Larry Meets the Queen

 by Larry Costello

Larry joined the Royal Canadian Navy in Montreal when he was 16-and-a-half years old, at the HMCS Montreal. Within six months he was sent to Halifax and served on the HMCS Annapolis which was a 4-stacker.

After 1-and-a-half  years, he was drafted to the HMCS Runnymead, a convoy escort from Newfoundland to Londonderry; his squadron was G5. It was known as the "barber pole squadron" as it had a barber pole painted on the funnel. The odd time it was used on striking force - searching for submarines. He served on this ship until the end of the war.

He then signed on for the Pacific war, but ended up in a Montreal military hospital for about a month having been attacked by some Montreal "zoot suiters, while on leave".  On leaving the hospital Larry worked on the train patrol between Montreal and Halifax. In January 1946 he received his discharge, but  rejoined the he navy in 1948, serving on numerous ships, aircraft carriers, mine sweepers, frigates, and PT boats (air, sea, and rescue) at HMCS Shearwater, Nova Scotia, across from Halifax. According to Larry: "Those were the best years of my life." Retirement from the Navy came on November 22, 1963.

For the past 26 years Larry has been the custodian of the Windsor and Essex Cenotaph at City Hall Square. He was recently awarded custody of the Canadian Flag which was flown over the Peace Tower in Ottawa for Remembrance Day November 11, 2003.