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8 Volume 73 Number 1
15 February 2021
the school board, District 44, North Vancouver. I
retired early from teaching at age 55 on a reduced
pension, so I needed a supplementary income.
During one federal election I was hired as a Spe-
cial Constable for one day, making secure the poll-
ing station in Capilano Elementary School, for
which I was paid $100.
During the 70’s and 80’s I was a regular contribu-
tor to the Canada-wide newspaper Old Autos, a bi-
monthly out of Ontario, which covered all aspects
of the old car hobby. It paid by the column inch,
plus my photos, giving me about $150/mo., as
well as the glory of a byline name in print.
In 1974, with a partner, we registered our compa-
ny, Vintage Motors & Trading Co. Ltd. We bought
used British sports cars cheap, cleaned them up
and resold them at a modest profit.
While on the subject of old cars, for at least 20
years, I had a thriving cash only business with
movies, hotel transfers, weddings, and picking up
VIP’s. Sometimes they wanted two cars, so Elsa
drove the automatic RR, and I drove the gearbox
RR. Elsa Garthe came into my life in January,
1982; we married in December, 1984.
In 1987, knowing I was to retire early, I enlarged
the scope of my company, Haffenden, Garthe &
Co., material appraisals and arbitration work, on a
part-time basis. Much of my work was from ICBC,
the rest from private clients. Next, I attended SFU
Downtown Campus for a few week-ends and quali-
fied for the Canada wide designation of Chartered
Arbitrator (C.Arb.) After this, the Arbitration Insti- tubes either side firing 21-inch torpedoes and a
tute of B.C. on Hornby Street, began appointing
me to hear cases, often flying me to a variety of
small towns to conduct the case. These cases
earned me between $300 to $500, plus costs.
With time and experience I began to be called by
lawyers in civil cases as an Expert Witness in mat-
ters of Accelerated Depreciation. It paid well; it
involved writing a report, and attending court to
be deposed and cross examined.
At age 71 the Institute stopped sending me cases,
a rank example of ageism.
Around 2005, I was hired as a Public Speaker. I
gave talks on Admiral Nelson, Jane Austin, Sher-
lock Holmes, MENSA, the Fall of Quebec, and Muti-
ny, among others. Payment was usually from $50
to $200, plus a free dinner.
I think that ends my work history. In all that time,
I never was on the dole; I never applied for UIC
Edinburgh’s Gold
By David Reece
Introduction
n 1942 a British cruiser es-
I corting a Russian Convoy in
the Barents Sea and laden
with Russian Gold was sunk by
enemy action. Thirty-nine
years later a working-class lad
from Yorkshire England searched and found the
wreck and eventually recovered the gold. This is
his story. The account is split into two parts:
Part 1 – Loss and search; and
Part 2 – Recovery and aftermath.
PART1
Loss and Search
HMS Edinburgh of the Royal Navy was built at
Swan and Hunters Shipyard at Wallsend on the
River Tyne near Newcastle England. Launched in
1938 and commissioned shortly afterwards. She
was a powerful warship with 4 triple turrets of 6-
inch guns, twelve 4-inch guns, triple torpedo
score of anti aircraft and smaller calibre deck
guns. Four catapult launched Walrus aircraft add-
ed to her equipment. Ten ships of this class were
constructed, and Edinburgh was one of two sub
classes. The same year as Edinburgh skidded into
the river her sister ship, HMS Belfast was
launched. Now a museum ship moored on the
River Thames in London, she figures prominently
in the gold recovery.
The years 1941/42 were critical in the fight
against Hitler. Russia was vital to the war effort
and Roosevelt and Churchill knew it. Hitler had
launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of
Russia in June 1941 and by the end of the year
the German Army had 164 Divisions there and
were on the outskirts of Leningrad (St Peters-
burg). Minsk and Kiev had fallen to Hitlers forces.
By September they were advancing from Smo-
lensk to the gates of Moscow and in real danger of
falling to the Germans. Stalin needed war supplies
and badly. Britain was helping by sailing aircraft
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