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HMCS RAINBOW
Apollo
Class Protected Cruiser
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HMCS RAINBOW "Cleared for Action"
This
photograph shows RAINBOW, possibly on training exercises, in the
harbour at Prince Rupert, British Columbia. "Clearing for
action," the traditional term for preparing the ship for
battle, involved clearing away flammable and fragile materials like
hammocks and movable wooden bulkheads, removing equipment that could
restrict the field of fire of the ship's weapons, and preparing to
treat casualties. Despite the original caption on the photograph, it
more likely shows RAINBOW preparing for firing practice, since only
the ship's forward gun (right) appears to have a crew. George
Metcalf Archival Collection CWM 19890167-003
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Launched: 25
Mar 1891
Commissioned: 1893
Paid off: 1909
Transferred to RCN: 1910
Commissioned:
04 Aug 1910
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Paid
off: 08 May 1917
Re-commissioned:
05 Jul 1917
Paid off:
01 Jun 1920
Fate:
Broken up
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On 04 Aug 1910, at
Portsmouth, England, RAINBOW was commissioned the first unit of the
infant RCN. One of a class of 20 "protected cruisers," she
had served in the RN since 1893. After commissioning, RAINBOW was
assigned to the west coast of Canada and was the first Canadian ship to sail
around South America by the Strait of Magellan. After a 12-week passage of
over 15,000 nautical miles she arrived at Esquimalt, BC on 7 November 1910, and carried out training duties, ceremonial
visits, and some fishery patrols until the end of 1912. She then lay
largely idle until the outbreak of the First World War, during
which, apart from two submarines, she was the sole defender of
Canada's western seaboard. The German threat in the Pacific
ended with the defeat of Admiral Graf von Spee's squadron at the
Battle of the Falkland Islands in Dec 1914, and thereafter RAINBOW patrolled the Pacific coast as far south as Panama. In
1916 and early 1917 she was used in the transporting of $140
million in Russian bullion between Esquimalt and Vancouver. By 1917
her crew was needed to man patrol vessels on the east coast, and on
08 May 1917 she was paid off. RAINBOW was re-commissioned on 05 July
1917 to
serve as a depot ship at Esquimalt. Paid of again on 01 Jun 1920,
she was sold to a Seattle ship breaker.
Photos and Documents
Ship's
company photos
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Commanding Officers |
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Cdr J.D.D Stewart, RN - 04 Aug 1910 - 23 Jun
1911
Cdr Walter Hose, RN - 24 Jun 1911 - 30 Apr
1917
Cdr Hugh Edward Holme,
RCN - 01 May 1917 - 08 May 1917
LCdr John Harry Knight,
RCN - 01 Jul 1917 - 21 Aug 1917 |
Cdr J.T. Shenton,
RCN - 22 Aug 1917 - 12 May 1918
Lt Yvon Birley, RCN - 13 May 1918 -
unk
Lt (Temp) Yvon Birley, RCN - 10
Jun 1918 - unk
Capt E.H. Martin, CMG,
RCN - 15 Oct 1919 - 01 Jun 1920 |
In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice
Lest We Forget
In memory of those who have crossed the bar
They shall not be
forgotten
A
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Adams,
William
Appointed to RAINBOW on 04 Jun
1918 as W. Op 4th Cl, RNCVR
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Ashbourne,
Elmo Linfield
Appointed to RAINBOW on 07 Jan 1918
as Mate, RNCVR, for training
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B
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Bannatyne,
Ninian |
Barber,
Russell Adolph
Appointed to RAINBOW 23 Jul 1914 as LCdr,
RNR
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Birley,
Yvon
Appointed to RAINBOW on 13 May 1918 as Lt, RCN, CO
and on 10 Jun 1918 as Lt (Temp), RCN, CO
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Breakey,
Alexander Graydon
Appointed to RAINBOW on
04 Jun 1918 as W. Op 4th Cl, RNCVR
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Brocklesby,
John William
Appointed to RAINBOW on 22 Jun 1917 as
Skpr (Temp), RCN, for training
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Brown, Charles Henry
Drafted to RAINBOW on 15 Apr 1913 as
A/Carp, RCN |
Brown,
Thomas Allsop
Appointed to RAINBOW D/S on 18 Jul 1918 as Lt,
RNCVR |
Burton,
George
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Bury, Roland, H.M
Appointed to RAINBOW on 21 Jun
1910 as Lt (E), RN |
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C
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Cox,
James E. |
Critchley,
Thomas Sandford
Appointed to RAINBOW on 06 May
1918 as Midshipman, RCN |
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D
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Davies, John D.
Served in RAINBOW from 04 Jul 1916 to 17 Apr
1919 |
Dresser,
James Sherwood
Appointed to RAINBOW on 07 Jan 1918
as Mate, RNCVR, for training |
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E
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Earl,
Edward Lawrence
Appointed to RAINBOW on 07 Jan 1918
as Mate, RCNVR, for training |
Edwards, Richard Lloyd
Appointed to RAINBOW on 18 Jun 1910 as Lt, RN |
Euburne,
Goldwin Roy
Appointed to RAINBOW on 01 Jan 1918 as
Mate, RNCVR, for training |
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F
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Foulds,
Frank Bertram
Appointed to RAINBOW on 07 Jan 1918
as Mate, RNCVR, for training |
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G
H
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Haddon,
Gerald Phillip
Appointed to RAINBOW 01 Jul 1917 for Inst/Duty as
an A/Staff Paym, RCN |
Haines, Ernest
1876-1965
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Hallifax,
Ronald H.C.
Appointed to RAINBOW on 17 Jun 1910 as a Lt (N),
RN |
Hawkeswood,
Ralph
Appointed to RAINBOW on 01 Mar 1918 as A/W. Op 2nd
Cl. |
Hindle,
John Thomas
Drafted to RAINBOW on 05 Feb 1918 as Art
(E), RCN |
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Holme,
Hugh Edward
Appointed to RAINBOW on 19 Jun 1914 as
LCdr (N), RN and on 01 May 1917
as Cdr, RCN, CO |
Holt,
Reginald Vesey
Appointed to RAINBOW on 17 Jun 1910 as
Lt, RN |
Hose, Walter
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J
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Jehan,
Edgar M.
Appointed to RAINBOW on 11 Jul 1910
as a Gunner |
Jenkins,
John Cauntor
Appointed to RAINBOW on 04 Jul 1914 as
Cdr (E), RN |
Jinkin,
Robert Alfred
Appointed to RAINBOW on 15 Jun 1910
as Staff Paym, RN |
Jones,
Bertram E.
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Julian,
Charles Otis
Appointed to RAINBOW on 02 Mar
1915 as Lt (Temp), RNCVR |
K
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King,
Cornelius Walter
Appointed to RAINBOW on 17 Jun
1910 as Gnr (T), RN |
King,
Frederick
Appinted to RAINBOW 04 Jul 1914 as Gnr (T), RN |
Knight,
John Harry
Appointed to D/S RAINBOW on 05 Jul 1917 as
LCdr, RCN, CO |
Knight,
Robert Foley
Appointed to RAINBOW on 30 Jan 1914 as Lt, RN |
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L
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Laing,
Robert Cecil
Appointed to RAINBOW on 05 Jan 1918 as
Mate, RNCVR, for training |
Lake, Geoffrey |
Lambert,
David Sidney
Appointed to RAINBOW on 04 Jul 1914 as A/Paym,
RN |
Livesay,
Edward H.
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M
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MacKenzie,
David Leslie
Appointed to RAINBOW on 08 Mar 1917 as Head School Master,
RCN |
Martin, E.H.
Appointed to RAINBOW on 15 Oct 1919
as Capt, RCN, CO |
McDonagh,
William
Appointed to RAINBOW 01 Jul 1917 as Lt, RNCVR |
McLean,
Norman Angus
Appointed to RAINBOW on 04
Jun 1918 as W. Op 4th Cl, RNCVR |
Mead, Frank C.
C. |
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Mitchell-Carruthers,
John Erskine
Appointed to RAINBOW on 01 Jul 1916 as Lt, RCN |
Mock,
Herbert O.
Appointed to RAINBOW on 10 Jan 1910 as
Gnr, RN |
Moore,
Aubrey Edward Ducombe
Appointed to RAINBOW on 14 Jun
1910 as a Lt, RN |
Moore,
John Richard
Appointed to RAINBOW on 07 Jan 1918 as
Mate, RNCVR, for training |
Mordan,
Thomas J.
Appointed to RAINBOW on 22 Mar 1910 as Cdr
(E), RN |
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Munro, Alexander
E. P.
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Murray, Frederick
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Murray, Leonard W.
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P
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Phillimore,
Frederick W.
Appointed to RAINBOW on 18 Feb 1911 as
Gnr, RN |
Pilcher,
Henry B.
Appointed to RAINBOW Jul 1913. Served in RAINBOW
as A/Senior Naval Officer Esquimalt 1914 |
Plant,
Leslie Albert
Appointed to RAINBOW on 07 Jan 1918
as Mate, RNCVR, for training |
Poling,
Joseph
Drafted to RAINBOW on 17 Jun 1910 as a
Carpenter, RN |
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R
S
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Scott,
Harold Hugh
Appointed to RAINBOW on 07 Jan 1918 as
Mate, RNCVR, for training |
Shenton, John Thomas
Served in RAINBOW in 1917 as CO as a
Cdr, RCN |
Sinclair,
Andrew
Appointed to RAINBOW on 28 Jan 1918 as Mate,
RCNVR, for training |
Smyth,
Thomas A.
Appointed to RAINBOW on 11 Jul 1910 as Surgeon,
RN |
Stevens,
Reginal Garnet
Appointed to RAINBOW on 07 Jan 1918
as Mate, RNCVR, for training |
T
W
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Walker, Wilfred Tyrrel
Drafted to RAINBOW 11 Feb 1915 as
LCdr, RN |
Watson,
William Harvey
Appointed to RAINBOW on 01 Jul 1917 as SLt,
RNCVR |
Watts,
George
Appointed to RAINBOW on 01 Jul 1917 as Asst
Paym, RNCVR |
William,
James
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William,
Norman Trenholme
Appointed to RAINBOW on 17 Jun
1918 as P/Surg, RNCVR |
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Wingate,
Walter
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Wood, Reginald Henry
Drafted to RAINBOW 25 Jul 1910 as Ch Art (E),
RN |
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Photos and
Documents
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Walter Hose, Commander of HMCS RAINBOW
Walter
Hose, seen here aboard HMCS RAINBOW, became a significant figure in
Canadian naval history. After extensive experience in the British navy, Hose
recognized the opportunities for advancement in Canadian service and
transferred to Canada to command RAINBOW in 1911, formally joining
the Royal Canadian Navy a year later. Hose was instrumental in creating both
the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve and its successor, the Royal
Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve. As Director of the Naval Service from 1922
to 1934, he fought to keep the RCN a viable institution in an era of meager budgets.
George Metcalf Archival Collection CWM 20020045-2180
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HMCS RAINBOW
Source: Trident Magazine
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HMCS Shearwater (left) welcomes HMCS RAINBOW
to Esquimalt - 07 Nov 1910
Source: Library and Archives of Canada
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Edward Horace Livesay, HMCS RAINBOW, Victoria, BC -
1914-1915
From the collection of Sam Sunter
Courtesy of Brian Dobing
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HMCS RAINBOW
Written on back of photo: E.H. Livesay, First Ship 1914
From the collection of Sam Sunter
Courtesy of Brian Dobing
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HMCS RAINBOW, Esquimalt, BC
From the collection of Sam Sunter
Courtesy of Brian Dobing
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HMCS RAINBOW
Credit: Hallmark Heritage Society
Source: Canadian Virtual Military Museum on facebook
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Unknown HMCS RAINBOW Sailors
FP01 - Courtesy of Fred Proctor
ES01 & 02 - Courtesy of the CFB Esquimalt
Naval and Military Museum
If you can identify any of these sailors please
send an EMAIL
so I can update the captions
(VA01) HMCS RAINBOW leaving Portsmouth,
England
for Canada. August 1910 (VA02-VA03) HMCS RAINBOW 1910
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VA04 |
VA05 |
(VA04) HMCS RAINBOW - c1912 (VA05)
HMCS RAINBOW - c1914
Source: City of Vancouver Archives
Sailors of HMCS RAINBOW
Note that all are wearing sashes and collars of
the Orange Order
Courtesy of the CFB Esquimalt Naval and
Military Museum
Click on the above photo to view a larger
image
(ES06)
HMCS RAINBOW - postcard (ES07) Pte Edward Smith (back,
standing, on right) on HMCS RAINBOW (ES08) Pte Edward Smith
(back, 2nd from right) with sailors of HMCS RAINBOW and HMS
NEWCASTLE. Note: HMS NEWCASTLE numerous ports of call in
Esquimalt for 1914 to 1916
From
the collection of Pte Edward
Smith, Royal Marine Light Infantry
Courtesy
of Geoff Smith
(AG03) Ship's movements for HMCS
RAINBOW for Jan 1916 - recorded by Bert German (AG04) Gunnery drills aboard
HMCS RAINBOW (AG05) HMCS RAINBOW in the graving dock,
Esquimalt, BC (AG06) Unknown Royal Marine and ratings aboard
HMCS RAINBOW (AG07) RAINBOW sailors going ashore - location
unknown From
the collection of Albert German,
CPO, RNCVR Photographs
and Documents © / Courtesy of Peter German They
are not to be reprinted, republished or sold without permission of Peter
German
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