Bibliography - Suggestions on Canadian Naval History

Canadian efforts were concentrated on land, not at sea, during the First World War. Nevertheless, the Royal Canadian Navy did put to sea, and did play a role, albeit a small one. Useful summaries are:

• Douglas, W. A. B. Canadian Naval Historiography, in
  The Mariner's Mirror, Volume 70, Number 4, 1984.
  This is of value not so much for the tracing of historical thought on the RCN as for it's detailed summary of the origins of Canadian Naval effort, right back to the 18th Century. Now that the MM is out on CD, this is much easier to find.
• Freeman, David J. Canadian Warship Names
  Vanwell Publishing, 2000.
  Like the title says - the background behind the naming of all HMC Ships, from 1910 till now. Lots of interesting detail.
• German, Commander Tony The Sea is at Our Gates: the History of the Canadian Navy
  McClelland & Stewart, 1990.
  A good popular history, but it contains a certain anti-British bias.
• Hadley, Michael L. & Roger Sarty Tin-pots & Pirate Ships - Canadian Naval Forces & German Sea Raiders 1880-1918
  McGill-Queen's University Press, 1991.
  This is an important, and readable, book that covers the origins of the RCN and the Great War era (recommended by the noted historian W. A. B. Douglas).
• Milner, Marc Canada's Navy: the First Century
  University of Toronto Press, 1999
  A look at the RCN from a higher level, there is good background on the development of the RCN along with some operational details.
• Tucker, G. N. The Naval Service of Canada, volume 1: Origins and Early Years
  King's Printer, Ottawa, 1952
  The first, and still good, history.

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