RapidFireWeb Russian Women Parachutists In late October 1977, two Soviet women, Nina Pronushkina and Elvira Fomicheva, set absolute stratospheric records that remain unsurpassed decades later. Pronushkina, applying a layer of goose fat to her face to protect against the brutal cold of near-space altitudes, executed a night solo jump on 28 October from a staggering 14,974 … Read more
RCN Armed Trawlers (Isles class): HMCS Anticosti (T274), HMCS Baffin (T275), HMCS Cailiff (T276), HMCS Ironbound (T284), HMCS Liscomb (T285), HMCS Magdalen (T279), HMCS Manitoulin (T280), HMCS Miscou (T277) HMCS Anticosti (T274) (DND Photo) HMCS Anticosti (T274) (Isles class). Built at Collingwood, Ontario for the RN, she was commissioned on 10 Aug 1942 as HMS … Read more
The Royal Newfoundland Regiment In the battles of the Somme in the summer of 1916, the 1st Newfoundland Regiment was annihilated at Beaumont Hamel on the disastrous first day of 1 July. When Canadians entered the battle on 30 August, the Newfoundlanders hard earned experience helped toward additional limited gains, though at a high cost. … Read more
The War of 1812, Battles on the Water. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 2836438) HMS Shannon carrying by boarding the American Frigate Chesapeake, after a cannonade of five minutes on 1 June 1813. In the War of 1812, the United States fought Great Britain, in a conflict that would have an immense impact on … Read more
Royal Navy warships in Canadian waters (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950919) Royal Navy Depot Ship HMS Forth with the French submarine Surcouf directly alongside, with other submarines, HMS Severn and the Dutch submarine HMNLS O-15, outboard. Halifax harbour, Nova Scotia, 1941. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950943) HMS King George V (41) … Read more
Royal Navy (RN), His Majesty’s Ships (HMS) in Canadian ports at the turn of the century The Imperial navy base in Halifax was known as the “Warden of the North”. (Nova Scotia Archives Photo) HMS Canada, North America and West Indies Squadron in drydock, Halifax Graving Yards, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 20 Sep 1889. HMS Canada … Read more
HMS Starling (U66) (IWM Photo, A 15582) HMS Starling (U66) at Greenock, 23 March 1943. HMS Starling (U66), was a Modified Black Swan-class sloop of the Royal Navy. She was active in the Battle of the Atlantic during the Second World War and was the most successful anti-submarine warfare vessel of the Royal Navy, being credited with … Read more
Royal Navy Minelaying Cruisers HMS Adventure (M23), HMS Abdiel (M39), HMS Latona (M76), HMS Manxman (M70), HMS Welshman (M84), HMS Ariadne (M65), HMS Apollo (M01) Adventure class 6,740 tons, 4 × 4.7 in. HMS Adventure (M23) (IWM Photo, FL 200) HMS Adventure (M23), 1943. HMS Adventure, pennant number M23, was an Adventure-class minelaying cruiser of the … Read more
British-built escort carriers adapted from merchant ship hulls: HMS Activity (D94), HMS Campania (D48), HMS Nairana (D05), HMS Vindex (D15), HMS Pretoria Castle (F61) HMS Activity (D94) (IWM Photo, FL 137) HMS Activity (D94) underway in the Firth of Forth, October 1942. HMS Activity was an escort carrier that served with the Royal Navy of the … Read more
Royal Navy Cruisers: Emerald class HMS Emerald (D66), HMS Enterprise (D52) The Emerald class or E class was a class of two light cruisers built for the Royal Navy. Following the Cavendish class, three ships of a new class were ordered in March 1918, towards the end of the First World War, designed to emphasise … Read more
