Our Veterans > World War II > Larry Costello
Larry Costello
(Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Petty Officer Class II 1940-1946)
At the age of 16-and-a-half years old, Larry Costello joined the Royal Canadian Navy. Within six months he was sent to Halifax (from Montreal) and served on the HMCS Annapolis. He was soon drafted to the HMCS Runnymede, a convoy escort from Newfoundland to Londonderry - known as the "barber pole squadron" as it had a barber pole painted on the funnel. He would serve on the ship until the end of the war.
Not long after, he enlisted again, but ended up in a military hospital after having been attacked by some 'zoot-suiters' while on leave. He later worked on the train patrol between Montreal and Halifax before receiving a discharge in 1946.
He rejoined with the Navy in 1948, serving in numerous capacities, including ships, carriers, mine-sweepers, and frigates at the HMCS Shearwater in Nova Scotia. According to Larry, "Those were the best years of my life". He retired from the Navy on November 22, 1963, and for the past 26 years has been the custodian of the Cenotaph at City Hall Square in Windsor.
Among his post-war accolades, Larry has met the Queen at a Battle Of The Atlantic commemorative event and was recently awarded custody of the Canadian Flag that was flown over the Peace Tower in Ottawa for Remembrance Day on November 11, 2003.