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Interwar Years
Imperial Adventure: HMCS Thiepval

In 1924, one of the few ships in the post-First World War Royal Canadian Navy, the Battle-class trawler HMCS Thiepval, became the first Canadian warship to visit the Soviet Union and Japan when it provided support for a British attempt to fly around the world.

HMCS Thiepval Officers with Japanese Naval Lieutenant, Hakodate, Japan

Two of HMCS Thiepval's officers (left) and an unidentified civilian (right) pose with a lieutenant of the Imperial Japanese Navy at Hakodate.

After the initial visit to the Soviet Union, Thiepval headed to Hakodate, a northern Japanese port, to obtain coal for its boilers. Thiepval was the first Canadian warship to visit Japan, and was warmly received, its crew members being invited to a banquet and to visit local hot springs.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19710050-001_44