The Early Cold War
Rebuilding and Transformation

The Canadian navy's main Cold War mission was anti-submarine warfare, as it had been in the two world wars. It sought to build a force of ships, personnel, and facilities to fulfill this mission, as well as to pursue other national objectives like sovereignty protection.

HMCS Porte St. Louis and HMCS Porte St. Jean

This photograph from around 1960 shows the training ships HMCS Porte St. Louis (left) and HMCS Porte St. Jean (right).

Built in early 1950s, these ships and others in their class, named after gates in the French fortifications at Quebec City and Louisbourg, originally served as gate vessels. Designed to tend to anti-submarine nets that would protect major Canadian harbours in the event of war, gate vessels would open and close the nets to allow friendly ships to pass through. Their primary peacetime function was as training ships, giving naval reservists experience with life afloat.

VR996.50.26
CFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum