HALIFAX – The frigate departed Halifax on January 14, 2013 to begin Operation ARTEMIS. The entire crew rotated out in July of that year, and arrived back in Halifax Thursday.
This is one of the longest naval deployments of a single hull in recent history. The Toronto spent 375 days away from home and 279 days at sea, travelling nearly 80,000 nautical miles.
While on patrol in the Arabian Sea, HMCS Toronto intercepted and destroyed nine narcotic shipments, totalling eight and a half metric tonnes. The Toronto also launched itself into the history books, disrupting the largest heroin bust in the history of the Maritime Forces Operation.
“I can’t give all the credit to us, there was the previous crew of the Toronto who covered off the whole 13 months the ship itself was away. Overall, again 8 and a half tons of illicit narcotics that aren’t going to make it to market, and that’s all funding that the terrorist organizations aren’t getting. That’s to me, in my books, a huge success” said Commander Matthew Bowen, Commanding Officer of HMCS Toronto.
Jennifer Fleming and her daughter Ciera spent the morning anxiously awaiting the arrival of someone special.
“My husband Glen Fleming is a sonar op on board. He’s been gone since June. We actually got married on the 15th and he actually left on the 26th, so he’s been deployed pretty much the whole time we’ve been married” she told Global News.
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Being apart for these families may be a way of life, but it’s never easy.
“It was pretty hard, being a single parent for 8 months, but she’s been my little trooper the whole time he’s been gone and she’s been waiting so patiently” Fleming says.
“It’s what we do as a navy family, and it’s difficult but life still has to go on. You have to go to work, the kids have to go to school, the house has to function, everything still has to take place, so you do what you have to do to get through” added Tina Stone, who waited patiently with her children and grandson for her husband’s homecoming.
Leading Seaman Andrew MacNeil was the first sailor off, and headed straight into the arms of his children. Then, one by one, 250 sailors departed the Toronto.
Stone was reunited with Lou Matous, a weapon tech on board HMCS Toronto, but a husband, father and grandfather at home.
“There’s certainly no replacement for being on home turf, absolutely, missed them all very much” Matous said as he kissed his wife.
Emotions ran high for everyone as they saw their loved ones for the first time in more than seven months. None more so then 3 year old Ciera, who ran down the dock and jumped into her dad’s arms as soon as she saw him.
“Just happy to be home, that’s all. A long trip. This one keeps missing me” Glen Fleming said as he hugged his wife and little girl, glad to be home.
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