Canada's Naval History

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Birth of the Navy (1909-1914)
HMCS Rainbow

One of the Naval Service of Canada's first two ships, HMCS Rainbow's duties included the training of sailors and maintaining a naval presence on Canada's Pacific coast. Small and inexpensive to operate, Rainbow was well suited to these purposes, but limited budgets still constrained the ship's activities.

Artifact Record

Ship's Wheel, HMCS Rainbow

This is one of three ship's wheels salvaged from HMCS Rainbow after it was sold for scrapping.

As a contingency against malfunction or battle damage, Rainbow had wheel positions in widely separated locations. A wheel of this size - almost two metres in diameter - made it easier for several helmsmen to steer the ship in bad weather. While two of the salvaged wheels remained on the Pacific coast, this one came to Naval Service Headquarters in Ottawa in the 1920s, where it was placed on display as a souvenir of Rainbow. In 1947, the navy transferred the wheel to the Canadian War Museum.

Ship's Wheel
CWM 19470006-001