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Speak Up

Ordinary Seaman Chris Hennebury says he is just trying to keep up with his old man.

Enlarge Photo

Sgt. Ed Dixon photo

Ordinary Seaman Chris Hennebury stands "Lifebuoy Duty" on board Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Winnipeg.

The boatswain is sailing in HMCS Winnipeg for Task Group Exercise, which enables participating ships to practice self-defence operations independently and at the same time work with a larger naval task force. Winnipeg and three other Canadian ships are working with the American USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group.

Since the native of Miramichi, New Brunswick was eight years old, he said, he wanted to be a boatswain just like his father, Miles Hennebury had been for 23 years.

"It was the stories he wouldn't tell me that enticed me to follow in his footsteps," said Hennebury. "He said I had to learn them on my own, and experience them for myself."

Hennebury is doing exactly that. The 21-year-old joined the Navy two years ago after three years as an infantryman in the army. He is currently posted to CFB Esquimalt in Victoria, B.C. while he pursues his boatswain qualifications.

Boatswains are seamanship specialists, and have a number of responsibilities aboard ship. They operate and maintain equipment for cargo handling and transfer of personnel between ships, fuel and material at sea, and the ship's anchor and cable equipment. As well, boatswains navigate small vessels in enclosed waters.

"Personally, I find my trade is the best," he said. "I love working with my hands, I'm always on the decks, I get to shoot guns and I'm involved in all the ship's evolutions. What could be better than that?"

He added he has received plenty of support from his family, including his mother Brenda and step-father Mario Diagle, who live in Miramichi, and his father Miles and step-mother Roxy Hennebury who reside in Oshawa, Ontario. All of them, including younger sisters Laura, Ashley and Sydney, have helped him realize his dream of becoming a boatswain.

But it's the friendly competition with his father that has really pushed him, he said.

"My goal is to always get one up on my father," Hennebury said. "So far, I've got a lot left to do."