HMCS Hunter is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve Division (NRD) located in Windsor, Ontario. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Hunter is a land-based naval training establishment crewed by part-time sailors and also serves as a local recruitment centre for the Canadian Forces Naval Reserve. It is one of 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada. Namesake HMCS Hunter is named after HMS General Hunter, a 10-gun brig of the Upper Canada Provincial Marine Royal Navy Lake Erie squadron. The original battle scarred ensign flown on HMS General Hunter during the War of 1812, at the Siege of Detroit and the Battle of Lake Erie, is currently in possession by the unit. History HMCS Hunter was established in March 1940 as the Windsor Half Company Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) at the old Toledo Scales plant at 2462 Howard Ave. in Windsor, Ontario. She was formally commissioned as a tender to HMCS Stadacona (Halifax) on 1 November 1941 during the Second World War. On 1 September 1942, she became an independent shore establishment. Her first commanding officer was Lt. Jordon H. Marshall, RCNVR. The original HMCS Hunter building was built in 1929 by Fred W. Martin, the same man who built the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, and located at 960 Ouellette Avenue in Windsor. Planned as a giant food market the building was designed by president of the Toronto Building Company, R. J. Davies. The unit originally housed and trained new sailors preparing to join Canadian naval ships during the Second World War.After the Second World War, HMCS Hunter was reorganised into a peacetime footing, no longer required to train and ship new recruits off to war. During the post-war period, HMCS Hunter personnel actively participated in the city intermediate basketball league, playing other city teams, including teams from the 22nd Reconnaissance Regiment and the Essex Scottish Regiment. Basketball was a very popular sport amongst sailors at HMCS Hunter, with games being played on Friday sport nights. The unit also entered a team in the Border Cities Baseball League. In 1949, the officers organised a Naval Officers' Revolver Club, which later joined the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association. A sterling silver spoon bearing the Navy crest was awarded to the top marksman at each shoot. In the same year, new gear was installed for the power operation of twin Oerlikon and twin Boffin gun batteries and the unit possessed