HMCS COLUMBIA 260

 

Restigouche Class Destroyer

 

 

 

MAY COLUMBIA FLOURISH EVERYWHERE

HMCS COLUMBIA 260 - 11 Jul 1970

Photographer: Walter E. Frost

Source: City of Vancouver Archives

Click on the above photo to view a larger image

 

Battle honours and awards:  Atlantic  1940-44

 

 

Laid down: 11 Jun 1952

Launched: 01 Nov 1956

Commissioned: 07 Nov 1959

Paid off: 18 Feb 1974

Fate: Sunk as an artificial reef 14 June 1997

 

Built by Burrard Dry Dock Ltd., Vancouver, COLUMBIA was commissioned on 07 Nov 1959, and soon afterward was transferred the east coast. In 1960 she represented Canada at Nigerian Independence observances, returning home on 25 Oct 1960. On 29 Apr 1961 COLUMBIA and RESTIGOUCHE made a port visit at Washington, DC. From 18 Jan 1965 to 14 Jul 1965 COLUMBIA participated in the 1st NATO Matchmaker Squadron exercises in European waters. In Mar 1967 she was transferred to Esquimalt. Paid off on 18 Feb 1974, COLUMBIA was fitted to "no-thrust wheels" so that her engines might be run at dockside. Sold to the Artificial Reef Society of BC on 15 Jun 1996, she was sunk as an artificial reef off Maude Island, Campbell River on 14 Jun 1997.

 

 

Photos and Documents           Ship's company photos          Commissioning book

 

HMCS COLUMBIA - Public relations information booklet

 

HMCS COLUMBIA - First Year 07 Dec 1960 - This is a document put together by the Cox'n of HMCS COLUMBIA for her 1st Anniversary on 7 December 1960

 

 

Commanding Officers

 

Cdr William Prine Hayes, RCN - 07 Nov 1959 - 25 May 1961

Cdr Donald William Knox, RCN - 25 May 1961 - unk

Cdr Alexander Edward Fox, RCN - 05 Jan 1963 - unk

Cdr Peter Robert Hinton, RCN - 04 Sep 1964 - 15 Sep 1965

Cdr Andrew Clark McMillan, RCN - 15 Sep 1964 - 20 Feb 1967

Cdr Richard Dezso Okros, RCN - 20 Feb 1967 - 31 Aug 1968

Cdr Trevor Cole Shuckburgh, RCN - 31 Aug 1968 - 23 Jul 1970

Cdr Eric Arthur Makin - 23 Jul 1970 - 06 Aug 1972

Cdr R.F. Choat - 07 Aug 1972 - 18 Feb 1974

 

 

Captain for the day

 

Captain for the day is a tradition in the RCN where during the ship's Christmas celebrations, the Commanding Officer changes places with the youngest member of the ship's company.

 

Jim Anderson - 1959

 

Hogan, Douglas - 1971

 

 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

A

 

 

B

 

 

C

 

 

D

 

 

E

 

 

F

 

 

G

 

 

H

 

 

J

 

 

K

 

 

L

 

 

M

 

 

N

 

Nickel, Daniel B.

 

 

 

 

 

O

 

 

P

 

 

Q

 

Quinn, Warren J.

 

 

 

 

 

R

 

 

S

 

 

T

 

Taylor, Douglas F.

 

 

 

 

 

V

 

 

W

 

 

Z

 

 

 

Former Crew Members

 

Duhamel, Alfe, Leading Seaman Signalman

 

Elliott, Robert George (Bob), 43386-H, AB

 

Harrison, Thomas W. - 1963

 

Holstead, Gordon Ramsey

 

La Fave, John 33169-H

 

Logan, Don, Sig - 29 May 1963 - 12 Sep 1963

 

McFarland, Doug - 1969-1970

 

Mitchell, Mike

Montgomery, Bill, Hull Mechanic - 1964

 

Morgan, Tony, Fire Controlman

 

Mundell, Robert, LS, 44240-H, RCN - Served in Columbia when the Canadian flag became the Naval Ensign

 

Quilter, Leslie R., Electrical Techncian

 

Sleigh, Mike, OSSN/ABSN - 1966-1967

 

Stow, Peter, NavO - 1965-1967

Stuart, Bob 1969 - 1970

 

Thome, Robert (Bob) ABRP1 - Nov 1964-Sep 1965. Served onboard for Matchmaker '65

 

Walsh, Bill, Cook, RCN - 1965

 

Wardell, Ken

 

Williams, Brian L.

 

Wills, Al, FC - Sep 1970 - Feb 1974

 

 

Photos and Documents

 

HMCS COLUMBIA 260 - pre 1965

 

The youngest sailor is customarily Captain for the Day on December 25. Two of the Atlantic Command Christmas "captains" are shown with a real one, who turned out in square rig for the occasion. Left to right are "Commander" (Ordinary Seaman) Cliff Woodrow, 17, of the Terra Nova; "Ordinary Seaman" (Commander) William P. Hayes, commanding officer of the COLUMBIA, and "Commander" (Ordinary Seaman) Jim Anderson, 17, of the COLUMBIA.

Source: The CROWSNEST Magazine, Vol 12, No. 3 January, 1960

 

3 mess on HMCS COLUMBIA 260 - circa 1962

 

"Does anyone ever think about "3 Mess" on the cadillacs? I mean before we had bars on the lower deck? Yes, there was a time before duty free bars in our messes, but we had tots and beer issued from the canteen. This pic was taken in 3 mess, circa 1962 in COLUMBIA, photographer had his back against the 3"70 ammunition hoist looking forward. All are very Ordinary Seamen. Funny how it started off with everyone acting like ODs, and remained that way until the very end."

 

Courtesy of Jim Gordon

ABSG Don Logan on HMCS COLUMBIA in 1963

 

Courtesy of Don Logan

HMCS COLUMBIA 260 transiting the Kiel Canal - Jun 1963

 

From the collection of Peter Pronych

 

Courtesy of Bill Gard

Newspaper article on an party held on HMCS COLUMBIA 260 at Copenhagen, Denmark for children from an orphanage. Able Seaman Thomas W. Harrison is in the photo with one of the children from the orphanage

 

Source: The Picton Gazette, 26 Jul 1963, Prince Edward County Archives Microfilm collection

 

Researched and complied by: © John Lyons 2015

 

 

NATO MATCHMAKER SQUADRON

 

18 Jan 1965 - 14 Jul 1965

 

MM01

(MM01) Matchmaker Squadron Certificate

 

MM02

MM03

MM04

MM05

The Matchmaker Squadron entering Ponta Delgada, Azores

L-R: HMCS COLUMBIA 260,  HNLMS OVERIJSSEL D815,  USS HAMMERBERG 1015 and HMS LEANDER F109

 

MM06

MM07

MM08

MM09

MM10

(MM06) The NATO emblem on the funnel of HMCS COLUMBIA 260 with USS RICHARD E. KRAUS 849 in the background during EX POLESTAR

(MM07) Newspaper article on Matchmaker 1965

(MM08) Matchmaker Squadron ship's jackets. The jackets were given to all members of HMCS COLUMBIA.  Note the Maple Leaf on the Canadian flag.  "This was shortly after we had just raised the new Canadian flag on Feb 15, 1965 and apparently the company making the jackets did not know what a "maple leaf" looked like."

(MM09-MM10) On the morning of 12 Jun 1965, HMCS COLUMBIA encountered the sailing vessel "Tinkerbelle".  "I (ABRP Bob Thome) was reporting contacts that particular morning and this small unknown motionless contact kept popping up on my screen so, as we were the closest, we left our position in the convoy to check it out."  Documents MM09 and MM10 are excerpts from the book "Tinkerbelle - The story of the smallest boat ever to cross the Atlantic nonstop" by Robert Manry on Tinkerbelle's encounter with HMCS COLUMBIA

 

Courtesy of Robert (Bob) Thome, AB.RP1, RCN, ret'd

 

 

HMCS COLUMBIA 260 - Dublin, Ireland 1966

 

© 1966 Ken Watson RCN

Ship's badge of HMCS COLUMBIA 260 (centre) in Bermuda

 

Courtesy of Jim Gordon

Ship's badge of HMCS COLUMBIA 260  (centre) in Bermuda

 

Courtesy of Claus Mathes

HMCS COLUMBIA 260 - Supply Department photo - Bermuda

 

Note: this photo has also been added to the Ship's Company photo page for HMCS COLUMBIA 260

 

Courtesy of Claus Mathes

HMCS COLUMBIA 260 alongside Fort Lauderdale, FL - 1967

HMCS PROVIDER conducting a RAS with two ships.  HMCS COLUMBIA 260 in rescue position

 

Courtesy of Tony Morgan

 

 

TM01

TM02

TM03

TM04

TM05

TM06

TM07

TM08

TM09

TM10

TM11

TM12

Committal at sea for the Last Tot onboard HMCS COLUMBIA on 30 Mar 1972

(TM01) Honour guard for the Last Tot formed up on the quarter deck of HMCS COLUMBIA  (TM02-TM03) Pallbearers carrying the casket of the Last Tot  (TM04) The casket is placed on the committal board - the Ensign is at half-mast  (TM05) The casket is ready for committal to the sea  (TM06) The ship's CO, Cdr Eric Makin, reads the eulogy  (TM07) The CO awards the Tot a service medal - posthumously  (TM08) The CO places the medal on the casket  (TM09) The Last Tot is committed to the deep  (TM10) A moment of silence  (TM11) The Cox'n reads a final tribute to the Tot and Splices the Mainbrace  (TM12) The XO leads the men in prayer for the loss of the Tot

 

Courtesy of Tony Morgan

 

 

        

 

HMCS COLUMBIA 260

Public relations photos

From the collection of Nigel Whiteley, LCdr, RCN, ret'd

DND/RCN photos

 

 

 

 

     

 

Sinking of the former HMCS COLUMBIA as an artificial reef off Maude Island, Campbell River, BC

 

Source: Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia

 

 

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