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.

Torpedo Practice, HMCS Grilse

These photographs show HMCS Grilse taking part in a torpedo firing exercise, a type of practice important for maintaining the ship's fighting efficiency.

The photographs at top right and bottom left show one of Grilse's torpedoes being fired. Torpedoes were expensive and complicated weapons, and every effort was made to recover them after test firing. "Practice heads" made the torpedoes float at the end of their runs so that they could be recovered easily by small boats like the one seen at bottom right.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19940001-947