Local cadet on his way to the Royal Canadian Navy

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Monday, 11 January 2010 12:02 |

Human interest

By LeRae Haynes

Petty Officer First Class Richard Williams with the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets 202 Chilcotin joined 13 cadets from across BC who went to Esquimalt to the Naval Base to spend a week at sea on the HMCS (Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship) Regina. The only cadet from northern BC to set sail, he said that his local cadet officers put his name in for the trip, and he was chosen.

(Photo: Petty Officer First Class Richard Williams from the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets 202 Chilcotin went on a week’s voyage on the HMCS Regina in December.)

“It all happened fast,” he said. “My officers told me one night at cadets that they had entered my name---I got the paperwork signed in one night and I left in a week.”

He said that during the first couple of days on the ship, the cadets toured the ship, and then got to choose the job they were most interested in. “We branched off into groups to do the jobs: one of the things I did was Naval Weapons Technician, learning how to clean, grease and check the guns.”

There was a lot to learn on the HMCS Regina, according to Richard, who said that he found the entire experience informative and highly interesting, including the ‘man overboard’ rescue maneuver. “The computer in the Operations Room operates the CIWS (Close in Weapons Systems) on the ship and there are computers that monitor sonar for surface, air and underwater,” he explained. “In the Naval Information Systems job we learned that there is a radio that manipulates the frequency to find communications from other vessels.”

He also said that the cadets had the opportunity to learn about the navigations system on the ship’s bridge---a computer with sea charts for the world, to help navigate through channels. “The ship, which can hold the Navy’s Sea King helicopter, has a high speed of about 30 knots and is very maneuverable----it can stop in two ship lengths and can make a 30-degree turn,” he continued.

“This trip gave me experience of what it would be like to be in the Navy,” Richard added. “I was interested in joining before, and this trip finalized the decision for me.”

Another unique and life-changing experience that Richard enjoyed during his years with the Sea Cadets was a two-week trip to England last summer. One of only two cadets chosen from BC, Richard joined 8 cadets from across Canada as International Exchange Cadets.

“We stayed in three different places in England, including a sea cadet and naval military base,” he said. “We got to stay on the HMCS Bristol for a couple of nights and got to tour the HMS Victory, which fought in the Battle of Trafalgar, sank and was restored.”

He said that the trip was an opportunity to learn about cadets from other countries, including Sweden, Russia, Belgium and the US. “We introduced the Okehampton Marine Cadets to peanut butter sandwiches and they were impressed,” he said. “We did some overnight camping and in the food packs there were little tubes of Tabasco and Vegemite.”

One of the differences that Richard said that he noticed between the English cadets and the Canadian cadets is that in Canada, the older cadets teach the younger ones. “In England, adults teach them all,” he said. “I appreciated learning from older cadets when I was younger, and now we get creative in making the lessons interesting for the younger cadets---I think kids learn more this way."

At age 18, this is Richard’s final year in Sea Cadets---he has been a member since he was 12 years old. “I was in Grade 6 and saw a poster about cadets and checked it out on the computer,” he explained. “There were Army Cadets and Sea Cadets, and the Sea Cadets met on a night when I was free, so I tried it out and never looked back.”

One of the things that Richard says he’s enjoyed learning the most in Sea Cadets is how to sail, and he has achieved his Bronze Sail Level Four. “Cadets is also great because it’s free---all the uniforms, the travel, the uniforms and the training---anyone can join,” he continued.

“Sea Cadets teaches kids important life skills, including self-discipline and leadership,” he said. “It’s also a great way to make friends from around the world.”

For more information about the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets in Williams Lake, phone 392-2834.