Interwar Years
The 1930s: Rebuilding the Royal Canadian Navy

Despite the severe financial climate of the Great Depression and political infighting, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) survived mainly as a coastal defence force. This period also saw the delivery of the first major warships designed and built for the RCN.

Royal Naval College of Canada Third Term Reunion, 1932

Canada's interwar navy was commanded by a small "band of brothers" with extensive exposure to Britain's Royal Navy.

The small size of the Royal Naval College of Canada's early classes, as shown by this reunion photograph, resulted in relatively few Canadian officers being available for the interwar Royal Canadian Navy. Those who remained in Canada's tiny navy spent time alternating between service in Canada and postings to British ships and training establishments. While their numbers were adequate for peacetime, this shortage of trained officers would cause problems during the Second World War.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19710214-019_1