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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
WARD, Richard Martin (Father Dick) - a Roman Catholic priest, enrolled in the Royal Canadian Navy as a Chaplain on the 3rd of July 1944. He had been a parish priest in Toronto and after joining the Navy and completing training he was appointed to shore bases on both of Canada’s coasts. When the Navy’s aircraft Carrier HMCS Warrior was assigned to the Pacific Fleet, Ward was named as Chaplain (RC). He accompanied Warrior when she was returned to the RN and joined her replacement, HMCS Magnificent, in the same capacity on her commissioning.
In September 1950 Ward, now a Chaplain III, joined HMCS Cayuga on the staff of CANCOMDESPAC. In this capacity Ward served as chaplain to the three destroyers then serving in Korea, HMC Ships Cayuga, Athabaskan and Sioux. He completed his 2nd Korea tour in HMCS Nootka in the same capacity and then re-joined Cayuga for her 2nd tour. When the Pacific based destroyers were relieved, he would return to Canada in November 1951.
Chaplain Ward, promoted to Chaplain IV (Commander level), then became the RC Pacific Coast Command Chaplain which included Royal Roads Military College. Following this appointment, he was assigned to Naval Headquarters, Ottawa, as Assistant Chaplain of the Fleet (RC). He would also undertake duties as chaplain to the Grey Nuns’ Rest Home, Orleans, Ontario.
Late in the evening of May 15 1956 an RCAF CF100 based at Uplands RCAF base, Ottawa, on an intruder intercept mission inexplicably crashed into the Rest Home killing 15 including Padre Ward. The inquest was not able to determine the cause of the jet’s malfunction but Chaplain Ward was lauded for his efforts to get the residents of the home out before he died on the lawn where he had been flung by the exploding aircraft rockets.
His WW2 service resulted in the award of the CVSM and the 1939-45 War Medal and his service in the Korean theatre the Queen’s Korea (Canada) and the United Nations Korea Service medal. Chaplain Ward had received his medals about 6 months before his tragic death. An article in the Ottawa Citizen of June 12, 1956, included this: “A war service medal inscribed with Father Ward’s name was found buried 29 feet in the ground”.
(Research by Dave Mildon. This biographical sketch has been developed from public information and from his Service Record.)
Remembering Richard Ward (Father Dick) - He was a great friend of my parents. For as long as I can remember, his portrait was on Dad's dresser. Father Dick was supposed to baptise the eldest of my younger brothers but was sadly killed beforehand in the Orléans air disaster. In honour of Father Dick, my second brother's middle name is Richard. At the time of his death, Father Dick was stationed at the local parish and was a big part of the community. (submitted by Sheilagh Woods)
Webmaster's note: Father Richard Ward was killed in a crash of a CF-100 into a rest home where he was staying that was run by the Grey Nuns of the Cross. He was one of 15 victims.
The Convent Crash, also known as the Orléans air disaster and Villa St. Louis disaster, occurred on May 15, 1956 after a CF-100 fighter jet crashed into the Villa St. Louis in the community of Orléans, Ontario. 15 people were killed in the crash: 11 members of the Grey Nuns, two aviators, a civilian servant at the Villa and the chaplain, a retired naval padre. Click here to view the youtube video on the Orléans Air Disaster
Ships served in: HMCS CAYUGA - Served in CAYUGA during her 1st and 2nd Korean War tours HMCS NOOTKA - Served in NOOTKA during her 2nd Korean War tour
Chaplain Richard Ward (Father Dick) Courtesy of Sheilagh Woods
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