Raymond Rutherford

Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve

Raymond Rutherford was born on 9 July 1926 to Margaret and Thomas Rutherford. He was raised in Victoria, British Columbia, and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. Throughout his service, he served on the aircraft carriers HMS Glory and HMCS Warrior. 

The HMS Glory was a British Colossus-class aircraft carrier. The ship was commissioned on 2 April 1945, shortly before the end of the war. It was deployed to the Pacific with an air wing of Barracudas (837 Naval Air Squadron) and Corsairs (1831 Naval Air Squadron). In Sydney, Australia, it joined the 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron of the British Pacific Fleet. HMS Glory proceeded to Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, on 6 September 1945, to accept the surrender of the Japanese garrison that was located there. After the surrender at Rabaul, the carrier assisted in the retaking of Hong Kong before sailing to Australia and Canada to assist in the return of Commonwealth troops.

The HMS Warrior was another Colossus-class aircraft carrier, built for the British Royal Navy in Belfast, Ireland. It was commissioned on 2 April 1945, the same day as HMS Glory. On 14 March 1946 it was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy and was commissioned as HMCS Warrior. It was quickly determined that the heating system aboard HMCS Warrior was insufficient in the cold waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. As a result, the carrier was transferred to the west coast of Canada until it could be exchanged for a more suitable carrier. In February 1948, the ship arrived in Belfast, where it transferred stores to the HMCS Magnificent. The Warrior continued service with the Royal Navy until it was sold to Argentina in 1958.

Ray worked for the public service of British Columbia for 42 years. He retired in 1984 as the Director of Mineral Titles and Chief Gold Commissioner from the Ministry of Energy Mines and Petroleum Resources. Following his retirement, he was appointed to the mediation and arbitration board under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act. He served in this role for 13 years and was chair during his last four years on the board. For many years, Ray was considered the provincial expert in underground claims and rights.

Ray was a long-time member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 127. He passed away in Victoria, British Columbia, at Broadmead Veterans Lodge on 20 March 2025 at 98 years old. 

*Information about when Ray was on the ships mentioned will be updated when information is available.