We regret to advise of the death of Chief Warrant Officer Donald Esau Bruce Hynes, CD (Ret’d) at James Paton Memorial Hospital in Gander, NL on Friday 4 January 2019 at the age of 78.
Bruce was born in Norris Arm, NL where he received his formal education. Upon completion of high school he was employed on a survey crew with the Newfoundland Light & Power Company before moving to Toronto to work as a clerk in an aircraft components plant. Bruce enlisted in the Canadian Forces in 1958 where he initially trained as a radio operator with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. He spent almost three years in the field before taking a Radioman Special course with the Royal Canadian Navy and was then posted to the Vancouver Wireless Station in 1962. This tour was followed by a posting the next year to the Royal Canadian Air Force Station in Whitehorse, YT. In 1965, Bruce was posted to Canadian Forces Station Alert, NU for a year-long tour and then moved to Canadian Forces Station Leitrim in Ottawa as the Whitehorse Station had closed down.
Dual-qualified by that time as a Group 3 Communications Research and Radio and Telegraph Operator, Bruce sought a career change and remustered to the Topographic Survey trade. Posted to the Army Survey Establishment in 1967, he became a specialist in photo-identification and aerial triangulation. Bruce was involved with the control planning of many large survey projects and his major field survey parties included Bella Coola II (1969), Arctic 71, Arctic Doppler (1974) [with Energy Mines and Resources] , Arctic 77, Nova Scotia Doppler (1980) [with Energy Mines and Resources ] and Op YUKON 80.
Bruce’s last posting was in the CME Branch Advisors Office in National Defence Headquarters where, among his duties, he was Editor of “CHIMO” the CME Periodical. Bruce had a long history of research and writing as far back as when he was involved with the local newspaper, the Whitehorse Star, on a part-time basis doing art-work and editorial cartoons. He contributed to many publications, including “The Sentinel” and “Canair Commentary” and was instrumental in the creation and production of “The Canadian Mapper Monthly” in 1970 and “The Canadian Military Mapper” in 1985. Bruce was the self-appointed historian for Mapping and Charting Establishment, contributed to “Men and Meridians” and was the editor of ”One Hundred Years of Canadian Military Mapping.“
Upon his retirement in 1995 with 37 years of service, Bruce returned to Newfoundland where he pursued his passion for writing. His books include “The Eastport Peninsula: A People of the Sea and Soil,” “Here be Dragons,” and “The Noble Newfoundland Dog.” Work was well underway on two additional books. Bruce was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 41 and Freemasons Lodge No. 35.
Funeral will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, 10 January at Good Shepherd United Church, Happy Adventure, NL. Online condolences can be sent to the Funeral Home.
