Honouring a well-respected naval battle will hold even more special meaning in this, the Sea Cadets' 80th year in Barrie.
The Battle of the Atlantic parade is always held the first Sunday of May throughout Canada, and honours the Second World War’s longest, continuous battle.
Diane Chislett, who's a representative of the Navy League of Canada and also the Barrie branch president, says the parade and day’s events are among the most important of the league’s calendar year.
Chislett met with BarrieToday at the Navy League/Sea Cadets building at 9 Simcoe St., to discuss what's coming up on Sunday as well as provide an update on a potential move from its current location near The Spirit Catcher.
“This is held in the highest regard by our cadets, volunteers and everyone involved,” Chislett of the events on May 7. “Barrie, obviously, has a long history of respecting the military and all that men and women have done for the country, and other countries.
"It's a great day for everyone to show up and pay respects," she added.
In 1939, the nation’s navy was small with only six destroyers and 3,500 personnel, most of whom were reserves. Many Canadian lives were lost during the almost six-year battle, including 2,000 members of the Royal Canadian Navy, 1,600 Canadian merchant seamen and 752 Canadian airmen.
The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest continuous battle of the Second World War and raged from September 1939 to May 1945. As German U-boats tried to interfere with convoys bringing much-needed aid to Europe for the Allies, it was the Canadian contingent that played the crucial role of escorting the supplies to the front.
“Without Canadians, things may have very well ended up differently at that time," Chislett said. "Our navy were the ones who got supplies, planes, fuel, and other necessities to Europe to help in the fight against Germany."
At 10:30 a.m., Sunday, there will be a small service at the Cadets' building on Simcoe Street before the parade heads over to the downtown cenotaph for another service and laying of the wreaths. The parade will then march back to the Simcoe Street facility for a light luncheon.
Chislett says it remains important to honour the battle every year.
“The HMCS Barrie took part in the Battle of the Atlantic, which, of course, the Barrie Sea Cadets and the town are very much intertwined with,” she said. “Not to mention that the Chambly, which has Navy League connections, sank a German U-boat in the battle.
"That was no easy feat in what was called the Black Pit of the Atlantic Ocean," Chislett added. "It is pitch black there and for any kind of success to happen is a big deal, let alone sinking a U-boat.”
With this also being the 80th anniversary of the Sea Cadets, Chislett provided some history on the local organization.
“It was originally the Kempenfelt Cadets and then changed to HMCS Barrie, which, of course, is the name of the ship that took part in the Battle of the Atlantic,” she said. “It is a long, storied history and we take it very seriously through honouring it every chance we can.”
As for the possibility of future events being held at another building and the local Sea Cadets possibly relocating, that still has yet to be determined.
In December 2019, council asked city staff to investigate potential partnerships in support of relocating the Sea Cadets building to the south shore.
When Chislett spoke to BarrieToday in August 2022, she said there were no new plans and that they were still waiting for a plan to come to fruition. The building was included in the strategic waterfront plan in 2014 and “that's where we stand," she said.
“We’re still waiting. I get it, I get there are more important issues like potholes and infrastructure and all those things, but we do want to know what we’re doing and be able to plan for it,” Chislett said.
“I think we have 29 years left on a 99-year lease, with no toilet or running water, which makes it tricky at times. But we just want to figure out what we’re doing and do it," she added.
For more information on the Navy League and how to join or volunteer, click here.
