Recognizing the Past

The Town of Ajax and the HMS Ajax

When you look at a street sign in Ajax, you are looking at history: most of our streets have been named after the officers and men that served on the HMS Ajax at the Battle of the River Plate. The street names include Exeter Road named after HMS Exeter and Achilles Road named after HMS Achilles. Harwood Avenue is named for Admiral Henry Harwood, commander of the Ajax.
 
Occasionally members of the crew of HMS Ajax or their families visit our Town to see the streets named after them. On such occasions a tree planting is done, and a plaque is placed at the foot of the tree. The visitor is presented with a street sign bearing his name.
 
We have had several significant events to mark our link with the HMS Ajax and World War II:

• Ship's visit:

A tradition dating from 1963 has each incoming Mayor extend an invitation for the HMS Ajax to visit. The tradition started when then-mayor William Parish visited Birkenhead, England to attend the commissioning of the eighth Royal Navy vessel to carry the name Ajax. (The seventh vessel was the one involved in the Battle of River Plate). The invitation could not be accepted until a few years later when it was extended by Mayor Clark Mason. The HMS Ajax docked at Oshawa on August 25, 1976. The crew was given "Freedom of the Town," the highest honour that can be bestowed on a visiting military unit. The crew paraded down Harwood Ave with swords raised, bayonets fixed, and colours flying.
 

• Ship's bell in Council chambers:

When the eighth HMS Ajax retired in 1985, the Town was presented with the ship's bell, which now hangs in the Council chamber and is used to call meetings to order. 

• Ship's anchor memorial:

The anchor from the retired ship was brought to Canada on the HMS Fife in 1987, and was presented to then-Mayor Bill McLean. It rests in front of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 322 on Hunt Street. It is a memorial to Canadians who died serving overseas, and to those who served on ships named HMS Ajax. Several hundred veterans and residents attended the dedication ceremony, which was broadcast to England by special trans-Atlantic hook-up. 

• D.I.L. 50th anniversary:

The Town celebrated the 50th anniversary of D.I.L. in June 1991 with a reception for those who worked at the plant and those who attended the University of Toronto engineering school in Ajax from 1948-49. A plaque was erected to honour the munitions workers of Ajax. 

• Veteran reunion:

In October 1999 the 60th Anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate was marked in Ajax with the veterans' association's annual reunion. Many activities were held during the week, including dedication of the Harwood Point Historical Garden, a flypast of a Canadian Forces plane, tree planting ceremonies, and a parade. The town had a total of 65 visitors, including 12 veterans who served on HMS Ajax at the Battle in December 1939. There were also crew members from the Achilles and Exeter, along with family members and other representatives. 

• Visits to England:

There have been several visits by Ajax mayors and Town representatives to England for the annual reunion of the HMS Ajax & River Plate Veterans Association, including in 1997, 2001 and 2002. 

• Juno Beach Memorial:

In 2002, Council approved purchase of a brick to become part of the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy, France, which is the beach where Canadian forces landed on D-Day, June 6, 1944.