HMCS CANADA

Auxiliary Patrol Ship

Built by Vicker's Sons & Maxin, Barrow-in-Furness in 1904, HMCS CANADA was originally a Canadian Government Ship that served as a patrol ship in the Fisheries Protection Service of Canada, an enforcement agency that was part of the Department of Marine and Fisheries. She was an armed 3rd class cruiser, twin screw. She is considered to the nucleus of the Royal Canadian Navy for her role in training Canadian naval officers and asserting Canadian sovereignty. After the First World War broke out in Aug 1914, the CGS CANADA was officially transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). She underwent a refit to become a naval patrol ship which saw her forecastle raised and the Maxim guns for fisheries patrol use were replaced with two 12-pounder and two 3-pounder naval guns. She was commissioned as HMCS CANADA in 1915 and served on the Atlantic coast. HMCS CANADA was paid off from the RCN in Nov 1919 and she resumed her former civilian fisheries patrol duties as CGS CANADA before being retired from government service in 1920. After being laid up in Halifax for four years she was sold and renamed "MV Queen of Nassau", and pressed into service shuttling passengers between Miami, Florida and Nassau, Bahamas. Later, she was resold to Mexican interests, however when she was being delivered, on 02 Jul 1926, she sank in 35 fathoms (64 m) of water off Islamorada. The wreck was located in 2001. Archeologists are working toward designating the wreck a U.S. National Historic Site because of the significance it holds in the evolution of Canada's military.

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos          Queen of Nassau - Wreck

Commanding Officers

Photos and Documents

(CAN001) CGS Canada, Aug 1905 - 1000 tons, 22 knots, 4 light guns, crew of 75 - Photographer: C. Smith

(CAN002) CGS Canada - 1905

(CAN003) The crew of HMCS Canada in 1905 performing militia drills on their winter cruise to Bermuda //  Source: Nation's Navy: In Quest of Canadian Naval Identity - Google Books  //  Webmaster's note:  the caption for the photo shows her as HMCS Canada in 1905, however, the RCN did not come into existence till 1910 as the Naval Service of Canada then RCN in 1911, to this photo was likely taken after 1911.

(CAN004) Group of naval cadets serving in Canadian Government Ship (CGS) Canada. Back Row (L. to R.) Charles T. Beard, P. Barry German, Victor G. Brodeur, Wright; Centre Row (L. to R.) Fisheries officers Fortier, Stewart, Woods; Front Row (L. to R.) Henry T. Bate, Percy W. Nelles, John A. Barron.

(CAN005) HMCS Canada during the First World War  //  Source: Maritime Command Museum, CFB Halifax, NS  //  Courtesy of Colin Darlington, RUSI(NS)

(CAN006) HMCS Canada, WW I  //  From the collection of William Herbert Rose and Marmaduke Rose  //  Courtesy of Bud (Donald) Rose 

(CAN007) Canadian Fisheries Cruiser Canada  //  Source: Maritime Command Museum, CFB Halifax, NS  //  Courtesy of Colin Darlington, RUSI(NS)

(CAN008) Queen of Nassau Ready For Miami Run  //  Miami Herald, 16 Nov 1924  //  From the collection of Joseph Barr Champion, RNCVR, RAN(R)

(CAN009) A Fish Yarn  //  Miami Daily News, 02 Dec 1924  //  News paper article on the voyage of the former HMCS Canada to Florida and the sighting of a Sea Serpent by the crew  //  From the collection of Joseph Barr Champion, RNCVR, RAN(R)

(CAN010) Report on the grounding of the Queen of Nassau on 25 Jan 1925 off Miami Harbor, Florida  //  From the collection of Joseph Barr Champion, RNCVR, RAN(R)

(CAN011) TSS Queen of Nassau, Miami Florida  //  From the collection of Joseph Barr Champion, RNCVR, RAN(R)

(CAN008-CAN011) From the collection of Joseph Bar Champion, RNCVR, RCN, RANR