First World War (1914-1918)
HMCS Grilse, Torpedo Boat

HMCS Grilse was the Royal Canadian Navy's fastest ship during the First World War. Originally built as the yacht Winchester, Grilse was converted to a torpedo boat and served off Canada's Atlantic coast.

HMCS Grilse at Speed

HMCS Grilse, seen here steaming at high speed, was the Royal Canadian Navy's closest ship to a destroyer during the First World War.

In June 1915, millionaire Jack Ross purchased the Winchester, one of the fastest civilian yachts in existence, from the United States and brought it to Canada. Commissioned as HMCS Grilse in July 1915, and with Ross in command, the ship was refitted and armed at the Canadian Vickers shipyard in Montreal before sailing to Halifax to start carrying out patrols. Easily the fastest ship in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Grilse could reach speeds of more than 30 knots (55 km/h).

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19820331-005