Consolidated by Archana Cini, Lookout Newspaper. 

From the archives of 2002 comes a story that continues to resonate more than two decades later — one shaped by the honest curiosity of children and the candid reflections of a sailor at sea.

In this March archival piece, ‘Children’s important questions: HMCS Vancouver responds,’ young Canadians wrote to sailors deployed on Operation Apollo to better understand life at sea. Their questions, heartfelt and often profound, offered a glimpse into how young minds view concepts of service, separation, and sacrifice. Thousands of such letters were received, carefully read by those serving aboard His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Vancouver.

Among the ship’s company during this time was then Lieutenant(Navy) (Lt(Navy)) David Patchell, whose thoughtful and unfiltered responses revealed the shared humanity between sailors deployed abroad and families waiting at home. Today, this Lookout contributor from more than two decades ago serves as a Rear-Admiral (RAdm) in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific/Joint Task Force Pacific (MARPAC/JTFP), making this archival story not only a snapshot in time, but part of RAdm Patchell’s ongoing impact upon the Canadian Defence community.

As we revisit this archival story, the Lookout is inviting children from the public and Defence communities to submit their own questions to sailors for a modern retelling.

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Children’s Important Questions: HMCS Vancouver Responds

Editor’s note: This article appeared in the March 11, 2002 edition of the Lookout and was written by then Lieutenant (Navy) David Patchell. We picked a few of our favourite questions to feature.

Since leaving Victoria on Oct. 29, 2001, HMCS Vancouver has received thousands of letters of support from Canadians. It seems as though the vast majority of these letters are from children. It breaks my heart that I do not have the time to answer each child’s letter, but alas, I am here to fight a war, not to be a pen pal. What I can do is try to answer a few of their questions as honestly as I can. Here are some of the very open and straightforward questions from kids, along with my best attempts at answers.

DO YOU EACH HAVE YOUR OWN ROOM?

Short answer — no. I live in a room, which is called a cabin, with five other guys. Needless to say, it can get a little bit crowded at times. But overall, we make do and things are all right. The Executive Officer, the Supply Officer, and the Coxswain have their own rooms. The nice thing about sharing a room is that you always have someone else to blame for the mess and smell.

DO YOU GET BORED?

Yes and no. Most of the time I am too busy to be bored. We all work long, hard hours, and that actually helps pass the time. However, the days are often very repetitive.

HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO BE ON THE SHIP?

Unfortunately, we still do not know. It has been almost four months since we left home, and we are still not sure when we will see our families again. The best estimate is that we will be on the ship for six to eight months. We know that we have a job to do and will return home when we have done our part.

WHAT KIND OF GUNS DO YOU HAVE?

Vancouver has a wide variety of guns. We have a 57mm Bofors gun, which is the big one at the front of the ship. We also have four .50 calibre machine guns and numerous rifles, pistols, and shotguns.

ARE YOU SCARED?

I am not scared for my life. I am scared that I am missing my son grow up. I am scared that things will have changed when I get home. I am scared that the car will not start or that the roof will leak while I am gone. I am more scared of what would happen if we were not here than I am of terrorists. Fear is important, but it is the ability to overcome that fear that allows us to do our job.