Andrew Collier

Andrew Collier
Andrew Collier
Nickname(s)	Andy
Born	June 3, 1924; Kamloops, British Columbia
Died	January 3, 1987 (aged 62); Victoria, British Columbia
Allegiance	Canada
Service / branch	Royal Canadian Navy; Canadian Forces Maritime Command
Years of service	1946–1980
Rank	Vice-Admiral
Commands	HMCS Skeena; Seventh Canadian Escort Squadron; Canadian Flotilla (Atlantic); Maritime Forces Pacific; Maritime Command
Awards	Order of Military Merit; Distinguished Service Cross; Canadian Forces' Decoration

Vice Admiral Andrew Laurence Collier CMM DSC CD (June 3, 1924 – January 3, 1987) was a Canadian Forces officer who served as Commander Maritime Command from 14 June 1977 to 30 June 1979.

Early years

Collier was born in Kamloops and raised in Salmon Arm, where his family was prominent in the grocery business.^[1]^[2]

Naval career

Collier joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1942 and completed his training in 1945.^[1] He became Commanding Officer of the destroyer HMCS Skeena in 1960, Captain Sea Training on the staff of the Flag Officer Atlantic Coast in 1962 and Director Naval Plans at the National Defence Headquarters in 1964.^[1] He went on to be Director International Plans in 1965, Commander Seventh Canadian Escort Squadron in 1966 and Deputy Chief of Staff Maritime Training in 1967.^[1] After that he became Deputy Chief of Staff (Combat Readiness) in 1970, Commander Canadian Flotilla (Atlantic) in 1972 and Senior Liaison Officer (Navy) on the Defence Liaison Staff in Washington, D.C. in 1973.^[1] His last appointments were as Chief of Maritime Operations in 1974, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific in 1975 and Commander Maritime Command in 1977, in which role he argued for more ships,^[3] before retiring in 1979.^[1]

Awards and decorations

Collier's personal awards and decorations include the following:

Ribbon	Description	Notes
	Order of Military Merit (CMM)	Appointed Commander (CMM) on 20 June 1977^[4]
	Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) (DSC)	Citation for Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)^[5]
	1939–1945 Star	WWII 1939-1945
	Atlantic Star	WWII 1939–1945 with France & Germany Clasp
	Canadian Volunteer Service Medal	WWII 1939–1945 with Overseas Service bar
	War Medal 1939–1945	WWII 1939-1945
	Korea Medal	1950-1953
	Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea
	United Nations Service Medal Korea	1950-1954
	Canadian Centennial Medal	Decoration awarded in 1967
	Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal	Decoration awarded in 1977 Canadian version
	Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)	with two Clasp for 32 years of services

Later career

He was appointed Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard in 1980 and served as president of the British Columbia Ferry Corporation 1984–1987. He died in Victoria.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Collier, Andrew Laurence". www.nauticapedia.ca.
^ "City of Salmon Arm Community Heritage Register". www.salmonarm.ca. 10 Feb 2010. p. 35.
^ Retiring admiral makes last plea for more ships Ottawa Citizen, August 1, 1979
^ "Order of Military Merit List". The Governor General of Canada. 11 June 2018.
^ Distinguished Service Cross: Canada Gazette of 22 December 1951 "On 5 December 1950, HMCS Cayuga lead the six destroyers up the estuary known as the Daido-ko to the port of Chinnampo. The channel up the Daido-ko is narrow, tortuous and shallow plus had been heavily mined by the North Koreans. Lt Collier was navigating officer on HMCS Cayuga on this dangerous passage at night. Collier made 132 fixes, most of them by radar, showing the position of the ship in relation to the channel marker buoys and nearby landmarks, and the accuracy of his navigation undoubtedly played a large part in ensuring the success of the entire operation to evacuate Chinnampo."

Military offices
Preceded by Douglas Boyle	Commander Maritime Command 1977–1979	Succeeded by John Allan

[naut-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Collier, Andrew Laurence". www.nauticapedia.ca.

[2] "City of Salmon Arm Community Heritage Register". www.salmonarm.ca. 10 Feb 2010. p. 35.

[3] Retiring admiral makes last plea for more ships Ottawa Citizen, August 1, 1979

[4] "Order of Military Merit List". The Governor General of Canada. 11 June 2018.

[5] Distinguished Service Cross: Canada Gazette of 22 December 1951 "On 5 December 1950, HMCS Cayuga lead the six destroyers up the estuary known as the Daido-ko to the port of Chinnampo. The channel up the Daido-ko is narrow, tortuous and shallow plus had been heavily mined by the North Koreans. Lt Collier was navigating officer on HMCS Cayuga on this dangerous passage at night. Collier made 132 fixes, most of them by radar, showing the position of the ship in relation to the channel marker buoys and nearby landmarks, and the accuracy of his navigation undoubtedly played a large part in ensuring the success of the entire operation to evacuate Chinnampo."

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v t e Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy
Directors of the Naval Service	Charles Kingsmill Walter Hose
Chiefs of the Naval Staff	Walter Hose Percy Nelles George Jones Howard Reid Harold Grant Rollo Mainguy Harry DeWolf Herbert Rayner
Principal Naval Adviser	Kenneth Dyer Ralph Hennessy
Commanders, Maritime Command	William Landymore John O'Brien Henry Porter Robert Timbrell Douglas Boyle Andrew Collier John Allan Andrew Fulton James Wood Charles Thomas Robert George John Anderson Peter Cairns Larry Murray Lynn Mason
Chiefs of the Maritime Staff	Gary Garnett Greg Maddison Ronald Buck Bruce MacLean Drew Robertson Dean McFadden
Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy	Paul Maddison Mark Norman Ron Lloyd Art McDonald Craig Baines Angus Topshee