Commander Alfred Wurtele

In his 103 years, Alfred Charles Neuman Wurtele saw service in the Royal Canadian Navy over four decades and during two world wars, gave freely of his time and talents to his chosen community of Esquimalt through his sense of civic pride and public duty, and made a significant contribution to Canada.

Alfred Charles Neuman Wurtele

Alfred Wurtele was born in Kingston, Ontario, on 17 August, 1897, the youngest of five brothers and sisters. He attended public school and, at the age of 12 years, was sent to St. Alban’s Boarding School in Brockville, Ontario.

In 1913, he went to the Royal Naval College of Canada in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1916, he graduated as a Midshipman and joined HMS Leviathan. He also served in the battlecruiser Renown, the destroyer HMS Swift, the cruiser Cleopatra in Ramillies, the cruiser Sussex, and HMS Shearwater. In Swift, he was present for the surrender of the German fleet in November 1918, at Scapa Flow, Orkney.

During the First World War, he excelled in sports – he competed in hockey, soccer and rugby, captured medals for running, and won the Naval College boxing championships.

In 1932, he was appointed for training duty at the Naval Barracks in Esquimalt, BC, and also served in HMCS VANCOUVER for two years.

He married Anne Sherwood on 26 June, 1937, in St. Paul’s Naval and Garrison Church in Esquimalt. The couple had two daughters, Betty (Sherwood) and Anne (Fielden).

Alfred Wurtele with his family, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1942

When World War II broke out in 1939, he was a Commander on HMCS PRINCE HENRY and became Captain of the Naval Barracks in Halifax. At the end of the war, he retired in Esquimalt, BC.

In December of 1945, he was elected as a municipal councilor and remained on the council for 6 years. In the 1951 December elections, he won the seat for Reeve of Esquimalt (‘Reeve’ has now been replaced with the term ‘Mayor’). He served the municipality as Reeve for 14 years. Many improvements took place in the municipality of Esquimalt at this time: streets and drainage; the building of the Archie Browning Sports Centre for the community, completed in 1961; new subdivisions opened up; the municipal hall was renovated.

It was under Alf Wurtele’s instigation a new Coat-of-Arms was created for Esquimalt. A breakwater at Macaulay Point, designed by the municipal engineer, John Graeme was also built during his term as Reeve. It provided safety from storms for the Esquimalt Angler’s Association boat launch docks at Fleming Beach.

On 01 September, 1987, Commander Wurtele was presented with the Freedom of the Municipality on the 75th anniversary of Esquimalt’s incorporation.

He served on the Royal Jubilee Hospital Board for 20 years. Cdr. Wurtele was also a very active member of St. Paul’s Anglican Church for many years and became church Warden Emeritus.

Three years before his 100th birthday, the arena at Naden, Canadian Forces base Esquimalt, was named after him, in recognition of his great dedication to the military and to sports.

Cdr. Wurtele died on 31 August, 2000, at the age of 103. At the time of his death, he was the oldest member of the Naval Officers’ Association of Canada (now the Naval Association of Canada).

For more information about Alfred Wurtele in his own words: