Lest We Forget - Volume 17 www.legionnl.ca 83 IVANY, Douglas McKinley He joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1949 and reported to Cornwallis, Nova Scotia on September 1st, for basic training. He was one of the first 50 Newfoundlanders to join the Royal Canadian Navy after Newfoundland joined Confederation. He finished basic training at Naden, BC, and his sea training was on the HMCS Ontario with the rank of Ordinary Seaman. When the Korean War broke out in June 1950, instead of being transferred to Canada’s East Coast as was originally planned, he was posted to HMCS Cayuga. On July 7th, 1950, Canadian destroyers, HMCS Cayuga, HMCS Athabaskan and HMCS Sioux left Canada for Sasebo Harbour, where they took part in escort and patrol duties and later in the bombardment of enemy positions. In January 1951, the HMCS Cayuga came under enemy fire at various times. After a 9 month tour, HMCS Cayuga left Korea for Canada. Upon his return to Canada, he joined the HMCS Iroquois 217 when she was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy. He completed gunner training on the HMCS Iroquois while it was in Norfolk, Virginia, US, and obtained the rank of Leading Seaman/Gunner. It was his second tour of duty when HMCS Iroquois left Canada on April 21st, 1952, for the Korean War. He witnessed the only causalities the Royal Canadian Navy suffered on October 2nd, 1952, when the ship responded to a signal from the USS Marsh for assistance. The HMCS Iroquois took a direct hit from a shell fired from a shore battery directly below the bridge just aft of “B” gun. Three of his fellow sailors were killed and ten others were wounded. The Captain reminded the crew of the ship’s moto, “Relentless in Chase”. The next day following a memorial service for their fallen sailors, the HMCS Iroquois steamed back towards the shore batteries with guns blazing, and did not cease bombardment until the spotter plane reported that no further targets were visible. HMCS Iroquois headed home to Canada in November 1952. Leading Seaman/Gunner Douglas Ivany received the Korean Medal, The United Nations Medal, and the Volunteer Service Medal. He returned to civilian life on September 1st, 1954, with an Honorable Release. In 2003, when the Korean War Monument was dedicated in Ottawa, he received a medal marking 50 years since the war ended. In November 2013, he was presented the Ambassador for Peace Medal by the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea. In July 2009, he was part of the Newfoundland Delegation to travel to Beaumont Hamel, France to honour the Newfoundland Regiment, and took part in several memorial services honouring our war dead.
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