The Navy: A Century in Art
A Canadian Navy

Canada's navy is an important national institution. It is an influential presence in many Canadian communities and is a historic and influential symbol of nationhood. For many Canadians, the navy is a focus of passion, pride, and service.

Seamen on Jetty Being Instructed on Bends and Hitches
Painted by Rowley Murphy in 1943

Esquimalt, British Columbia, formerly an important British naval base, was the largest naval training centre in western Canada.

Its shore establishment, HMCS Naden, was named after a small wooden depot vessel and cadet training ship. The base played a critical role in the navy's Second World War expansion. Here, young sailors receive instruction in rope tying: ?bends,' which secured two lines together, and ?hitches,' which bent a line around an object, such as a stanchion.

Beaverbrook Collection of War Art
CWM 19710261-2401