Preface (of the book "Nene Lives")

This is the story of a ship, H.M.C.S. NENE and its crew. It's not a story of heroics, but a story of dedicated service and patriotism. It traces the history of the NENE and its crew of young volunteers during their wartime exploits. It is also the story of the crew members coming together again after more than forty years and finding fellowship and common bonds. The first reunion held in Belleville (1985) brought together their families, wives, sons and daughters and grew into an extended family of NENE members sharing the joys and sorrows of life and a love of one another. It is the story of the continued patriotism shown by each member and his family to the growing and nurturing of this great country Canada, born in wartime and continued for more than 45 years. While each youth joined the navy unqualified for war, his service and maturing experience qualified him in a unique way to pursue his life in peaceful ways. The contribution of each member of the NENE has been outstanding.

The name of the book Nene Lives was chosen because it exemplifies two aspects of the Nene . "Nene Lives "is the story of the life of the ship and each of its crew members and families, and "Nene Lives "because it is alive and a cherished part of each and every member of the crew and although the ship has long gone, broken up for scrap, it exists in the minds and souls of those who served aboard her so long ago.

("Nene Lives" will live and grow in our memories, as descendants of the crew of the Nene, as you, the reader, donate further stories and pictures to this web site. - Dan Delong)

Editor's Note - Kenneth Riley

As you read about each crew member and his career throughout life you will be struck by the young age at which most members joined the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR). Many were under eighteen years of age. Interspersed with the history of the Nene's exploits you will find the very personal accounts of various crew members' experiences while aboard the Nene.

It was a fast maturing process to find oneself thrust into a vast war machine not knowing what the future held.

I recall vividly joining H.M.C.S. Nene in Londonderry. As I stood my watch in the middle of the night I was impressed with the magnificence of nature, the sky streaked with clouds, the moon partially hidden, the vast ocean of undulating water, the expanse that seemed never ending. It's an experience few of us feel, living in large metropolitan cities, never to experience the magnificence of nature. Those who have stood on the prairie stretching for mile upon mile or stood on the mountain top, sharing the quiet and the solitude of nature understand the great feeling that overcomes one in these circumstances.

I couldn't help but reflect on why we were there, what had propelled us into such a deadly game and the virtue of our mission. I was sure there was a God looking upon us and supporting the right side. Each of us in our own way shared that feeling, with the fervent hope that we would return safe and sound to our loved ones and resume our young lives that had only begun. For the crew of the Nene it was a satisfying end to an experience none of us can ever forget. There was no loss of lives of crew members and we returned to civilian life stronger for having lived through it.

In order to place the story of the Nene in its historical perspective, the social and political conditions existing are described and supplemented by descriptions of places and events, so that it is more than just a chronology of events.

Acknowledgements:

The Editorial Board of NENE LIVES (the H.M.C.S. Nene Story) wishes to acknowledge the contribution made by the New Horizons Program, Health and Welfare Canada in providing a financial grant to assist in the publication of this book.

The Board also wishes to acknowledge the contribution of Alan and Margaret Turner, Fern and Rita Poirier and Ross and Marion Newitt, in organizing the first reunion and bringing us all together. Others that have contributed generously of their time in organizing our reunions have been Al and Ruth MacDonald (Winnipeg), Bill and Ruby Cameron (Revelstoke) and Fred and Jackie Levesque (Ottawa). We are sincerely grateful to Ron Graham, Doug Pye, Ralph Patterson and John O'Connor for the work they are doing to organize the Reunion at Halifax in 1993.

To the writers, a special word of thanks to all that have contributed to the history of the NENE.

Editorial Board
Ottawa,

Editorial Board

Kenneth Riley - Editor
Bruce Booth
Samuel Forsythe
Ronald Graham
Gordon Jamieson
Alfred Levesque
Robert Munnings
Fernand Poirier
Alan Turner
Eric Shaw - Captain of H.M.C.S. Nene