History Spotlight: 100 Years for Canada's Navy

A member of the Royal Canadian Navy is on the lookout for enemy vessels during this World War II-era photograph. By the end of the Second World War, Canada had the third-largest navy in the world.

It was one hundred years ago, on May 4, 1910, that Canada officially launched its own navy. Throughout 2010, the Canadian Navy Centennial will celebrate the rich history and legacy of the navy and offer all Canadians the opportunity to reflect upon the service and sacrifices of the men and women who served, and continue to serve.

There will be a variety of celebrations across Canada. Some of the highlights include a travelling road show, an essay contest and a cross-country run along the Trans Canada Trail. In addition, most provincial capitals will host a variety of dinners, balls, and parades. The Royal Canadian Mint and Canada Post have also approved a naval centennial silver dollar and two stamp set.

The slogan of the centennial is: Commemorate, Celebrate, Commit. The theme is to “Bring the Navy to Canadians.” Join us as we explore 100 years of the Canadian Navy.

Co-ordinating the year’s worth of events is Captain John Pickford, project manager of the Canadian Naval Centennial. Pickford joined the Canadian Forces as a naval officer in 1974, and was appointed as project manager of the centennial in 2005. Among a lengthy list of credentials, Pickford was appointed to command the destroyer HMCS Athabascan in July of 1990, which he deployed when the Gulf War began. Pickford spoke recently with Mark Reid, Editor-in-Chief of Canada’s History about the Naval Centennial.
— Amanda Hope

Here’s Captain John Pickford talking about the Naval Centennial.

> Hear stories from naval veterans themselves, provided by Historica-Dominion Institute's The Memory Project.
> Yo ho ho... no more bottle of rum - the Canadian Navy bids farewell to the 300 year old tradition of daily rations of rum, from CBC Digital Archives.
> Dames in the Navy? A satirical radio story on women being recruited into the navy during World War II, from CBC Digital Archives.

May 4, 1910 — Canada’s navy was officially created when the Naval Service Act established the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

February 1, 1911 — Recruiting posters for the Royal Canadian Naval Services are issued in Post Offices across Canada for the first time.

May 14, 1914 — The Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve (RNCVR) was officially created. Annual costs were estimated at $200,000.00.

June 15, 1920 — The RNCVR is disbanded. During the period of its existence, over 6,000 men had joined.

January 15, 1923 — The Royal Canadian Naval Reserve (RCNR) was officially created. Initially, there are nine divisions, but are soon reduced to five at Charlottetown, Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal and Vancouver.

August 26, 1939 — The RCN took control of all Canadian merchant ships, and no Canadian-registered ship or merchant ship could sail without the RCN’s direction and authority.

June 6, 1944 —One-hundred-and-ten RCN ships and 10,000 Canadian navy personnel took part in the D-Day landings at Juno Beach in Normandy.

May 28, 1945 — All Canadian ships at sea turned on their running lights to signal the end of the Battle of the Atlantic at one minute past midnight. It was the longest sea battle in history, and began on Sept. 3, 1939, with the sinking of the SS Athenia — a British passenger ship — by a German submarine.

February 25, 1955 — Women are for the first time allowed to become part of the permanent force in the Royal Canadian Navy. During the Second World War, women volunteers were able to enlist and serve in “non-combatant” naval bases at home and abroad. Overall, 5,893 women volunteered for naval service during this time.

February 1, 1968 — The Canadian Armed Forces are formed from the existing Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Later, they are renamed the Canadian Forces. The maritime aspect was named Maritime Command (MARCOM). It is commonly referred to as the Canadian Navy today.

June 19, 2003 — The Government of Canada designated September 3 as a day to acknowledge the contribution of Navy Veterans. Sept. 3 was chosen to commemorate the sinking of the SS Athenia, which was bound for Montreal when it was sunk in 1939. There were 118 people, including 4 Canadians, killed in the attack.