On Wednesday, 27-year old Sailor 3rd class Nathan Lance of Campbell’s Bay joined a crew of 240 aboard the HMCS Montreal when they hoisted anchor to set sail on the first six-month deployment of 2022.

The HMCS Montreal is a Halifax-class frigate serving in . . .

the Canadian Forces since 1993. It will be joining Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) on Operation Reassurance, marking the 17th Royal Canadian Navy ship to deploy on Op Reassurance.

The Standing NATO Maritime Groups are multinational, integrated maritime forces made up of vessels from allied countries. These vessels (along with the helicopters onboard) are available to NATO to perform different tasks from participating in exercises to actually intervening in operational missions. They also typically help to establish alliance presence, demonstrate solidarity and conduct routine diplomatic visits to different countries.

Lance is a second-generation sailor, following in the footsteps of his father, retired Petty Officer 2nd Class, Mark Lance.

Nathan, who first joined the service as an army engineer, later transferred to a naval mechanical engineer position, and is now responsible for the ship’s engine.

“He always enjoyed working on engines, now he works on engines the size of a house,” said Mark, “but his other duties onboard the ship might include firefighting, weapons handling and everyone onboard is trained in advance first aid.”

“One of the things I’ve always said is that the two hardest working personnel on board a naval ship are the engineers and the cooks. When it comes to the ship, if it’s not moving it’s not fighting, and food is a morale booster,” said Mark.

According to Mark, Nathan was excited to set sail on his first overseas mission.” He was very anxious to get back to work, I mean, that’s what they do, that’s what he was trained for. When you’re a sailor and you’re alongside your home port you kind of start chomping at the bit to get out to sea.”

“It’s really hard to explain, but once you’ve been out to sea it really is something that calls you so it’s never something that you can separate yourself from. You’re always a sailor, it’s in your blood,” Mark added.

Having served for more than 20 years provides Mark with confidence as a parent, “I know what their training is like. The training that our soldiers, sailors and airmen get is probably the best in the world.”

“I can honestly say that I have no heartache and I would jump on a ship today to serve again in a heartbeat,” Mark added.

But things are different for Mark who said he was always the one leaving his wife and kids behind. He now finds himself on the waiting side of the equation but said he and his wife are able to keep tabs on the ship’s whereabouts using a software application called Marine Tracker.

“It’s a program where you can actually see where the ships are and what they’re doing. My wife and I have been doing that since he got on board the ship. We can actually see where his ship is in the middle of the ocean at any one time,” Mark said.

Nathan will be visiting Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey and other ports of call. His father said he was excited about that aspect.

Mark sent his son off with a note that read, “Take a second to look around and appreciate what you’re doing and where you are in the world.”

Because he said, he’s about to realize how small our little blue planet really is.

Mark said another great morale booster is when sailors receive mail, and urges people of all ages to write to them while they’re onboard their mission. They can do so through the following address:

Any Canadian Sailor

HMCS Montreal

Fleet Mail Office Halifax

PO Box 99000 Stn Forces

Halifax, NS B3K 5X5

Nathan Lance, a mechanical engineer, is in charge of the ship’s engine, which is the size of a house.

Nathan Lance was an army engineer before he transferred to the Canadian Navy.

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