HMCS Ojibwa Bell
| It has been tradition, for centuries, to baptize children using the ship’s bell as the baptismal font. The child’s name was usually engraved somewhere on the bell, usually inside the mouth. Canadian submarines have maintained that tradition. During the baptismal ceremony, the bell is inverted in its box and filled with water used for the blessing. On completion of the baptism, the water is ceremoniously poured over the side. That ritual is marked by piping the still and the carry on with a bos’n’s call. |  |
Current connection to Ojibwa as a Museum
 | One of the names on the bell is that of Jennifer Jones, daughter of LCdr. T.J.O. Jones - Executive Officer HMCS Ojibwa 1974-75, Commanding Officer August 1977-July 1979.  |
Below: LCdr Jones accepting the brass model of Ojibwa from retired Chief of Maritime Atlantic, Jim 'Lucky' Gordon, at the official opening of HMCS Ojibwa July 6, 2013. He then passed it along to his daughter Jennifer who passed it along to others who have played a role at pivotal times in the life of our Cold War warrior, HMCS Ojibwa.
Flashing Back a Little Further
Flashing back a little further, note the names of James M. Gordon, son of then LSSR Jim 'Lucky' Gordon and the late Eve Gordon, and Robert F. Downie son of LSER Robert (Bob) Downie and his wife Donna.
 | left to right: LSSN Jim ‘Lucky’ Gordon’s wife Eve and son James, HMCS Ojibwa’s Bell, LSER Bob Downie’s son Robert and wife Donna. The special baptismal cake with James’ and Robert’s names in icing was baked and decorated by Ojibwa’s chefs. |
| Lucky and his son a 'few' years later. |  |
Not a Coincidence
Robert’s and James’ names are engraved side by side inside the bell. Robert was born just 20 minutes after James on 17 July 1969. A coincidence? Not really, Lucky explains that Ojibwa arrived home after a long patrol at sea exactly nine months prior to their births, and the Downies lived 20 minutes further away from HMC Dockyard than the Gordons!
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