Captain Colin H. P. Shaw RCN

I regret to report the following obituary: SHAW, Colin H. P. Captain RCN ret’d. 1925 – 2009. Quietly in Hospice 13 August 2009. Survived by his wife Lea, son David (Ottawa) and sister Nona Mary Shaw (Brighton, England). Born in Portsmouth, England, into a Naval family he attended various schools including 4 years at Westminister Abbey Choir School in London where he had the priviledge of singing in the choir at the Coronation of King George V1.
In 1940 (during the war) he was sent to family friends in Ottawa, because his education was being interrupted by constant school evacuations due to enemy bombings. He attended Lisgar Collegiate for 2 years and then joined the Royal Canadian Navy and entered the Royal Canadian Naval College, Royal Roads in 1942. He served overseas with the Royal Navy from 1944 to 1947 in the European and Far East theatres and then returned to Canada.
During his 39 years naval service he commanded HMC Ships Lanark, Yukon and Provider and the Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt where he was responsible for the efficient operation of the support facility for the west coast fleet, 3rd Battalion PPCLI and all National Defence establishments located on Vancouver Island from Victoria to Nanoose.
He attended the RCAF Staff College in 1962 and served as the Canadian staff member at the Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich, England in 1968. During his career he served at the Royal Military College, Kingston, from 1952 – 1954 (as a Squadron Commander), Canadian Joint Staff, Washington DC, USA, and three times at Headquarters in Ottawa. His last appointment was Chief of Staff (Operations) to the commander, Maritime Forces Pacific.
On retirement in 1981 he was appointed Director of the Maritime Museum of BC, serving there until 1988. He was responsible for the overall operation of the museum
He served the community as the President of the United Way of Greater Victoria (1982) and Campaign Chairman (1983). Appointed Chairman of the Board of the Victoria Islands and Yukon Division of the Corps of Commissionaires in 1992 and also served on the National Board of Governors 1997-2000. Past President of the Naval Officers Association of VI, the Royal United Services Institute of VI and the Canadian Club of Victoria. Founding Director and Secretary of the Defence Associations National Network Pacific Region.
More privately, he served on the Board of Directors of Fisgard Mortgage Investment Corporation, was a popular member of Victoria’s Union Club and was the Vice President/gofer for 11 years, of The China Cupboard Ltd.