The history of Canada’s navy is its ships.
It is as impossible to separate one from the other as it is to separate sailors who love the seagoing life from their beloved ships. Yet Canadians don’t think of themselves as a maritime nation, or as a people who “go down to the sea in ships.”
HMCS BEACON HILL in wartime camouflage, circa 1944. BEACON HILL has a special connection with the city of Victoria, BC. – Photo Catalogue No. VR991.383.1.
HMCS GALIANO was the only Canadian naval vessel lost in the First World War. She foundered just weeks before the Armistice was declared on November 11, 1918. – Photo Catalogue No. VR992.84.56.
Despite a general lack of recognition by the Canadian public, Canada’s Navy, and its individual ships, are recognised as being among the most sophisticated, efficient and just plain plucky (in the case of the corvettes that did such stalwart escort duty during the Battle of the Atlantic) in the world.
Canada’s naval forces are well documented in various publications, websites and archives. At CFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum, we want to further represent the stories of ships that have a strong connection to Canada’s navy. Below are many articles that share the history of these vessels. Some of the terminology is dated and express racists, dated and/or biased terms that are no longer appropriate today. A trigger warning is displayed at the beginning of these articles.
These official RCN histories were previously found in research files as typewritten documents. They have been digitally transcribed thanks to the ongoing efforts of CPO2 Chris Fraser.
“Canada is a country that often has trouble understanding its maritime heritage and appreciating the importance of the maritime dimensions in its future…
There have been occasions in the history of the Navy when our ships have been only marginally capable of taking up the task [of representing Canada at sea]. This, however, has never been the case with the ships’ companies. They have always numbered among the very best. When ships have been among the most capable, the Canadian Navy has excelled and in recent years has often been called upon to take a lead role in operations.”
Ken Macpherson and Ron Barrie, Vice-Admiral (retired) Gary L. Garnett — Ships of Canada’s Naval Forces 1910-2002
