WAR AT SEA
• 1914 RCN 2 OLD CRUISERS, 2
SUBMARINES, FISHING YACHTS, AND
350 MEN
HMCS RAINBOW
HMCS NIOBE
• RAINBOW PATROLS WEST 2 YEARS
• VENTURES TO PANAMA ONCE
• NO ACTION
• 1917 WITHDRAWN AS NOT SEA
WORTHY
• NIOBE SAILED FOR NY AND CONVOY
DUTY ONCE
• WITHIN A YEAR AT PORT NOT SEA
WORTHY
THE TWO CANADIAN
SUBMARINES
PURCHASED BY
RICHARD MCBRIDE
SAILED FROM BC
THROUGH PANAMA
CANAL TO SAIL FOR
EUROPE
NOT FIT TO CROSS
ATLANTIC SO SOLD FOR
SCRAP IN 1920
CANADA’S NAVAL ROLE?
• THOUSANDS SERVE IN RN
• SUB HUNTERS BUILT AND SERVED
CONVOYS FROM HALIFAX AND CAPE
BRETON
• WE ORGANIZED CONVOYS
• RCN MINESWEEPING OFF COAST
• PATROLLED GULF OF ST LAWRENCE
• WE BUILT 700 SHIPS FOR THE
ENGLISH
• NIOBE CREW ATTEMPT TO SCUTTLE
MONT BLANC
• OUR MERCHANT MARINERS PLAYED
MORE IMPORTANT ROLE
• GERMAN U-BOAT BLOCKADE
CRIPPLED ENGLAND
• OUR MERCHANT SAILORS DIED IN
HUNDREDS TO BRING BRITAIN THE
TOOLS OF WAR
WWI GERMAN U BOATS
WWI IN THE AIR
• CANADA PLAYED A MUCH LARGER
ROLE IN THE AIR
• 1914 NO RCAF, 1918 NO RCAF, SO
HOW PLAY A ROLE?
• BY THE END OF THE WAR 1563 CDNS
DIED SERVING IN THE AIR WAR
• CANADIANS FLEW FOR RFC
• FLEW EVERYTHING FROM FIGHTERS,
TO BOMBERS, TO BOAT PLANES, TO
BALLOONS
• BY 1918 25,000 CDNS HAD SERVED IN
RFC; ONE QUARTER OF RFC
• START OF WAR AIR FORCE ONLY
OBSERVATION
• BY 1917 ERA OF DOGFIGHT
• LIFE SPAN IN 1917 THREE WEEKS
WWI SOPWITH CAMEL
WWI GERMAN FOKKER TRI PLANE
• CDNS EARNED REP AS GREAT FIGHTER PILOTS
• OF THE TOP 27 ACES IN RFC 10 WERE CANADIAN
• THESE TEN SHOT DOWN 438 PLANES
• TOP ACE OF WWI WAS BARON MANFRED VON
RICHTHOFEN
• SECOND LEADING ACE WAS RENE FONCK
THE RED BARON
SHOT DOWN 80 PLANES
EVENTUALLY SHOT DOWN
HIMSELF AND KILLED
RENE FONCK OF FRANCE
WAS THE LEADING ALLIED
AIR ACE WITH 75 KILLS
HE SURVIVED THE WAR
WILLIAM AVERY BISHOP
CANADA’S LEADING ACE
SECOND ALLIED ACE
THIRD OVERALL WITH 72
CONFIRMED KILLS
BILLY BISHOP AND HIS NIEUPORT 17
BILLY BISHOP
• BEGAN WAR IN INFANTRY
• DID NOT LIKE MUD SO TRANSFERRED TO RFC
• OBSERVER AT FIRST
• IN 1917 BEGAN CAREER AS FIGHTER PILOT
• HE FINISHED THIRD WITH A FULL YEAR LESS OF
COMBAT FLYING
• HIS BEST PERIOD WAS 25 PLANES IN 12
DAYS
• JUNE 2 1917 SOLO ATTACK ON
AERODROME ATTACKING GERMAN
AIRCRAFT AS TOOK OFF
• STAYED UNTIL RIDDLED WITH FIRE AND
RETURNED TO BASE
• WON VC FOR THIS ACTION, BUT DID IT
HAPPEN?
• PULLED FROM LINE AS A HERO
RAYMOND COLLISHAW
RAYMOND COLLISHAW
• CANADA’S SECOND LEADING ACE, YET NO VC
• 62 VICTORIES
• SHOT DOWN KARL ALMMENRODER OVER YPRES
• TALLIES DOWN AS MORE FAMOUS
• BROUGHT HOME TO SELL WAR BONDS
• FOUGHT COMMUNIST RUSSIA AFTER WWI
• FLEW WITH DISTINCTION INTO WWII WITH RAF
DONALD MACLAREN
FROM OTTAWA
DONALD MACLAREN
• CANADA’S THIRD ACE WITH 54 KILLS
• LEADING ACE FOR THE SOPWITH
• WON DFC, MC, MC BAR, DSO
• ONCE LED THREE AIRCRAFT IN
ATTACK AGAINST 19 ENEMY
WILLIAM “BILLY” BARKER VC
WILLIAM BARKER
• CANADA’S FOURTH ACE 50 KILLS
• WON THE VC FOR AMAZING ACTION
• INFANTRY, OBSERVER, PILOT
• WOUNDED SEVERAL TIMES IN 1917
• SERVED IN ITALY, CHALLENGING GERMANS AND
AUSTRIANS TO FIGHT
• ON WAY TO BRITAIN SPOTTED BY GERMAN PLANE,
DOWNED IT
• A SECOND ATTACK SHATTERED LEFT LEG,
BEFORE HE DOWNED IT
• THE REST OF A GERMAN PATROL ATTACKED
• RIGHT LEG SHATTERED, DOWNED TWO MORE
PLANES
• THEN HIT IN RIGHT ELBOW, UNCONSCIOUS SPIN
• REVIVED BY WIND AND ENGAGED
REMAINING GERMANS
• FIRED ON AND DAMAGED TWO MORE
PLANES WHO FLED
• CRASHED IN FIELD WHERE SCOTTISH
REGIMENT GOT HIM AND PULLED HIM
FROM WRECKAGE
• NEVER RECOVERED FULLY, BUT FOR
KILLING FOUR AND DAMAGING TWO HE
EARNED THE VC
ROY BROWN
• CANADIAN ACE WHO LED SQUADRON
• HATED WATCHING NEW PILOTS DIE SO
OFTEN FLEW ABOVE PROTECTING THEM
• APRIL 1918 PROTECTING FIGHTER PILOT
MAY WHO WAS BEING ATTACKED BY RED
BARON
• BROWN PURSUED, FOLLOWED BARON AND
DOWNED HIM?
CAPTAIN ROY BROWN