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The Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) was a naval reserve force of the Royal Canadian Navy, which replaced the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve (RNCVR).
The RCNVR was created in 1923. The organization was established by Rear-Admiral Walter Hose in a time when the Navy was under drastic budget cuts. Hose saw the establishment of a reserve force as a great way for the fledgling Canadian Navy to build support from coast to coast. Thus he established Naval Reserve Divisions in every major Canadian city.
The initial authorized strength of the RCNVR was 1,000 all ranks. Fifteen Canadian cities were earmarked for a division. Most were to be of “Half-Company” strength, which was 50, all ranks. These cities were Calgary, Charlottetown, Edmonton, Halifax, Hamilton, Ottawa, Prince Rupert, Quebec City, Regina, Saint John, Saskatoon and Vancouver. Three cities were ordered to man to a “Company” strength, which was 100, all ranks. These cities were Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg. The first commission was given, on March 14, 1923, to Lieutenant Frank Meade, who established a company-sized detachment in Montreal. By the end of that year, twelve units had been formed.
The RCNVR became the backbone of the Canadian Navy, recruiting officers and sailors for the navy. The usefulness of the RCNVR was demonstrated in 1939, at the onset of the Second World War, when the RCNVR was used to recruit and build the navy. By the end of the war, Canada had the third largest navy in the world, with a complement of nearly 100,000. Most of these men and women were members of the RCNVR.
Robert Hampton Gray, a member of the RCNVR from Nelson, British Columbia, was a pilot with the British Pacific Fleet when he sank a Japanese destroyer on August 9, 1945. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
After the Second World War, the RCNVR was merged with the RCNR on 1 January 1946 to form the Royal Canadian Navy (Reserve).
| Department title | Years |
|---|---|
| Naval Reserve | 1968–present |
| Royal Canadian Naval Reserve | 1945–1968 |
| Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve | 1914–1920 |
Officers in the regular navy wore straight stripes on their uniform sleeves while RCNVR officers had wavy stripes, giving rise to the nickname “Wavy Navy”.
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces. Over the course of its history, the RCN has played a role in the First World War, contributed significantly to the Battle of the Atlantic during the Second World War, and was a part of NATO's force buildup during the Cold War. In 1968, the RCN was amalgamated with the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force to form what is today the unified Canadian Armed Forces. The naval force was known as Maritime Command until 2011, when the environmental command was renamed as the Royal Canadian Navy.
The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) is one of the two volunteer reserve forces of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. Together with the Royal Marines Reserve, they form the Maritime Reserve. The present RNR was formed by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve, created in 1859, and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), created in 1903. The Royal Naval Reserve has seen action in World War I, World War II, the Iraq War, and War in Afghanistan.
This is a table of the ranks and insignia of the Canadian Armed Forces. As the Canadian Armed Forces is officially bilingual, the French language ranks are presented following the English.
The Royal Naval Reserve are a part of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.
Sub-lieutenant is usually a junior officer rank, used in armies, navies and air forces.
HMCS Tecumseh is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve division (NRD) located in Calgary, Alberta. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Tecumseh is a land-based naval training establishment crewed by part-time sailors and also serves as a local recruitment centre for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). It is one of 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada.
Before Unification as the Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, the Canadian military had three distinct services: the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Canadian Army. All three services had a Regular (full-time) component and a reserve (part-time) component. The rank structure for these services were based on the services of the British military, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and the British Army. The change to a "Canadian" rank structure meant that many of the traditional (British) rank titles and insignia were removed or changed.
The Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve (RNCVR) was a naval reserve that was established in Canada in May 1914 and existed until 1923. Initially divided into three subdivisions stretching across the nation, the RNCVR could serve either with the Royal Canadian Navy or the Royal Navy during wartime. During the First World War, an Overseas Division was created and by the end of the war, over 8,000 men served either in Canadian service or abroad. Following the war, the reservists were demobilized and Canada's volunteer reserve was reorganized into the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve.
His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Prevost is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve Division (NRD) located in London, Ontario. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Prevost is a land-based naval establishment for training part-time sailors as well as functioning as a local recruitment centre for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). Prevost reserve sailors serve on all classes of ship on both coasts and the Great Lakes and have served on many occasions overseas on UN and NATO tours of duty, along with harbour defence units.
HMCS Carleton is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve Division (NRD) located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Carleton is a land-based naval training establishment crewed by part-time sailors and also serves as a local recruitment centre for the Canadian Forces Naval Reserve. It is one of 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada.
HMCS Chippawa is a Royal Canadian Navy Reserve Division (NRD) located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Chippawa is a land-based naval establishment for part-time sailors as well as a local recruitment centre for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).
The executive curl, or the "Elliot's Eye", is the name given to the ring above a naval officer's gold lace or braid insignia. It originated with the Royal Navy.
HMCS Star is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve Division (NRD) located in Hamilton, Ontario. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Star is a land-based naval establishment for training part-time sailors as well as functioning as a local recruitment centre for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The second oldest of 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada, Star was stood up on 15 March 1923 as the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) Hamilton Half Company and then on 1 November 1941 as HMCS Star.
HMCS Malahat is a Royal Canadian Navy Reserve Division (NRD) located in Victoria, British Columbia. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Malahat is a land-based naval training establishment for part-time sailors as well as a local recruitment centre for the Canadian Naval Reserve. It is one of 24 naval reserve divisions in major cities across Canada.
The Naval Reserve is the Primary Reserve component of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The primary mission of the NAVRES is to force generate sailors and teams for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations, including: domestic safety operations as well as security and defence missions, while at the same time supporting the Navy's efforts in connecting with Canadians through the maintenance of a broad national presence.
HMCS Unicorn is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve division (NRD) located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Dubbed a stone frigate, Unicorn is a land-based naval training establishment crewed by part-time sailors and also serves as a local recruitment centre for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). It is one of 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada.
Rear-Admiral Walter Hose, was an officer of the Royal Navy (RN), the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and founder of the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR).
HMCS Hunter is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve Division (NRD) located in Windsor, Ontario. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Hunter is a land-based naval training establishment crewed by part-time sailors and also serves as a local recruitment centre for the Canadian Forces Naval Reserve. It is one of 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada.
HMCS Griffon is a Royal Canadian Naval Reserve Division (NRD) located in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Dubbed a stone frigate, HMCS Griffon is a land-based naval establishment for part-time sailors as well as a local recruitment centre for the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve. It is one of Royal Canadian Naval Reserve divisions 24 naval reserve divisions located in major cities across Canada.
The Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers was a British military reserve force between 1873 and 1892. The force absorbed the men of the earlier Royal Naval Coast Volunteers and was intended to provide men to the Royal Navy in time of war. However, unlike the contemporary Royal Naval Reserve, the men of the RNAV did not necessarily have sea-going experience. It proved difficult to find a role for them and an 1891 report by Vice Admiral George Tryon recommended that the RNAV be disbanded. This came into effect in April 1892 with members of the RNAV being urged to join the army's Volunteer Force. The unit is considered a predecessor of the more successful Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, founded in 1903.