First World War (1914-1918)
Canadians in the Royal Navy

Many Canadians and Newfoundlanders served in the Royal Navy during the First World War, providing much needed personnel, and emphasizing the strong Imperial ties between both dominions and Great Britain.

Cap Badge, Royal Naval Motor Boat Reserve

This cap badge for the Royal Naval Motor Boat Reserve (RNMBR) belonged to Alfred Pooley.

Born in New Zealand, Pooley emigrated to Canada in 1904. After enlisting in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, he transferred to the RNMBR in 1916 as a result of aggressive British recruiting efforts in Canada. While there are no records of the total number of Canadians who served in the RNMBR, one estimate suggests that about half of the total force was Canadian. After the war, Pooley settled on land in Aldergrove, British Columbia. He died in 1930 in an industrial accident.

Cap Badge, Royal Naval Motor Boat Reserve
CWM 20010215-003