Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy

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 Forces.

Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and Chief of the Naval Staff
Vice Admiral insignia
Vice Admiral flag
Incumbent
Vice Admiral A.G. McDonald
since 12 June 2019
Royal Canadian Navy
TypeCommissioned officer
StatusCurrently constituted
AbbreviationComd RCN
Reports toChief of the Defence Staff
Term lengthAt Her Majesty's pleasure
PrecursorChief of the Maritime Staff
DeputyDeputy Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy/Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff
WebsiteOfficial website

History of the position

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 the Atlantic fleet) and Esquimalt (for the Pacific fleet).[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

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 NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
Director of the Naval Service
1
Kingsmill, CharlesAdmiral
Sir C.E. Kingsmill
(1855–1935)		4 May 191031 December 192111 years
2
Hose, W.Commodore
W. Hose
(1875–1965)		192119286–7 years
Chief of the Naval Staff
1
Hose, W.Rear Admiral
W. Hose
(1875–1965)		1928December 19335–6 years
-
Hose, W.Captain
P.W. Nelles
(1892–1951)
Acting		December 1933July 19347 months
2
Hose, W.Vice Admiral
P.W. Nelles
(1892–1951)		July 1934January 19449 years
3
Jones, GeorgeVice Admiral
G.C. Jones
(1895–1946)		January 19448 February 1946 †2 years
4
Reid, H.Vice Admiral
H.E. Reid
(1897–1962)		8 February 194631 August 19471 years
5
Grant, H.Vice Admiral
H.T.W. Grant
(1899–1965)		1 September 19471 December 19515 years
6
Mainguy, E.Vice Admiral
E.R. Mainguy
(1901–1979)		1 December 1951January 19564 years
7
DeWolf, H.Vice Admiral
H.G. DeWolf
(1903–2000)		January 195631 July 19604 years
8
DeWolf, H.Vice Admiral
H.S. Rayner
(1911–1976)
[lower-alpha 1]		1 August 196019643–4 years
Commander of Maritime Command
1
Landymore, W.M.Rear Admiral
W.M. Landymore
(1916–2008)
[lower-alpha 2]		12 January 196624 July 19660 years
2
O'Brien, J.C.Vice Admiral
J.C. O'Brien
(1918–1996)
[lower-alpha 3]		12 January 196624 July 19703 years
3
Porter, H.A.Vice Admiral
H.A. Porter
(1922–2016)		July 197019711 years
4
Timbrell, R.W.Rear Admiral
R.W. Timbrell
(1920–2006)		197119731–2 years
5
Boyle, DouglasVice Admiral
D.S. Boyle
(1923–2001)		197319773–4 years
6
Collier, AndrewVice Admiral
A.L. Collier
(1924–1987)		19771 August 19791–2 years
7
Allan, JohnVice Admiral
J. Allan
(1928–2014)		2 August 197919800–1 years
8
Fulton, AndrewVice Admiral
J.A. Fulton
(born 1927)		198029 July 19832–3 years
9
Wood, JamesVice Admiral
J.C. Wood
(born 1934)		198319873–4 years
10
Thomas, CharlesVice Admiral
C.M.W. Thomas
(born 1936)		198719891–2 years
11
George, RobertVice Admiral
R.E. George
(born 1940)		198919911–2 years
12
Anderson, JohnVice Admiral
J.R. Anderson
(born 1941)		199119920–1 years
13
Cairns, PeterVice Admiral
P.W. Cairns
(born 1938)		199219941–2 years
14
Murray, LarryVice Admiral
L.E. Murray
(born 1947)		199419950–1 years
15
Mason, LynnVice Admiral
L.G. Mason
(born 1942)		199519971–2 years
Chief of the Maritime Staff
1
Garnett, G.Vice Admiral
G.L. Garnett
(born 1944)		12 January 199724 September 19978 months
2
Maddison, G.Vice Admiral
G.R. Maddison
(born 1949)		24 September 1997May 20013 years, 7 months
3
Buck, R.Vice Admiral
R.D. Buck		May 200120042–3 years
4
MacLean, M.Vice Admiral
M.B. MacLean		200422 January 20061–2 years
5
Robertson, D.Vice Admiral
D.W. Robertson		23 January 200620092–3 years
6
McFadden, P.Vice Admiral
P.D. McFadden
(born 1957)		200921 July 20112–3 years
Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy
1
Maddison, P.Vice Admiral
P.A. Maddison		21 July 2011June 20131 year, 10 months
2
Norman, M.Vice Admiral
M.A.G. Norman
(born 1964)		June 2013January 20162 years, 7 months
3
Lloyd, M.Vice Admiral
M.F.R. Lloyd
(born 1963)		23 June 201612 June 20192 years, 11 months
4
McDonald A.G.Vice Admiral
A.G. McDonald
(born 1967)		13 June 2019Incumbent1 year, 1 month

See also

Notes
  1. The Royal Canadian Navy had no official head between 1964, when the position of Chief of the Naval Staff was abolished, and 1966, when the position of Commander of Maritime Command was established. In 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
  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. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
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