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Blakelock fuels Battle of the Atlantic journeyBy Tom Dykeslost in the 1944 action, but his brother Edward, SPECIAL TO THE BEAVERan Oakville resident, became an important sup-porter of our project.n Friday, April 15, 2011, aboardIn 2009 The Battle of the Atlantic project was HMCS Athabaskan, I completed achosen as the NOAC Educational initiative in Othree-year historical journey. celebration of the Canadian Navy Centennial. I was in my hometown of Liverpool, EnglandAfter two and a half years the project was and the visit of The Athabaskan there was a veryready and local NOAC members made presenta-special event for me on many fronts.tions to the St. Johns and Halifax schools. The I am a son of Liverpool, a Canadian and I waschallenge was the UK. home to present a special educational resourceEnter former Commander of the Athabaskan, on the Battle of the Atlantic to a group of historyCaptain Harry Harsch. NOAC contacted Canada teachers and students from St. Edwards College,House in London for assistance. Harsch is the Liverpool and a teacher from St. Cuthberts Highnaval advisor and suggested the finished project School, Newcastle on Tyne.could be presented to the Liverpool and Newcastle Both schools had contributed to the ABC of representatives when the HMCS Athabaskan was the Battle of the Atlantic, a multidisciplinein Liverpool for a remembrance ceremony for resource I developed with support from a teamthose Athabaskan crew members who perished of teachers at Oakville's Thomas A. Blakelockin the April 19 action off the Brittany coast in High School.1944. I am a retired history/geography teacher, anIrwin, knowing it was my hometown, sug-immigrant from Liverpool, England (1965). Igested I be part of the ceremony. Blakelock was born in 1941 and grew up in an army/navyPrincipal Kevin Caughlin felt the same and so, family. The Battle of the Atlantic has always beenon Friday, April 15, 2011 I was on HMCS of interest because of my hometowns role. I hadAthabaskan at Liverpool's Pier Head in the com-been developing a teaching resource on thepany of HMCS Athabaskan's Commander Mike Battle of the Atlantic as part of a project onDavie, Harsch, Canadian High Commissioner to Canadian military history. the UK James Wright and Dr. Richard Gimblett, In early 2009, with a team of Blakelock GradeChief Naval Historian. 10 students, I conducted a series of student/vet-What began as an interview with an eran interviews with Second World War veter-Athabaskan survivor from Hamilton, ended with ans, one of whom was the late Bill Connolly, aa presentation of a project dedicated to two survivor of the sinking of HMCS Athabaskan,Hamiltonian crewmen of Athabaskan aboard the April 29, 1944. I arranged for the interview to be21st Century Canadian Navy Flagship, HMCS conducted on HMCS Haida, Athabaskan's sisterAthabaskan in my hometown of Liverpool.ship in the action that missed picking him upHMCS Athabaskan, the third ship to carry the after the torpedo attack.illustrious name, was visiting Liverpool after The role of the Canadian Navy in the Secondparticipating in exercises in the North Atlantic World War is hardly touched upon in schoolswith the Royal Navy and other NATO forces. and in early 2009, I approached Blakelock his-The event took place in front of the Cunard tory teacher James Stainton with the idea of Building, registration office of the Titanic and teaching a class on board HMCS Haida, Canada'sLusitania and many other famous, but less most decorated warship of the Second Worldtragic Cunarders. The founder of this historic War.shipping line, Samuel Cunard was a Canadian SUBMITTED PHOTOHe agreed it would be a good experience formaritime entrepreneur out of Nova Scotia.his Grade 10 history class and I invited AndyThe sight of Maple Leaf flags flying from the HISTORICAL CHAPTER:Above, HMCS Athabaskan docked in Liverpool, England. Below, Irwin of the Naval Officers' Association of CanadaThree Graces, Liverpool Town Hall and other from left, HMCS Commanding Officer Mike Davie, Cathy Purcell, history head at St. Edward's College, (NOAC) to add his experiences to the lesson. civic buildings was testament to the sense of Liverpool; Canadian High Commissioner James Wright and Thomas A. Blakelock's Tom Dykes.The project was expanded to become multi-friendship the city has for its Canadian visitors.discipline and Joanna Anderson, head of theIn a final twist to my journey, I left Liverpool English department at Blakelock agreed to act asfrom the same berth on April 15, 1965, aboard editor. It became a unique Blakelock undertak-SS Carinthia, a Cunard ship.ing with 20 teachers contributing. I was alsoThis experience was overwhelming for me as successful in securing contributions fromit closed a chapter in my life and provided me Canadian, British and German naval veterans,with an opportunity to reflect on the importance RCN family members, and naval historians. of love of family, friends and community.In addition, four high school history teams,I shed a great number of tears during my each representing a city vital to the success of thevisit. In February I lost my wife of 46 years to Battle of the Atlantic, joined our undertaking: St.breast cancer. She was a Liverpool Lady and I John's, NL, Halifax, NS, Liverpool, and Newcastleincluded the story of her grandfathers experi-on Tyne, UK. Their contribution was to a unit,ences in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was very Cities in Conflict, which invited student teams toproud of my commitment to this naval project.write about their citys role in the Battle of theI am proud to have been a part of an exercise Atlantic and, in the case of Newcastle on Tyne,that linked our communities and naval heritage. the construction of HMCS Athabaskan andI had the opportunity to work with wonderful HMCS Haida.teachers, students, veterans, authors, families of The project was dedicated to Bill ConnollyAthabaskans fallen and serving officers. and Bill Stewart, two young Hamilton crew-I am proud of my citys role in the closing of members of the first Athabaskan. this chapter. My great regret is that my Liverpool Bill Stewart designed the Athabaskan shipslass was not there with me to share in its conclu-crest and Bill Connolly posed for it. Stewart wassion. But perhaps she played a greater role.25 Friday, April 29, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER www.insideHALTON.com