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A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project
In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
Manzer, Robert Banting Carson - joined the Canadian Merchant Navy in October 1937 as an indentured apprentice at the age of 16. His experience as a merchant mariner included service in six different merchant ships during Second World War in the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. His service included six months in the City Of Alberni , a five masted sailing vessel in 1940 which sailed from Vancouver to Sydney, Australia and Fiji. He rose in rank from Ordinary Seaman to First Mate before joining the Royal Canadian Navy (Reserve) as a Commissioned Boatswain in June 1950. He transferred to the RCN as a Commissioned Boatswain in January 1953 and was promoted to Lieutenant (Star) in April 1956. His sea service in the RCN included SWANSEA, TORONTO, PENETANG, LABRADOR, THUNDER and CAPE SCOTT. His shore appointments included serving as a Divisional Officer/ Training Officer at HMCS CORNWALLIS from January 1958-September 1960 and HMCS STADACONA Accommodation Officer from July 1961-September 1963.
After he took his release from the RCN in January 1966, the family moved to Saint John, NB where he served with Kent Lines (Irving’s fleet of oil tankers) and then later with the Canadian Coast Guard in 1970 where he served as an officer in CCGS Walter E Foster and other vessels until he retired in 1981. Robert was a Master Mariner - a member of the Company of Master Mariners of Canada, the Royal Canadian Legion and, the Canadian Merchant Navy Association. He successfully fought along with other veterans of the Canadian Merchant Navy to be recognized as WWII veterans by the Canadian Government and to receive the same benefits - including being awarded the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal in 1994.
Ships served in: HMCS SCOTIAN - Appointed to Scotian 14 Jun 1950 as a Commissioned Boatswain (Cd. Bos'n), RCN(R). Listed on the RCN(R) Active List as a Cd. Bos'n, RCN(R) (seniority 14 Jun 1950) (Navy List Jan 1951) RCN BARRACKS HALIFAX - Appointed to RCN Barracks Halifax 10 Sep 1951 as a Cd. Bos'n, RCN(R) (service file Lt Manzer) HMCS LLEWELLYN - Appointed to LLewellyn 16 Oct 1951 as a Cd Bos'n, RCN(R) (service file Lt Manzer) RCN BARRACKS HALIFAX - Appointed to RCN Barracks Halifax 23 Oct 1951 as a Cd Bos'n, RCN(R) (service file Lt Manzer) HMCS PORTE ST JEAN - Appointed to Porte St Jean 07 Dec 1951 as a Cd Bos'n, RCN(R) (service file Lt Manzer) RCN BARRACKS HALIFAX - Appointed to RCN Barracks Halifax, Seamanship School 10 Jan 1952 as a Cd Bos'n, RCN(R) (service file Lt Manzer) RCN BARRACKS HALIFAX - Appointed to RCN Barracks Halifax, Seamanship School 31 Mar 1952 as a Cd Bos'n, RCN(R) (Navy List Apr 1952) RCN BARRACKS HALIFAX - Appointed to RCN Barracks Halifax, Short Service Officers' Basic Training Course 11 Apr 1952 as a Cd Bos'n, RCN(R) (Navy List Jul 1952) RCN BARRACKS HALIFAX - Appointed to RCN Barracks Halifax 06 Oct 1952 as a Cd Bos'n, RCN(R) (service file Lt Manzer) RCN BARRACKS HALIFAX - Appointed to RCN Barracks Halifax 05 Jan 1953 as a Cd Bos'n, RCN (SSA) (seniority 14 Jun 1950) (Navy List Apr 1953) HMCS SWANSEA - Appointed to Swansea 14 Apr 1953 as a Cd Bos'n, RCN (SSA) (Navy List Jul 1953) HMCS TORONTO - Appointed to Toronto 26 Nov 1953 as a Cd Bos'n, RCN (SSA) (Navy List Jan 1954) HMCS PENETANG - Appointed to Penetang 01 Jun 1954 as a CD Bos'n, RCN (SSA). Commissioning crew after Prestonian conversion (Navy List Jul 1954) HMCS LABRADOR - Appointed to Labrador 13 Apr 1955 as a CD, Bos'n, RCN (SSA) (Navy List Jul 1955). Appointed Lt*, RCN (seniority 01 Apr 1956) (Navy List Jul 1956). Robert served in Labrador 13 Apr 1955 - 09 Aug 1957. During that time LABRADOR was senior ship of a task group of 14 ships charged with the delivery of thousands of tons of supplies to the DEW line sites in the Foxe Basin area of the Eastern Arctic from June to Nov 1955 . He was also onboard during the six week survey tour in the Arctic in Mar - Apr 1957. RCN BARRACK HALIFAX - Appointed to RCN Barracks Halifax, J.O.T.L. Course 10 Aug 1957 as a Lt*, RCN (Navy List Jan 1958) HMCS CORNWALLIS - Appointed to Cornwallis 17 Jan 1958 as a Lt*, RCN (Navy List Jul 1958). Served at Cornwallis as OIC Seamanship School and Divisional Officer (service file of Lt Manzer) HMCS STADACONA - Appointed to Stadacona, for duty with Accommodation Officer 06 Sep 1960 as a Lt*, RCN (Navy List Jan 1961). Appointed to Staff of First Lieutenant Commander, Accommodation Officer 24 Jul 1961 (Navy List Apr 1962) HMCS THUNDER - Served in Thunder 09 Sep 1963 - 01 Mar 1964 (service file Lt Manzer) HMCS CAPE SCOTT - Appointed to Cape Scott 02 Mar 1964 as a Lt*, RCN (Navy List Apr 1964). Served in Cape Scott for the Medical Expedition to Easter Island (METEI) - Nov 1964 - Mar 1965 RCN BARRACKS HALIFAX - Appointed to RCN Barracks Halifax, Add'l, Training and Transient (for Rehabilitation Leave) 09 Sep 1965 (service file Lt Manzer)
(RM01) Robert Manzer, RCN c1955 (RM02) Cd Bos'n Robert Manzer on HMCS LABRADOR (RM03) HMCS LABRADOR (RM04) LABRADOR crew ashore in the Eastern Arctic (RM05) HMCS LABRADOR alongside in Halifax
(RM06) Chipping ice off HMCS LABRADOR (RM07) Robert Manzer on HMCS LABRADOR, Eastern Arctic Mar 1957 (RM08-RM09) Robert Manzer on shore somewhere in the Eastern Arctic
(RM10) Officers and Civilian Officers of HMCS LABRADOR - Oct 1956
This photo, with crew members names listed, is also posted on the ship's company photo page for HMCS LABRADOR
(RM11) Lt* Manzer at his desk as Accommodations Officer, RCN Barracks Halifax (HMCS STADACONA), Jan 1963 (RM12) Lt* Manzer (2nd from left) on Divisions at HMCS Stadacona (RM13) Short Service Officers' Basic Training Course at RCN Barracks Halifax - 1952 (RM14) J.O.T.L.C. Dec 1957
Photo RM13 and RM 14 are also posted on the page for RCN Barracks Halifax / HMCS Stadacona
(RM15) Athabaskan Division New Entry Training HMCS CORNWALLIS - 16 Jun 1958 - 03 Nov 1958
Lt* Robert Manzer (front, centre)
This photo is also posted on the New Entry Course page for HMCS CORNWALLIS
(RM16) Margaree Division New Entry Training HMCS CORNWALLIS - 04 Apr 1960 - 18 Jul 1960
Lt* Robert Manzer (front, 8 from right)
This photo is also posted on the New Entry Course page for HMCS CORNWALLIS
Medical Expedition To Easter Island (METEI) HMCS CAPE SCOTT 101 06 Dec 1964
This photo, with crew members names listed, is also posted on the Ship's Company Photo page for HMCS CAPE SCOTT
Lt Manzer's souvenirs from the METEI deployment: Easter Island statuettes, a plaque commemorating the CAPE SCOTT's deployment and a RAPA NUI SCIENCE CLUB certificate
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For Posterity's Sake 
