Canadian Naval Vessels

A List of the vessels that Served as RCN Harbour Craft During the Second World War RN Warships

More than 300 smaller vessels were employed by the Royal Canadian Navy in a wide range of non–combatant tasks. Some were purpose built while others were purchased or chartered for their roles. Many of these vessels served a separate civilian life after their naval service.

A List of the RN and Other Warships RN Warships

A chronological list of the Royal Navy and other naval warships stationed on or visiting on the British Columbia Coast or on the RN Pacific Station 1778 to 1939


Reflections on HMCS Prince Robert 1941-1942HMCS Prince Robert

On her voyage to Hong Kong to carry Canadian troops to defend agaist the Japanese Army, HMCS Prince Robert was run like no other ship in the Canadian Navy. One of her crew members at the time reflects on the organization of the ship and day to day life for the crew.

HMCS Thiepval and the Race Around the World 1924HMCS Thiepval and the Race Around the World 1924

HMCS Thiepval was commissioned into the RCN in 1917. In 1923 and one of her first tasks on her re–commissioning in the RCN was to be the support vessel for a daring and first-ever attempt by the RAF to fly around the world. Arrangements were made for Thiepval to rendezvous with the Vickers Vulture in Petropavlovsk. Unfortunately the aircraft was forced to ditch after encountering heavy fog and crashed at sea. Thiepval rushed to their rescue and was able to recover the men and remains of the aircraft and return them to Vancouver aboard the vessel.

The Wreck of HMCS Galiano October 1918Wreck of HMCS Galiano

This story recounts the story of the sinking of HMCS Galiano on the British Columbia coast in October 1918. This was the only loss of a Canadian naval ship during the First World War and was a major marine tragedy on the Pacific Coast.

The Official Record of the Enquiry Into the Wreck of HMCS Galiano October 1918.Enquiry Into Wreck of HMCS Galiano

View the official report of the proceedings of the official enquiry into the loss of HMCS Galiano in October 1918.


Vessels Owned or Operated by the Canadian Army Canadian Army

The Canadian Army operated a fleet of vessels during the Second World War in support of its operational needs. Here is list of the vessels in the fleet.

Military Vessels Converted to Tugs in British Columbia Waters CN No. 2

Building on notes left by the late marine engineer John Henderson, the author expands on the subject of the large body of tugs that formed a significant core in the British Columbia towboat industry.

Vessels Owned and Operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) IMAGE

A list of vessels owned and operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force, particularly those of the Second World War era.


Where Did the RCN Motor Launches Get To? RCN MLs

Here is Commander Fraser McKee’s updated list of all the RCN MLs and a discussion of their ultimate fates and disposition.



Nauticapedia

Site News: March 16, 2024

The vessel database has been updated and is now holding 91,134 vessel histories (with 15,557 images and 12,826 records of ship wrecks and marine disasters). The mariner and naval biography database has also been updated and now contains 58,612 entries (with 4,007 images).

In 2023 the Nauticapedia celebrated the 50th Anniversary of it’s original inception in 1973 (initially it was on 3" x 5" file cards). It has developed, expanded, digitized and enlarged in those ensuing years to what it is now online. If it was printed out it would fill more than 300,000 pages!

My special thanks to our volunteer IT adviser, John Eyre, who (since 2021) has modernized, simplified and improved the update process for the databases into semi–automated processes. His participation has been vital to keeping the Nauticapedia available to our netizens.

Also my special thanks to my volunteer content checker, John Spivey of Irvine CA USA, who has proofread thousands of Nauticapedia vessel histories and provided input to improve more than 10,000 entries. His attention to detail has been a huge unexpected bonus in improving and updating the vessel detail content.


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