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.

Halifax Dockyard

In this late-war photograph, Canadian corvettes (foreground) and other warships (background) crowd the docks at Halifax, Nova Scotia.

During the Second World War, the Royal Canadian Navy underwent a massive, unprecedented expansion that saw it grow from 13 to more than 350 warships, and from 3,000 to a peak of over 90,000 personnel, a daunting task that encountered considerable problems. Among the ships were the corvettes HMCS Dundas (front centre) and HMCS Chilliwack (front left centre).

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19900321-004