Walter Hose, Commander of HMCS Rainbow

Walter Hose, seen here aboard HMCS Rainbow, became a significant figure in Canadian naval history.

After extensive experience in the British navy, Hose recognized the opportunities for advancement in Canadian service and transferred to Canada to command Rainbow in 1911, formally joining the Royal Canadian Navy a year later. Hose was instrumental in creating both the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve and its successor, the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve. As Director of the Naval Service from 1922 to 1934, he fought to keep the RCN a viable institution in an era of meagre budgets.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 20020045-2180