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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.

Canadian Ships in Halifax Harbour
Canadian Ships in Halifax Harbour

This undated photograph shows two new Canadian destroyers (left and right) in Halifax harbour.

Behind them, two Prestonian class ocean escorts, converted from Second World War frigates, are tied up at the dock, while the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge dominates the skyline. As Canada's main Atlantic naval base, Halifax had hosted elements of the Canadian navy since 1910. Starting in the mid-1950s, this began to include modern anti-submarine escorts like these two destroyers and updated wartime vessels like the Prestonian class escorts delivered from Canadian shipyards.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 20020135-084





Graveyard, Sorel, P.Q.
HMCS Micmac
HMCS Sussexvale
Twin 40mm Bofors Gun
HMCS Magnificent and Destroyer
Royal Canadian Navy Recruiting Advertisement
Canadian Ships in Halifax Harbour
Model, HMCS Mackenzie
Desktop Radar Model
Model, HMCS Provider
HMCS Assiniboine and Sea King Helicopter
Twin 3-Inch Naval Gun and Mount
Uniform, Rear Admiral Sturton Mathwin Davis
HMCS Porte St. Louis and HMCS Porte St. Jean
Ship's Crest, HMCS Porte de la Reine
HMCS Ontario in the Panama Canal
Life Ring, HMCS Quebec
Royal Canadian Navy Recruiting Poster
Master-at-Arms Ron Crawford, HMCS Cornwallis, 1953
Wrens Recruiting Advertisement
Naval Reserve Recruiting Poster
HMCS Malahat Crew, 1957
Naval Fire Fighting Training
Cadets in Summer Training