HMS BIRMINGHAM and another CVE, possibly HMS TRUMPETER sail in formation with Canadian manned escort aircraft carrier, HMS PUNCHER (foreground) in April 1945. HMS PUNCHER was attached to Operation NEWMARKET in the Arctic Ocean. The objective was to attack, U-Boat depot ships at Kilbotn, Norway. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Howard Abbott, RCNVR. (RTL-HA046)
HMS CAPETOWN
HMS CAPETOWN an old Carlisle class cruiser built in 1922, off Omaha beach on 7 June 1944. She has been stripped of her main guns and has been assigned as Captain Southbound, controlling all ship traffic to the American beaches. For ease of recognition her name has been painted in large white letters on the […]
HMS DURBAN
HMS DURBAN, a “D” class light cruiser built in 1921 is the convoy commodore for the CornCob Convoy that HMCS TRENTONIAN escorted to Normandy on 7 July 1944. The cruiser has been stripped of her fittings and primary weapons and is destined to be sunk and become part of the Gooseberry breakwater, protecting the beaches […]
HMS DIDO
HMS DIDO alongside the Canadian manned escort aircraft carrier HMS PUNCHER during operations off Haugesund Fjord in January 1945. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Howard Abbott, RCNVR. (RTL-HA047)
PRINZ EUGEN -Copenhagen, Denmark
German Navy’s Admiral Hipper class cruiser, PRINZ EUGEN surrendered at Copenhagen, Denmark in May 1945. Photo taken from HMCS IROQUOIS, who formed part of the Allied escort for the cruiser and the Leipzig class cruiser NURMBERG to Wilhelmshaven, Germany for their formal surrender to the Allies. Roger Litwiller Collection, Lynford Bourne, RCNVR photo, courtesy Battle […]
HMS GLASGOW
HMS GLASGOW, Southampton class cruiser off Portsmouth in July 1944. Photo taken from HMCS TRENTONIAN. Roger Litwiller Collection, Allen E. Singleton, RCNVR photo, courtesy Douglas Campbell, RCNVR. (RTL-DC045a)
HMS ORION
HMS ORION, Leander class light cruiser, returning to Portsmouth 10 June 1944, while supporting the invasion she has worn out her gun barrels and has returned for replacements. Photo taken from HMCS TRENTONIAN. Roger Litwiller Collection, Allen E. Singleton, RCNVR photo, courtesy Jack Harold, RCNVR. (RTL-JH036)
HMS BELFAST off Normandy
HMS BELFAST off Normandy in June 1944. Her 6 inch guns provided naval gun fire support off the Eastern Task Force area to the advancing soldiers. BELFAST has been preserved and now rests as a museum ship in London, England. Roger Litwiller Collection, Allen E. Singleton, RCNVR photo, courtesy Douglas Campbell, RCNVR. (RTL-DC045a) This photo […]
PRINZ EUGEN Arriving Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Admiral Hipper class cruiser, PRINZ EUGEN arriving at the locks at Wilhelmshaven, Germany from HMCS IROQUOIS (foreground) on 28 May 1945. The Canadian destroyer was part of the Allied force, escorting PRINZ EUGEN and NURMBURG from Copenhagen, Denmark to Wilhelmshaven, Germany for the formal surrender, leaving Copenhagen the previous day. Roger Litwiller Collection, Lynford Bourne, […]
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 […]