Commander Donald Cameron Rutherford (Retired)
3 August, 1961 to 19 July, 1962
C.D., R.C.N.

Commander Donald Rutherford, a Sarnia Ontario native born in 1922, entered the RCN (Regular Force) in 1940 as a Naval Cadet at the age of 18 for a 29-year naval career which was followed by 18 years with 3M Canada in London, Ontario.

He received his early officer training for nearly three years in ships and establishments of the Royal Navy after first attending the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon. He served in HM Ships HOOD, LONDON,  DUKE OF YORK and the old V&W destroyer WOOLSTON.

Donald Rutherford as seen in retirement. (Photo via Carla Morse)

In 1943 he joined the second OTTAWA (H31), was promoted to Lieutenant, and in July 1944 was sent for specialist signals officer training in St.Hyacinthe, Quebec. In June 1945 he joined PRINCE ROBERT as Communication Officer until October 1945.

His peacetime service included:

HMC Ships

• MAGNIFICENT as Communication Officer 1948-49
• CAYUGA as Executive Officer 1953-1955
• HAIDA as Commanding Officer 1961-1962
• ST.CROIX as Commanding Officer 1962-1963

Ashore

• Staff Communication Officer, Flag Officer Atlantic Coast and OIC Naval Communication School 1945-1948.
• Deputy Director of Naval Communications 1949-1951
• Promoted to Lieut-Cdr in 1951
• Canadian Joint Staff, Washington DC   1951-53 and 1959-61
• Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich. England  1955
• Promoted to Commander 1955
• Naval Member, Joint Planning Staff, Ottawa  1955-1958
• Director of Naval Communications 1958-1959
• A/Director Naval Operational Requirements for  Communications, Command and Control and Electronic Warfare Systems 1963-1968
• Early retirement 1969

In 1988, Don became a Governor in the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, a member of the RCNA (London and Area Branch) and of the London Branch of the Naval Officers Association of Canada in which served as National Director. His hobbies also included amateur radio.

Don crossed the bar on October 4, 2004.