Sept. 30: "CANADIAN NAVY CENTENNIAL BELL TO BE CAST IN ESQUIMALT"

E-mail from Maritime Forces Pacific:

ESQUIMALT, BC - Media are invited to attend when the Canadian Navy Centennial Bell will be cast at the Fleet Maintenance Facility (FMF) Cape Breton Foundry in HMC Dockyard on Wednesday (Sept.30) at 10 a.m. The bell, that will be presented to the people of Canada at a ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, May 4, 2010 will be cast from hundreds of artefacts that represent the century of naval served that the bell celebrates.

Rear Admiral Tyrone Pile, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific will be joined by Commodore Jennifer Bennett, Commander of the Naval Reserve to add the last items to the cauldron. As ship's bells have both practical and religious uses and meaning, the short ceremony will include the Naval Prayer and blessing by Padre, the Reverend navy Lt. John Jolliffe. Navy Capt. Martin Adamson Commanding Officer, FMF Cape Breton will describe the casting process...

THE CENTENNIAL BELL PROJECT

The Making of the Centennial Bell: The Canadian Navy Centennial Bell is a 12-inch bell normally installed in a frigate or destroyer. Weighing about 90-pounds, it will be suitably engraved in celebration of the Canadian Naval Centennial. Adding special meaning and history to the bell is that it is cast from material collected and donated to represent the century of naval service that the bell celebrates. Included amongst the artefacts are navigation tools, cap badges, shell casings, uniform buttons, boatswains call, ship's fittings and equipment and even flammable items such as pieces of uniform, letters and photographs that will vaporize and add essence with the metal items. The artefacts represent ships, submarines, naval air and the men and women of the entire period from 1910 to 2010.

The bell will be cast by sailors at the Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton Foundry located in HMC Dockyard at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in Victoria, during a ceremony on Sept. 30, 2009. The casting will be polished and engraved by the artisans at the Fleet Maintenance Facility and is will serve as a piece d'art when the Navy celebrates it second century in 2110.

The Bell Rope: The Bell will be decorated with a colourful rope chosen from amongst several created by sailors across Canada in a national competition.

The Bell Book: A book will accompany the Centennial Bell to highlight the history of the bell and list the variety of artefacts it is made from. The book will record the participants at the casting and dedication ceremonies, the winner of the bell rope contest, and a description of the events supported by photographs and art.

Navy Waters Collection: Throughout 2009 Canadian Navy ships and submarines were tasked to collect water from Canada's three oceans - Atlantic, Pacific
and Arctic, as well the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Great Lakes, and international theatres of operations. The water samples reflect the country's domestic maritime interests and the Navy's international operations. On Battle of Atlantic weekend in Halifax (April 30 - May 1, 2010) there will be a ceremony aboard the Second World War Corvette, HMCS SACKVILLE, when the six water samples, symbolic of the navy's history and missions, will be combined together as a national collection. The combined waters and a video of its collection will be an important aspect of the
dedication ceremony in Ottawa on May 4, 2010.

Centennial Bell Ceremony: On the 100th anniversary of the Naval Service Act, May 4, 2010, the bell will be the center piece of a ceremony in Ottawa to rededicate the Navy to the next 100 years of service to Canada. The bell will be christened with the combined waters and presented to the people of Canada as a gift in perpetuity, and sounded as a promise of loyal service for the next 100 years. The bell with its rope and book will be a permanent reminder to all Canadians that Canada is a Maritime Nation dependant upon the oceans for our national prosperity.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SHIP'S BELL

For centuries, ships' bells have played both a practical and symbolic role in the life of ships and their crews. The ship's bell takes on special historical significance over time. It is prized as one of the ships most valued pieces of original equipment and is often all that remains when a ship is scrapped.

From as early as the 13th century the ship's bell has been used to mark the passage of time. Before chronometers, the bell was used in conjunction with a half-hour glass. The ship's boy would turn the glass as the sand ran out every half hour and ring the ship's bell to show that he had done so. Eight bells indicated the end of a four hour watch...

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