HMCS Bonaventure was a beautiful carrier in the classic design, similar to the USN's Essex Class ships that proudly and effectively served from mid-WWII into the mid 1970's.
My father served on her until 1970. She was a magnificent ship. Living in sheatwater for 7 years i remember her being jettyed preparing for deployment. To a young boy she was quite the sight. I had the oppotunity to board her for a tour.
I bought my sailboat from a retired police officer, Sgt Hardcastle, who had served on HMCS Bonaventure. If he is still around, 35 years later and happens to read this, I want him to know that Up Spirits is well, refitted windows and hatches, rebuilt engine, newish electronics and she has won races, though I don't know how as she cannot sail close to the wind at all. I dropped the two in her name but it Remains Up Spirits in honour of Bonaventure and at 11:00 Hrs. the drinking flag goes up
As much as I love the military and know that we need to maintain our readiness, I don't agree with your statement! We don't have the population in Canada to maintain a single modern aircraft carrier. We barely have enough to maintain the fleet of ships that we have already. We are not a world power, nor are we ready to become one. We are the second largest country in the world, yet with our population, we are unable to maintain the expenses to protect it.(We only have a population of 40 million people...Thats the entire state of California alone!) Our biggest threat to sovereignty is in the artic. Losing the Avro Arrow was our biggest blunder. It could have made Canada a leading country in aerospace design for fighter aircraft. Ironically, it did lead to NASA getting some of the best engineers and helping to put a man on the moon in the space race. Another reality that we are facing is that getting young people to join the navy has become increasingly difficult. I sympathize with you, but the financial and practical reality is just not there.
@@lawrencebrenton3365 - I'm ex-RCN and served during the Cold War and into the '90s. You may be very wrong in most of your views. Canada has not met NATO target spending for around 50 years. In fact, it went below 1% of GDP per year along the way but generally hovers above 1% and below the target of 2%. As a result, Canada is a nation of grifters in NATO. Furthermore, Canada's successive governments are next to useless in procurement. I will not discuss the what-if debates about the CF-105 Arrow and HMCS Bras d'Or. I know that the age of interceptors was ending, so it's debatable if the Arrow should have been procured and if hydrofoils in the North Atlantic weren't very rational for reasons that should be obvious. The brain drain was sad to see. It is clear that poor federal decision-making, blatant incompetence in Ottawa, politicizing procurement, and seriously chronic underfunding have killed a once capable military and its three branches. When I say "killed"...I mean it. The subs are next to useless, having zero days at sea in 2022. We cannot man all the old CPFs. The crap acquired recently (AOPS - Harry de Wolfe class) isn't capable, they are not warships, and they are summer ice-breakers...the lowest class possible. It's a joke. The proposed acquisition of 15 new frigates is over 22.5 years once they start (do the math assuming a 30-year hull lifespan). They are already outclassed as well. The cancelled EH-101 Merlins (a great helo) was substituted with a nightmare helo developed for the Navy by Sikorsky (the Cyclone!). They still don't work safely and reliably after more than 20 years. If they ever do (lol), they are very limited in capability. The MPAs (CF-140 Auroras) are worn out, and the fleet is down to around a dozen for three oceans. Other so-called Navy ships are just training ships and cannot fight except against unarmed fishermen. The RCAF has very old CF-18A/Bs...obsolete, worn out (old!) and cannot be expected to fight. The transport capacity of the RCAF is very limited as well. The Army's "new" Leopard 2A6s were worn out from Afghanistan...they aren't new anymore and have dubious value. Finally, there is a "people-power" shortage (thanks, Trudy), and DEI is destroying the meritocracy, little by little. The heritage of the services is being downplayed. Pay is good, but Gen Z isn't interested. I agree that Canada can not afford a supercarrier. However, Canada's GDP can indeed support smaller specialized carriers. Many countries can afford one or two ships of this class (CVL). For example, even Egypt has two Mystral class ships. So, at that point, you are very wrong. Would they be useful? Yes, in the context of NATO and ASW or having a few F-35Bs and ASW helos, but there is a need for blue water AAW, ASW, and ASuW frigates or destroyers. Underfunding, complacency, stupidity, and a lack of integrity in Ottawa mean that I think it is a huge lie that Canada is useful for NATO and NORAD. Canada is a very expensive country now (thanks, Trudy) and holds no credibility on the international stage. Mass immigration (vs. realistic immigration) is only going to continue and make things worse-and they are already quite bad. That's obvious and basic economics. What's also obvious is that it will take decades to correct Trudy and his ministers' mistakes, much like it did with his father. I wish Canadians were more educated about macroeconomics and geopolitics. Maybe they would vote wisely. Oh, Canada... 😥
I am well aware of the history. Are you aware that, at the time, getting supplies to Great Britain was a high priority, and the Navy was given that priority beyond all else because of the Uboat threat. It was one of our main contributions to the allied cause. The Bonaventure wasn't launched until Febuary 1945. The war was over in May... 3 months later! Canada did have 2 escort carriers, but they were controlled by the British. Just so you know!
At least we’re going to be getting new frigate/destroyer ships, and then new fighters not long after provided our government gets there heads out of their asses.
@@cmac9029 they never will, they're all incompetent and content with having a token national defense and freeloading off of the US and UK for perpetuity
@@zachhoward9099 true. its sad because at the NATO required 2 percent GDP for defense spending, we would be somewhere over 30 billion per year for defense...not 9 billion
@@cmac9029 Canada relies on her ability to deploy heavily armed and extremely well trained infantry rapidly and at a moment's notice. Destroyers and frigates are not enough. Our strength lies in our Airforce and infantry as well as anti-tank capabilities. We need an aircraft carrier or two so we can stop relying on the US for transport over seas. Our military has traditionally be revolved around deploying to Europe. Now in the modern age the battlefield has changed. We need to adjust to that.
Not just the Canadian Govt. being short sighted..Australia did exactly the same bloody thing with H.M.A.S. Melbourne, the largest of the majestic class of light fleet carriers! so you could say both were stupid..Although Aus. has now got 2 more, even bigger carriers for troops and helicopters, but can carry v/stol aircraft with their ski jumps!
Melbourne was completely and utterly fucked when the Australians retired her. The structure was so severely corroded that it was questionable whether or not she could withstand further A-4 recoveries, as such she only operated S-2's and SH-3's in her twilight years. The A-4's would occasionally fly dummy approaches and the odd bolter but the ability to operate the A-4 at sea went years before the carrier did. Structure aside the catapult was knackered and the arresting engine was on its last legs, it could just about manage the S-2's but no more. The RAN was looking at purchasing an Invincible class ship from the UK along with Sea Harriers but then the Falklands happened and the UK decided it might be a good idea to keep all three. The sale got far enough along that a few RAN pilots checked out in the Sea Harrier in anticipation of an Australian order. Perhaps Canada could have ordered a small contingent of A-4's to replace the Banshees, but lets get real... the A-4 was not a fighter... it was a case of being better than nothing. By even the mid 60's a Squadron of A-4's would have been incapable of defending against a soviet AShM equipped strike package... That being the case all the Bonnie or Majestic class in general were good for was ASW.... hence Canada sent the fighters ashore and did just that.
Your quite right..Ships Company were calling Melbourne HMAS Russ T. Bucket at the end of life!..Machinery constantly breaking down, crowded and stuffy mess decks, condensation so bad it had begun to smell! But we really dodged a bullet by not getting Invincible! It was just to small, originally rated a 'through deck cruiser' it's aircraft capacity proved to be inadequate in the Falklands!
Granted, like most British equipment it was a case of make do with what you've got... we went from F-4's to Sea Harrier FRS.1's... not much of an upgrade. Still would have been nice to see one in the RAN, for much the same reasons as the RN.... better than nothing, at least the SHAR would have been a modest improvement over the A-4, with the potential for the FA.2 further down the road.
Yea me too, the Trudeau family, Frick (elder) and Frack ( guess who) have between the two of them destroyed Canadas military. While my dad and his friends were in Europe fighting the nazis , the bigger shit, Frick, was riding around Montreal on his motorcycle wearing a German helmet. Shows his allegiance, hopefully he in resting very uncomfortably in hell. Justin, probably the bigger shit, shows his allegiance by paying soldiers of terrorism $10 millions of our tax money. Two of the biggest betrayers of their country in history. We never learn,Trump if you are reading this ......invade you have a terrorist PM on your northern boarder.
RippedFall9153 because of all the scandals, the bullshit and them trying to defund our military until all we have left is Mounties with hunting rifles to defend our homeland
Served on the Bonny. Peti Officer First Class at retirment (Sergeant) Jack Marsden served with honour. 26 years CNAG (Canadian Navil Air Group), severed on the Maggy as well. (He liked the Maggy better) She was a happier ship...his words.
My father served on this ship, he helped fight the fires that may break out once and awhile and also held two heavy weight boxing championship titles while on the boat (not actual championships but naval fights)
My father served on the Bonaventure. I have a few pictures of him in uniform, and a few of him on the ship. He may have been on the ship at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. I won't know from his mouth because he died in '81 of a heart attack. I was born in '63 and was in my mother's womb during the crisis.
@@u.h.forum. As if. Our few ships are mostly tied up, we dont have crew, and we don't have an arctic presence. This former Navy man feels shame when I visit the shipyards now.
Canada doesn't care about shit anymore other than being percieved as socially responsible, taxing it's citizens to death, letting them.get stoned as a distraction and being a free loader off the efforts and defense of the United States
@@skypilotace Totally agree. We exist as an unofficial US protectorate. Useful to the Americans as a resource supply and a built in buyer of their goods, too. Also. We are a physical ring of defense in their north. Always been this way. Before the US, Great Britain did the same with Canada; sovereign but almost still like a colony.
I didn't know Canada had an aircraft carrier up until the 70's. I only recently heard about it, when I was watching a video about the A-4 Skyhawk, and that the US wanted to sell it Canada for its carrier.
We had a pretty strong tradition of carriers. Before Bonaventure we had Magnificent and before her Warrior, before that RCN sailor crewed the light carriers HMS Puncher and Nabob. (not RCN ships so not HMCS)
5 หลายเดือนก่อน +2
Proof that the arrow and CV22 were canceled by different politicians proves that stupidity in Ottawa is universal
We should be building aircraft carriers, it’s absolutely outrageous we aren’t. We can’t rely on the USA to be our daddy, we need to do things on our own. Build Canadian made jets and aircraft carriers before WW3.
Honestly as an American Im horrified at Canada's military readiness. Proudly it always stood shoulder with shoulder with the US and the Brits, but man Canada's has let it's military decay to such a point that some of it's military assets like submarines and jet fighters are extremely outdated. Australia a much smaller economy and population has a much more lethal military. Canadians need to wake up, but then again we in the US (the US people and taxpayers) will have to defend Canada at all cost. Meanwhile no where in the world do you find more anti-Americanism than in Canada.
I agree wholeheartedly with almost everything you wrote. It's a shame that the government of Canada has let its military decay to the point it has. At the end of WW2, Canada had the third largest navy in the world. However a succession of Liberal (Democrat) governments have weakened our military. I do not include the men and women in the forces as "weak" - person for person they are amongst the best in the world but I'm ashamed to admit their equipment is sadly lacking. Our military procurement process is an absolute joke as politics often causes ridiculous delays (years) in getting equipment. Where I disagree with you is anti-Amercanism in Canada. If you're looking at leftist places like Toronto and Vancouver and assuming that that's Canada's attitude, that's wrong. It's like assuming Hollywood, Soho and the Lower East Side represent all Americans. Many Canadians including me consider America to be our cousins.
The aircraft carriers were only because Canada was tasked with protecting the Atlantic sea lanes during WWII as England needed the supplies from Canada. However, since the second world war, the air coverage gap in the Atlantic disappears as planes gained greater range. Given that the US staffs their aircraft carriers with over 6,000 crew, giving up aircraft carriers was probably a good thing for Canada, they would've given the Navy a huge vulnerability and would provide a capability that was no longer needed except in the Pacific where Canada has not been a major player. Indeed, providing air coverage for Northern Canada is more of a concern then coverage over seas and oceans... Maybe they should work on a small icebreaker drone, missile and helicopter carrier.
Why doesn't Canada purchase any of the retired U.S. carriers that are still viable? The Nimitz should be available in the next few years unless they modernize her to maintain a larger fleet at sea.
The Bonaventure's huge anchor and chain was made into a Memorial in 1973 and mounted at the water's edged of Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, Nova Scotia for RCN servicemen who died in 1969 on the HMCS Kootenay. But, the monument is now in a grave state of deterioration, the anchor could fall onto the rocks, that various parties are declining responsibility for. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/maintenance-of-bonaventure-memorial-anchor-not-up-to-par-1.4094954
The Bonnie as the men called it my father was a crew member. I also got to visit on it as a kid remember the dr put a bandage on my leg with little ships on it.
I served on the Bonnie in the 50s with vs 880/881. She was a great ship & the crew at that time were top notch! Both the Liberals & the consevatives are responsible for the fact that our service men & women are saked to serve without the best equipment they deserve .. A VERY SHAMEFUL LEGASY!
I think the scrapping of the Bonnie was a bigger mistake than the Arrow. The Arrow's role was filled by the CF-101 Voodoo, a capable and effective interceptor though not Canadian built. The role never disappeared. The Bonnie's role was phased out, and the capability of operating these large ships lost to the ages. Once you give up a capability, its very difficult to ever get it back. The bonnie was the pride of the Canadian Navy, and Trudeau scrapped her and walked back out NATO commitments and we have never recovered from those mistakes.
The real scuttlebutt about the Bonnie was she wasn't scrapped but rather her only her number and build plate were. They took the build plate off an Indian rust bucket the INS Vikrant R11 and riveted onto the hull of the newly refitted Bonnie and the rust bucket was scrapped. They won't teach you that in school, in secret societies absolutely, school no way.
The INS Vikrant R11 maintenance record does, my dad served 28 years in the Naval Air service including the Warrior, the Maggie and the Bonnie I played on the deck of the Bonnie when I was a kid. If you had seen how sloppy the Indian government was with Vikrant no one would have a single doubt she had turned into a rust bucket scow. I saw the photo's.
Tinfoil hat on a bit too tight? The Indians are great at keeping rust buckets operational long past their used by dates... They only just retired the Viraat... aka Hermes... Given how long they kept Viraat going after the UK had already used her for decades previously I have no doubt at all that Vikrant R11 was the same hull throughout her career.... Too many people would know about this to even try to keep it a secret... the Canadians would know, the Indians would know and the Taiwanese that Scrapped the Bonnie would know...
Oh dear I... I'm so sorry that facts offend you. The notion that you could re-plate two Carriers and not have anyone notice is just fucking absurd. If you not only believe this BS conspiracy theory but try to peddle it then naive doesn't even begin to cut it.... They won't teach it in schools because... it didn't fucking happen. Your tale of the Bonnie secretly becoming the Vikrant is just as nutty as the Micky Mouse Argentine claims that Invincible was sunk in 1982 and then rebuilt in secret.
We could have a large navy right now but spending on the military is miniscule. Lack of recruits are also a huge issue. We are part of NATO also which gives us extra fire power. But I would love to see a more prominent military presence in Canada but that's far and few between.
Terrible Mistake..Canada should have Kept its Carrier...At least keep 1 in our awesome,Variety Country,with so many people from different parts of the world,We Canadiens should have a Great Carrier now..."Should"TRUDEAU Made a BIG mistake taken it off,not even old,just had refit,n o rust but scrapped it...yeah better to go buy a rusty used navy ship,probably corvette...Mistake taken our Canada's only made CARRIER...Revive her Canada!!!.
The cancellation of the Arrow by the conservatives was a much more drastic attack on Canada’s defense establishment than the decommissioning of the Bonaventure which was a modernized World War Two era carrier that couldn’t operate the most modern carrier aircraft at the time of her disposal The Arrow was one of the most technically advanced aircraft of her time but Eisenhower told Deifenbaker it had to go so Deif bought obsolete Bomarc missles and American jets that weren’t as good as the Arrow.
Careful, facts to conservatives is like holy water to vampires. The ship by 1970 would have been more than useless in a confrontation with a modern navy. And yes the Avro Arrow not only was one of, if not the best, fighter jet at the time, it's cancellation would also decimate Canada's entire aviation industry.
Bonnie was a old small carrier. When she was scrapped, NO Fighter AIrcraft could operate from her. Just too small.....and Harriers were several years away. As just a anti-sub and helicopter platform....her use was questionable. Sad but true. Canada never had the money to get into the super carrier business where you could operate modern fighters.
She was completely refitted out, new cats, new engines and props, new electronics. India had a Majestic class aircraft carrier that was in worse shape than the Bonnie INS Vikrant (R11). The scuttle butt is INS Vikrant (R11) was scrapped and the Bonnie changed paint schemes. Fact.
Actually there was a plan to replace the Banshees with A-4s ( which operated off the Bonnies sister ship HMAS Melbourne ) or A-7s, sadly it never came to pass.
Dave Kachorowski - The first Harriers entered service in 1969. This means the idiots in parliment could have considered keeping the Bonnie and using it for Harriers. But no, it's better to be weak and endanger our safety and national independence.
It doesn't matter which party is in power. No party is pro military, and when they do purchase equipment needed, like Harper did during the Afghanistan deployment, further down the road they screw it up. The problem with Canada's military is no sitting government has gotten the procurement process right. They take years deciding what they want, buy it, then take years to get it to the troops. They only buy x amount with no upgrade deal added to the purchase. The equipment is used for far to long then spend millions on incremental upgrades. In the meantime other equipment that should be replaced is held on to because the money has already been spent elsewhere. This goes on and on. Then a Priminister is elected that would rather legalize marijuana and tell disabled veterans that they ask too much of their government when the government sends them to a foreign land to give that country a better way of life and they are wounded in the process. The military is then portrayed in a negative way to the Canadian people, and the world, by the media so when videos like this are put on you tube, most replies are negative and durogitory to the very people that volenteer to serve in the Canadian Forces instead of being proud of them.
Um, our government isn't short-sided because we don't attack countries, we defend ours. Plus this isn't the last Aircraft Carrier in the Canadian Royal Navy so...
Hey Spotter, it's the Royal Canadian Navy and do you know something the rest of us don't. We have no aircraft carrier and there are no plans to acquire one. So for now...CVL-22 HMCS Bonaventure was the "last Canadian carrier"
Excellent, short video of HMCS "Bonnie"
From a USN Veteran, 84 - 05
@@Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P Thank you - and thank you for your service.
My brother Terry Webber served on the Bonnie, he passed away in Dec 2019 He loved that ship
I was recently given the steering yoke from a Tracker that had flown off Bonaventure. My favorite warship and my favorite plane.
HMCS Bonaventure was a beautiful carrier in the classic design, similar to the USN's Essex Class ships that proudly and effectively served from mid-WWII into the mid 1970's.
Excellent and very informative video. Why am I not surprised that the PM who decided her fate was related to our current PM!
Reducing our defences is an an family tradition...
I have a great old friend who was off Cuba during the crisis on the Bonnie, pretty dam tense. He's 81 today.
My father served on her until 1970. She was a magnificent ship. Living in sheatwater for 7 years i remember her being jettyed preparing for deployment. To a young boy she was quite the sight. I had the oppotunity to board her for a tour.
I served on her 1968 thru decommissioning and she was a grand lady and also a great posting for communicators.
Great download, very informative. My father was in the RCN at the refurbishment at Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast.
Your father should be proud of himself!
My grandfather was in the RCN too and met my grandmother in Belfast.
I bought my sailboat from a retired police officer, Sgt Hardcastle, who had served on HMCS Bonaventure. If he is still around, 35 years later and happens to read this, I want him to know that Up Spirits is well, refitted windows and hatches, rebuilt engine, newish electronics and she has won races, though I don't know how as she cannot sail close to the wind at all. I dropped the two in her name but it Remains Up Spirits in honour of Bonaventure and at 11:00 Hrs. the drinking flag goes up
Turdeuo was a traitor to get rid of your carrier. His son seems to be weakening Canada too.
@UCozajR4aSrsdYh8ibMTMkMA You're an idiot
As much as I love the military and know that we need to maintain our readiness, I don't agree with your statement! We don't have the population in Canada to maintain a single modern aircraft carrier. We barely have enough to maintain the fleet of ships that we have already. We are not a world power, nor are we ready to become one. We are the second largest country in the world, yet with our population, we are unable to maintain the expenses to protect it.(We only have a population of 40 million people...Thats the entire state of California alone!) Our biggest threat to sovereignty is in the artic. Losing the Avro Arrow was our biggest blunder. It could have made Canada a leading country in aerospace design for fighter aircraft. Ironically, it did lead to NASA getting some of the best engineers and helping to put a man on the moon in the space race. Another reality that we are facing is that getting young people to join the navy has become increasingly difficult. I sympathize with you, but the financial and practical reality is just not there.
@@lawrencebrenton3365 - I'm ex-RCN and served during the Cold War and into the '90s. You may be very wrong in most of your views. Canada has not met NATO target spending for around 50 years. In fact, it went below 1% of GDP per year along the way but generally hovers above 1% and below the target of 2%. As a result, Canada is a nation of grifters in NATO.
Furthermore, Canada's successive governments are next to useless in procurement. I will not discuss the what-if debates about the CF-105 Arrow and HMCS Bras d'Or. I know that the age of interceptors was ending, so it's debatable if the Arrow should have been procured and if hydrofoils in the North Atlantic weren't very rational for reasons that should be obvious. The brain drain was sad to see.
It is clear that poor federal decision-making, blatant incompetence in Ottawa, politicizing procurement, and seriously chronic underfunding have killed a once capable military and its three branches. When I say "killed"...I mean it.
The subs are next to useless, having zero days at sea in 2022. We cannot man all the old CPFs. The crap acquired recently (AOPS - Harry de Wolfe class) isn't capable, they are not warships, and they are summer ice-breakers...the lowest class possible. It's a joke. The proposed acquisition of 15 new frigates is over 22.5 years once they start (do the math assuming a 30-year hull lifespan). They are already outclassed as well. The cancelled EH-101 Merlins (a great helo) was substituted with a nightmare helo developed for the Navy by Sikorsky (the Cyclone!). They still don't work safely and reliably after more than 20 years. If they ever do (lol), they are very limited in capability. The MPAs (CF-140 Auroras) are worn out, and the fleet is down to around a dozen for three oceans. Other so-called Navy ships are just training ships and cannot fight except against unarmed fishermen. The RCAF has very old CF-18A/Bs...obsolete, worn out (old!) and cannot be expected to fight. The transport capacity of the RCAF is very limited as well. The Army's "new" Leopard 2A6s were worn out from Afghanistan...they aren't new anymore and have dubious value. Finally, there is a "people-power" shortage (thanks, Trudy), and DEI is destroying the meritocracy, little by little. The heritage of the services is being downplayed. Pay is good, but Gen Z isn't interested.
I agree that Canada can not afford a supercarrier. However, Canada's GDP can indeed support smaller specialized carriers. Many countries can afford one or two ships of this class (CVL). For example, even Egypt has two Mystral class ships. So, at that point, you are very wrong. Would they be useful? Yes, in the context of NATO and ASW or having a few F-35Bs and ASW helos, but there is a need for blue water AAW, ASW, and ASuW frigates or destroyers.
Underfunding, complacency, stupidity, and a lack of integrity in Ottawa mean that I think it is a huge lie that Canada is useful for NATO and NORAD. Canada is a very expensive country now (thanks, Trudy) and holds no credibility on the international stage. Mass immigration (vs. realistic immigration) is only going to continue and make things worse-and they are already quite bad. That's obvious and basic economics.
What's also obvious is that it will take decades to correct Trudy and his ministers' mistakes, much like it did with his father. I wish Canadians were more educated about macroeconomics and geopolitics. Maybe they would vote wisely.
Oh, Canada...
😥
@@lawrencebrenton3365 In WW 2, Canada had the 3rd largest navy in the world. Just saying.
I am well aware of the history. Are you aware that, at the time, getting supplies to Great Britain was a high priority, and the Navy was given that priority beyond all else because of the Uboat threat. It was one of our main contributions to the allied cause. The Bonaventure wasn't launched until Febuary 1945. The war was over in May... 3 months later! Canada did have 2 escort carriers, but they were controlled by the British. Just so you know!
Canada's military needs this and moree.
sweiland75 absolutely, especially now than ever as our fleet is ever aging.
At least we’re going to be getting new frigate/destroyer ships, and then new fighters not long after provided our government gets there heads out of their asses.
@@cmac9029 they never will, they're all incompetent and content with having a token national defense and freeloading off of the US and UK for perpetuity
@@zachhoward9099 true. its sad because at the NATO required 2 percent GDP for defense spending, we would be somewhere over 30 billion per year for defense...not 9 billion
@@cmac9029 Canada relies on her ability to deploy heavily armed and extremely well trained infantry rapidly and at a moment's notice. Destroyers and frigates are not enough. Our strength lies in our Airforce and infantry as well as anti-tank capabilities. We need an aircraft carrier or two so we can stop relying on the US for transport over seas. Our military has traditionally be revolved around deploying to Europe. Now in the modern age the battlefield has changed. We need to adjust to that.
Not just the Canadian Govt. being short sighted..Australia did exactly the same bloody thing with H.M.A.S. Melbourne, the largest of the majestic class of light fleet carriers! so you could say both were stupid..Although Aus. has now got 2 more, even bigger carriers for troops and helicopters, but can carry v/stol aircraft with their ski jumps!
Melbourne was completely and utterly fucked when the Australians retired her.
The structure was so severely corroded that it was questionable whether or not she could withstand further A-4 recoveries, as such she only operated S-2's and SH-3's in her twilight years. The A-4's would occasionally fly dummy approaches and the odd bolter but the ability to operate the A-4 at sea went years before the carrier did. Structure aside the catapult was knackered and the arresting engine was on its last legs, it could just about manage the S-2's but no more.
The RAN was looking at purchasing an Invincible class ship from the UK along with Sea Harriers but then the Falklands happened and the UK decided it might be a good idea to keep all three. The sale got far enough along that a few RAN pilots checked out in the Sea Harrier in anticipation of an Australian order.
Perhaps Canada could have ordered a small contingent of A-4's to replace the Banshees, but lets get real... the A-4 was not a fighter... it was a case of being better than nothing. By even the mid 60's a Squadron of A-4's would have been incapable of defending against a soviet AShM equipped strike package... That being the case all the Bonnie or Majestic class in general were good for was ASW.... hence Canada sent the fighters ashore and did just that.
Your quite right..Ships Company were calling Melbourne HMAS Russ T. Bucket at the end of life!..Machinery constantly breaking down, crowded and stuffy mess decks, condensation so bad it had begun to smell! But we really dodged a bullet by not getting Invincible! It was just to small, originally rated a 'through deck cruiser' it's aircraft capacity proved to be inadequate in the Falklands!
Granted, like most British equipment it was a case of make do with what you've got... we went from F-4's to Sea Harrier FRS.1's... not much of an upgrade. Still would have been nice to see one in the RAN, for much the same reasons as the RN.... better than nothing, at least the SHAR would have been a modest improvement over the A-4, with the potential for the FA.2 further down the road.
FallenPhoenix The Falklands was a close run thing. F-4's would have made a difference.
Kurio71 if we'd still had a conventional carrier in'82 then the Falklands war likely wouldn't have happened at all.
My father was on the Bonnie, and he tells Bonnie stories like they just happened yesterday.
As soon as I saw the name 'Trudeau' my eyes rolled.
But why
Yea me too, the Trudeau family, Frick (elder) and Frack ( guess who) have between the two of them destroyed Canadas military. While my dad and his friends were in Europe fighting the nazis , the bigger shit, Frick, was riding around Montreal on his motorcycle wearing a German helmet. Shows his allegiance, hopefully he in resting very uncomfortably in hell. Justin, probably the bigger shit, shows his allegiance by paying soldiers of terrorism $10 millions of our tax money. Two of the biggest betrayers of their country in history. We never learn,Trump if you are reading this ......invade you have a terrorist PM on your northern boarder.
I apologize on behalf of my braindead prime minister
RippedFall9153 because of all the scandals, the bullshit and them trying to defund our military until all we have left is Mounties with hunting rifles to defend our homeland
The liberals just want to decrease our military every year. It's a shime
such proud military tradition, bring these men back on a canadian carrier
Served on the Bonny. Peti Officer First Class at retirment (Sergeant) Jack Marsden served with honour. 26 years CNAG (Canadian Navil Air Group), severed on the Maggy as well. (He liked the Maggy better) She was a happier ship...his words.
My father served on this ship, he helped fight the fires that may break out once and awhile and also held two heavy weight boxing championship titles while on the boat (not actual championships but naval fights)
I was also a firefighter on board the Bonnie in 1964-1965
My father served on the Bonaventure. I have a few pictures of him in uniform, and a few of him on the ship. He may have been on the ship at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. I won't know from his mouth because he died in '81 of a heart attack. I was born in '63 and was in my mother's womb during the crisis.
I served as part of the VS 880 Squadron ground-crew 12Jan 68-4Jul 68, 6Aug 68 to 30Oct 68, and 23 Jan 69 to 23 Mar 69
Thank you for your service! 🫡
My father was a on the Bonnie he loved the navy he loved the ships he served on.
My father served on HMCS Lanark.👍
My Grandfather Served on this beauty!
my uncle Mike was on the Bonaventure and he a lot of story to tell
I'd love to hear them
I had no idea. Thank you for this!
I remember when Canada could actually defend its own sovereignty.
TheColonelKlink what are you talking about? Canada is more than capable of defending her oceans
Can Canada defend its shores? I don’t think 16 warships and 76 fighters can defend a nation as large as Canada.
@@u.h.forum. As if. Our few ships are mostly tied up, we dont have crew, and we don't have an arctic presence. This former Navy man feels shame when I visit the shipyards now.
Canada doesn't care about shit anymore other than being percieved as socially responsible, taxing it's citizens to death, letting them.get stoned as a distraction and being a free loader off the efforts and defense of the United States
@@skypilotace Totally agree. We exist as an unofficial US protectorate. Useful to the Americans as a resource supply and a built in buyer of their goods, too. Also. We are a physical ring of defense in their north.
Always been this way. Before the US, Great Britain did the same with Canada; sovereign but almost still like a colony.
The name Trudeau should strike fear into the hearts of all Canadians.
I didn't know Canada had an aircraft carrier up until the 70's. I only recently heard about it, when I was watching a video about the A-4 Skyhawk, and that the US wanted to sell it Canada for its carrier.
We had a pretty strong tradition of carriers. Before Bonaventure we had Magnificent and before her Warrior, before that RCN sailor crewed the light carriers HMS Puncher and Nabob. (not RCN ships so not HMCS)
Proof that the arrow and CV22 were canceled by different politicians proves that stupidity in Ottawa is universal
We need a flat top .Our F-18s would have a floating base and rebuild our navy to what it should be ..
Could just have used A-4 Skyhawks, plus helicopters. Sigh.
We should be building aircraft carriers, it’s absolutely outrageous we aren’t. We can’t rely on the USA to be our daddy, we need to do things on our own. Build Canadian made jets and aircraft carriers before WW3.
Honestly as an American Im horrified at Canada's military readiness. Proudly it always stood shoulder with shoulder with the US and the Brits, but man Canada's has let it's military decay to such a point that some of it's military assets like submarines and jet fighters are extremely outdated. Australia a much smaller economy and population has a much more lethal military. Canadians need to wake up, but then again we in the US (the US people and taxpayers) will have to defend Canada at all cost. Meanwhile no where in the world do you find more anti-Americanism than in Canada.
I agree wholeheartedly with almost everything you wrote. It's a shame that the government of Canada has let its military decay to the point it has. At the end of WW2, Canada had the third largest navy in the world. However a succession of Liberal (Democrat) governments have weakened our military. I do not include the men and women in the forces as "weak" - person for person they are amongst the best in the world but I'm ashamed to admit their equipment is sadly lacking. Our military procurement process is an absolute joke as politics often causes ridiculous delays (years) in getting equipment.
Where I disagree with you is anti-Amercanism in Canada. If you're looking at leftist places like Toronto and Vancouver and assuming that that's Canada's attitude, that's wrong. It's like assuming Hollywood, Soho and the Lower East Side represent all Americans. Many Canadians including me consider America to be our cousins.
Tom Brokaw had a good explainer... th-cam.com/video/lrA4V6YF6SA/w-d-xo.html
When canada Will have aircraft carrier and navy medical ship?
Probably never, thier politicians are idiots who believe in nothing but funding social programs
Zach Howard yah because instead of defending our country we need to fund Justin’s vacations and the WE charity
The aircraft carriers were only because Canada was tasked with protecting the Atlantic sea lanes during WWII as England needed the supplies from Canada. However, since the second world war, the air coverage gap in the Atlantic disappears as planes gained greater range. Given that the US staffs their aircraft carriers with over 6,000 crew, giving up aircraft carriers was probably a good thing for Canada, they would've given the Navy a huge vulnerability and would provide a capability that was no longer needed except in the Pacific where Canada has not been a major player. Indeed, providing air coverage for Northern Canada is more of a concern then coverage over seas and oceans... Maybe they should work on a small icebreaker drone, missile and helicopter carrier.
biggest flop in canadians history was getting rid of a carrier.
Could you imagine Skyhawks on the Bonnie ?
Today's exam questions: are there countries building small aircraft carriers today more cheaply than the latest cost estimates for an RCN T26 frigate?
Wow only 21 million bucks ?
like hundreds of millions in today's cash
Max Headroom I think it's plastic
21M because it was in the 60's. Now, it would 100M+
What a shame she was decommissioned.
Why doesn't Canada purchase any of the retired U.S. carriers that are still viable? The Nimitz should be available in the next few years unless they modernize her to maintain a larger fleet at sea.
The Bonaventure's huge anchor and chain was made into a Memorial in 1973 and mounted at the water's edged of Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, Nova Scotia for RCN servicemen who died in 1969 on the HMCS Kootenay. But, the monument is now in a grave state of deterioration, the anchor could fall onto the rocks, that various parties are declining responsibility for. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/maintenance-of-bonaventure-memorial-anchor-not-up-to-par-1.4094954
Not only for the Kootenay One of my shipmates is also on there Naval personal who were killed while serving on board
The Bonnie as the men called it my father was a crew member. I also got to visit on it as a kid remember the dr put a bandage on my leg with little ships on it.
I served on the Bonnie in the 50s with vs 880/881. She was a great ship & the crew at that time were top notch! Both the Liberals & the consevatives are responsible for the fact that our service men & women are saked to serve without the best equipment they deserve .. A VERY SHAMEFUL LEGASY!
Thank you for your service. 🇨🇦
my father also served on it Fulford was his name.
Thanks mate👍🇳🇿
I hope there is not another fop 3 generation trudeau in such a high office on canada AGAIN
I think the scrapping of the Bonnie was a bigger mistake than the Arrow. The Arrow's role was filled by the CF-101 Voodoo, a capable and effective interceptor though not Canadian built. The role never disappeared. The Bonnie's role was phased out, and the capability of operating these large ships lost to the ages. Once you give up a capability, its very difficult to ever get it back. The bonnie was the pride of the Canadian Navy, and Trudeau scrapped her and walked back out NATO commitments and we have never recovered from those mistakes.
Say this ship docked in Halifax around the mid-sixties.
The HMAS Melbourne carried de Havilland Sea Venoms
Does anyone remember a dunkirk boat being transported in 1964 belonging to general Allard chief of defence staff?
what a fool decision..hasty one too..after it just got refitted..pffff!
How many aircrafts fit on it 5?
@@ap0lmc 34. 16 Banshees and a mix of Grumman Trackers and Sikorsky HO4S
@CrosscutFilmsSask I don't know how we went from that to the present so called armed forces.
The real scuttlebutt about the Bonnie was she wasn't scrapped but rather her only her number and build plate were. They took the build plate off an Indian rust bucket the INS Vikrant R11 and riveted onto the hull of the newly refitted Bonnie and the rust bucket was scrapped. They won't teach you that in school, in secret societies absolutely, school no way.
I heard that rumor when I lived in Halifax. Who knows....
The INS Vikrant R11 maintenance record does, my dad served 28 years in the Naval Air service including the Warrior, the Maggie and the Bonnie I played on the deck of the Bonnie when I was a kid. If you had seen how sloppy the Indian government was with Vikrant no one would have a single doubt she had turned into a rust bucket scow. I saw the photo's.
Tinfoil hat on a bit too tight?
The Indians are great at keeping rust buckets operational long past their used by dates... They only just retired the Viraat... aka Hermes... Given how long they kept Viraat going after the UK had already used her for decades previously I have no doubt at all that Vikrant R11 was the same hull throughout her career....
Too many people would know about this to even try to keep it a secret... the Canadians would know, the Indians would know and the Taiwanese that Scrapped the Bonnie would know...
Oh dear I... I'm so sorry that facts offend you.
The notion that you could re-plate two Carriers and not have anyone notice is just fucking absurd. If you not only believe this BS conspiracy theory but try to peddle it then naive doesn't even begin to cut it.... They won't teach it in schools because... it didn't fucking happen.
Your tale of the Bonnie secretly becoming the Vikrant is just as nutty as the Micky Mouse Argentine claims that Invincible was sunk in 1982 and then rebuilt in secret.
@@FallenPhoenix86 I met a navel air member who flew off that carrier. I told him that theory and he had a great laugh.
When Canada had one of the largest Navy in the world.
We could have a large navy right now but spending on the military is miniscule. Lack of recruits are also a huge issue. We are part of NATO also which gives us extra fire power. But I would love to see a more prominent military presence in Canada but that's far and few between.
it was owned by Britain basically
Nope. Canada purchased the Bonnie outright.
Omg 😱 Canada had aircraft carrier omg 😱 I wish that we have one now
Terrible Mistake..Canada should have Kept its Carrier...At least keep 1 in our awesome,Variety Country,with so many people from different parts of the world,We Canadiens should have a Great Carrier now..."Should"TRUDEAU Made a BIG mistake taken it off,not even old,just had refit,n o rust but scrapped it...yeah better to go buy a rusty used navy ship,probably corvette...Mistake taken our Canada's only made CARRIER...Revive her Canada!!!.
RCN!
The cancellation of the Arrow by the conservatives was a much more drastic attack on Canada’s defense establishment than the decommissioning of the Bonaventure which was a modernized World War Two era carrier that couldn’t operate the most modern carrier aircraft at the time of her disposal
The Arrow was one of the most technically advanced aircraft of her time but Eisenhower told Deifenbaker it had to go so Deif bought obsolete Bomarc missles and American jets that weren’t as good as the Arrow.
Careful, facts to conservatives is like holy water to vampires. The ship by 1970 would have been more than useless in a confrontation with a modern navy. And yes the Avro Arrow not only was one of, if not the best, fighter jet at the time, it's cancellation would also decimate Canada's entire aviation industry.
@@markpoidvin5382 great reply
Bonnie was a old small carrier. When she was scrapped, NO Fighter AIrcraft could operate from her. Just too small.....and Harriers were several years away. As just a anti-sub and helicopter platform....her use was questionable. Sad but true. Canada never had the money to get into the super carrier business where you could operate modern fighters.
She was completely refitted out, new cats, new engines and props, new electronics. India had a Majestic class aircraft carrier that was in worse shape than the Bonnie INS Vikrant (R11). The scuttle butt is INS Vikrant (R11) was scrapped and the Bonnie changed paint schemes. Fact.
Dave Kachorowski. Hey idiot, they did operate fighter jets on the Bonaventure.
Actually there was a plan to replace the Banshees with A-4s ( which operated off the Bonnies sister ship HMAS Melbourne ) or A-7s, sadly it never came to pass.
Dave Kachorowski - The first Harriers entered service in 1969. This means the idiots in parliment could have considered keeping the Bonnie and using it for Harriers. But no, it's better to be weak and endanger our safety and national independence.
The A4 was tested on the bonnie. It could have operated that or thr A7.
Damn Trudeau
im canadian and im proud bcuz of it
OHHHHHHYES
hmmmmmm Bonaventure? shes still alive good for her!
It doesn't matter which party is in power. No party is pro military, and when they do purchase equipment needed, like Harper did during the Afghanistan deployment, further down the road they screw it up.
The problem with Canada's military is no sitting government has gotten the procurement process right. They take years deciding what they want, buy it, then take years to get it to the troops. They only buy x amount with no upgrade deal added to the purchase. The equipment is used for far to long then spend millions on incremental upgrades. In the meantime other equipment that should be replaced is held on to because the money has already been spent elsewhere. This goes on and on. Then a Priminister is elected that would rather legalize marijuana and tell disabled veterans that they ask too much of their government when the government sends them to a foreign land to give that country a better way of life and they are wounded in the process. The military is then portrayed in a negative way to the Canadian people, and the world, by the media so when videos like this are put on you tube, most replies are negative and durogitory to the very people that volenteer to serve in the Canadian Forces instead of being proud of them.
🤔
ace
If only we could justify scrapping every aircraft carrier, what a beautiful day that would be.
Joe Kmyta sailed on the Boni.
My brother 38 yrs service with the Canadian military 🇨🇦❤ He was born on Canada’s Birthday July 1st🇨🇦❤
Um, our government isn't short-sided because we don't attack countries, we defend ours. Plus this isn't the last Aircraft Carrier in the Canadian Royal Navy so...
we cant defend our country for shit. Anyone who wanted to could take it over with ease.
Hey Spotter, it's the Royal Canadian Navy and do you know something the rest of us don't. We have no aircraft carrier and there are no plans to acquire one.
So for now...CVL-22 HMCS Bonaventure was the "last Canadian carrier"
Naturally since you depend on the American taxpayer for your defense
#liberalgovernment