HMCS REGINA
HMCS Regina has more in common with Regina than just its moniker
Ship’s crew has plenty in common with city
When Darin Turner told his parents he was getting stationed on Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Regina, they had a surprise for him too — they were moving to the ships’ namesake city.
“It was just an odd coincidence, but we both were, like, ‘Oh, we’re going to Regina.’ ‘Well I’m going to the Regina,’ ” Turner said.
That was in February — and this week Turner and 14 of fellow crewmen flew to Regina to visit the namesake city of their warship.
HMCS Regina is one of the 12 Canadian CPFs or coastal frigates. It travels around the world completing the tasks it is given. Currently, it is docked in Victoria with approximately 230 crew members.
The ship is like its own little community, says Chief Petty Officer Dexter Golding, who is the coxswain.
“We’ve got everything on board for when we slip out and go to sea. We’re completely self-contained,” Golding said. “We have to be able to not only do the queen’s business, but we also have to make sure that the crew is fed.”
HMCS Regina was commissioned in 1994 and recently went through a mid-life upgrade of its equipment. It should be sailing the seas for at least another 20 years.
This weekend’s trip to Regina is a fun time for crew members. The trip is referred to as a “namesake visit” and is meant to help build a relationship with the city.
“Each of our CPF’s is named after a city and some of the ships have got a great connection with their cities and we’re struggling and trying hard to ensure that we get a good rapport with Regina as well,” Golding said.
Since Saskatchewan is a landlocked province, the connection to the navy isn’t as close as it is in other cities.
Petty Officer First Class Andrew Chadwick enlisted in the military in 1988 while living in Regina. For the past year, he has been stationed on HMCS Regina.
“In the past, when I come back I come back to visit family and friends. But it’s great to be able to come back, represent the navy — not just to the people here, but to my friends, to my relatives and everything,” Chadwick said.
The crew is busy this weekend. Its members will attend both the Regina Pats game on Friday and the Saskatchewan Roughriders game on Saturday.
Turner is looking forward to the Pats game as he plays on the ship’s hockey team — which just happens to be named the Pats too.
“We actually play in their name out on the coast too ... it’ll be fun to go watch the real hockey players do it,” Turner said Friday afternoon.
The group visited St. Andrew Elementary School on Friday morning and hopes for a visit to 15 Wing Moose Jaw before shipping out next week.
Each of our CPF’s is named after a city and some of the ships have got a great connection with their cities.