Crate from HMS BONAVENTURE

moonshot5 said:
I think British ships are HMS and Canadian ships are HMCS.

There was at least one British HMS Bonaventure as well.
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The crate was intended for the HMCS Bonny. Hence, a misprint. It would have been shipped by a civy who didn't know the difference.
The tag in the photo says Royal Canadain Navy.
 
points said:
Not much left of the Bonny but razor blades. I toured her in Halifax in 69. I had never seen such a big ship, being from Ontario. I was overwhelmed by the scale of her. I later saw a photo of the Bonny beside a U.S. carrier and couldn't believe how small she was in comparison.
There are some old Grumman Trackers parked out at the Abbotsford airport that may have served aboard her. I havn't been able to find out.
The government had just spent millions on a refit of her and as soon as that was done, they sold her for a few cents for scrap. How typical
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The Trackers are probably mostly ex-Canadian planes, although some might have been American. Conair converts them into water bombers/uses them for spare parts for the ones they're flying.
 
points said:
Not much left of the Bonny but razor blades. I toured her in Halifax in 69. I had never seen such a big ship, being from Ontario. I was overwhelmed by the scale of her. I later saw a photo of the Bonny beside a U.S. carrier and couldn't believe how small she was in comparison.
There are some old Grumman Trackers parked out at the Abbotsford airport that may have served aboard her. I havn't been able to find out.
The government had just spent millions on a refit of her and as soon as that was done, they sold her for a few cents for scrap. How typical
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...yes, and the Bonnie went to India to be scrapped...story was, the Indians had a similar carrier that was in poor shape, then the Bonnie shows up, just totally refitted...who know, might have gotten swapped.
 
Steve Juba wanted to buy her for Winnipeg.

Idea was buy the Bonnie, bring her up into Hudson's Bay and up the river system to the big lake, across that, then up the river to Winnipeg, dredging what was necessary along the way.

Thus, Winnipeg would have had the Bonnie for a museum or something and the channels would be open to Hudson's Bay for deepwater shipping from the middle of the country, all at once.

Visionary, but Ontario and Quebec NEVER would have allowed it.

The West must REMAIN eternally tributary to our Betters and the "natural ruling party of Canada" will ensure that things stay that way.

Go, Harper! Go, go GO! LGR first, what's next? Get some SANITY back into our country.
.
 
cantom said:
...yes, and the Bonnie went to India to be scrapped...story was, the Indians had a similar carrier that was in poor shape, then the Bonnie shows up, just totally refitted...who know, might have gotten swapped.
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It was thought and many a sailor believed that the INS Vikrant was the old Bonnie . The myth of Bonnie's surival as the Indian carrier had lived until January 31 1997 when that ship was decommissioned. Now the Vikrant was gone and with it the last of the Bonnie.
 
Road King said:
That storm was called " Bonnie's Storm " by all hands aboard and it struck Dec 6th 1959. they were hit with a one 67 foot wave came over the compass platform and took out the radar antenna and after catwalk. She took on so much water that squadron personnel trying to work on aircraft asked to draw diving pay. This all happen off the coast of France
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http://jproc.ca/r17/storm.html
 
I have seen many converted Trackers firebombing in north Sask. The absolute best exhaust note on earth comes from a Tracker taking off with a full load. They have twin radial engines. swweeeet.
 
Very cool to find a thread on the Bonnie here! My grandfather served on her and it is a shame she was decommissioned before I was born and never had the chance to see her in the flesh. I'm always keeping my eyes open for memorabilia from the Bonnie but it is few and far between.
 
My dad too

My father also served on the Bonnie, alas about the time I was born so I was never able to see it in the natural environment. He joined in 1963, served on the Cape Scott, then the Bonnie, then joined Fleet Diving unit at HMCS Granby, spent some time in EOD in his later career, and retired in 1993.
Also managed to score one of those big copper diving helmets before they went scrap (actually parts and built one up as original. ) Neat to see you also have the old diving helmets. Dad also has a pair of the old boots too.

Cantom, from your video I see 3 Sea Kings- tail numbers 6, 7 and 10, and ALL THREE seem to still be in service, almost 50 years later!!

http://www.ody.ca/~bwalker/CAF_Sea_King_detailed_list.htm

Vincent
 
Not all landings aboard the Bonnie were successful :redface:

Landing.jpg


It's amazing how an old crate can generate so much interest. I think I'll hang on to it a while longer.
 
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