HMCS Chippawa
| HMCS Chippawa | |
|---|---|
Ship's badge
|
|
| Active | 1941–present |
| Country | Canada |
| Branch | Royal Canadian Navy |
| Type | Naval reserve division |
| Part of | Canadian Forces Naval Reserve |
| Garrison/HQ | Winnipeg |
| Motto(s) | Service |
| Colours | Azure blue and white |
HMCS Chippawa is a Canadian Naval Reserve division in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Formed in 1923 as the Winnipeg Company, the unit was renamed to HMCS Chippawa in 1941.
In November 1941, the unit was commissioned as HMCS Chippawa. Chippawa is named after the vessel which led the line of Commander Robert Heriot Barclay into action against the Americans at the Battle of Lake Erie on 10 September 1813. The former merchant schooner of about 35/50 tons, had been built at Chippawa in 1810, and was named for her home port. After being brought into Provincial Marine service in 1812, she was commanded by Frederic Rolette, a Provincial Marine lieutenant, and had a crew of fifteen. Her armament varied from two 8-inch (203 mm) howitzers to her final configuration on the day of battle of one 9-pounder gun mounted on a swivel. Chippawa was captured by the Americans during the battle, and was later destroyed at the capture of Buffalo on 30 December 1813.
The division was originally formed on 19 March 1923 as the Winnipeg Company of the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve, later renamed The Winnipeg Division in 1936. In 1941, the division was commissioned HMCS Chippawa. The first commanding officer of the division was Eustace Brock, the Assistant Secretary of the Great-West Life Assurance Company. In March 1923 the unit's first quarters were a small office and a classroom located in McGregor Armouries. Later, in the spring of 1924 the division moved into the Rat-Portage Lumber Company building in Norwood, which is still standing today as the Poulin's Exterminators building.
In the years following, the division moved to the old St Matthews Church on the corner of Sherbrook Street and Ellice Avenue, to a condemned fire hall on Gertrude Avenue just off Osborne Street (now demolished), to space at the Security Storage building on Ellice Avenue, and then in October 1942 to the old Winnipeg Winter Club located at 51 Smith Street.
...
Wikipedia