Canada's Naval History

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First World War (1914-1918)
War in the Pacific

At the outbreak of war in August 1914, only three obsolete ships and two recently-acquired submarines protected Canada's west coast. Canadians feared that German cruisers might attack merchant ships or bombard cities and towns. After these attacks failed to materialize, many vessels and personnel were transferred to the Atlantic to deal with the growing German submarine threat.

Canadian Submarine at Esquimalt

On the verge of war, British Columbia acquired two submarines from the United States in order to protect its vulnerable coastline.

With war threatening at the end of July 1914, and amidst fears of attacks by German cruisers, British Columbia Premier Sir Richard McBride purchased two submarines being built for Chile in the United States. McBride's agents paid over $1 million for the pair, which arrived in Esquimalt to some alarm, as a few witnesses believed they were German raiders. The Canadian government quickly assumed responsibility for the two vessels, designated CC-1 and CC-2.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19801226-342_21