REGINA - A century of service to the province and country was honoured at the Legislature as the Saskatchewan government marked the Centennial of the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve.
This marks 100 years since the establishment of the Naval Reserve in 2023. At a ceremony at the Saskatchewan Legislature, Navy Reserve members were recognized with a certificate of recognition that was signed by Premier Scott Moe, designating 2023 as the Centennial of the Royal Canadian Reserve in Saskatchewan. Later that day, members of the Navy Reserve attended in the gallery of the Legislature where they were introduced and recognized.
There are 24 divisions of the Navy Reserve across Canada including two in Saskatchewan: His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Unicorn in Saskatoon founded on April 27, 1923 and HMCS Queen in Regina found on June 26, 2023.
“Their past and present soldiers have established a strong and steady Saskatchewan seagoing tradition,” Saskatchewan’s Military Liaison and MLA for Moose Jaw Wakamow Greg Lawrence said at the ceremony. “Their sense of duty has helped people at home and abroad. Their unquestionable dedication has defended our country and has made us all very proud.”
The Naval Reserve’s role is to recruit, train and deploy ‘citizen-sailors’ with a mission to augment the regular force, as well as to assist with recruitment or outreach efforts, and train and be ready to assist to either augment the fleet or help in domestic emergencies.
Several naval reservists and veterans were on hand for the ceremony. One of those was Retired Sub-Lieutenant Ruth Bond-Martinson, who moved to London to join the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Reserve back in 1943 during World War II.
“It’s a real thrill, a very big honour,” said Bond-Martinson of the recognition that day. She credited the Navy for, among other things, helping produce her family as she had met her husband while serving.
“The Navy I can’t say enough good things about them,” she said, pointing to the education they all received there. “They taught us how to be proud of being a Canadian.”
“It’s an honour and a privilege for the province of Saskatchewan to recognize the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve Centennial which is this year,” said Commander Matthew Dalzell of the Saskatchewan Naval Reserve, who is himself a third-generation member of the Naval Reserve.
“I’m really proud to have this opportunity to be here to be part of this, to be here along with some representatives who are truly great Canadians of our Naval Reserve: serving sailors and officers, and then of course, also to have veterans here with us too from the Battle of the Atlantic, the Second World War, as well as NATO missions, UN missions. It’s great to see the whole 80 years of that century of service represented here today.”
