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Battle of the Atlantic ceremony honours Navy veterans and those lost at sea

THUNDER BAY – Ernie Takalo knows how close he came to losing his life more than seven decades ago.
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HMCS Griffon Lt.-Cmdr. Michele Tessier presents Second World War veteran Ernie Takalo with a commemorative picture of the HMCS Athabaskan. Takalo was onboard that ship when it was torpedoed on April 29, 1944. (Matt Vis, tbnewswatch.com)

THUNDER BAY – Ernie Takalo knows how close he came to losing his life more than seven decades ago.

He was one of more than 250 aboard the HMCS Athabaskan in the early morning hours of April 29, 1944 when the ship, which was in the Atlantic Ocean near the northwest tip of France, was participating in preparations for an upcoming invasion of Europe.

Takalo, who had not yet turned 20 and was a stoker onboard the ship, was one of 44 sailors to be rescued by the nearby HMCS Haida.

Another 83 were taken prisoner by German soldiers while 128 were killed as a result of the blast and subsequent sinking.

“I was just going up the ladder when the torpedo hit. I don’t know how far I flew but I did,” he slowly recalled.

“After I did fly I heard screaming and I swam over and there were maybe eight or 10 of us holding onto a log. I don’t know where the log came from because there was very little wood on the ship.”

Takalo was honoured for his service during the annual Battle of the Atlantic commemoration ceremony, which was held on Sunday at the HMCS Griffon.

The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest conflict in the Second World War, spanning from September 1939 until May 1945. The battle resulted in the deaths of ore than 2,000 Royal Canadian Navy personnel and more than 1,700 Canadian merchant sailors.

The battle is annually remembered across the country on the first Sunday in May.

Takalo was presented with a framed picture that combined a photo of his Athabaskan crew from more than 70 years ago with those currently serving onboard the ship.

He also signed a book that compiled stories of those who had served onboard the ship.

Receiving the recognition, even so many years later, was deeply touching.

“I can’t believe it,” the 90-year-old said. “It’s something that’s very important.

Lt.-Cmdr. Michele Tessier made the presentation with Takalo and spent time with him afterwards in her office, talking about his experiences and sharing a letter from the current commanding officer of the Athabaskan.

Nearly two years ago Takalo was awarded as an honourary member of the current ship.

“To recognize somebody and to show them they’re appreciated, there’s no way to thank them enough,” Tessier said.

The ceremony included the prayer of intercession for those ships currently at sea, prayer of remembrance, naval hymn and laying of wreaths.

One of the most poignant moments of the commemoration is the roll call of ships, which remembers those lost at sea during the Second World War.

“When you think about every one of those ships that went down there is a personal cost to that as well. The number of sailors we lost with each of those ships is unbelievable. It makes you feel humble, proud to be a Canadian and thankful for the sacrifices,” Tessier said.

As years go by, stories such as the ones told by Takalo may become lost as the number of veterans decreases.

He is one of only two members of the Athabaskan on that fateful night who are still alive.

That’s why it’s important to listen to the memories and make sure they are passed on.

“Having their stories personally I feel is very important, especially for our current serving members of the Canadian Forces or anybody considering joining,” Tessier said.

“Every year at these ceremonies we hear the statistics and what it was like, the atrocities of war, the gratitude we feel for the sacrifices others made but we don’t often hear those from the personal stories. Sharing those stories is what appeals to people. It’s what makes people realize why it is we do this.”





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