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.

Ceremony on the Quarterdeck, HMCS Niobe

Officers and some of the ship's crew gather on HMCS Niobe's quarterdeck at sea.

Ships' crews assembled in open spaces on deck for a variety of purposes, including inspections and religious services. In the foreground, a band clusters around two of Niobe's 6-inch guns. Bands were a standard component on larger ships, performing ceremonial duties and helping to maintain morale. This assembly represents only a small proportion of the more than 600 crew necessary to operate Niobe at sea.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19830056-015