HMCS Shearwater, seen here during a transit of the Panama Canal, was one of three warships on Canada's west coast at the start of the First World War.

Originally a Royal Navy vessel, Shearwater and another British ship, HMS Algerine, were transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in September 1914. Soon afterwards, many of Shearwater's crew were sent to HMCS Niobe in Halifax, which was short of trained sailors. Shearwater subsequently served as a tender - or support ship - for submarines CC-1 and CC-2, escorting them on an almost four-month long trip to Halifax in mid-1917.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19840218-002_8