Fred was a surface officer in the RCN and re-classified to "sub" service completing the RCN Clearence Diving Officer (CLDO) course #1965, qualifying as a naval clearance diving officer. He served in that capacity for several years and was later seconded to the RCN Physical Training Branch as a P&RT Officer. As a LCdr Fred returned to the Clearance Diving Branch at the Diving Trials and Evaluation Unit at DCIEM for several years, contributing to the development of both mixed-gas and oxygen diving rebreather systems and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). He retired from the CF at DCIEM to take the position of Training Officer at the Canadian Underwater Training Centre (CUTC) in Toronto and died a natural death in Toronto five years later.