It's not the ships ...

the long version

A native of Ottawa, Fred Sherwood (1914-2013) joined the RCNVR in 1933. In 1940 Lieutenant Sherwood joined the Royal Navy's submarine service and saw action off Norway, in the Bay of Biscay, and in the Mediterranean. After passing the "Perisher"(Commanding officer's qualifying course) in early 1943, Fred became the first volunteer reservist of any nation to command a RN submarine. In 1944 and early 1945 his "boat" HMS/M Spiteful (P 227) completed several successful patrols in the Far East. Fred emerged from the war with a Distinguished Service Cross and Bar. In 1946 he married Mary Clarke and settled in Ottawa.