EP280 HMCS Sackville with guest Greg Cottingham RCN (Retired)

Send us Fan MailJoin Allan for an in-depth tour of the last surviving Flower-class corvette, a ship that was the backbone of Canada's effort in the Battle of the Atlantic. Alan is joined by Greg, a trustee and retired 28-year Navy veteran, who shares the incredible (and harrowing) history of the ship, the brutal conditions for the "Wavy Navy" volunteers who sailed her, and the mission to preserve her for future generations.Later, Allan speaks with active-duty Royal Canadian Navy sailors, Sailor First Class Andrew Henderson and Sailor First Class Ashley Long, about why they volunteer to maintain this piece of history and what life is like in today's modern Navy.**0:00** - Welcome to Gale Force Wins**0:34** - Introduction with host Allan Dale**1:05** - Welcome Aboard: HMCS Sackville, Canada's Naval Memorial**1:44** - Meet the Guest: Greg, trustee and volunteer**1:50** - Greg's deep family history in the Navy**2:32** - Greg's 28-year career: Engineer, submarines, and nuclear engineering**9:51** - The importance of people and friendships in the Navy**11:14** - What life was like for sailors on the Sackville**12:05** - "The Cheap and Nasties": The design of Flower-class corvettes**13:05** - Harsh living conditions: Hammocks and crowded mess decks**13:41** - How many crew were on board during the war?**15:13** - What was a convoy run like? (Tedium, discomfort, and tension)**15:41** - The constant threat of U-boat attacks at night**17:03** - The "Prairie Sailors": Inexperienced volunteers who stepped up**18:13** - Memories of meeting Sackville veterans**19:03** - The emotional experience of touring veterans' families**20:33** - HMCS Sackville: Ship statistics (speed, size)**21:29** - The ship's armament (guns and anti-submarine weapons)**23:04** - Breakdown of the crew (officers, petty officers, junior rates)**23:35** - The "Wavy Navy": The Royal Canadian Navy Voluntary Reserve**25:34** - How many Flower-class corvettes were built?**27:44** - The team that keeps the ship alive today**28:31** - The Navy's crucial role in winter maintenance**30:35** - The passionate volunteer "Trustee Guides"**31:26** - How is the ship kept in "Bristol fashion"?**44:45** - Interview: Sailor First Class Andrew Henderson, Bosun**45:41** - What it's like in the Navy today**46:12** - A "Prairie Sailor" from Alberta**46:50** - The high quality of life on the new Harry DeWolf-class ships**47:17** - The experience of sailing in the Canadian Arctic**48:33** - An elevator pitch for joining the Navy (Naval Experience Program)**49:13** - Why it's an honor to work on HMCS Sackville**49:44** - Interview: Sailor First Class Ashley Long, Bosun**50:17** - Why Ashley joined the Navy**50:34** - The life of a Bosun on a modern frigate**51:41** - The personal connection to Sackville**52:03** - The powerful moment of meeting a veteran's relativeGale Force Wins started out simply as an inspirational podcast releasing episodes wherever you get your podcasts every Tuesday evening. We continue to do that every Tuesday but have expanded into custom content for clients. We also have perfected a conference and trade show offering where you can receive over 20 videos edited and posted to social media at the same time the event is unfolding.For businesses and organizations we also create digital content quickly and efficiently.Visit our services page here:https://galeforcewins.com/servicesTo message Gerry visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerrycarew/To message Allan visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allanadale/