Many letters were sent home from Royal Canadian Navy sailors during World War II. On occasion a letter would be sent from the Commanding officer of a Canadian ship to the namesake community that supported the ship. This letter by Wm. Harrison, CO of HMCS TRENTONIAN was written to the City of Trenton shortly after […]
HMCS LEVIS
HMCS LEVIS torpedoed by U 74 on 19 September 1941, 120 miles east of Cape Farewell, Greenland while escorting Convoy SC-44. The torpedo struck the corvette just ahead the 4 inch forward gun, blowing a large hole in her bow. Damage control was initially effective and she was taken in tow. LEVIS remained afloat for […]
Millions of Lives Saved by a Canadian Navy Doctor
Many know the name of Dr Charles Best for his fame as co-founder of Insulin with Dr. Frederick Banting in 1922 at the University of Toronto. Very few people realize that Dr. Best served Canada in two World Wars and his work for the Royal Canadian Navy saved many sailors lives and continues to influence […]
Canada’s Navy Honours the Sacrifice of our Sailors Past
By: Roger Litwiller -Canadian Naval Author and Historian Recently the Royal Canadian Navy unveiled two of Canada’s warships painted in a multi-coloured camouflage scheme. Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship REGINA (2nd), a Halifax class frigate and HMCS MONCTON (2nd), Kingston class maritime defence vessel, have been given the “new” paint scheme. The purpose of this remarkable […]
A. B. O’Brian -Biography of a Ship’s Mascot
During the Second World War many Royal Canadian Navy ships had mascots. They ranged in a variety of dogs and cats, one ship was rumoured to have a pet pig. For many of the young sailors, away from home these fury shipmates brought a sense of normalcy, a sense of home to them. You might […]
The Canadian Maple Leaf -A RCN Tradition Honouring Our Sailors Past
If you look at any ship in the Royal Canadian Navy today, you will see a bright red Maple Leaf proudly displayed on the funnel or helicopter hangar. This has become a unique tradition in the RCN and can be traced back to 1918 when several RCN Drifters (CD Class) used for minesweeping had placed […]
The Sacrifice of SS Beaverford “The Heroic Saga of the Canadian Pacific Railway’s Ship with Teeth.”
Many will know the celebrated legacy of the Royal Navy’s armed merchant cruiser HMS JERVIS BAY and her final moments as she battled the German pocket battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER protecting her North Atlantic convoy, HX-84 on 5 November 1940. The battle for the convoy did not end with the loss of JERVIS BAY. The Canadian […]
HMCS SACKVILLE -Modernizing a WWII Corvette
In 2018, HMCS SACKVILLE entered the submarine maintenance shed at Fleet Maintenance Facility, CAPE SCOTT at HMC Dockyard in Halifax for badly needed repairs to her hull. This might not seem to be exciting on the surface, but when you realize SACKVILLE is a Second World War veteran of the Battle of the Atlantic and […]
RCAF Submarine Attacks Battle Of Atlantic during WWII
Royal Canadian Air Force attacks Against Submarines during WWII -Battle of Atlantic 1939-1945 Compiled by Roger Litwiller © Date U-Boat Sqn/Base/AC/Pilot/ Latitude/Longitude Details 31 Jul 1942 U754 Sunk 113 Squadron RCAF Yarmouth, NS Hudson BW 625 S/L N.E. Small 4302N 6425W South East of Cape Sable. 1st successful attack by Eastern Air Command. 30 Oct […]
Canadian & Newfoundland Merchant Navy Losses “Battle Of Atlantic in WWII
Canadian & Newfoundland Merchant Navy Losses “Battle Of Atlantic in WWII 1939 to 1945 By: Roger Litwiller © 1939 26 August 1939 -Admiralty signals FUNNEL to Commonwealth & British navies. Commonwealth merchant ships placed under naval control. 3 September 1939 -England & France declare war on Germany. Within two hours U30 torpedoes & sinks SS Athenia sailing from the […]