the gearbox explosion on HMCS KOOTENAY, 23 Oct 1969 // Courtesy of George Damczyk. George was an OSER on HMCS SAGUENAY at the time of the explosion
Remembering KOOTENAY's Fallen (TKE015) Bryan, Harry - LS Air Bosn / Bugler, HMCS SAGUENAY. Volunteer bugler at KOOTENAY burial services and at KOOTENAY Memorial reunions (TKE016) Funeral Service pamphlet for those who died in the KOOTENAY Explosion // Courtesy of Grant Reid
Remembering KOOTENAY's Fallen (TKE017) Page 3 of a Summary of the KOOTENAY Explosion and Fire from HMCS BONAVENTURE. Credit: Naval Museum of Halifax. Courtesy of Brian Lapierre (TKE018) Newspaper article on the memorial service for HMCS KOOTENAY's fallen (TKE019) All crew members that were on HMCS KOOTENAY during the explosion in 1969 were given one of these certificates by the Navy in Oct 2011. Courtesy of Grant Reid (TKE020) Newspaper article on the first 20 crewmen from HMCS KOOTENAY arriving back in Nova Scotia - dated 07 Nov 1969. Courtesy of Patti Christie
(MA001) Mike Aris (left) and Égide Richard (the Pocket Rocket) in 1 Mess, HMCS KOOTENAY (MA002) # 1 Mess, HMCS KOOTENAY, LS.SN Lee More, Capt. Jack and OS.SN Pat Briggs (MA003) # 1 Mess, HMCS KOOTENAY, OS.SN Alan Parry on the right (MA004) HMCS KOOTENAY transiting locks during Centennial events (MA005) Paint ship on HMCS KOOTENAY
(MA006) Paint ship on HMCS KOOTENAY (MA007 - MA008) The bridge of HMCS KOOTENAY (MA009) Burma road on HMCS KOOTENAY (MA010) Cable deck of HMCS KOOTENAY
(MA011) Main cafeteria of HMCS KOOTENAY (MA012) Bunks in 1 Mess - HMCS KOOTENAY (MA013) 1 Mess settee area - HMCS KOOTENAY (MA014) HMCS KOOTENAY's Wheelhouse (MA015) (L-R) OS.SN Mike Aris, OS.SN Pat Briggs, OSSN Jack Kilbourn, OS.SN Égide Richard (Pocket Rocket) (front)
(MA016) (L-R) Jack Kilbourn and Pat Briggs (MA017) KOOTENAY's Counter Terrorist Group - Chris Legier, Rocky, Mosley (MA018) Mike Aris at the Fortress of san Felipe Del Morro, San Juan (MA019) Mike Aris and OS Alan Parry's hand relaxing on HMCS KOOTENAY in Bermuda, Maple Spring '67 (MA020) Playing crib in 1 Mess on HMCS KOOTENAY
(MA021) OS.SN Dave Dan Cameron (right) and OS.SN Alan Parry (left) in the Torpedo House during action stations (MA022) HMCS KOOTENAY at Expo '67. The Bluenose is in the foreground (MA023) Mike Aris and Al Parry in San Juan Courtesy of Mike Aris
(RB001) Rick Boyd, Rick Lalonde and Tom Atkins on HMCS KOOTENAY 258 (RB002) Begley and Boyd
(TB003) Begley and ?? (RB004) "Happy 21st Birthday" (RB005) Begley and Boyd (TB006) Lalonde, Begley, Hildebrand and ?? Courtesy of Rick Boyd
(PW001 - PW003) 21st birthday celebration for HMCS KOOTENAY 258 at sea
(PW004) Crossing the Line - Equator on HMCS KOOTENAY 258 (PW005) HMCS KOOTENAY 258 firing an ASROC (PW006) HMCS KOOTENAY 258 firing a CHAFF rocket Courtesy of Peter Ware
(PJL001) ABER Dan Bélisle, HMCS KOOTENAY 258, circa 1969 (PJL002) Stokers on the quarterdeck, HMCS KOOTENAY 258, circa 1969 (PJL003) ABRM Jean-Pierre Boisvert, HMCS KOOTENAY 258, circa 1969 (PJL004) At the hospital in Plymouth (L-R) Jacques Godin (OSSN), Guy Drapeau (ABRP), Michel St-Amour (OSER), Jean-Pierre Boisvert (ABRM) (PJL005) ABHT Steve Rowland, HMCS KOOTENAY 258, circa 1969 From the collection of PJ LaCroix, OSER Courtesy of PJ LaCroix
The End
(KNY101) Article from the Esquimalt Lookout newspaper dated 13 Dec 1995 on HMCS KOOTENAY's pending paying off scheduled for 18 Dec 1995 // Courtesy of Melissa Atkinson, Manager Lookout Newspaper, Creative Services and Sponsorship (KNY102) Abstract of a newspaper article from the Vancouver Sun dated 19 Dec 1995 on HMCS KOOTENAY's final sail past // Courtesy of Dennis Cardy (KNY103) Former destroyer escorts HMCS KOOTENAY (right) and HMCS Restigouche (left) are towed out of Esquimalt Harbour Monday to begin an 18-day journey to Acapulco. The ships will be sunk to create reefs for divers. An effort to keep the ships as an attraction in B.C. waters fell short. // Credit: Darren Stone / Times Colonist (KNY104) Newspaper article from the Times Colonist about the sale of HMCS KOOTENAY complete with rocket launcher // Credit: Susan Danard - Times Colonist Photographer: Sean White - Times Colonist // Courtesy of Daniel Hebert
(KNY105) HMCS KOOTENAY just prior to her being sunk as an artificial reef - May 11, 2001 // Source: Stourbridge Lion's Travel Log. // Photographer: Darren E. Hadley. © Darren E. Hadley 2001 // "Let’s talk about this ship a bit more since this is part of “Reef Gate” and was big news here from 1999 to 2001. This Canadian Naval ship (and Restigouche – DDE 257) was towed from Canada to here to become an artificial reef on Navy Day, June 1, 2000. Well, there was a question on how they were purchased and here they sat until it was cleared up in 2001. Shortly after I took this photo the KOOTENAY was sunk near the Restigouche that was sunk just before our arrival." // WEBMASTERS NOTE: This photo is reported to be the former HMCS KOOTENAY, just prior to her being sunk as an artificial reef in 2001, however, it is actually the former HMCS Restigouche. The KOOTENAY was not sunk as an artificial reef (see photos below taken in 2003) (KNY106) Newspaper article on the use of the former HMCS RESTIGOUCHE 257 and the former HMCS KOOTENAY 258 as artificial reefs. // Originally published in the Laredo Morning Times, Friday, June 15, 2001 // Source: airwolf.lmtonline.com (KNY107) The article if from the magazine "Sport Diver" dated December 2001. It refers to the Cayman Islands plans to scuttle 5 ships as artificial reefs and one of their prospective ships is HMCS KOOTENAY
(KNY108 - KNY112) Former HMCS KOOTENAY at Manzanillo, Mexico in 2003 // Courtesy of Stephane Desbiens
(KNY113 - KNY116) The very end ... The KOOTENAY ended up under arrest as the purchasers didn't pay some kind of import fee and it ended up in a proverbial Mexican mess between the Mexican federal government and the harbor authorities and the owners. Last seen she was being very heavily scrapped at the dock and they ran the remaining part of the hull up on the beach and took her right down to the keel. Sad ending for a great ship. // Photo Source: Royal Canadian Navy Today and Yesterday Facebook page
(KNY117 - KNY118) On 23 Oct 2015, Grenfell Morgan present the ship's badge of HMCS KOOTENAY from 23 Oct 1969 to the Damage Control Training Facility / HMCS KOOTENAY, in Halifax. // Courtesy of Grenfell Morgan
(KNY119) HMCS KOOTENAY Reunion - 2018
2018 Reunion of the crew members who were onboard HMCS KOOTENAY during the gearbox explosion on 23 Oct 1969
(1) Harold Crockett (2) Andrew Richard (3) David Gourley (4) John Montague (5) Denis Couvrette (6) Hugh MacPhee (7) Mike Aris (8) Tom Wickens (9) Gord 'Dusty' Miller (10) Jim Stutely (11) Steve Rowland (12) Bryan Hughes (13) Cyril Johnson (14) Bill "Jeff" Jefferson (15) Brian Fenwick* (16) Roger Theriault (17) Rick Boyd (18) John Gregory (19) Doug Moore (20) Chris LeGier (21) Ron Hildebrand (22) Wayne MacDonald (23) Dinger Bell (24) Jim Mosley (25) Brian Galletly (26) Ches Walters* (27) Roger Bronson (28) Warren Hopper (29) David Ashley (30) John Womack (31) Frank Fox (32) Gary McGuire
* KOOTENAYs, but not on board on 23 Oct 1969.
(KNY120 - KNY121) Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, presenting the Wound Stripe to Dinger. Allan (Dinger) Bell received the Wound Stripe for injuries as a result of the explosion on HMCS KOOTENAY on 23 Oct 1969 (KNY122) Cmdre Angus Topshee presents the Wounds Stripe to Cdr (ret'd) Al Kennedy.
Excerpt from CFB Halifax Trident Navy Newspaper Sunday, June 30, 2019 "As the 50th anniversary of the fire and explosion in HMCS KOOTENAY approaches this fall, one of its survivors has finally been honoured with a Wound Stripe, a distinction worn on the sleeve of military members wounded in action prior to 2001. Cdr (ret’d) Al Kennedy, 77, received the honour from Commodore Angus Topshee, Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific, on Tuesday May 14 at a ceremony in D100, CFB Esquimalt. The Victoria resident was the Engineering Officer in KOOTENAY on the morning of October 23, 1969. Just after 8 a.m. there was an explosion in the ship’s engine room that killed nine people, including seven of the 10 men in Kennedy’s engine room team."
(KNY123) During the 50th Commemorative Reception at Tribute Tower, the 23 October 1969 crew of HMCS Kootenay received the first ever Commander RCN Unit Commendation for gallantry and bravery. It was presented by Rear-Admiral Craig Baines, Commander MARLANT. Dinger Bell accepted this commendation on behalf of the Kootenay crew and it is kept at the Damage Control Training Facility Kootenay.
(KNY124) During the 50th Commemorative Reception at Tribute Tower, the 23 October 1969 crew of HMCS Kootenay received the first ever Commander RCN Unit Commendation for gallantry and bravery. It was presented by Rear-Admiral Craig Baines, Commander MARLANT. Dinger Bell accepted this commendation on behalf of the Kootenay crew and it is kept at the Damage Control Training Facility Kootenay.
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In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice
Lest We Forget 
- crew member on the day of the KOOTENAY Explosion, 23 Oct 1969
