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Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy

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Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and Chief of the Naval Staff
Vice Admiral insignia
Vice Admiral flag
Incumbent
Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee
since 30 May 2022
Royal Canadian Navy
TypeCommissioned officer
StatusCurrently constituted
AbbreviationComd RCN
Reports toChief of the Defence Staff
SeatNaval Staff HQ, NDHQ, Ottawa
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
PrecursorChief of the Maritime Staff
First holderAdmiral Sir Charles Kingsmill
DeputyDeputy Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy/Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff
WebsiteOfficial website

The Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy (French: Commandant de la Marine royale canadienne) is the institutional head of the Royal Canadian Navy. This appointment also includes the title Chief of the Naval Staff and is based at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario. This individual reports to the Chief of the Defence Staff, who then responds to the Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces.

History of the position

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The appointment was entitled Director of the Naval Service from 1910 to 1928 and then Chief of the Naval Staff from 1928 to 1964. In August 1964 the position of Chief of the Naval Staff was abolished. Responsibility for naval matters was split between the newly established Defence Staff in Ottawa and operational headquarters in Halifax (for Flag Officer Atlantic Coast) and Esquimalt (for Flag Officer Pacific Coast).[1] The appointment was entitled Commander of Maritime Command from 1966 to 1997 and Chief of the Maritime Staff from 1997 to 2011. In 2011 Maritime Command was renamed the Royal Canadian Navy at which time the appointment was renamed to its present incarnation.[2][3]

Appointees

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The following table lists all those who have held the post of Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy or its preceding positions. Ranks and honours are as at the completion of their tenure:[4]

No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office
Director of the Naval Service
1
Sir C.E. Kingsmill
Kingsmill, CharlesAdmiral
Sir C.E. Kingsmill
(1855–1935)		5 May 191031 December 192010 years, 7 months
2
W. Hose
Hose, W.Commodore
W. Hose
(1875–1965)		1 January 19216 March 19287 years, 2 months
Chief of the Naval Staff
1
W. Hose
Hose, W.Rear Admiral
W. Hose
(1875–1965)		7 March 192831 December 19335 years, 9 months
-
P.W. Nelles
Hose, W.Captain
P.W. Nelles
(1892–1951)
Acting		1 January 19341 July 19346 months
2
P.W. Nelles
Hose, W.Vice Admiral
P.W. Nelles
(1892–1951)		1 July 193415 January 19449 years, 6 months
3
G.C. Jones
Jones, GeorgeVice Admiral
G.C. Jones
(1895–1946)		15 January 19448 February 1946 †2 years
4
H.E. Reid
Reid, H.Vice Admiral
H.E. Reid
(1897–1962)		28 February 19461 September 19471 year, 6 months
5
H.T.W. Grant
Grant, H.Vice Admiral
H.T.W. Grant
(1899–1965)		1 September 19471 December 19514 years, 3 months
6
E.R. Mainguy
Mainguy, E.Vice Admiral
E.R. Mainguy
(1901–1979)		1 December 195116 January 19564 years, 1 month
7
H.G. DeWolf
DeWolf, H.Vice Admiral
H.G. DeWolf
(1903–2000)		16 January 19561 August 19604 years, 6 months
8
H.S. Rayner
DeWolf, H.Vice Admiral
H.S. Rayner
(1911–1976)		1 August 19601 August 19644 years
Principal Naval Adviser
1
K.L. Dyer
Dyer, K.L.Vice Admiral
K.L. Dyer
(1915–2000)
[a]		1 August 196416 July 19661 year, 11 months
2
R.L. Hennessy
Hennessy, R.L.Vice Admiral
R.L. Hennessy
(1918–2014)		16 July 196615 September 19682 years, 1 month
Commander of Maritime Command
1
W.M. Landymore
Landymore, W.M.Rear Admiral
W.M. Landymore
(1916–2008)
[b]		1 January 196619 July 19666 months
2
J.C. O'Brien
O'Brien, J.C.Vice Admiral
J.C. O'Brien
(1918–1996)
[c]		19 July 19666 July 19703 years, 11 months
3
H.A. Porter
Porter, H.A.Vice Admiral
H.A. Porter
(1922–2016)		6 July 197018 October 19711 year, 3 months
4
R.W. Timbrell
Timbrell, R.W.Rear Admiral
R.W. Timbrell
(1920–2006)		18 October 197121 August 19731 year, 10 months
5
D.S. Boyle
Boyle, DouglasVice Admiral
D.S. Boyle
(1923–2001)		21 August 197314 June 19773 years, 9 months
6
A.L. Collier
Collier, AndrewVice Admiral
A.L. Collier
(1924–1987)		15 June 197730 June 19792 years
7
J. Allan
Allan, JohnVice Admiral
J. Allan
(1928–2014)		1 July 19795 August 19801 year, 1 month
8
J.A. Fulton
Fulton, AndrewVice Admiral
J.A. Fulton
(1927–2021)		6 August 198029 July 19832 years, 11 months
9
J.C. Wood
Wood, JamesVice Admiral
J.C. Wood
(born 1934)		29 July 19833 July 19873 years, 11 months
10
C.M.W. Thomas
Thomas, CharlesVice Admiral
C.M.W. Thomas
(born 1936)		3 July 19871 August 19892 years
11
R.E. George
George, RobertVice Admiral
R.E. George
(born 1940)		1 August 198912 July 19911 year, 11 months
12
J.R. Anderson
Anderson, JohnVice Admiral
J.R. Anderson
(born 1941)		12 July 199114 July 19921 year
13
P.W. Cairns
Cairns, PeterVice Admiral
P.W. Cairns
(1938–2023)		14 July 199228 July 19942 years
14
L.E. Murray
Murray, LarryVice Admiral
L.E. Murray
(born 1947)		28 July 199427 June 199510 months
15
L.G. Mason
Mason, LynnVice Admiral
L.G. Mason
(born 1942)		27 June 19959 January 19971 year, 6 months
Chief of the Maritime Staff
1
G.L. Garnett
Garnett, G.Vice Admiral
G.L. Garnett
(born 1944)		9 January 199724 September 19978 months
2
G.R. Maddison
Maddison, G.Vice Admiral
G.R. Maddison
(born 1949)		24 September 199721 June 20013 years, 8 months
3
R.D. Buck
Buck, R.Vice Admiral
R.D. Buck		21 June 200125 August 20043 years, 2 months
4
M.B. MacLean
MacLean, M.Vice Admiral
M.B. MacLean		25 August 200417 January 20061 year, 4 months
5
D.W. Robertson
Robertson, D.Vice Admiral
D.W. Robertson		17 January 200622 June 20093 years, 5 months
6
P.D. McFadden
McFadden, P.Vice Admiral
P.D. McFadden
(born 1957)		22 June 200922 July 20112 years, 1 month
Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy
1
P.A. Maddison
Maddison, P.Vice Admiral
P.A. Maddison		22 July 201120 June 20131 year, 10 months
2
M.A.G. Norman
Norman, M.Vice Admiral
M.A.G. Norman
(born 1964)		20 June 201323 June 20163 years
3
M.F.R. Lloyd
Lloyd, M.Vice Admiral
M.F.R. Lloyd
(born 1963)		23 June 201612 June 20192 years, 11 months
4
A.G. McDonald
McDonald A.G.Vice Admiral
A.G. McDonald
(born 1967)		12 June 201912 January 20211 year, 7 months
5
C.A. Baines
Baines, C.A.Vice Admiral
C.A. Baines
(born c. 1960s)		12 January 202130 May 20221 year, 4 months
6
A. Topshee
Angus TopsheeVice Admiral
A. Topshee
(born 1971)		30 May 2022Incumbent2 years, 5 months

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The Royal Canadian Navy had no official head between August 1964, when the position of Chief of the Naval Staff was abolished, and January 1966, when the position of Commander of Maritime Command was established. In February 1968 the Royal Canadian Navy ceased to exist after it was unified with the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force to form the Canadian Forces.
  2. ^ In January 1966 he was appointed as the first Commander Maritime Command, in which position he served until he was encouraged to take an early retirement in July 1966, after a disagreement with the Minister of National Defence over the continuation of the traditional naval identity.
  3. ^ In the rank of Rear Admiral between 1966–1968 and Vice-Admiral between 1968–1970.

References

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  1. ^ Whitby, et al., eds. "The Admirals", p. 357. Dundurn Press, 2006.
  2. ^ Canadian Navy, Air Force 'Royal' Again With Official Name Change Huffington Post, 15 August 2011
  3. ^ DSA Vice-Admiral Maddison Archived June 28, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "List of Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy". Canadian Government. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
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