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.

Barrington Street Patrol, Halifax

War artist Tom Wood depicts a night-time patrol of naval police (left) on Barrington Street in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Halifax Harbour is visible in the background, as is the silhouette of the prominent crane at the naval dockyards (centre). As Canada's principal navy town, Halifax has been home to thousands of sailors since the colonial period. Barrington Street, pictured here, runs for several kilometres along the harbour's south side and through the downtown core. In a city crowded with up to 50,000 military personnel during the Second World War, Barrington Street hosted a thriving, boisterous nightlife.

Barrington Street Patrol, Halifax
Painted by Tom Wood in 1945
Beaverbrook Collection of War Art
CWM 19710261-4842