Harry DeWolf: Difference between revisions

Harry DeWolf
Harry DeWolf
	Commander Harry G. DeWolf, Commanding Officer, on the bridge of the destroyer HMCS Haida, 5 May 1944
Birth name	Henry George DeWolf
Nickname(s)	Hard-Over-Harry
Born	26 June 1903; Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada
Died	18 December 2000 (aged 97); Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Allegiance	Canada
Service/branch	Royal Canadian Navy
Years of service	1918–1960
Rank	Vice-Admiral
Commands held	HMCS Festubert; HMCS St. Laurent; HMCS Haida; HMCS Warrior; HMCS Magnificent
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War; World War II Dunkirk evacuation; Battle of the Atlantic; Arctic convoys; Operation Overlord; Battle of Ushant;
Awards	Commander of the Order of the British Empire; Distinguished Service Order; Distinguished Service Cross; Mentioned in Despatches; Canadian Forces' Decoration; Legion of Merit (United States); Légion d'honneur (France)
Relations	DeWolf family

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Vice Admiral Henry George DeWolf CBE, DSO, DSC, CD (26 June 1903 – 18 December 2000) was a Canadian naval officer who was famous as the first commander of HMCS Haida during the Second World War.

Early years[edit]

DeWolf entered the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) in 1918 at age 15 when he attended the Royal Naval College of Canada (RNCC) at Esquimalt, British Columbia.^[1]

DeWolf graduated from RNCC in 1921 and was sent on an exchange with the Royal Navy to serve on board the battleship HMS Resolution. He was promoted to sub-lieutenant in 1924 and took a six-month course in gunnery, torpedoes and navigation at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. Returning to Canada in the summer of 1925, he was posted to one of the RCN's two destroyers, HMCS Patriot.^[1]

In early 1930, Lieutenant DeWolf received his first command, the Battle-class trawler HMCS Festubert at Halifax. In May 1931, he married Gwendolen Gilbert of Somerset, Bermuda, whom he had met while serving aboard HMCS Patriot, which had spent a winter training there several years earlier. In 1932, DeWolf was posted to the destroyer HMCS Vancouver and then in 1933 to the destroyer HMCS Skeena.^[1]

In July 1935, he was promoted to lieutenant commander and posted to National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ) in Ottawa. He was made Assistant Director of Intelligence and Plans.^[1]

Second World War[edit]

HMCS St. Laurent[edit]

DeWolf returned to Canada in 1939 and was appointed commanding officer of the destroyer HMCS St. Laurent.^[1] St. Laurent was posted to convoy duty out of Halifax. St. Laurent under DeWolf reportedly fired the RCN's first shots of the war as they helped rescue British and French troops escaping from continental Europe during Operation Dynamo after the Fall of France in late May and early June 1940. St. Laurent returned to convoy duty in the North Atlantic, and the following month, in July 1940, DeWolf's ship rescued 859 German and Italian prisoners of war, survivors of Arandora, which had been torpedoed by a U-boat, U-47.^[1] DeWolf was promoted to commander in 1940. He and his ship were mentioned in despatches twice during his service on St. Laurent.

Years later, he recalled the following incident, which took place while in command of St. Laurent:

The mechanism of a live, armed torpedo was being painted by a sailor, who first lifted the safety catch to paint underneath it, and then lifted the firing handle to paint under that. The torpedo fired, naturally, and ran wild on deck," he said. "It slammed into the deck house, bounced off and kept changing around. Everybody, including me, was scared. The decks cleared pretty rapidly. Since we thought we were all going up any second, Petty Officer Ridge and myself decided to try and tame the torpedo. We got astride it. It was as slippery as a greased pig and we thought its propeller might cut our feet off. We rode and guided it over the rail and stuck one leg over the rail to hold it steady. The propeller was making a tremendous racket on the iron deck. We finally managed to release the air cock (the torpedo was driven by compressed air). We still had a live torpedo. When we got to port (in the United Kingdom) we hoisted it on the wall and left it there. I reported to headquarters, but I don't know what became of the torpedo.^[1] (The warhead was eventually placed in a North Sea naval mine field.)

HMCS Haida[edit]

HMCS *Haida* during Second World War. DeWolf was in command of the destroyer from August 1943 to September 1944.

DeWolf took command of HMCS Haida in August 1943.^[1] Under DeWolf, Haida earned a reputation as "the Fightingest Ship in the Canadian Navy", and was responsible for sinking 14 enemy ships in just over a year, earning numerous accolades. Haida and DeWolf saw service with convoys to Murmansk as well as operations to secure the English Channel in preparation for Operation Overlord. Most of his more famous battles took place at night in the English Channel, when DeWolf secured his reputation as a fearless and skilful tactician and became known to his crew as "Hard-Over-Harry" for bold manoeuvres off the coast of France. DeWolf earned the Distinguished Service Order for rescuing survivors of HMCS Athabaskan within range of enemy coastal guns on the French coast.^[2]

DeWolf left Haida and was recalled to Ottawa, where he was promoted to captain in September 1944, becoming Assistant Chief of Naval Staff.^[1]

Cold War[edit]

During the postwar years, DeWolf commanded the aircraft carriers HMCS Warrior and HMCS Magnificent between January 1947 and September 1948, before being promoted to rear admiral.^[1]

He served as Flag Officer Pacific Coast at Esquimalt from 1948 to 1950, then was recalled to NDHQ where he served as Vice Chief of Naval Staff from 1950 to 1952, then was posted to Washington, D.C. as principal military advisor to the Canadian ambassador from 1952 to 1956.^[1]

DeWolf was promoted to vice admiral in January 1956 and served as Chief of the Naval Staff before retiring from the RCN on 31 July 1960.^[1]

Retirement[edit]

DeWolf and his wife retired to her home in Bermuda, although they spent their summers in Ottawa, his last RCN posting. DeWolf was an active golfer and fisherman and he was active in the Royal Canadian Navy Benevolent Fund, which raises money for retired sailors down on their luck.

On 23 September 1992, the Town of Bedford named a 1.4-hectare (3.5-acre) waterfront park on the Bedford Basin after DeWolf. The minutes of 28 November 2000 meeting of the Halifax Regional Council reveal that DeWolf had contributed $100,000 to the municipality, presumably as thanks for naming the prominent Admiral Harry DeWolf Park after him.^[3]

He died in Ottawa on 18 December 2000 at the age of 97 and was buried at sea from HMCS Ville de Québec.

On 18 September 2014, it was announced that the planned new class of Canadian warships built specifically for the Arctic, and the lead ship of the class, the Harry DeWolf-class offshore patrol vessel, would be named after him.^[4]

Awards and decorations[edit]

DeWolf's personal awards and decorations include the following:

Ribbon	Description	Notes
	Order of the British Empire (CBE)	Decoration awarded on 5 January 1946 Commander level Citation^[5]
	Distinguished Service Order (DSO)	Decoration awarded on 27 May 1944 Citation^[6]
	Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)	Decoration awarded on 20 January 1945 Citation^[7]
	1939–1945 Star	WWII 1939-1945
	Atlantic Star	WWII 1939-1945 with France & Germany Clasp
	Canadian Volunteer Service Medal	WWII 1939-1945 with Overseas Service bar
	War Medal 1939–1945 with Mentioned in dispatches	WWII 1939-1945^[8] Citation for - MID (1st)^[9] Citation for - MID (2nd)^[10] Citation for - MID (3rd)^[11] Citation for - MID (4th)^[12]
	Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal	Decoration awarded in 1952
	Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)	with three Clasp for 42 years of services
	Legion of Merit (United States)	Decoration awarded on 3 September 1946 Officer level Citation^[13] United States award
	Legion of Honour	Decoration awarded on 29 August 1947 Officer level Citation^[14] French award
	Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 with palm	Decoration awarded on 25 August 1947 Citation^[15] French award
	King Haakon VII Freedom Cross	Decoration awarded on 8 January 1949 Citation^[16] Norwegian award

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf: A Canadian Naval Legend
^ Goldstein, Richard (14 January 2001). "Harry DeWolf, Canada War Hero, Dies at 97". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
^ "Halifax Regional Municipality Council Minutes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 June 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2007.
^ "PM announces the name of the first of the Royal Canadian Navy's Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships". Prime Minister of Canada. 18 September 2014. Archived from the original on 22 September 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
^ "Commodore De Wolf has held various administrative appointments, including that of Director of Plans, at Naval Service Headquarters at a time of rapid expansion in the R.C.N. As Commanding Officer of one of HM Canadian Tribal Class Destroyers (HMCS Haida), he served at sea with unparalleled success during the invasion of the Continent. On being re-appointed ashore, he now holds the position of Assistant Chief of Naval Staff, which appointment is being filled with perspicacity and ability."
^ "For gallantry and distinguished service as Senior Officer of Destroyers in successful destroyer night actions in the English Channel on 26th and 29th April 1944." Details on the action in which HMCS Haida sunk the German Destroyer T-29 north of Brittany on 26 April 1944 can be found in Chapter 39 of the book "The Canadian Naval Chronicle 1939-1945".
^ "For outstanding courage, skill and devotion to duty in H.M. Ships Tartar, Ashanti, Eskimo, Javelin, and H.M. Canadian Ships Haida and Huron in action with German destroyers." Chapter 42 of "The Canadian Naval Chronicle 1939-1945" describes HMCS Haida (River Class Destroyer - G63) and HMCS Huron (Tribal Class Destroyer) sinking German Destroyer Z-32 and ZH-1 in the English Channel on 9 June 1944. Details on the action in which HMCS Haida sunk the German Minesweepers M-263 and M-486 as part of the 10th Destroyer Flotilla's sweeps along the French coast on 6 August 1944 can be found in Chapter 43 of the book "The Canadian Naval Chronicle 1939-1945".
^ "Page 59 | Supplement 35842, 29 December 1942 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
^ "For outstanding zeal, patience and cheerfulness and for never failing to set an example of wholehearted devotion to duty without which the high tradition of the Royal Canadian Navy could not have been upheld. HMCS St. Laurent was the first Canadian warship to engage the enemy in World War II when firing on German troops at St. Valery near Dieppe, France on 9 June 1940".
^ "As Capitain of HMCS St-Laurent "For valuable services in command of HMC Destroyer (HMCS St. Laurent) in the early months of war in Convoy Escort duty in the Western Atlantic, and overseas during the evacuation from France".
^ "As Capitain of HMCS Haida "For bravery, skill and devotion to duty in H.M. Ships Affleck, Balfour, Eskimo, Wanderer and Tavy and H.M. Canadian Ships Haida and Huron in anti U-Boat operations." Details on the action in which HMCS Haida (Tribal Class Destroyer - G63) and HMCS Huron (Tribal Class Destroyer), and sunk the German Destroyer Z-32 in the English Channel on 9 June 1944 can be found in Chapter 42 of the book "The Canadian Naval Chronicle 1939-1945".
^ "As Capitain of HMCS Haida "For courage and determination in H.M. Ships Albright, Ashanti, Bellona, Diadem, Mauritius, Onslow, Tartar and Ursa and H.M. Canadian Ships Assiniboine, Haida, Iroquois, Qu’appelle, Restigouche and Skeena, in a series of successful attacks on enemy escorted convoys off the coast of France." Details on the action in which HMCS Haida (Tribal Class Destroyer) and HMCS Eskimo (Tribal Class Destroyer) sunk the German Submarine U-971 off the Biscay Coast on 24 June 1944 can be found in Chapter 44 of the book "The Canadian Naval Chronicle 1939-1945".
^ "For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service while serving as Chief Staff Officer to Rear-Admiral G.C. Jones, RCN. He frequently conferred with Commander Task Force Twenty-four and his staff in connection with planning and the operational control of the surface forces under Commander Task Force Twenty-four. His excellent professional grasp of strategic and tactical situations, together with his intelligent and co-operative attitude, contributed materially to the success of operations conducted by Commander Task force Twenty-four."
^ "For services at sea in the war against the enemy."
^ "For services at sea in the war against the enemy."
^ "Bestowed by His Majesty, King Haakon of Norway."

External links[edit]

Canada's 25 Most Renowned Military Leaders

Military offices
Preceded by Rollo Mainguy	Chief of the Naval Staff 1956–1960	Succeeded by Herbert Rayner

[side-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf: A Canadian Naval Legend

[2] Goldstein, Richard (14 January 2001). "Harry DeWolf, Canada War Hero, Dies at 97". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 November 2022.

[3] "Halifax Regional Municipality Council Minutes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 June 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2007.

[4] "PM announces the name of the first of the Royal Canadian Navy's Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships". Prime Minister of Canada. 18 September 2014. Archived from the original on 22 September 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2014.

[5] "Commodore De Wolf has held various administrative appointments, including that of Director of Plans, at Naval Service Headquarters at a time of rapid expansion in the R.C.N. As Commanding Officer of one of HM Canadian Tribal Class Destroyers (HMCS Haida), he served at sea with unparalleled success during the invasion of the Continent. On being re-appointed ashore, he now holds the position of Assistant Chief of Naval Staff, which appointment is being filled with perspicacity and ability."

[6] "For gallantry and distinguished service as Senior Officer of Destroyers in successful destroyer night actions in the English Channel on 26th and 29th April 1944." Details on the action in which HMCS Haida sunk the German Destroyer T-29 north of Brittany on 26 April 1944 can be found in Chapter 39 of the book "The Canadian Naval Chronicle 1939-1945".

[7] "For outstanding courage, skill and devotion to duty in H.M. Ships Tartar, Ashanti, Eskimo, Javelin, and H.M. Canadian Ships Haida and Huron in action with German destroyers." Chapter 42 of "The Canadian Naval Chronicle 1939-1945" describes HMCS Haida (River Class Destroyer - G63) and HMCS Huron (Tribal Class Destroyer) sinking German Destroyer Z-32 and ZH-1 in the English Channel on 9 June 1944. Details on the action in which HMCS Haida sunk the German Minesweepers M-263 and M-486 as part of the 10th Destroyer Flotilla's sweeps along the French coast on 6 August 1944 can be found in Chapter 43 of the book "The Canadian Naval Chronicle 1939-1945".

[8] "Page 59 | Supplement 35842, 29 December 1942 | London Gazette | the Gazette".

[9] "For outstanding zeal, patience and cheerfulness and for never failing to set an example of wholehearted devotion to duty without which the high tradition of the Royal Canadian Navy could not have been upheld. HMCS St. Laurent was the first Canadian warship to engage the enemy in World War II when firing on German troops at St. Valery near Dieppe, France on 9 June 1940".

[10] "As Capitain of HMCS St-Laurent "For valuable services in command of HMC Destroyer (HMCS St. Laurent) in the early months of war in Convoy Escort duty in the Western Atlantic, and overseas during the evacuation from France".

[11] "As Capitain of HMCS Haida "For bravery, skill and devotion to duty in H.M. Ships Affleck, Balfour, Eskimo, Wanderer and Tavy and H.M. Canadian Ships Haida and Huron in anti U-Boat operations." Details on the action in which HMCS Haida (Tribal Class Destroyer - G63) and HMCS Huron (Tribal Class Destroyer), and sunk the German Destroyer Z-32 in the English Channel on 9 June 1944 can be found in Chapter 42 of the book "The Canadian Naval Chronicle 1939-1945".

[12] "As Capitain of HMCS Haida "For courage and determination in H.M. Ships Albright, Ashanti, Bellona, Diadem, Mauritius, Onslow, Tartar and Ursa and H.M. Canadian Ships Assiniboine, Haida, Iroquois, Qu’appelle, Restigouche and Skeena, in a series of successful attacks on enemy escorted convoys off the coast of France." Details on the action in which HMCS Haida (Tribal Class Destroyer) and HMCS Eskimo (Tribal Class Destroyer) sunk the German Submarine U-971 off the Biscay Coast on 24 June 1944 can be found in Chapter 44 of the book "The Canadian Naval Chronicle 1939-1945".

[13] "For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service while serving as Chief Staff Officer to Rear-Admiral G.C. Jones, RCN. He frequently conferred with Commander Task Force Twenty-four and his staff in connection with planning and the operational control of the surface forces under Commander Task Force Twenty-four. His excellent professional grasp of strategic and tactical situations, together with his intelligent and co-operative attitude, contributed materially to the success of operations conducted by Commander Task force Twenty-four."

[14] "For services at sea in the war against the enemy."

[15] "For services at sea in the war against the enemy."

[16] "Bestowed by His Majesty, King Haakon of Norway."

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Canadian naval officer}}
 {{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}
 {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
@@ Line 23: / Line 24: @@
 * [[Operation Overlord]]
 * [[Battle of Ushant (1944)|Battle of Ushant]]
-| awards        = [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]<br/>[[Distinguished Service Order]]<br/>[[Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Service Cross]]<br/>[[Mentioned in Despatches]]<br/>[[Canadian Forces Decoration]]<br/>[[Legion of Merit]] (United States)<br/>[[Légion d'honneur]] (France)
+| awards        = [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]<br/>[[Distinguished Service Order]]<br/>[[Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Service Cross]]<br/>[[Mentioned in Despatches]]<br/>[[Canadian Forces' Decoration]]<br/>[[Legion of Merit]] (United States)<br/>[[Légion d'honneur]] (France)
 | relations     = [[DeWolf family]]
 | laterwork     =
 }}
-[[Vice-Admiral#Canada|Vice Admiral]] '''Henry George "Harry" DeWolf''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|size=100%|sep=,|CBE|DSO|DSC|CD}} (26 June 1903 – 18 December 2000) was a Canadian naval officer who was famous as the first commander of {{HMCS|Haida|G63|6}} during the [[Second World War]].
+[[Vice-Admiral#Canada|Vice Admiral]] '''Henry George DeWolf''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|size=100%|sep=,|CBE|DSO|DSC|CD}} (26 June 1903 – 18 December 2000) was a Canadian naval officer who was famous as the first commander of {{HMCS|Haida|G63|6}} during the [[Second World War]].
 ==Early years==
-DeWolf was born in [[Bedford, Nova Scotia]]. His father owned and operated DeWolf & Sons, a ship brokerage business.{{fact|date=October 2021}}
-DeWolf entered the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] (RCN) in 1918 at age 15 when he attended the [[Royal Naval College of Canada]] (RNCC) at [[Esquimalt, British Columbia]].<ref name=side>[http://jproc.ca/haida/dewolf.html Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf: A Canadian Naval Legend]</ref> The original RNCC had been destroyed in the [[Halifax Explosion]] the previous winter.{{fact|date=October 2021}}
+DeWolf entered the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] (RCN) in 1918 at age 15 when he attended the [[Royal Naval College of Canada]] (RNCC) at [[Esquimalt, British Columbia]].<ref name=side>[http://jproc.ca/haida/dewolf.html Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf: A Canadian Naval Legend]</ref>
 DeWolf graduated from RNCC in 1921 and was sent on an exchange with the [[Royal Navy]] to serve on board the [[battleship]] {{HMS|Resolution|09|6}}. He was promoted to [[sub-lieutenant]] in 1924 and took a six-month course in gunnery, torpedoes and navigation at the [[Royal Naval College (Greenwich)|Royal Naval College, Greenwich]]. Returning to Canada in the summer of 1925, he was posted to one of the RCN's two [[destroyer]]s, {{HMCS|Patriot}}.<ref name=side/>
-In early 1930, Lieutenant (Navy) DeWolf received his first command, the {{sclass2|Battle|trawler|1}} {{HMCS|Festubert}} at Halifax. In May 1931, he married Gwendolen Gilbert of [[Somerset, Bermuda]], whom he had met while serving aboard HMCS ''Patriot'', which had spent a winter training there several years earlier. In 1932, DeWolf was posted to the destroyer {{HMCS|Vancouver|F6A|6}} and then in 1933 to the destroyer {{HMCS|Skeena|D59|6}}.<ref name=side/>
+In early 1930, Lieutenant DeWolf received his first command, the {{sclass2|Battle|trawler|1}} {{HMCS|Festubert}} at Halifax. In May 1931, he married Gwendolen Gilbert of [[Somerset, Bermuda]], whom he had met while serving aboard HMCS ''Patriot'', which had spent a winter training there several years earlier. In 1932, DeWolf was posted to the destroyer {{HMCS|Vancouver|F6A|6}} and then in 1933 to the destroyer {{HMCS|Skeena|D59|6}}.<ref name=side/>
-In July 1935, he was promoted to [[lieutenant commander]] and posted to [[Department of National Defence Headquarters (Canada)|National Defence Headquarters]] (NDHQ) in [[Ottawa]]. He was made Assistant Director of Intelligence and Plans<ref name=side/> and was part of the RCN's negotiation team for acquiring four used destroyers from the Royal Navy.{{fact|date=October 2021}}
+In July 1935, he was promoted to [[lieutenant commander]] and posted to [[Department of National Defence Headquarters (Canada)|National Defence Headquarters]] (NDHQ) in [[Ottawa]]. He was made Assistant Director of Intelligence and Plans.<ref name=side/>
-In 1937, DeWolf studied at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and then served on an exchange with a Royal Navy [[cruiser]] squadron in the [[Mediterranean Sea]] during the [[Spanish Civil War]].{{fact|date=October 2021}}
 ==Second World War==
@@ Line 56: / Line 54: @@
 {{details|HMCS Haida (G63)}}
 [[File:Hmcs-haida.jpg|thumb|left|{{HMCS|Haida}} during [[Second World War]]. DeWolf was in command of the destroyer from August 1943 to September 1944.]]
-DeWolf took command of HMCS ''Haida'' in August 1943.<ref name=side/> Under DeWolf, ''Haida'' earned a reputation as "the Fightingest Ship in the Canadian Navy", and was responsible for sinking 14 enemy ships in just over a year, earning numerous accolades. ''Haida'' and DeWolf saw service with [[Arctic convoys of World War II|convoys to Murmansk]] as well as operations to secure the [[English Channel]] in preparation for [[Operation Overlord]]. Most of his more famous battles took place at night in the English Channel, when DeWolf secured his reputation as a fearless and skilful tactician and became known to his crew as "Hard-Over-Harry" for bold manoeuvres off the coast of France. DeWolf earned the [[Distinguished Service Order]] for rescuing survivors of {{HMCS|Athabaskan|G07|6}} within range of enemy coastal guns on the French coast.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/14/world/harry-dewolf-canada-war-hero-dies-at-97.html Harry DeWolf, Canada War Hero, Dies at 97]</ref>
+DeWolf took command of HMCS ''Haida'' in August 1943.<ref name=side/> Under DeWolf, ''Haida'' earned a reputation as "the Fightingest Ship in the Canadian Navy", and was responsible for sinking 14 enemy ships in just over a year, earning numerous accolades. ''Haida'' and DeWolf saw service with [[Arctic convoys of World War II|convoys to Murmansk]] as well as operations to secure the [[English Channel]] in preparation for [[Operation Overlord]]. Most of his more famous battles took place at night in the English Channel, when DeWolf secured his reputation as a fearless and skilful tactician and became known to his crew as "Hard-Over-Harry" for bold manoeuvres off the coast of France. DeWolf earned the [[Distinguished Service Order]] for rescuing survivors of {{HMCS|Athabaskan|G07|6}} within range of enemy coastal guns on the French coast.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/14/world/harry-dewolf-canada-war-hero-dies-at-97.html |title=Harry DeWolf, Canada War Hero, Dies at 97 |work=The New York Times |last=Goldstein |first=Richard |date=14 January 2001 |access-date=1 November 2022 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
 DeWolf left ''Haida'' and was recalled to [[Ottawa]], where he was promoted to captain in September 1944, becoming Assistant Chief of Naval Staff.<ref name=side/>
@@ Line 71: / Line 69: @@
 DeWolf and his wife retired to her home in Bermuda, although they spent their summers in Ottawa, his last RCN posting. DeWolf was an active golfer and fisherman and he was active in the [[Royal Canadian Navy Benevolent Fund]], which raises money for retired sailors down on their luck.
-On 23 September 1992, the Town of Bedford named a 1.4 hectare waterfront park on the [[Bedford Basin]] after DeWolf. The minutes of 28 November 2000 meeting of the [[Halifax Regional Council]] reveal that DeWolf had contributed $100,000 to the municipality, presumably as thanks for naming the prominent Admiral Harry DeWolf Park after him.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halifax Regional Municipality Council Minutes |url=http://www.halifax.ca/council/minutes/2000/c001128.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603231504/http://www.halifax.ca/council/minutes/2000/c001128.pdf |archive-date=3 June 2011 |access-date=2 November 2007}}</ref>
+On 23 September 1992, the Town of Bedford named a {{convert|1.4|hectare|acre|adj=on}} waterfront park on the [[Bedford Basin]] after DeWolf. The minutes of 28 November 2000 meeting of the [[Halifax Regional Council]] reveal that DeWolf had contributed $100,000 to the municipality, presumably as thanks for naming the prominent Admiral Harry DeWolf Park after him.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halifax Regional Municipality Council Minutes |url=http://www.halifax.ca/council/minutes/2000/c001128.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603231504/http://www.halifax.ca/council/minutes/2000/c001128.pdf |archive-date=3 June 2011 |access-date=2 November 2007}}</ref>
 He died in Ottawa on 18 December 2000 at the age of 97 and was [[Burial at sea|buried at sea]] from {{HMCS|Ville de Québec|FFH 332|6}}.
-On 18 September 2014, it was announced that the planned new class of Canadian warships built specifically for the Arctic, and the [[lead ship]] of the class, the {{sclass|Harry DeWolf|offshore patrol vessel|1}}, would be named after him.<ref>{{cite web |date=18 September 2014 |title=PM announces the name of the first of the Royal Canadian Navy's Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships |url=http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2014/09/18/pm-announces-name-first-royal-canadian-navys-arcticoffshore-patrol-ships |url-status=bot: unknown |publisher=Prime Minister of Canada |accessdate=22 September 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922072946/http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2014/09/18/pm-announces-name-first-royal-canadian-navys-arcticoffshore-patrol-ships |archivedate=22 September 2014}}</ref>
+On 18 September 2014, it was announced that the planned new class of Canadian warships built specifically for the Arctic, and the [[lead ship]] of the class, the {{sclass|Harry DeWolf|offshore patrol vessel|1}}, would be named after him.<ref>{{cite web |date=18 September 2014 |title=PM announces the name of the first of the Royal Canadian Navy's Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships |url=http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2014/09/18/pm-announces-name-first-royal-canadian-navys-arcticoffshore-patrol-ships |url-status=dead |publisher=Prime Minister of Canada |accessdate=22 September 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922072946/http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2014/09/18/pm-announces-name-first-royal-canadian-navys-arcticoffshore-patrol-ships |archivedate=22 September 2014}}</ref>
 ==Awards and decorations==
 DeWolf's personal awards and decorations include the following:
+<br>
-<center>
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+<div class="center">
 [[File:Order of the British Empire (Military) Ribbon.png|120px]]
 <br>
@@ Line 87: / Line 86: @@
 [[File:Ribbon - Atlantic Star & Clasp.png|116px]][[File:Canadian Volunteer Service Medal BAR 2.svg|132px]][[File:War Medal 39-45 w MID BAR.svg|132px]]
 <br>
-[[File:Ribbon - QE II Coronation Medal.png|120px]][[File:CD-ribbon and 3 bars.png|127px]][[File:Us legion of merit officer rib.png|135px]]
+[[File:UK Queen EII Coronation Medal ribbon.svg|120px]][[File:CD-ribbon and 3 bars.png|127px]][[File:Us legion of merit officer rib.png|135px]]
 <br>
 [[File:Legion Honneur Officier ribbon.svg|122px]][[File:Croix de guerre 1939-1945 with palm France - ribbon bar.svg|122px]][[File:Haakon VIIs frihetskors stripe.svg|120px]]
-</center>
+</div>
 <br>
@@ Line 127: / Line 126: @@
 *Citation for - MID (4th)<ref>''"As Capitain of HMCS Haida "For courage and determination in H.M. Ships Albright, Ashanti, Bellona, Diadem, Mauritius, Onslow, Tartar and Ursa and H.M. Canadian Ships Assiniboine, Haida, Iroquois, Qu’appelle, Restigouche and Skeena, in a series of successful attacks on enemy escorted convoys off the coast of France." Details on the action in which HMCS Haida (Tribal Class Destroyer) and HMCS Eskimo (Tribal Class Destroyer) sunk the German Submarine U-971 off the Biscay Coast on 24 June 1944 can be found in Chapter 44 of the book "The Canadian Naval Chronicle 1939-1945".''</ref>
 |-
-|[[File:Ribbon - QE II Coronation Medal.png|80px]] ||[[Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal]] ||
+|[[File:UK Queen EII Coronation Medal ribbon.svg|80px]] ||[[Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal]] ||
 *Decoration awarded in 1952
 |-
-|[[File:CD-ribbon and 3 bars.png|80px]] || [[Canadian Forces Decoration]] (CD) ||
+|[[File:CD-ribbon and 3 bars.png|80px]] || [[Canadian Forces' Decoration]] (CD) ||
 *with three Clasp for 42 years of services
 |-
@@ Line 143: / Line 142: @@
 *Officer level
 *Citation<ref>''"For services at sea in the war against the enemy."''</ref>
-*{{Flagicon|France}} France award
+*{{Flagicon|France}} French award
 |-
 |[[File:Croix de guerre 1939-1945 with palm France - ribbon bar.svg|80px]] || [[Croix de Guerre 1939–1945]] with palm ||
 *Decoration awarded on 25 August 1947
 *Citation<ref>''"For services at sea in the war against the enemy."''</ref>
-*{{Flagicon|France}} France award
+*{{Flagicon|France}} French award
 |-
 |[[File:Haakon VIIs frihetskors stripe.svg|80px]] || [[King Haakon VII Freedom Cross]] ||
 *Decoration awarded on 8 January 1949
 *Citation<ref>''"Bestowed by His Majesty, King Haakon of Norway."''</ref>
-*{{Flagicon|Norway}} Norvegian award
+*{{Flagicon|Norway}} Norwegian award
 |}
@@ Line 159: / Line 158: @@
 {{reflist}}
+== External links ==
+* [https://legionmagazine.com/en/2011/05/canadas-25-most-renowned-military-leaders/ Canada's 25 Most Renowned Military Leaders]
 {{s-start}}
 {{s-mil}}
@@ Line 180: / Line 182: @@
 [[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Honour]]
 [[Category:People from Bedford, Nova Scotia]]
-[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)]]
+[[Category:Canadian recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)]]
 [[Category:Royal Canadian Navy officers]]
 [[Category:Graduates of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich]]

v t e Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy
Directors of the Naval Service	Charles Kingsmill Walter Hose
Chiefs of the Naval Staff	Walter Hose Percy Nelles George Jones Howard Reid Harold Grant Rollo Mainguy Harry DeWolf Herbert Rayner
Principal Naval Adviser	Kenneth Dyer Ralph Hennessy
Commanders, Maritime Command	William Landymore John O'Brien Henry Porter Robert Timbrell Douglas Boyle Andrew Collier John Allan Andrew Fulton James Wood Charles Thomas Robert George John Anderson Peter Cairns Larry Murray Lynn Mason
Chiefs of the Maritime Staff	Gary Garnett Greg Maddison Ronald Buck Bruce MacLean Drew Robertson Dean McFadden
Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy	Paul Maddison Mark Norman Ron Lloyd Art McDonald Craig Baines Angus Topshee