RCN News

At the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was a modest maritime force, with only 13 warships and approximately 1,775 personnel. However, this would change dramatically over the course of the conflict, as the RCN grew to become one of the largest navies in the world by the war’s…

HMCS Bonaventure holds a unique place in the annals of Canadian naval history as the last aircraft carrier to serve in Canada’s Navy. Originally commissioned by the Royal Navy during World War II under the name HMS Powerful, her construction was postponed after the war due to shifting naval priorities. However, in 1952, work on…

In a surprising move, the Royal Canadian Navy has relieved Commander Adriano Lozer of his duties as the Commanding Officer of HMCS Ottawa mid-deployment. The ship, currently stationed in the Indo-Pacific region, has been central to Canada’s naval operations aimed at promoting stability and enforcing international maritime law. The decision, described by the Navy as…

HMCS Mackenzie, a destroyer of the Mackenzie class in the Royal Canadian Navy, was a vessel that not only bore the name of one of Canada’s largest and most significant rivers but also left a lasting legacy in its maritime history. As the lead ship of her class, named after the Mackenzie River, which spans…

                        The courage and bravery of Chief Petty Officer Max Leopold Bernays will forever be remembered with one of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship named in his honour. Last Monday, the Bernays family and naval personnel gathered in front of  the…

On 30 March 1972, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) marked a poignant moment in its history with what became known as “Black Tot Day.” This date signified the end of a long-standing naval tradition: the daily issuance of a rum ration to sailors. The tradition of the daily rum ration, or simply “the tot,” dates…

Photo: HMCS LA HULLOISE. On March 7, 1945, with Strathadam and Thetford Mines, she took part in sinking U1302 in St. George’s Channel.The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest, largest, and most complex naval battle in history that started with Britain’s declaration of war against Germany on September 3, 1939 and ended with Germany’s…

Niobe Day is celebrated by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) on the 21st day of October each year. Niobe Day marks the arrival of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Niobe in Halifax on October 21, 1910, the first Canadian warship to enter Canada’s territorial waters and a landmark event in the beginnings of the Naval…

Upon completion of their deployments in the Canadian Arctic, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Kingston and Shawinigan returned to their home port of Halifax. The ships worked closely with government partners and allied nations to continue a presence in the Canadian Arctic and demonstrate sovereignty. HMCS Shawinigan began its northern operations by participating in Operation…

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the name of the first of the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) yesterday in Hamilton, Ontario. Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Harry DeWolf is named in honour of a wartime Canadian naval hero. HMCS Harry DeWolf is the first of the AOPS designed to better enable the…