Royal Naval College of Canada

The Royal Naval College of Canada (RNCC) was a naval college set up in Canada by the Royal Navy; it existed from 1911 to 1922. The school educated about 150 students until it closed due to declining numbers and cuts from Ottawa. The aim of the college was to instruct recruits a course of study that would make them qualified for service on British warships. Recruits became deck officers or engineers.

The college was established at the dockyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia. However, the buildings were destroyed by the Halifax explosion in 1917 when a munitions ship collided with a relief ship in Halifax harbour. The college then moved to facilities at the Royal Military College (RMC) in Kingston, Ontario. By 1918 this location was deemed unsuitable and the college moved to the naval dockyard at Esquimault, British Columbia. The college was closed in 1922 after a parliamentary decision.

History

The King’s permission was obtained to add the prefix `Royal` to the title of the Naval College of Canada in October 1910, with the abbreviation being `R.C.N.C.` The naval college was established at Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1911. RNCC was commanded by L.Cdr. Edward Atcherley Eckersall Nixon, RN (1878–1924) with the assistance of the Director of Studies. In 1915, the staff included a commander, an instructor commander, an engineer commander, two instructor lieutenant...
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