Explore History

The Second World War
War in the Pacific and South East Asia  - The Royal Canadian Navy and the Pacific Coast

The Royal Canadian Navy was active in operations along the Pacific coast from 1939 to 1945, patrolling British Columbia waters and helping to support the Allied war effort. West coast shipyards built ships for the navy and the merchant navy.




Japanese Shell Fragment

This fragment comes from one of the shells that a Japanese submarine fired at Estevan Point on Vancouver Island.

On 20 June 1942, the Japanese submarine I-26 shelled the isolated wireless (radio) station and lighthouse at Estevan Point, British Columbia. While the attack inflicted no damage on the facilities and caused no injuries, the incident grabbed public attention

Naval Museum of Alberta