Birth of the Navy (1910-1914)
HMCS Niobe

HMCS Niobe, one of the Naval Service of Canada's first two ships, was intended in part to train Canadian sailors. A large, obsolescent cruiser, Niobe required many crew and was expensive to operate. Lengthy repairs after it ran aground in 1911, and subsequent budget cutbacks, limited the ship's activities.

Cecil George Corke, Boy Sailor, HMCS Niobe

Corke was one of Canada's first – and youngest – naval recruits.

As well as serving in HMCS Niobe, Corke also ventured to London, England, with the 1911 Coronation Contingent, where Niobe crew members were included in the coronation celebrations for King George V. Boy sailors were often part of ships' crews in the early twentieth century, performing a variety of duties including carrying messages and serving in gun crews.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19820190-039