Web hosting Custom Email SiteBuilder

Article published in Canada's Stamp Details (Vol. 7 No 6; November/December, 1998)

Hats off to the Canadian Naval Reserve on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. To commemorate this time in military history, this November Canada Post will issue a set of two domestic-rate stamps - one featuring HMCS Sackville and the second HMCS Shawinigan.

The View Astern
Headquartered now in Quebec City, Canada's Naval Reserve has provided Maritime Command, and the Royal Canadian Navy before it, with trained personnel for combat and naval support for three-quarters of a century.

During the Second World War, reservists played a critical role, supplying the Canadian fleet with the majority of naval personnel. Known as Canada's 'second navy,' reservists were trained but untested sailors recruited from every walk of civilian life. They were manning ships deemed too small for command by professional naval officers. Foremost among these small ships was the corvette.

Armed and Ready
The corvette was the Navy's basic anti-submarine vessel during World War II. Based on the design of a whale-catcher, the corvette had an overall length of 63 metres and a beam of 10 metres. Maximum speed was only about 16 knots, but the corvette was highly manoeuvrable. In fact, it was the only Allied warship with a turning circle tighter than that of a German U-boat. The primary form of armament aboard the corvette was the depth charge, but a single, 10-centimetre gun, a one-kilogram pom-pom and machine guns could be used against surfaced subs, or for anti-aircraft attack.

HMCS Sackville
HMCS Sackville is the last surviving Canadian corvette. Launched in May 1941, HMCS Sackville escorted numerous convoys during the war, participated in attacks against German U-boats, and rescued survivors of torpedoed ships. In 1944, the vessel became a training ship and, in 1968, she was refitted as an acoustic research vessel for operation by DND on behalf of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography.

HMCS Shawinigan
HMCS Shawinigan was the name of a corvette that sailed from Sydney, Cape Breton Nov. 24, 1944. Tragically, she was torpedoed in the Cabot Strait and all 90 officers and men aboard perished. A Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel was commissioned in Trois-Rivières, Québec in June of last year. This vessel was christened HMCS Shawinigan by Mme Aline Chrétien, wife of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, a native of Shawinigan.

Fair Winds and Following Seas
Designed by Dennis Page of Page & Wood Inc. in Halifax, each stamp captures its feature vessel at sea with sailors in the background. "For 10 years I've been looking out my office window here in Halifax, seeing navy ships coming and going," Page said. "The inspiration for the design came from these memories of ships and naval personnel lined up on deck, shoulder to shoulder, coming and going in Halifax Harbour."

Images for HMCS Sackville were taken from archival photos while photography for HMCS Shawinigan was supplied by the Canadian Forces.

Français CPC Home

© Canada Post Corporation
Errors and omissions excepted.