#OTD 5/8/2016 #RememberRCN -Vice-Admiral Mark Norman assumes the position of Vice Chief of Defense Staff (VCDS) from Lieutenant-General Guy Thibault and becomes the second in command of the Canadian Armed Forces.

#OTD 5/8/1942 #RememberRCN -HMCS PICTOU is accidentally rammed by the Norwegian freighter SS Hindanger, in the fog near St. John’s, suffering major damage to her stern. Photo -For Posterity's Sake

#OTD 5/8/1942 #Remember RCN -HMCS ORILLIA & HMS NASTURTIUM while escorting convoy SC-94 attack U-593 & U-595 with depth charges, both escape undamaged, U-595 losses contact with the convoy. The two escorts pick up thirty-six survivors from SS Spar, torpedoed earlier by U-593.

#OTD 5/8/42 #RememberRCN -Battle for Sidney CB to UK Convoy SC-94 begins S of Iceland. HMCShips ASSISBOINE, BATTLEFORD, CHILLIWACK, ORILLIA & HMShips NASTURTIUM, DIANTHUS, PRIMROSE escort 33 ships. 17 U-boats engage convoy over 5 days sinking 11 ships. 2 U-boats sunk/2 damaged.

#OTD 5/8/1918 #Remember RCN -German Submarine U156 sinks 2 ships, trawler Agnes G. Holland (American), tanker MV Luz Blanca (Canadian) and damages a 3rd, SFV Gladys M. Hollett (British), 25-35 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia.

#OTD 5/8/1914 #RememberRCN -With Canada at war, British Columbia rushes to purchase submarines C1 & C2 from Seattle shipyard for defense of Canada's West Coast & sails them out of US waters. Purchase had to be completed before US declared its neutrality. Marc Magee Painting

#OTD 4/8/2017 #RememberRCN -LCdr Chris Devita takes command of HMCS GLACE BAY & with LCdr Victoria Devita, they make RCN & possibly international maritime history, becoming 1st married couple to have commanded the same #RCNavy ship. Victoria commanded the MCDV from 2013 to 2015.

#OTD 4/8/1944 #BattleOfAtlantic -U300 Damaged by Canso from 162 Squadron RCAF. Damaged in the attack included both periscopes and a ballast tank, forcing U300 to abandon her patrol and return to Bergen for repairs. Photo courtesy @YAWMuseum

#OTD 4/8/1943 #BattleOfAtlantic -U489 Sunk by Sunderland from 423 Sqn RCAF, 170 miles SE of Iceland. Sunderland was shot down by return fire from U489, five of the eleven crew were killed. The other six, all wounded were rescued by RN destroyers along with 23 survivors from U489.

#OTD 4/8/1940 #RememberRCN -SS Geraldine Mary (Anglo-Newfoundland Steamship Company) torpedoed by U52 while in convoy HX60 in the North Atlantic, three killed.

#OTD 4/8/1918 #RememberRCN -Sail Fishing Vessel Nelson A. (British) stopped and scuttled by U156, 25 miles south of Shelburne, NS, no casualties

#OTD 4/8/1914 #RememberRCN -Britain (includes Canada) declares War against Germany. Royal Canadian Navy ships placed at disposal of the King for service with the Royal Navy. HMCS RAINBOW already at sea, becomes the first RCN ship to conduct operations as a belligerent.

#OTD 4/8/1910 #RememberRCN -HMCS RAINBOW commissioned into Royal Canadian Navy at Portsmouth UK. Built in 1893 as a protected cruiser for the Royal Navy, she is 1st ship in the infant RCN. RAINBOW's Ship's Company -DND Photo.

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#OTD 3/8/2021 #RememberRCN -HMCS HARRY DEWOLF departs Halifax for the Canadian Arctic and will transit the Northwest Passage. HDW will be the second RCN warship to transit the passage, first was HMCS LABRADOR in 1954.

#OTD 3/8/2000 #RememberRCN -HMCS ATHABASKAN using her Sea King, boards GTS Katie 160 km off Newfoundland, with HMCS MONTREAL. Katie had been chartered to return 580 CAF vehicles & 390 sea containers of equipment from Kosovo & was refusing to deliver over a payment dispute. #OpMEGAPHONE DND Photo

#OTD 3/8/1942 #RememberRCN -HMCShips HAMILTON and AGASSIZ rescue 81 survivors from MV Lochkatrine, torpedoed by U-552 east of Cape Race during the Battle for Convoy ON-115. Nine merchant sailors were killed in the attack.

#OTD 3/8/1942 #RememberRCN -HMCS SACKVILLE attacks three U-boats while escorting Convoy ON-115. 1st damages U-43 w/ DC's - forced to return to base. 2nd attack U-704 w/ DC's -loses contact with convoy 3rd engages U-552 w/ gunfire, holing conning tower -forced to return to base.

#OTD 3/8/1918 #RememberRCN -U156 stops and sinks four American fishing vessels, SFV Annie Perry, SFV Muriel, MV Rob Roy & FV Sydney B. Atwood in quick succession, 30 to 45 miles off Seal Island, NS. Crews allowed to abandon their ships.

#OTD 3/8/1914 #RememberRCN -HMCS RAINBOW (1st) sails from Esquimalt in anticipation of hostilities with Germany. As the only Commonwealth cruiser in the North Pacific, ordered to patrol from Canada’s West Coast to the equator. #WWI @MMageeArt Painting

Last night I had the honour to represent the Navy League of Canada & present Sandy Dermerchant with the Navy League of Canada Long Service Medal & Bar at her Depart with Dignity celebration. I first met Sandy when her and her husband Ron were junior cadet officers volunteering with ... 1/3

#OTD 2/8/1943 #BattleOfAtlantic -U706 Sunk (Shared) by Hampden Aircraft from 415 Sqn RCAF, NW of Cape Ortegal, Spain. 415 Sqn aircraft strafed/bombed U706 with 6 depth charges, then Liberator from 4th A/S Sqn USAAF/T came in and finished the attack. Photo courtesy @YAWMuseum

#OTD 2/8/1942 #RememberRCN -HMCS SACKVILLE escorting Convoy ON-115, her skipper Lt Alan Easton was in the corvettes crow’s nest to get a better view of the convoy, when he sights U552 on the surface & engages the U-boat with gunfire, fighting the battle from the crow's nest.

#OTD 2/8/1942 #RememberRCN -HMCS AGASSIZ spots U-704 on the surface & engages with gunfire, U-boat dives to escape. AGASSIZ then spots U-597 on the surface & forces the U-boat to dive with gunfire. Joined by HMCS GALT, the corvettes continue the hunt for two hours. Convoy ON-115

#OTD 2/8/1918 #RememberRCN -Auxiliary Motor Vessel Dornfontein (Canadian) captured, ransacked & set afire by U156, 25 miles WNW of Brier Island, NS. There are no casualties despite the merchant sailors taken prisoner & held inside the U-boat for 3 hrs before being released.

#OTD 2/8/1914 #RememberRCN -With war imminent, the Naval Service assumes control of all Canadian wireless stations. The Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve Company at Victoria, British Columbia, is ordered to report for duty at Esquimalt dockyard.

#OTD 1/8/1989 #RememberRCN -Vice-Admiral Robert Earl Douglas George became the 22nd person to command the Canadian Navy as Commander of Maritime Command (ComdMARCOM) based in Halifax, replacing VAdm Charles Thomas who was appointed Vice Chief of Defence Staff.

#OTD 1/8/1981 #RememberRCN -Commander Marilyn O’Hearn appointed Commanding Officer of HMCS HUNTER in Windsor, ON, becoming the 1st women to command a reserve unit & the first to command a shore establishment since the Second World War. Change of Command Parade held on 20 October 1981.

#OTD 1/8/1975 #RememberRCN -The CAF reorganizes Maritime, Mobile and Air Commands as individual commands. The position of ComdMARCOM is reinstated at the rank of Vice-Admiral and RAdm Douglas Boyle is promoted to VAdm. Boyle and his staff continue to operate from Halifax.

#OTD 1/8/1964 #RememberRCN -Vice-Admiral Kenneth Dyer became the 10th person to command the Canadian Navy as Principal Naval Adviser (PNA) in Ottawa, taking over from VAdm Herbert Rayner.