Cherbourg’s waterfront normally a postcard in real life, now shows the signs of battle, with windows broken and damage to the buildings in October 1944. Photo taken from HMCS TRENTONIAN as the corvette approaches the French harbour with a convoy for the advancing armies. Roger Litwiller Collection, A. Singleton, RCNVR photo, courtesy of Bruce Keir, […]
HMCS SOREL’s Gunshield
HMCS SOREL’s gunshield art on the corvettes forward 4 inch gun. Painted by her ship’s company, it depicts a horse wearing a naval crown, eating a U-boat. This photo was taken in St. John’s NF in 1943. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Ross Milligan, RCNR. (RTL-REM169)
HMCS SACKVILLE
HMCS SACKVILLE at its winter berth in HMCDockyard in Halifax on 10 May 2019. HMCS SHAWINIGAN is astern alongside NB Jetty. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Roger Litwiller. (RTL00706)
Crowded St. John`s Harbour
Exceptional photo of St. John`s Harbour in Newfoundland in 1943. With the war, activity in the port reflects the huge importance of this harbour to the war effort. Crowded with merchant ships and escorts, two minesweepers are in the foreground and several corvettes are secured astern. On the opposite side of the narrow harbour are […]
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 […]
Friendly Fire Incident -Normandy
A wounded sailor from the cableship HMTS Monarch is transferred to HMCS TRENTONIAN after the two allied ships came under friendly fire from USS PLUNKETT off the Normandy coast on the night of 12-13 June 1944. See HMCS TRENTONIAN: A Victim Of Friendly Fire Photo credit SBA A. Singleton courtesy of Bruce Keir, RCNVR, Stoker, HMCS […]
HMCS IROQUOIS
HMCS IROQUOIS passing the stern of HMCS SACKVILLE on 6 July 2012 in Halifax harbour. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Roger Litwiller. (RTL64617)