Fonds 2002/13 - Desmond W. Piers fonds

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Title proper

Desmond W. Piers fonds

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    Fonds

    Reference code

    CA ON00093 2002/13

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    Statement of scale (cartographic)

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    Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

    Dates of creation area

    Date(s)

    • 1942-2006 (Creation)

    Physical description area

    Physical description

    1.04 m of textual records
    226 photographs: b&w and col.; 26 x 21 cm or smaller
    42 photographs: col.; 10 x 15 cm

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    Archival description area

    Name of creator

    Biographical history

    Desmond W. Piers (1913- ) served with the Royal Navy (RN) and with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) during 1932-1967, attaining the rank of Rear Admiral. Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, he attended the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) and joined the Royal Navy in 1932 as the first ex-cadet of the RMC. After spending time at the Royal Naval College he returned to Canada and served on Canadian Destroyers. He served on the HMCS RESTIGOUCHE as Escort Commander in charge of Allied convoys from Newfoundland to the United Kingdom during the years of 1941-1943. He was involved in operations to Murmansk and the Normandy invasion. At the end of the Second World War he had spent a total of sixty-three months at sea. In 1949 became the Director of Plans and Operations at the Naval Headquarters in Ottawa. He attended the Naval Defence College of Canada and was subsequently promoted to Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel and Administration on the Naval Staff of the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic. He was promoted to Commodore and appointed as the first naval Commandant of RMC and Honorary Aide-de-Camp to the Governor General in 1957. He then returned to Ottawa as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff responsible for Plans, Operation, and Intelligence. He was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1962 and served as Chairman Canadian Joint Staff (Washington) and Commander Canadian Defence Liaison Staff Washington until 1966. Although he voluntarily retired in 1967, he was Nova Scotia's Agent General from 1977 to 1979. He retired in Nova Scotia.

    Custodial history

    Scope and content

    Fonds consist of material documenting the naval career of Rear Admiral Desmond W. Piers with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) during the Second World War and Coled War periods. Includes his service with the HMCS RESTIGOUCHE and the HMCS ALGONQUIN during the Second World War, with the HMCS QUEBEC during the mid-1950s, as well as his official retirement from the RCN. There is also material regarding his personal and social life, including the various conferences attended and speeches and lectures delivered by him. The fonds is arranged topically.
    There are 17 series:
    I. HMCS Restigouche (1942-1988)
    II. HMCS Algonquin (1944-1998)
    III. HMCS QUEBEC (1955-1956, 1982-2003)
    IV. Canadian Liaison to Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington (1962-1966)
    V. Official Retirement (1964-1966)
    VI. Personal Service (1952-1962)
    VII. Correspondence (1962-1985)
    VIII. Integration and Unification (1967-19800
    IX. Royal Military College (1956-2001)
    X. Agent General for Nova Scotia (1976-1979)
    XI. Courses and Conferences (1971-1986)
    XII. Reports (1949-1961)
    XIII. Speeches, Lectures and Quotes (1953-1991)
    XIV. Finance and Family (1951-1993)
    XV. Naval and Social Life (1942-2003)
    XVI. Biographical File (1966-1993, 2005-2006)
    XVII. Agendas (1942-2004)

    Notes area

    Physical condition

    Immediate source of acquisition

    Fonds received from Rear Admiral Desmond W. Piers on 2 May 2002. Material for Series 16 re Piers' memorial service were received 23 Feb 2007 from Dr. Richard Gimblett, NDHQ. Additional material was received from Mrs. Janet Piers of Chester, NS on 28 Aug 2008 and from the Canadian Navy Heritage Navy Team in Ottawa on 17 Dec2008.

    Arrangement

    Language of material

    • English

    Script of material

      Location of originals

      Availability of other formats

      Restrictions on access

      Some of the material is NATO Confidential, Confidential, Protected "A" and Protected "B".

      Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

      Finding aids

      Copies of the finding aid are located in the first file of the fonds and in the Reading Room of the Directorate of History and Heritage (DHH). Electronic copies are also available.

      Associated materials

      Related materials

      Accruals

      Further accruals are expected.

      General note

      Oversize material is stored in boxes 7-8.

      General note

      Oversize material is stored in boxes 7-8.

      Conservation

      Collection suffered fire and smoke damage prior to its accession by DHH. Appropriate protection is suggested.

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