On Monday 13 November 2023, His Majesty’s Canadian Ship HARRY DEWOLF secured alongside HMCS HAIDA in Hamilton, Ontario. On board the Royal Canadian Navy’s Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship was a precious cargo, the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup. Canada’s Navy has a long tradition of escorting the Grey Cup to the host city for […]
Women in the RCN -An Incredible Legacy
On 8 August 1914 a contingent of nursing sisters sailed in the the hastily converted, His Majesty’s Canadian Hospital Ship PRINCE GEORGE. I wonder if they realized they were making history. They were the first women to serve at sea in a ship under the control of the Royal Canadian Navy! This milestone would not be […]
Letter from the Normandy Invasion
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 […]
The Doctor Who Changed the World with a Poppy
Remembrance Day is upon us once again, and the bright red poppy adorns our breasts. For me the simple poppy took on a new meaning in 2014 and a strengthened resolve to wear this simple message with respect, honour and humility. In 2014, my wife and I were away and missed Remembrance Day commemorations in […]
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 […]
The First Women to Serve in Canada’s Navy
The legacy of women serving in Canada’s Navy is legendary, beginning in 1914 in the early days of the First World War. Six nurses joined the Royal Canadian Navy and served in His Majesty’s Canadian Hospital Ship (HMCHS) PRINCE GEORGE. At the time, concern was not given to making history or furthering women’s rights, in […]
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 […]
Change of Command -Commander of the RCN
On 12 June 2018, Canada’s Navy appointed a new Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy during a historic Change of Command Ceremony in HMC Dockyard in Halifax. Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd stepped down to retirement and Vice-Admiral Art McDonald took over the RCN and became the 36th person to command Canada`s Navy since it`s inception in […]
Operation Neptune -The Naval Operations for DDay
When we speak of the Normandy Invasion or D-Day as it is more commonly called, photos of soldiers hitting the beaches are usually the first images we think of. The hard fought assault on five beaches to gain a foot hold on Fortress Europe on the morning of 6 June 1944. Very little is discussed […]
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 […]