Photo: Corporal Connor Bennett, Formation Imaging Services
HMCS William Hall welcomes new CO in unique setting
By Trident Staff
CPL CONNOR BENNETT
On January 22, His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) William Hall held a change of command ceremony, transferring command from Commander (Cdr) Scott Kelemen to Cdr Jeremy Ruggles. Commodore Jacob French, Commander Canadian Fleet Atlantic, presided over the proceedings.
The ceremony was held at the Black Cultural Centre in Cherry Brook. The ship is named for Petty Officer William Hall, a Black naval war hero whose actions as an Able Seaman during the 1857 Relief of Lucknow in the Indian Rebellion earned him the Victoria Cross. Hall was the first Nova Scotian (the third Canadian), and the first Black person in the British empire to receive the Victoria Cross.
The location was chosen to honour the legacy of William Hall, as well as the contributions of other Black Canadian naval members whose service has historically been overlooked.
Commissioned in 2024, HMCS William Hall carries forward the legacy of its namesake and has since completed several missions and operations throughout the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
While deployed in late May 2025 in support of Operation CARIBBE, HMCS William Hall worked alongside a United States Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment to seize more than 1,300 kilograms of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea. These actions formed part of Canada’s ongoing contribution to the United States-led Enhanced Counternarcotics Operations under Joint Interagency Task Force South.
In August 2025, Cdr Kelemen also led HMCS William Hall on Operation NANOOK, sailing north to reinforce Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic. The ship transited the Northwest Passage into the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut, stopping in Coral Harbour and Rankin Inlet, marking its inaugural visit to the region. During the deployment, the ship’s company engaged with local communities, including participation in a community trade show. Cdr Kelemen also took part in a panel discussion on changes in Arctic security, sharing insights on the impact of evolving geopolitical dynamics in the North.
Cdr Kelemen’s handover of command marks a milestone for the ship and the Royal Canadian Navy, Cdr Ruggles begins the year as the second commanding officer of the fourth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel in the Atlantic fleet.
As he assumes command of HMCS William Hall, Cdr Ruggles looks ahead to continuing the ship’s operational legacy while preparing to meet the challenges of future deployments.
