Guide to Sources Relating to Canadian Naval Vessels

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About the guide

Library and Archives Canada holds multiple records about Canadian naval vessels that served with the Royal Canadian Navy. Sources usually consist of the ship's log and subject files that clearly relate to the vessel in question. They were created at Naval Service Headquarters or in one of the operational commands, for example, Atlantic Command, Newfoundland Command, and so on. The guide also lists shore establishments, the so-called "stone frigates," such as the HMCS Niobe that served as the Royal Canadian Navy Headquarters in Great Britain during the Second World War.

The guide was originally compiled around 1990 by the late Barbara Wilson (1931–2014), an archivist with the former National Archives of Canada, now Library and Archives Canada. To find references to records added since then, use Collection Search. Enter the keywords RG24, the name of the ship and any other relevant search term.

Organization of the guide

This guide is organized in alphabetical order, by vessel name, and covers the period from 1909 to the mid-1980s, which reflects the files in our holdings at the time it was compiled.

The following types of vessels were included in the guide because their logs were transferred to Library and Archives Canada:

  • Barges
  • Fishermen's Reserve
  • Gate vessels
  • Harbour craft
  • Lighters
  • Scows
  • Trawlers
  • Tugs
  • Yard craft

The guide does not include references to:

  • Anti-submarine warfare
  • Broad questions of naval policy
  • Combat operations
  • Convoys
  • Files on maintenance or upgrading
  • Recently/soon-to-be commissioned vessels

For such topics, try Collection Search. Enter the keyword RG24 and any other relevant search terms.

If you need help, contact Reference Services via Ask Us a Question form.

For a brief historical account of Royal Canadian Navy vessels, consult The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces, 1910–1985 by Ken Macpherson and John Burgess.

Abbreviations used in the guide

CNLO
Canadian Naval Liaison Officer 
COAC
Commanding Officer Atlantic Command
FONF
Flag Officer Newfoundland Command
NOIC
Naval Officer in Charge
ROP
Reports of Proceedings
SO (I)
Staff Officer (Intelligence)
SO (O)
Staff Officer (Operations)
WUP
Working Up Reports

Content list

Vessels A to Z [PDF 3.16 MB]


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