Canada's Naval History

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Birth of the Navy (1909-1914)
HMCS Rainbow

One of the Naval Service of Canada's first two ships, HMCS Rainbow's duties included the training of sailors and maintaining a naval presence on Canada's Pacific coast. Small and inexpensive to operate, Rainbow was well suited to these purposes, but limited budgets still constrained the ship's activities.

HMS Shearwater and HMCS Rainbow at Esquimalt, 7 November 1910

The British ship HMS Shearwater (left), dressed in signal flags, welcomes the newly arrived HMCS Rainbow (right).

Rainbow's arrival marked the beginning of a Canadian naval presence in British Columbia, but the Royal Navy continued to maintain a small force at Esquimalt. Shearwater, a remnant of Britain's once powerful Pacific Squadron, would be transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy during the First World War.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19890167-008