Special Honour for Distinguished Alumnus – Larry Ashley RMC 1959

Article submitted by the Atlantic Branch

On Saturday August 9, 2025, Lieutenant-General (Retd) Larry Ashley was honoured by being named one of Parks Canada’s Hometown Heroes in a ceremony held at the Shearwater Aviation Museum in the presence of a host of dignitaries, family members and friends.

See the News Release for the accolades given to Larry by the dignitaries at this event.

Born and raised in the town of Simcoe in southwestern Ontario, Larry Ashley entered the Royal Military College of Canada in 1955 as a naval cadet, graduating in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Selected by the Navy for pilot training with the Royal Canadian Air Force, Larry received his naval wings in 1960 and flew Sea King helicopters from numerous ships including Canada’s last aircraft carrier HMCS BONAVENTURE.   He was a test pilot for the introduction of the Sea King into Canadian destroyers and the Bear Trap helicopter haul down system, helping Canada’s naval aviation community become one of the most capable in the world during the Cold War.

With the integration of the Canadian Forces, Larry held key roles in creating Air Command in Winnipeg and commanded two air squadrons and CFB Shearwater.   Posted to Europe he contributed to NATO operations in which he was instrumental in implementing the Airborne Early Warning and Control System, designed to detect aircraft, ships, and vehicles at long ranges and control the battle space in an air engagement.  Upon returning to Canada, he became the commander of Air Command–the first and only Royal Canadian Navy officer to command Canada’s Air Force.

Larry was privileged to have been Aide-de-Camp for the Governor General of Canada and Honorary Aide-de-Camp to four Lieutenant-Governors.

On retirement from the Canadian Forces in 1989, Larry started his second 18-year career in the defence aerospace industry: becoming the first Chief Executive Officer of Lockheed Canada (now Lockheed Martin Canada) for eight years, then joining Westland Augusta.

Throughout his careers and his retirement, Larry has continuously worked to benefit his community.  He has been involved with the Shearwater Aviation Museum for most of his life; was a founding Director of the Canada Science and Technology Museum Foundation (now the Ingenium Foundation); and served for two decades on the board of Bytown Brigantine—a sailing program to benefit and challenge youth.

Larry and his wife, Gail, have lived in Halifax since 2016. They have three children and “a squadron of grand- and great-grandchildren spread across Canada”.

Feature photo caption:   Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, Commander Royal Canadian Air Force; the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, retired Lieutenant-General Larry Ashley, the Honourable Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament; Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander Royal Canadian Navy, Ron Hallman, President and Chief Executive Officer Parks Canada Agency; and his Honour Mike Savage, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia at a ceremony honouring Larry Ashley as a Hometown Hero

From Parks Canada – https://www.canada.ca/en/parks-canada/news/2025/08/larry-a-ashley-cmm-cd—october-2-1937.html 

How does a young man from a small mill town in southern Ontario join the Royal Canadian Navy as a cadet and retire 37 years later as a Lieutenant General and commander of the Canadian Air Force? Through determination, an innovative spirit, and a little luck.  This is the story of Larry Ashley.

Born and raised in Simcoe, Ontario, Larry Ashley entered the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) as a naval cadet in 1955.  He felt the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) best suited the values he would seek to achieve throughout his career – teamwork, innovation, and working with cutting edge technology.

Larry Ashley graduated from RMC in 1959 with a BSc in engineering and earned his commission in the RCN. Ashley was surprised and thrilled to be selected to become a naval aviator. He was sent to flight training with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and within a year he earned his flight wings.

His posting to Shearwater, Nova Scotia, as a helicopter pilot was the beginning of his close ties with Canada’s naval aviation community. For the next 15 years he would serve aboard numerous ships including the HMCS Bonaventure and be at the forefront of technical developments which would revolutionize naval aviation. He helped develop the Beartrap which allows helicopters to land on destroyers, was a test pilot for the Sea King production program, was involved in numerous upgrades to improve the capabilities of this beloved aircraft. As he advanced through the ranks he took on command roles including two naval air squadrons and CFB Shearwater.

His association with the RCAF began when he served at Air Command HQ and then with NATO in Europe where he was program manager for the monumental task of creating the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). Back in Canada, he took on several senior roles culminating in command of Canada’s Air Force, a position he held until his retirement in 1989. He was the only former RCN officer to ever do so.

General Ashley received many honours and awards during his military career. He was made a Commander of the Canadian Order of Military Merit (1986), received the Queens’s Golden Jubilee Medal (2002) and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012). He was Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the Governor General of Canada and Honorary ADC to four Lieutenant Governors.

After his retirement, he stayed involved with the aerospace industry. He formed Lockheed Canada in 1989, and in 1998 joined Westland Augusta as a consultant.  He retired from that role in 2007.

Throughout his career, Larry Ashley worked to benefit his community.  He has been involved with the Shearwater Aviation Museum for most of his life and has worked to improve facilities for personnel at Shearwater for decades. He was a founding Director of the Canada Science and Technology Museum Foundation (now part of the Ingenium Foundation), an organization that shares his passion for innovation and knowledge-sharing. For two decades he served on the board of Bytown Brigantine, a program to challenge youth and to inspire young people to develop qualities of teamwork, leadership, and self-reliance through the medium of sailing tall ships.