Sean E. Livingston is a Naval Reserve officer with the CAF, as well as a teacher and Sea Cadet instructor. For over a decade, he has researched and promoted the history of HMCS Oakville, keeping its memory and story alive. His book Oakville’s Flower has just released and it is a must read!
Sean: Oakville’s Flower: The History of HMCS Oakville tells the story of a Second World War Corvette that was christened in, and named after, the town of Oakville. Despite its exciting naval career, and the valour displayed by its crew during the war, memory of the ship and its heroic deeds was all but forgotten. The book reveals the deep connection the people of Oakville had with their namesake warship, a unique bond that stirred deep feelings of patriotism, loyalty, and love. Oakville’s Flower not only brings to light the story of this ship and the community that supported her, but also reveals how its memory is being kept alive in the community from which it is named. It is more than just a history of a ship – it is a revelation of how Canadians, both at sea and at home, did their part when the world was in crisis. Although the book will naturally be a pleasure for fans of naval history, it is a story anyone can read and appreciate. I hope people enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.