The Royal Canadian Navy Centennial
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2010 marks the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Navy. In
commemoration of this event, The Elgin Military Museum has created
a special exhibit which features the story of H.M.C.S. St.
Thomas, a Castle-class Corvette. The Museum commissioned
1/72 scale models of the St. Thomas and the German submarine U-877
which was sunk by the St. Thomas on
December 27, 1944. The German crew was rescued without loss of
life. Although most of the crew of the St.Thomas were not from St.
Thomas, there were two city residents aboard when the sinking of U-
877 took place. The funds which permitted the Navy to purchase and
commission the ship were raised by the citizens of St. Thomas,
Ontario, donating as individuals and via the various service clubs
that held raffles and fundraisers for the ship. They eventually
raised enough money for the ship to be the first Corvette in the
Atlantic to have on board laundry facilities. The exhibit also
features the ship's bell and many other items relating to naval
service. See below for more information about expansion of the
exhibit and how you can help.
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of the "St. Thomas". |
For more local stories about the Navy please see the Navy
veterans featured in the Veteran's Records menu above and watch for
more opportunities to learn about the history of the Navy as the
Museum site undergoes reconstruction over the summer or 2010. For
further information on the Canadian Navy Centennial Celebrations in
2010, please look at their site.
You and the Navy's 100th
Exhibits like this don't happen without your help. The Museum is
looking for you or someone like you to become 1 of the 100 who
donate $100 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Royal
Canadian Navy. For your donation, you will receive a tax receipt
and everyone who donates $100 will be acknowledged on a special
plaque. The Museum gratefully acknowledges the donations received
to date. To help us continue to develop our collections, please click here.