RapidFireWeb Royal Canadian Air Force Women’s Division (RCAF WD) (Yousuf Karsh Photo, 14 Nov 1942) Wing Officer Willa Walker, OBE, Commander, RCAF Women’s Division. Willa Walker rose rapidly through the ranks in 1941 to become head of the newly-formed RCAF Women’s Division. Only 28 years old, grieving the recent death of her baby son, her husband … Read more
HMCS Bonaventure (CVL 22) (DND Photo) HMCS Bonaventure (CVL 22), with Trackers on deck. Following wartime experience showing theeffectiveness of naval aviation, the Royal Canadian Navy decided to acquire anaircraft carrier. The Canadian government decided to purchase theMajestic-class carrier Powerful, and have her upgraded to modern standards. TheColossus-class Warrior was transferred on a two-year loan from … Read more
HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21) (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3225672, and the Shearwater Aviation Museum) HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), 20 March 1950) HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), 7 Apr 1948. She was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier that served the Royal Canadian Navy from 1946–1956. The third ship of the Majestic class, Magnificent was built … Read more
HMCS Warrior (R31) (George Crewe Photo) HMCS Warrior (R31). Built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast, she was originally to be called HMS Brave; the Royal Navy had originally intended to rush her into service for operations in the Indian Ocean during the Second World War, thus she was built without heaters for some onboard … Read more
QF 2-pounder pom-pom anti-aircraft gun, RCN (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3566440) QF 2-pounder AA Gun being fired on HMCS Assiniboine, 10 July 1940. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3566993) RCN QF 2-pounder pom-pom anti-aircraft gun, Vickers, Sons & Maxim LL Machine Gun Mk. I weight (410 lbs), VSM 1905 manned … Read more
RCN . 50 cal anti-aircraft guns (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950802) Quad Vickers .50 cal Machine Guns, shipboard. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3572202) RCN rating being trained in the operation of a .50-calibre anti-aircraft gun, HMCS Cornwallis, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 21 October 1942. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN … Read more
Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW) training submarines, 1939–1945, HMS P.514, HMS P.552, HMS P.554, HNLMS O 15 (ussubvetsofworldwarii Photo) HMS P.514, shown here as USS R-19. She was transferred to the Royal Navy on 9 March 1942 at New London. HMS P514 was sunk by accident in western Atlantic while she was on … Read more
RCN Armed Merchant Cruisers (Prince Class) HMCS Prince David (F89) (Prince-class); HMCS Prince Henry (F70) (Prince-class); HMCS Prince Robert (F56) (Prince-class) HMCS Prince David (F89) (CWM Photo, 19710261-1685) Canadian War Artist Alex Colville painted this view of HMCS Prince Henry in Corsica just before the Allied landings in southern France. The Canadian infantry landing ships … Read more
RCN Armed Yachts (Q, S, and Z Class): HMCS Ambler (Q11), HMCS Beaver (S10), HMCS Caribou (S12), HMCS Cougar (Z15), HMCS Elk (S05), HMCS Grizzly (Z14), HMCS Husky (S06), HMCS Lynx (Z07) HMCS Ambler (Q11) (RCN Photo) HMCS Ambler (Q11). HMCS Ambler (Q11) was an armed yacht that served in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). … Read more
RCN Armed Yachts (Q, S and Z Class): HMCS Moose (Z14), HMCS Otter, HMCS Raccoon, HMCS Reindeer (S08), HMCS Renard (S13), HMCS Sans Peur (Z02), HMCS Vison (S11), HMCS Wolf (Z16) HMCS Moose (Z14) (RCN Photo) HMCS Moose (Z14) Moose left Halifax on June 3, 1940, for conversion and arming at Quebec City, where she was … Read more
