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 Standing by HMCS Rainbow's Wheel

This sailor stands by HMCS Rainbow's emergency steering position under the ship's aft bridge.

He wears a cap tally indicating service in the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve, Pacific. The wheels in this photograph are decorated with more than three centuries of battle honours awarded to the nine previous Royal Navy ships named Rainbow. In August 1914, Commander Walter Hose faced significant challenges in getting the ship ready for war. A third of Rainbow's crew, already half the size it should have been, were reservists like this young sailor, many with little or no prior experience at sea.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 20020045-2812