Royal Canadian Navy History, 1946-1967

Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) (3) History and Heritage, 1946 - 1967

The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is Canada’s naval force consisting of approximately 12,570 Regular Force and 4,111 Reserve sailors, supported by around 3,800 civilian employees. The mission of the Royal Canadian Navy is to generate combat-capable, multipurpose maritime forces that support Canada’s efforts to participate in security operations anywhere in the world, as part of an integrated Canadian Armed Forces. The historical photos found here are a random sampling of the men and women who have served that have been stored in the files of the Library and Archives Canada collection and in other RCN and maritime photo collections. The photos may have inaccurate identification and any corrections, amendments, or updates to the data presented here would be greatly appreciated.

(RCN Photo)

RCN formation.

(RCN Photo)

RCN formation.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3225447)

Lieutenant Commander Maxner, Commanding Officer HMCS Port Dauphin; Commander W. Graham Allen, Commanding Officer HMCS Scotian; Captain Littler, Chief of Naval Staff, 18 March 1953.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3232630)

Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) fleet support tanker Black Ranger (A163) refueling HMCS Magnificent, 11 Nov 1950.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951283)

HMCS Magnificent crash crew, 1956.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3205249)

HMCS Nootka's port A/A Batteries during gunnery training between San Pedro and Pearl Harbour, 22 Dec 1950.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951161)

LCdr Kidd chatting with Naval Diver S.J. Stephenson as he climbs ladder on diving tender HMCS Granby, 15 July 1957.

(Maritime Museum of British Columbia Photo)

HMCS St. Stephen (K454), a River-class frigate built in Esquimalt in 1944, is shown here as weathership 302, approaching the dock at Esquimalt.  Three of the River Class Frigates were taken over by the Department of Transport, (DOT) extensively modified and crewed by D.O.T. personnel to serve as weatherships. One Frigate was HMCS St. Stephen, a three-year veteran of station 'B'. The other two were HMCS St. Catharines and HMCS Stonetown.

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(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951313)

HMCS Kootenay and the Royal Yacht, Windsor, Ontario, 1959.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4949819)

RCN precision calisthenics, Halifax, before c1957. HMCS Magnificent in the background.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951270)

HMCS St. Laurent (DD205), and HMCS Algonquin, RCN from 1955–1974, in Halifax. Looking at the vehicles in the photo, it is possibly c1955.  The ship behind HMCS St Laurent is an RN cruiser and the two in the foreground right are RN Type 15 antisubmarine frigates.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4949817)

Halifax dockyard, 1959.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3994946)

New Canadian Flag being raised on HMCS Saskatchewan in 1965.

(RCN Photo)

RCN formation.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951065)

UN Members of 3 Canadian services on HMCS Magnificent as part of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) (also image number MAG 7591) members are (L to R) Ordinary Seaman Paul Delaney, RCN, Cpl. Ernie Simpson, RCEME, Cpl. George Lewis, RCAF, Jan 1957.

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(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951365)

Commander Andrew Laurence Collier, CMM, DSC, CD. He later became a Vice Admiral and was the 17th Commander of the Canadian Navy.

Vice-Admiral Collier joined the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) as a Cadet in 1942. From 1942 to 1945, he trained with the Royal Navy (RN) in HMS Anson and HMS King George V.

He returned to Canada in 1945 to serve in: HMCS Stadacona, HMCS Nootka, and HMCS Shearwater.

Specializing in navigation, he took the RN Navigation Direction Qualifying Course at HMS Dryad in 1948. In 1949, he went to the Navigation Direction Training Centre at HMCS Naden in Esquimalt, British Columbia. From 1949 to 1953, he served in: HMCS Ontario, HMCS Cayuga (for Korean War service), HMCS Stadacona, and Naval Reserve Division HMCS Star.

In 1954, he took the RN Advanced Navigation Course at HMS Dryad. Later that year, he became Navigating Officer of the aircraft carrier HMCS Magnificent.

He was promoted to Commander in 1957. He became Reserve Training Commander of the naval officer training centre HMCS Venture that year. He became Executive Officer of HMCS Venture in 1958.

In 1960, Collier assumed command of the destroyer-escort HMCS Skeena. On promotion to Captain in 1962, he took the RN Staff College Course. Later that year, he was made Captain Sea Training to Flag Officer Atlantic Coast.

He was appointed to Naval Service Headquarters (NSHQ) in Ottawa as Director Naval Plans in 1964. The next year, he became Director International Plans at Canadian Forces Headquarters (CFHQ).

In 1966, Collier assumed command of the Seventh Escort Squadron based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He then moved to Training Command as Deputy Chief of Staff Maritime Training in 1967.

In 1969, he studied at the National Defence College in Kingston, Ontario.

In 1970, he became Deputy Chief of Staff Combat Readiness at Maritime Command Headquarters in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

On promotion to Commodore in 1972, he assumed command of the Canadian Flotilla (Atlantic). In 1973, he became Senior Liaison Officer (Navy) at Canadian Defence Liaison Staff in Washington DC. On promotion to Rear-Admiral in 1974, he was appointed Chief of Maritime Operations at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ). He assumed command of Maritime Forces Pacific in 1975.

He was promoted to his current rank in 1977. Vice-Admiral Collier assumed command of Maritime Command in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He served in this role until he retired in 1979.

He died on 3 January 1987.

COLLIER, Andrew Lawrence ("Andy"), Lieutenant - Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) - RCN / HMCS Cayuga- Awarded as per Canada Gazette of 22 December 1951. Citation for Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)“On 5 December 1950, HMCS Cayuga lead the six destroyers up the estuary known as the Daido-ko to the port of Chinnampo. The channel up the Daido-ko is narrow, tortuous and shallow plus had been heavily mined by the North Koreans. Lt Collier was the navigating officer on HMCS Cayuga on this dangerous passage at night. Collier made 132 fixes, most of them by radar, showing the position of the ship in relation to the channel marker buoys and nearby landmarks, and the accuracy of his navigation undoubtedly played a large part in ensuring the success of the entire operation to evacuate Chinnampo. ”Awarded Commander - Order of Military Merit (CMM) as per Canada Gazette of 25June 1977 with rank of Vice-Admiral.

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(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3607709)

Baptism on board HMCS Cresent at Antwerp, Belgium of Joette Wyne Sheppard, daughter of P2 and Mrs Sheppard, 30 Aug 1952.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3623161)

Personnel from the USS Buck transferring 4-inch ammunition to HMCS Haida during a patrol off the east coast of Korea, 9 June 1953.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4314067)

Princess Margaret reviewing the naval guard at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Aug 1958.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951341)

Navy Day HMCS Bonaventure crew on deck, 1960.