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 Dock, 1916

In this 1916 photograph, HMCS Grilse is tied up at a dock in Halifax harbour.

Halifax remained Canada's busiest harbour during the First World War, filled with civilian vessels (left) and warships (right) like those seen in the background. Shipments of war supplies, food, and soldiers arrived and left nearly daily. Grilse was among the Canadian naval vessels involved in protecting ships along Canada's coast against U-Boat attacks. In the fall of 1916, however, Grilse's high fuel consumption restricted its activities to special patrols to protect important ships.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19940001-943