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

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