From: amheater@BYE.SAILORcogeco.ca   
      
   "Andrew Chaplin"  wrote in message>   
      
   I was in the building with the names ATHABASKAN and RAINBOW. I suppose your   
   > mess rooms became our TV rooms (not that the TVs functioned or, if they   
   > did, received an intelligible signal). The rooms were lined with cheap   
   > furniture around walls which were devoid of decoration when I went   
   > through. I suppose the photos might have been gashed in the transition   
   > from HMCS to CFRS.   
      
   The 16 male Divisions of (RCN) Cornwallis each had a ship's name, such as   
   your's.  As I don't know where your building was and/or when you were there,   
   I've no idea if our messes became your TV rooms or not.  Our block was   
   called Conestoga.  Entering the main gate, going right, our block was the   
   first building on the right, on the last road.  There was a block opposite   
   us (other side was the square) was empty when we were there.  Just a little   
   further on, on the left was the galley.  In between galley and empty block   
   was a short lane leading to the square .. with drill shed on one side,   
   behind the galley.   
      
   In our 2 deck block, our mess was on the upper deck, at one end of the   
   block.  Wasn't an overly big room, but had a tiny canteen where we could buy   
   sodas/chips etc.  No spirits of any kind for us.  We were Black Caps (NET).   
   White Cap Wrens could buy up to two beers (think it was only 2) on Friday   
   (maybe Sat.) nights.  Not sure if they were allowed to when they had male   
   guests in the room.  Males were only allowed up there one night a week for a   
   get-together.  Mind is a little fuzzy on that, as we were not allowed to   
   participate.  Also since we had a fabulous Rec Centre (overlooking the cove)   
   everyone went there anyway.  It also had a library, bowling alley, billiard   
   room (No Wrens allowed!) and full (dry) canteen .. the later was really   
   quite nice, like a regular self-serve resturant.  Overall the building was   
   very nice.  Big ballroom .. comfortable chairs all 'round, with 'coffee'   
   tables here and there.  We all liked it .. mind, we were easy to please and   
   not expecting the Ritz when we signed up.  Oh, our mess didn't have any TV   
   or radio at all.  In basic we weren't alllowed to have radios, but a few of   
   the White Caps did.   
      
   The main photos we'd like to know about were our final NET class photos.   
   Our mess use to have a photo of every Wren class (I was Conestoga 33/66) to   
   go through, hanging on the bulkheads.  Didn't see any when in Stad museum,   
   other than those who originally did basic at Stad (pre-1942-43?), before   
   HMCS Cornwallis was hastily built to get & keep new recuits out Halifax.   
   Wrens were trained in Guelph at that time (also called Conestoga classes I   
   believe).   
      
   Considering what happened to the RCN when everything became known as CAF,   
   gashing our photos wouldn't surprise me at all.  Sad if that did happened.   
   A lot of extremely dedicated women came out of Cornwallis over the years.   
   The is definately an on-line museum, not entirely positive about a stone   
   frigate though.   
      
   wrcn   
   ... every good girl loves a sailor ...   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)