Right on Flags!
The Haida was a class act when she served with the 10th Destroyer Flotilla sailing out of Plymouth in 1943/44 accompanied by the RN cruiser Black Prince on occasions.
The Haida sank more German destroyers, Flak ships and minesweepers than any equivalent allied vessel.
She was purchased by businessmen in Toronto shortly after the ship had seen action in Korea. She used to be secured alongside Toronto Harbourfront. I've been aboard her so many times I should be entitled to a Canadian Naval pension. She was moved to Hamilton a few years back as considerable money needs to be spent on her, and finally our government has taken on that task.
Canada also has the only surviving WW11 corvette, the HMCS Sackville moored alonside at Halifax, Nova Scotia.
At the commencement of World War 11 the Canadian Navy consisted of six river class destroyers, plus a few odds and sods. She helped us out at Dunkirk and remained in the UK and the time of threatened invasion in 1940.
Anyone that has sailed towards the Grand Banks at Newfoundland will know how shitty the weather can be and dangerous with severe fog banks. Before the help of RADAR ships often negotiated the hazards on a wing and a prayer. The RCN was an entirely volunteer navy and finished the war manning their own aircraft carrier, cruiser and were in fact the third largest navy by 1945.
25,000 merchant ships sailed under sole RCN escorts. Her ships sank 31 U-boats. She lost over 2,000 men solely in the Battle of the Atlantic.
Canada's record in the two world wars are outstanding.
In 1914/18 out of a total population of 7.8 million some 625,825 served in the armed services and 61,082 were killed in action and 154,361 suffered wounds.
In 1939/45 out of a population of 11.5 million, some 1.2 million served in the armed forces and some 54,414 were killed in action.
in 1950/53 in Korea out of a population of 14M some 27,751 were in the armed services and 516 were killed in action and 1,072 suffered wounds.
In all the above conflicts-All Were Volunteers.
