The Canadian Navy Virtual Fleet Review
Ships of the Canadian Navy's first century and beyond.

These pages contain illustrations and information on the ships of the Canadian navy over the past century and some that will sail with the navy into the future beyond the centennial. View them as through binoculars from the bridge of your ship as they pass by during a virtual sail-past.

Illustrations by Paul Seguna:

Drawing and painting ships and planes is something that I've done since my youth. When I first joined the navy in 1974 as a naval reserve ordinary seaman with HMCS DISCOVERY, Vancouver's Naval Reserve Division, I was inspired by the marine artwork of our Commanding Officer at the time, Captain Jack Thornton. Captain Thorton's illustrations had been featured in many editions of the RCN's magazine the "Crow's Nest" and in them he showed the variety of types and designs of warships that navies around the world had put into service or in some cases experimented with. I offer here my own illustrated interpretation of our naval history.

1910 - 1920

During this initial stage in the development of the Canadian Navy the RCN inherited some well-worn warships from the Royal Navy. The emphasis in these years was training Canada's sailors and naval officers. During WWI the navy was primarily occupied with the challenges of coastal defence. Canadian naval personnel served overseas with units of the Royal Navy. Naval aviation came into play during WWI as the nascent capabilities of aviation in support of naval operations was realized.

HMCS RAINBOW - Ex RN "Protected Cruiser". Engines: coal-fired. Displacement: 3,600 tons Length: 314 ft. Spd: 19.75 Kts. Armament: Guns - 2 x 6", 2 x 4.7", 8 x 6 pdr - Torps: 2/4 x 14" tubes. Crew: 273-300. Based in Esquimalt, patrolled west coast in service 1910-1920.

HMCS NIOBE - Ex RN Diadem class cruiser. Engines: coal-fired. Displacement: 11,000 tons. Length: 466 ft. Spd: 17 Kts. Armament: Guns- 16x 6 ",12 x 12 pdr, 5x3 pdr - Torps; 2 x 18 " tubes. Crew: 675. Based in Halifax October 21, 1910 -1920 primarily used as training depot ship.

HMCS GRILSE - Torpedo Boat . Converted from yacht Winchester purchased in New York in 1914 by Lt RCNVR Ross. Displacement:287 tons. Length: 202.3 ft. Spd: 30 Kts. Armament: 2 x12 pdr - Torps 1 x 14". Crew: 56. Almost lost in a severe storm off Halifax in December 1916, Grilse served on east coast as one of 2 RCN Torpedo boats (other Tuna).

HMCS CANADA - Protected cruiser. Displacement: 750 tons. Length:204 ft. Spd:17 kts.Crew: 50 (5 officers). Designed for the Canadian Fisheries Protection Service, HMCS Canada was commissioned into RCN service on Jan, 25, 1915 and served on coastal patrol duties during WWI on Canada's Atlantic coast. Paid off in 1919 and sold in 1924 to commerical interests the ship sank off Miami in 1926.

TR 20 - Trawler. Displacement: 357 tons. Length: 130 ft. Spd: 10 kts. Armament 1 x 12 pdr gun. Various commercial fishing trawlers were requistioned and converted or specially built as naval armed trawlers during WWI. These vessels were used for coastal patrol and defence.

CC 1, 2 - Submarine. Displacement: 363 tons. Length: 150 ft Spd: 13 surface/11 dived Armament: 4 x 18" torp tubes Crew: 18 (4 officers) . Two submarines were acquired by the BC government in 1914 from a shipyard in Seattle, Washington, USA where they had originally been built for the Chilean Navy. The BC government acted out of concern over the threat a German commerce raider posed to the Pacific coast. The submarines were taken over by the federal government after they arrived at the naval base in Esquimalt.

Continue to view ships 1920-39

VISIT THE OFFICIAL CANADIAN NAVAL CENTENNIAL WEBSITE AT:

www.canadiannavy100.forces.gc.ca