The photo above and article below were originally published in the Powell River News on December 18, 1969
Malaspina Sea Cadets receive Nelson trophy
Dwight Hall was the scene of the formal presentation Tuesday night of the Navy League of Canada General Proficiency (Nelson) Trophy for Royal Canadian Sea Cadets Corps with an enrolment of fewer than 100.
Jack Skinner, mainland president of the Navy League of Canada, presented the Nelson Column trophy, plaque and naval officers sword to lieutenants G. B. Thornton and F. W. Greenwood. Lieutenant Greenwood was commanding officer during the 1968/1969 training year when the trophy was won. He has since been succeeded by Lieutenant G. B. Thornton, who took command in September, 1969.
The presentation was combined with the annual father and son dinner. Municipality of Powell River, in recognition of the corps outstanding achievement, voted a financial grant to cover the affair, which was catered to by the mother’s auxiliary under the presidency of Mrs. C. H. Morgan.
This was the third time the local sea cadets have won the national trophy. In 1964 the corps, under the command of lieutenant R.W. K. Parkin, won both the national and provincial trophies. In the centennial year both trophies returned to Powell River when the corps was under lieutenant F. W. Greenwood’s command. At this time the municipality formally recognized the 1967 achievement with a civic dinner.
The Honourable Isabel Dawson, minister without portfolio, addressed the fathers and cadets as did mayor Court, Jack Skinner, lieutenant R. M. Dawson, district cadet officer (Sea) from Pacific Region Headquarters in Vancouver, and S. Allman, president of the Powell River Branch of the Navy League. Alderman Gray, Cummings, McCloskey, Hill and Dallos, and chief administrative officer T. McVea were also present.
In what has become traditional, the commanding officer presented the petty officers mess with a photo of the 1968/1969 petty officers. In return, the cadets made a presentation to the officers of their corps.
Invited guests included past local Navy League president James Robertson, former commanding officer and one of the founding officers of the corps K. Goldsmith, Royal Canadian Legion president R. J. McCormick, Tri-Service Committee chairman Tom Peddie, Max Cameron principal D. M. Mitchell, Henderson principal and Youth Service Association president W. R. Foster, MacMillan Bloedel resident manager R. L. Fraser, Peter B. Rodgers, Seafair chairman, and staff sergeant O. Bigalke, RCMP.
The affair concluded with a film on the 1967 International Sea Cadet muster at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, and a full-length feature film.
Proficiency trophy, plaque and sword are on display in the trophy case at cadet barracks. Parents and interested persons are invited to observe the cadets during their regular Tuesday night training.
