Today’s date – Niobe Day –marks the arrival of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Niobe in Halifax, N.S.
On Oct. 21, 1910, HMCS Niobe became the first Canadian warship to enter Canada’s territorial waters, ushering in the country’s naval service. The 11,000-tonne armoured cruiser was purchased from Britain’s Royal Navy by the Canadian government before steaming across the Atlantic Ocean from Portsmouth, England, to Halifax.
ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY
Earlier in the year, on May 4, 1910, the Naval Service Act brought the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) into existence.
When the First World War broke out, the RCN had less than 350 sailors and two under-equipped warships. By the end of the Second World War, it had grown into one of the world’s greatest naval forces with about 100,000 men and women and a fleet of 365 warships.
Since its humble beginnings on Niobe Day in 1910, Canada’s navy has served in all the major theatres of war and as a great source of pride for Canadians.
100th ANNIVERSARY
On May 4, 2010, Canada Post issued two commemorative stamps to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Canada’s navy service.
The se-tenant issue was designed as separate artworks but appears as one canvas.
The issues depict the past and present of Canada’s naval service and are complemented by marine-inspired colours and typography.
“The two stamps were designed as separate artworks, but they appear as one canvas. They share the same painterly sky, marine life and open sea environments. The two ships, though of a different age, appear as part of the same fleet,” said designer Andrew Perro, then of the Toronto-based firm, Designwerke.
“One of Canada’s first warships, the HMCS Niobe, sails alongside a modern frigate, the HMCS Halifax—a feature that speaks to the passage of time, capturing the magnitude of this major centennial milestone.”