Blackwolf, Richard: my naval experiences (May 16, 2007)
PublicABSTRACT: Leading Seaman Richard Blackwolf Richard passed the national entry examination and initially entered the Royal Canadian Navy as a Seaman Apprentice. When the seven-year Naval Apprentice Program was reduced to two courses, dropping the Armor Artificer program, Richard transferred to the Regular Naval Force on September 7, 1959. A "New Navy" was being formed that stressed electronics and requiring a minimum senior matriculation for the personnel manning the new St. Laurent, Restigouche, and Mackenzie class ships, being built nicknamed "Cadillac's" by the American Navy. After four months of basic training at H.M.C.S. Cornwallis in Nova Scotia, Richard's first ship was the H.M.C.S. Sheena, a St. Laurent class destroyer escort where he received twelve months of extensive training in electronics and Sonar system operation and maintenance, prior to writings the East and West coast Fleet Exams and finished in the top ten. Richard was posted in January 1962 to Fleet School H.M.C.S. Naden Esquimalt B.C. to attend a twelve-month Electronic and Sonar systems course finishing in the top five in December 1962. In January 1963, Richard was selected along with several of his classmates to join of the Commissioning crew of H.M.C.S. Saskatchewan in March of 1963, after commissioning trails and combat workups the Saskatchewan set sail on her maiden voyage to Halifax, Nova Scotia for a tour of duty with the NATO's Atlantic Fleet, with Saskatchewan returning to Esquimalt in December 1963 after completing a 60,000 mile first voyage. After almost three years aboard the Saskatchewan an logging over a 120,000 miles in trips to Europe and the far East, Richard was posted in January of 1966 to H.M.C.S. Venture Naval Officer Cadet Training facility and became an instructor of Officer Cadets as IC of the Venture Boats Division. There he taught Cadets small boat handling and fiberglass repairs. A transfer followed this period to Venture's Expedition Training staff, where on joining Richard was sent on an Air Force Survival course near Edmonton Alberta for six weeks of training in the mountains bordering Jasper National Park. On returning to Venture Richard be joined Expedition Training's four person staff, instructing Officer Cadets in wilderness crafts and survival techniques prior to the Cadets embarking on an self directed seven day overland navigation trek in the Copper Canyon area of Vancouver Island. Richard's next posting in June of 1967 was to Fleet School H.M.C.S. Stadacona Halifax, Nova Scotia to attend a two year Sonar Systems electronics course finishing in the top three. On return to the West Coast June of 1969, Richard was posted to the Instructional staff of the Sonar School H.M.C.S. Naden. This two year posting was interrupted by a sudden call on a Sunday in late August to H.M.C.S. Yukon a McKenzie class Destroyer Escort sailing for a three month tour of Central American countries. In December1969, Richard was one of two personnel selected from the West Coast for training in the "New Digital Navy" and left the Yukon to attend Fleet School Halifax starting in January 1970 on and eighteen month Digital Electronics course followed by four months of Factory Training on the Navy's new Underwater Combat Systems in 1971 at N.V. Hollandsche Signaal Apparaten (Signaal), city of Hengelo, province of Overijssel in the Netherlands. On returning to Halifax in May 1971 Richard joined the instructional staff at the 280/IRE Combined Support Center in Dartmouth Nova Scotia as an Underwater Combat System instructor familiarizing Senior Officers and instructing Combat System Engineers and Ship Staff. In March of 1972, Richard received a job offer from the Ship Repair Unit - Atlantic (now FMF Cape Scott) Halifax to work in Shop 15 - Sonar Systems ($4.10 an Hour), as part of a team of four carrying out the installation and Set-to-Work of the new digital Underwater Combat Systems on IRE Class ships. On returning to the West Coast and settling in Courtney in 1973, Richard received a job offer from Ship Repair Unit - Pacific (now FMF Cape Breton) to work in Shop 27 - Sonar Systems ($5.10 an hour), starting in May 1973 and moving to Shawnigan Lake in October of 1973 to be closer to work . In 1975, Richard designed and general contracted the conversion of the family home at Shawnigan into a Neighborhood Pub opening in May 1976 as the Black Swan Inn. The PUB business proved very demanding and Richard left SRU-P to run the business full time. After the PUB business, Richard work at Bamberton Cement as a Shift Electrician and went on to Yarrows Ship Building in 1981 as a Marine Electrician/Electronic Technician. In 1989, Richard received a job offer from Ship Repair Unit -Pacific Shop 27 Sonar/Gyro, worked there until 1995, and then changed to Shop 35 Weapons/Fire control systems, now Shop 163 being employed there as a electronic technician to this time. Special Projects: 1997 Canada Coast Guard Contract - Designed and Instructed course on GPS Marine Navigation for Commercial Mariners. Camosun College - Night School - Designed and Instructed GPS Marine Navigation and UTM/GPS Land Navigation. Certificates: Applied Science Technicians and Technologist of British Columbia - Certified Electronic Technician Camosun College - British Columbia Certificate - Management and Supervision President: Strait View Holdings - Qualicum Beach from 1997 to 2004 President: NAVA Warriors Vancouver Island Division President: 500 Nations Enterprises Inc President: Micro Dynamics Corporation
Rank: Leading Seaman.
Interviewee: Blackwolf, Richard
Interviewer: Wood, Jessica D.
An interview/narrative of Leading Seaman Richard Blackwolf's experiences whilst serving with the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on May 16, 2007.
- In Collection:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 48.69096, 9.14062
- Original recording (WAV) on digital versatile disc (DVD) in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- BR_474
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- May 17, 2007
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 128 kbps and 44 kHz. Digitized by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2007. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
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