Canada's Naval History

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First World War (1914-1918)
War in the Pacific

At the outbreak of war in August 1914, only three obsolete ships and two recently-acquired submarines protected Canada's west coast. Canadians feared that German cruisers might attack merchant ships or bombard cities and towns. After these attacks failed to materialize, many vessels and personnel were transferred to the Atlantic to deal with the growing German submarine threat.

Sailor and 3-Pounder Hotchkiss Gun, HMCS Shearwater

A sailor from HMCS Shearwater poses behind one of the ship's 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns.

This relatively small gun formed part of Shearwater's limited armament. A sloop designed and used before the war for patrol work, Shearwater was lightly armed with four 4-inch guns and four 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns like the one seen here. The unidentified crew member's cap tally reads "RNCVR," indicating that he is a member of the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve, which had been established in May 1914.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19840218-002_20