Muisque Royale in Partnership with Maritime Museum of the Atlantic presents
The World Premiere and Enncore performance of
’Within Sight of Shore’ Composed by Scott Macmillan,

April 26/08 7:30pm St. John’s Church in Lunenberg NS
April 27/08 7:30pm Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax, NS

Composer/ Guitarist Scott Macmillan will lead violinist David Greenberg, the Tempest Baroque Ensemble and members of the Stadacona Band of the Maritime Forces Atlantic in Macmillan’s new work, ’Within Sight of Shore’, a personal reflection on the sinking of HMCS Esquimalt, the last Canadian ship lost in WWII April 16, 1945 off Halifax Harbour.

Background
On April 16, 1945 the Bangor Class minesweeper, HMCS Esquimalt was the last Canadian warship sunk in World War II. The ship was under the command of my father, Lieutenant Commander Robert Cunningham Macmillan DSC and Bar, RCNVR from Charlottetown PEI. Lieutenant Morris Shonfield of HMCS Sarnia reminisced that in the evening of April 15th drinks were shared with the Commanding Officer of the Sarnia, Lieutenant Bob Douty and Commanding Officer of the HMCS Esquimalt, my father Bob Macmillan. In the early morning of April 16, 1945 the two sister ships went out to patrol for German U-boats that were rumored to be in the area. The Esquimalt headed eastward 20 km from the mouth of Halifax Harbour towards Musquodoboit and the Sarnia headed westward agreeing to rendezvous at 0800 hours off Chebucto Head at Buoy "C".
Higher Submarine Detector, (HSD) able seamen, Joe Wilson and George (Buck) Taylor were on duty on the bridge of the Esquimalt. They were manning the ASDIC Sonar (Anti-Submarine Detection Inspection Committee) that fateful morning. The ASDIC was well known for its unreliability and neither Wilson or Taylor heard any reflections coming from below the water’s surface. However the German submariners from U-boat 190 did hear the distinctive pinging of the ASDIC Sonar coming from HMCS Esquimalt and at 5:45am fired their torpedoes, hitting the Esquimalt in the stern where the depth charges were stored, sinking her in 4 minutes. With all lifeboats and communications lost, the survivors, including my father, clung to a few Carley Floats and endured 6 hours in the frigid North Atlantic waters before rescue arrived. Of a crew of 71, only 27 survived.


Tickets: $25/$20/$10

Fulton’s Pharmacy, 229 Lincoln St. Lunenburg 902-634-8652

The Madrigal Spring Garden Place, Halifax 902-423-6453

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic 1675 Lower Water St. Halifax 902-424-7491

or by going to www.musiqueroyale.com