Site Navigation:
Searchable Databases
Articles Archive
Pacific Nautical Heritage...
- Gallery of Light and Buoy Images
- Gallery of Mariners
- Gallery of Ship Images
- Gallery of Ship Wrecks
- Gallery of Monuments and Statues
- Gallery of Nautical Images
- Gallery of Freshwater Images
- Gallery of New Books
Canadian Naval Topics…
- Nautical History Videos
- UNTD
- British Columbia Heritage
- Arctic and Northern Nautical Heritage
- Western Canada Boat and Ship Builders
- Gallery of Arctic Images
- Reflections on Nautical Heritage
- British Columbia Heritage
Site Search:
Looking for more? Search for Articles on the Nauticapedia Site.
Restoration of the Name of the Royal Canadian Navy
by John M. MacFarlane 2011
Here is the text of the email naval message that was sent out to the navy on the occasion of the restoration of the name of the Royal Canadian Navy on August 12th, 2011.
R 151418Z AUG 11 FM NDHQ CMS OTTAWA TO MARGEN BT UNCLAS MARGEN 035-11 CMS 041-11 SIC SAA SECTION 1 OF 2 BILINGUAL MESSAGE / MESSAGE BILINGUE SUBJ: RESTORING THE HISTORIC NAME OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY 1. TOMORROW THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WILL ANNOUNCE THE RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC NAMES OF THE NAVY, ARMY AND AIR FORCE. EFFECTIVE 16 AUGUST 2011, THE NAME QUOTE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY UNQUOTE (RCN) REPLACES QUOTE MARITIME COMMAND UNQUOTE AS A COMMAND OF THE CANADIAN FORCES 2. IT IS NOT BY CHANCE THAT 16 AUGUST WAS SELECTED FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. IT WAS ON THIS DAY 100 YEARS AGO THAT HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE V BESTOWED ON CANADA S THEN FLEDGLING NAVAL SERVICE THE HONOUR OF A NEW DESIGNATION. OUR NAVY STOOD WATCH AND FOUGHT FOR CANADA UNDER THE BANNER QUOTE RCN UNQUOTE FROM THAT MOMENT UNTIL PAGE 2 RCCLHAV6003 UNCLAS 1968 - THROUGH TWO WORLD WARS, THE KOREAN WAR AND A LARGE PART OF THE COLD WAR 3. YOU WILL REMEMBER THE OUTPOURING OF PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR OUR NAVY LAST YEAR AS WE CELEBRATED THE NAVAL CENTENNIAL. THE REINTRODUCTION BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE EXECUTIVE CURL WAS A TANGIBLE HONOUR THAT LINKED OUR PRESENT SERVICE TO OUR DISTINGUISHED PAST. THE GOVERNMENT, ON BEHALF OF ALL CANADIANS, HONOURS THE NAVY AGAIN TODAY WITH THE TITLE RCN, RESTORING AN IMPORTANT AND RECOGNIZABLE PART OF CANADA S NAVAL HERITAGE. YESTERDAY S ACCOMPLISHMENTS, FORGED IN THE SELFLESSNESS AND SACRIFICE OF PREVIOUS GENERATIONS OF SAILORS, SETS THE STANDARDS FOR TODAY S GENERATION AND INFORMS OUR HIGHEST EXPECTATIONS OF SERVICE AND ACHIEVEMENT. WE HONOUR THOSE WHO PRECEDED US NOT ONLY IN OBSERVING NAVAL CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS, BUT ALSO IN THE SYMBOLS THAT ARE AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF OUR CULTURE. THIS CAN ONLY HELP TO STRENGTHEN OUR IDENTITY AS A TREASURED NATIONAL INSTITUTION AND INSPIRE US TO CONTINUE TO EXCEL IN SERVICE TO CANADA 4. TO MAKE IT CLEAR, THIS IS FUNDAMENTALLY ABOUT NAME CHANGE. FOREMOST WE ALL ARE MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN FORCES. INSIDE THE CANADIAN FORCES, THE COMMAND CALLED QUOTE MARITIME COMMAND UNQUOTE PAGE 3 RCCLHAV6003 UNCLAS WILL BE RENAMED QUOTE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY UNQUOTE. AT THE SAME TIME, THE NAME ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY IS MUCH MORE THAN A COMMAND. IT IS ALSO THE INSTITUTION TO WHICH EVERYONE WHO WEARS A NAVAL UNIFORM BELONGS, NO MATTER IN WHICH COMMAND THEY SERVE. RESTORING THE TITLE RCN WILL CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES, AND IN THE COMING WEEKS WE WILL EXAMINE WAYS TO MAKE THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE OF THIS RESPECTED AND WELL-RECOGNIZED BRAND IN REACHING OUT TO CANADIANS. FURTHER WORK WILL BE REQUIRED AS WE CONSIDER ITS EFFECTS ON WEBSITES, ADMINISTRATION AND ORDERS. FOR THE INTERIM ALL CURRENT MARITIME COMMAND ORDERS, DIRECTIVES, RULES, INSTRUCTIONS OR SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT UNTIL AMENDED TO REFLECT THE NAME CHANGE OF THE COMMAND. ALL REFERENCES TO MARITIME COMMAND SHALL BE READ AS READING ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY 5. THE NAME CHANGE WILL BE LARGELY TRANSPARENT TO LIFE ON THE WATERFRONT AND THE CONDUCT OF OPERATIONS. THE SUCCESS OF THE CANADIAN FORCES WILL CONTINUE TO RESIDE IN ITS ABILITY TO INTEGRATE THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES OF THE NAVY, ARMY, AIR FORCE AND SPECIAL FORCES FOR JOINT ACTION AT HOME AND ABROAD. WE WILL MAINTAIN THE NAVY S PROUD TRADITION OF QUOTE READY, AYE READY UNQUOTE, BUT WITH ONE SMALL, BUT VERY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. FROM PAGE 4 RCCLHAV6003 UNCLAS TOMORROW FORWARD YOU CAN SAY PROUDLY THAT YOU ARE IN THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY 6. AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED ON FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS. AS YOUR COMMANDER I AM PROUD TO LEAD A NAVY THAT EMBRACES ITS ROOTS WHILE PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE - QUALITIES THAT MAKE OUR SERVICE ONE OF THE FINEST AND MOST RESPECTED NAVAL FORCES IN THE WORLD END OF ENGLISH TEXT/LE TEXTE FRANCAIS SUIT OBJET: RESTAURATION DU NOM HISTORIQUE DE LA MARINE ROYALE DU CANADA 1. LE GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA ANNONCERA DEMAIN LA RESTAURATION DES NOMS HISTORIQUES DE LA MARINE, DE L ARMEE ET DE LA FORCE AERIENNE. A COMPTER DU 16 AOUT 2011, LE NOM CIT MARINE ROYALE DU CANADA FINCIT REMPLACERA CELUI DE CIT COMMANDEMENT MARITIME FINCIT POUR DESIGNER CE COMMANDEMENT DES FORCES CANADIENNES 2. CE N EST PAS PAR HASARD QUE LA DATE DU 16 AOUT A ETE CHOISIE POUR CETTE ANNONCE. C EST A CETTE MEME DATE, VOILA MAINTENANT CENT ANS, QUE SA MAJESTE LE ROI GEORGE V A CONFERE AU SERVICE NAVAL ALORS NAISSANT DU CANADA L HONNEUR D UNE NOUVELLE DESIGNATION. NOTRE MARINE A ETE EN POSTE ET A COMBATTU POUR LE CANADA SOUS LA BANNIERE DE LA CIT MRC FINCIT DE CETTE DATE JUSQU EN 1968, DURANT DEUX GUERRES MONDIALES, LA GUERRE DE COREE ET UNE GRANDE PARTIE DE LA PAGE 5 RCCLHAV6003 UNCLAS GUERRE FROIDE 3. VOUS VOUS SOUVIENDREZ DE L ENORME APPUI PUBLIC QUE NOTRE MARINE A RECU L AN DERNIER LORS DES CELEBRATIONS DE NOTRE CENTENAIRE. LA REINTRODUCTION PAR LE GOUVERNEMENT DE LA BOUCLE D OFFICIER ETAIT UN HONNEUR TANGIBLE QUI RESSERRAIT LE LIEN ENTRE NOTRE SERVICE ACTUEL ET NOTRE PASSE DISTINGUE. LE GOUVERNEMENT, AU NOM DE TOUS LES CANADIENS, HONORE LA MARINE ENCORE AUJOURD HUI EN LUI REDONNANT LE TITRE DE MRC, RESTAURANT AINSI UNE PARTIE IMPORTANTE ET RECONNAISSABLE DU PATRIMOINE NAVAL DU CANADA. LES REALISATIONS DU PASSE, ISSUES DE L ESPRIT DE DON DE SOI ET DE SACRIFICE DES GENERATIONS ANTERIEURES DE MARINS, SERVENT DE MODELES A LA GENERATION ACTUELLE ET ETAYENT NOS ATTENTES LES PLUS GRANDES EN MATIERE DE SERVICE ET D ACCOMPLISSEMENT. NOUS HONORONS CEUX QUI NOUS ONT PRECEDES NON SEULEMENT EN OBSERVANT LES COUTUMES ET LES TRADITIONS NAVALES, MAIS AUSSI EN RESPECTANT LES SYMBOLES QUI SONT UN ELEMENT ESSENTIEL DE NOTRE CULTURE. CELA NE PEUT AVOIR POUR EFFET QUE DE RENFORCER NOTRE IDENDITE EN TANT QUE PRECIEUSE INSTITUTION NATIONALE ET DE NOUS INSPIRER A CONTINUER A SERVIR D EXCELLENTE FACON LE CANADA 4. SOYONS CLAIRS, IL S AGIT FONDAMENTALEMENT D UN CHANGEMENT DE NOM. D ABORD ET AVANT TOUT, PAGE 6 RCCLHAV6003 UNCLAS NOUS SOMMES DES MEMBRES DES FORCES CANADIENNES. AU SEIN DES FORCES CANADIENNES, LE COMMANDEMENT NOMME CIT COMMANDEMENT MARITIME FINCIT SERA REBAPTISE CIT MARINE ROYALE DU CANADA FINCIT. MAIS LE NOM MARINE ROYALE DU CANADA DESIGNE EN MEME TEMPS BEAUCOUP PLUS QU UN COMMANDEMENT. C EST AUSSI L INSTITUTION DONT FONT PARTIE TOUS CEUX QUI PORTENT L UNIFORME DE LA MARINE, PEU IMPORTE LE COMMANDEMENT DANS LEQUEL ILS SERVENT. LE FAIT DE RESTAURER LE TITRE DE LA MRC CREERA DE NOUVELLES POSSIBILITES, ET AU COURS DES PROCHAINES SEMAINES, NOUS EXAMINERONS DES FACONS D UTILISER DE LA FACON LA PLUS EFFICACE CETTE IMAGE DE MARQUE RESPECTEE ET BIEN RECONNUE POUR NOUS RAPPROCHER DES CANADIENS. DES TRAVAUX PLUS APPROFONDIS SERONT NECESSAIRES POUR EN ETUDIER LES EFFETS SUR NOS SITES WEB, NOTRE ADMINISTRATION ET NOS ORDONNANCES. ENTRETEMPS, TOUTES LES ORDONNANCES, DIRECTIVES, REGLES, INSTRUCTIONS OU AUTRES INSTRUMENTS JURIDIQUES DU COMMANDEMENT MARITIME RESTENT EN VIGUEUR JUSQU A LEUR MODIFICATION OFFICIELLE. TOUTES LES REFERENCES AU COMMANDEMENT MARITIME DEVRAIENT DESORMAIS ETRE LUES OU ENTENDUES CIT MARINE ROYALE CANADIENNE FINCIT 5. LE CHANGEMENT DE NOM SE FERA EN GRANDE PARTIE DE FACON TRANSPARENTE SUR LE FRONT DE MER ET POUR LA CONDUITE DES OPERATIONS. UNCLAS MARGEN 035-11 CMS 041-11 SIC SAA FINAL SECTION OF 2 LE SUCCES DES FORCES CANADIENNES CONTINUERA DE REPOSER SUR LEUR CAPACITE D INTEGRER LES CONNAISSANCES, LES COMPETENCES ET LES CAPACITES DE LA MARINE, DE L ARMEE DE TERRE, DE LA FORCE AERIENNE ET DES FORCES SPECIALES DANS LE CADRE DE LEURS ACTIVITES INTERARMEES AU PAYS ET A L ETRANGER. NOUS MAINTIENDRONS LA FIERE TRADITION DE LA MARINE QUI VEUT QUE NOUS SOYONS TOUJOURS CIT PRETS OUI PRETS FINCIT, MAIS AVEC UN PETIT CHANGEMENT TRES IMPORTANT. A PARTIR DE DEMAIN, VOUS POUVEZ DIRE FIEREMENT QUE VOUS FAITES PARTIE DE LA MARINE ROYALE DU CANADA 6. JE VOUS TIENDRAI AU COURANT DES NOUVEAUX DEVELOPPEMENTS AU FUR ET A MESURE QU ILS SE PRESENTERONT. EN TANT QUE COMMANDANT, JE SUIS FIER DE DIRIGER UNE MARINE QUI CELEBRE SES RACINES TOUT EN SE PREPARANT POUR L AVENIR DES QUALITES QUI FONT DE PAGE 2 RCCLHAV6004 UNCLAS NOTRE SERVICE L UNE DES FORCES NAVALES LES PLUS EFFICACES ET LES PLUS RESPECTEES AU MONDE ENVOI DU VADM PAUL MADDISON SENDS BT #6003 WBO381 DELIVERED 2271702
Site News: November 2, 2024
The vessel database has been updated and is now holding 94,538 vessel histories (with 16,140 images and 13,887 records of ship wrecks and marine disasters). The mariner and naval biography database has also been updated and now contains 58,599 entries (with 3989 images). Vessel records are currently being reviewed and updated with more than 35,000 processed so far this year.
Thanks to contributor Mike Rydqvist McCammon for the hundreds of photos he has contributed to illustrate British Columbia's floating heritage.
My very special thanks to our volunteer IT adviser, John Eyre, who (since 2021) has modernized, simplified and improved the update process for the databases into semi–automated processes. His participation has been vital to keeping the Nauticapedia available to our netizens.
Also my special thanks to my volunteer content accuracy checker, John Spivey of Irvine CA USA, who continues (almost every day) to proof read thousands of Nauticapedia vessel histories and provided input to improve more than 14,000 entries. His attention to detail has been a huge unexpected bonus in improving and updating the vessel detail content.