Second World War
The Navy Ashore  - Building the Royal Canadian Navy

The Royal Canadian Navy expanded dramatically during the Second World War, acquiring ships and recruiting personnel to meet the constantly increasing demands placed upon it. Ships had to be built, repaired, and maintained, and people recruited, trained, and supported.

Three Sailors at Rest Base, Northern Ireland

Three Canadian sailors on bicycles pose at a Canadian rest camp near Portrush, Northern Ireland.

Opened in June 1944, the rest camp served the many Canadian naval personnel whose ships operated from the nearby port of Londonderry. While Londonderry was an important base for Canada's navy, few recreation facilities had been provided for Canadians until the camp's opening. The opportunity to escape shipboard routine and North Atlantic conditions was a welcome development. William Prescott, a sailor aboard the corvette HMCS North Bay, took this photograph of Joe Forester, Don Johnston, and an unidentified crew member from the corvette.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19930128-067