RCN News

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…

As the Royal Canadian Navy undergoes its most extensive peacetime modernization in history, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), announced September 19 the upcoming retirement of four ships that have reached the end of their operational lives. The ships are Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Protecteur and Preserver, two Protecteur-class auxiliary…

Today, the massive Canadian flag flying over Parliament Hill in Ottawa is dedicated to the HMCS Alberni, a Second World War ship named after the Vancouver Island town that had its short life ended 70 years ago by a torpedo from a German submarine. At the end of the day, the 15-foot flag is scheduled…

As ships of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) arrive alongside after a demanding two week Task Group Exercise (TGEX) that involved members of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) they can be assured their performance demonstrated that the RCN remains a ready response for Canada, at home or abroad. From numerous manoeuvering serials, a…