The Sailor statue carries on legacy of retired navy veterans, after group disbands

A group of retired petty officers and chiefs who spent 30 years preserving the heritage and history of Canada’s navy has disbanded, but not without one final gesture.

The Atlantic Chiefs and Petty Officers Association consisted mostly of retired members of the Royal Canadian Navy, and was inaugurated in 1988. They contributed to many causes, including helping save Halifax music venue The Carleton, when it was slated for demolition in 1992. They ceased operations on Dec. 31, citing low membership and attrition as root causes.

But they leave behind a lasting legacy: a statue.

The Sailor was erected in 1991, at an estimated cost of $300,000, without the use of public funds. Now the association has handed it over to the Halifax Regional Municipality, who will be responsible for its preservation.

The Sailor’s significance

J. Gaylord Kingston served as the association’s president for more than 20 years. He began a career with the Royal Canadian Navy in 1953 and served as a gunnery armour, meaning he prepared, repaired and maintained guns, but never saw combat.

“When I joined in ’53, the Koreans heard I was coming, so they quit,” said Kingston with a grin.

He said The Sailor is the most significant symbol of the organization and is very pleased the HRM has taken over ownership.

“The statue represents going to sea and a devotion to duty,” said Kingston. “The thing about The Sailor is that it is self-maintaining. The weather takes care of him. He’s bronze, he’s not going to rust, he’s not going to fall apart. He’s solid.”

Coun. Waye Mason helped arrange the transfer of ownership.

“The statue is a fitting tribute, to the sailor and the love for the sea, seen by residents and the millions of visitors and tourists who visit our great city,” reads a letter that Mason wrote to the association president.

From Halifax to Londonderry

The statue also had a global influence, inspiring a replica statue in Londonderry, Ireland. The main difference between the two is that the statue in Halifax depicts a cheerful sailor headed to sea, while Londonderry’s has a grizzled man returning home.

Kingston said the decision to end the association was difficult.

“We had gone down from 1,400 strong in the early ’90’s, to less than 400 across the country,” he said.

As of 2011, the Royal Canadian Navy consists of 8,500 regular and 5,100 reserve sailors, as well as 5,300 civilian personnel.

Modern times and a new navy

Kingston said modern technology and culture changes were main factors in the group’s inability to secure new members.

“We were the wavy navy. We were paid less, but made our own fun. Now, the new navy as we call it, doesn’t have much interest in tradition or history,” said Kingston.

About the author

Benjamin Wilson

Join the conversation

1. K

   Kevin Crowell

   Jan 20, 2019 | 12:00AM
   Just my opinion ... I spent 30 years in the Royal Canadian Navy, I retired in 2007 as a Chief Petty Officer. The Generation before me had very little in their lives outside the Navy and held on any way possible. The ACPOA was a way to hang around with like minded people and "relive" the old days. My Generation had lives outside the Navy, and when we retired we moved on past "the old days". The ACPOA did some great things, I will not take that away from them, but life moves on, that is what my generation did ... "moved on" with our lives. My generation did not sit around all day at work drinking and socializing while the young lads worked their guts out. As a Junior, that annoyed me greatly and in fact a lot of them were just plain abusive to a lot of us who weren't their drinking buddy. SOCIETY CHANGED! I do not regret a second of my Service, I had some good as well as bad times ... BUT they were ALL GOOD TIMES. My Generation has moved on with our lives and families. IMHO, this is why Membership declined so quickly. The Generation before me were LIFERS, for the most part so was my Generation, but retired early to other careers. Today's Generation for the most part look at their Service as a job, or an end to a means, and leave much sooner then the generations pervious.

2. G

   GERRY (GERALD) MEADE

   Jan 20, 2019 | 12:00AM
   IT IS A SAD DAY INDEED TO LEARN OF THE CEASING OF OPERATIONS OF SUCH A GREAT ORGANIZATION.I ; FOR ONE WILL BE FOREVER REMINDED OF THIS ORGANIZATION, EVERY TIME I PASS BY THE SAILOR'S MONUMENT IN SACKVILLE LANDING. THIS MONUMENT MEANS AND GHAS AND WILL FOREVER MORE MEAN SO MUCH TO ME EVER SINCE IT WAS ERECTED IN 1991. MY ELDEST BROTHER MANSELL A, MEADE WAS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVAL VOLUNTEER RESERVE WHO DURING THE DARKEST DAYS OF WW11 ON CONVOY DUTIES ON THE NORTH ATLANTIC ON BOARD HMCS SACKVILLE, BETWEEN HALIFAX AND LONDONDERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND. THANK YOU THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART " THE ATLANTIC CHIEFS AND PETTY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION" FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO HELP KEEP ETCHED IN OUR MEMORIES THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY AND ALL ITS MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT WHO HAVE MADE THIS OLD NAVAL CITY PROUD OF ITS HERITAGE AND I WISH ALL PAST AND FORMER MEMBERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION GOD'S SPEED AND KNOW THAT THIS ONE HALIGONIAN WII BE FOREVER IN YOUR DEBT.MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND MAY GOD BLESS THIS GREAT COUNTRY- CANADA.

• V

  Victoria Klein

  Jan 20, 2019 | 12:00AM
  Could not agree with you more Gerry (Gerald) Meade… and my father (Claude W.S.Ranson) served aboard Sackville for the majority of the War, so was probably a shipmate of your brother…

3. D

   D. Chamberlain

   Jan 19, 2019 | 12:00AM
   So many brave men fought for our country. Remember them. Thank you all for your service.

4. J

   James E. Schiller CPO2 retired.

   Jan 19, 2019 | 12:00AM
   So very sorry to read this. I had no idea the Association was so depleted of membership. A sad day.