Archana Cini
Lookout Newspaper

Contributions by A/SLt Kim Wachockier

  • The Royal Canadian Navy decommissioned HMCS Brandon, Whitehorse, and Saskatoon in a Sept 29 ceremony at CFB Esquimalt.
  • The event, attended by sailors, families, and community members, featured naval traditions, prayers, and addresses from senior leaders.
  • The ceremony honoured the ships’ service while marking modernization toward a future fleet.

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After decades of carrying sailors through storm, sea, and service, three Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) vessels are His Majesty’s Canadian (HMC) Ships no more.

On Monday, Sept 29, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) formally paid off His Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Saskatoon, Whitehorse, and Brandon in a ceremony at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt. Hundreds of serving and former sailors, families, and Defence community members gathered at CFB Esquimalt’s Bravo ‘B’ Jetty to honour the vessels and the thousands of Canadians who served in them.

The ceremony was presided over by ViceAdmiral (VAdm) Angus Topshee, Commander of the RCN.

“The weather today reflects much of what a paying off ceremony is — bittersweet in nature,” said VAdm Topshee. “But there is light, and we wait for it to show itself through the clouds.”

Named after the Canadian cities of Whitehorse in Yukon, Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, and Brandon in Manitoba, the ships are part of a fleet of 12 Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDVs) commissioned into the RCN in the late 1990s. All Kingston-class vessels are scheduled to be retired by 2028 as part of the RCN’s modernization plan to shift resources toward the future fleet. Now, Brandon, Whitehorse, and Saskatoon have been formally decommissioned at the very place they once joined Canada’s naval fleet — their home, Esquimalt, British Columbia (B.C.).

The ceremony was both a proud and emotional moment for the RCN. While it signified the end of active service, it also preserved the legacy of the vessel’s name, crest, and countless sailors whose careers were shaped aboard. The ceremony centered around the traditional lowering of the vessels’ naval jack, ensign, and commissioning pennants, as well as the final departure of the ships’ company. The event also included formal addresses by VAdm Angus Topshee, Commander of the RCN, Captain(Navy) Samuel Patchell, Commander of Canadian Fleet Pacific, Commodore (Cmdre) Patrick Montgomery, and the Formation Chaplain. A traditional Naval Prayer was also recited by ceremony attendees and participants in a united moment of pride and remembrance.

For many sailors, the farewell was personal. Brandon, Whitehorse, and Saskatoon were more than steel hulls and engines; they were workplaces, classrooms, and homes. As time moves forward, their decommissioning also reflects the Navy’s continued modernization and transition to meet Canada’s future maritime needs.

“These ships have contributed important mine countermeasure roles on international operations and have regularly participated in exercises with partner navies abroad,” said VAdm Topshee. “As we move towards the future of the RCN, I want to recognize the service of these ships and extend my tremendous gratitude to all who have sailed within them.”

Though Brandon, Whitehorse, and Saskatoon’s final chapters at sea are now written, their histories will forever remain woven into the broader fabric of our navy.

Naval Prayer

O Eternal Lord God, who alone spreadest out the heavens, and rulest the raging of the sea, who hast compassed the waters with bounds until day and night come to an end:

Be pleased to receive into thy Almighty and most gracious protection the persons of us thy servants, and the Fleet in which we serve.

Preserve us from the dangers of the sea, and the violence of our enemy; that we may be a safeguard unto our most gracious Sovereign Lord, King Charles and a security for such as pass on the seas upon their lawful occasions; that the inhabitants of our Commonwealth may in peace and quietness serve thee our God; and that we may return to safety to enjoy the blessing of our land, with the fruits of our labours, and with a thankful remembrance of thy mercies to praise and glorify thy holy Name.

Amen.