CFB Esquimalt
Naval & Military Museum

Creature Comforts Photo Album

(Page 1 of 6)

Creature Comforts
Photo Album 1

This page, and the pages that follow, display more images of mascots from the museum's collection and The Crowsnest Magazine. For further information about any of the photos from the museum's archive, please contact museum staff.

To view more images and articles from The Crowsnest magazine, please visit the Canadian Navy Heritage Project Document Archives.

Cat climbing ship's ladder

Photo Catalogue No. VR2009.010.001

Rags "I informed the ship's company that we could accept the dog provided that they appointed one person in the ship to take sole charge of feeding and caring for it. After a short meeting of the men, I was informed that I had been elected as the dog's valet, since I had the least work to do in the ship!! I pretended to be reluctant to take on such a responsibility, but I was secretly delighted. When I left the ship a year later, they gave him to me as a farewell gift."

Captain Godfrey Harry Hayes, who commissioned HMCS GUELPH as her commanding officer in June 1944, from his reminiscences of "Three Corvettes"

Image courtesy of the Hayes family

HMCS SWANSEA's mascot Towny with an extra, Stowaway

Photo Catalogue No. VR2004.013.001.31

Jeanie, officers mascot of HMCS ALGONQUIN

Photo Catalogue No. VR2008.15.130

Muncher This photo of HMCS HAIDA'S rabbit mascot (and friends) was taken in Russia, April 1948.

In 1944, HAIDA's mascot was a little rabbit with the odd name of "Handy Built." "We weren't satisfied with a rabbit's foot so we brought along four on the hoof," said Petty Officer C. S. MacArthur of Ottawa. The rabbit actually belongs to A.B. John McGregor of Montreal. He says the rabbit is a submarine detector in his own right, jumping wildly around in his cage whenever there is a contact. Handy Built always seems to know when there is going to be action. too," he said, "He once woke me up even before action stations were sounded. I woke up some of the other fellows and they were at their guns faster than would have been possible without Handy's warning." From The Star Newspaper, October 1944.

Image courtesy of Parks Canada HAIDA collection

HMCS HAIDA transported a reindeer, which was a goodwill gift from a Russian Admiral, to the Admiral commanding the Orkneys and Shetlands during the WWII Battle of the Atlantic.

Image courtesy of Parks Canada HAIDA collection

Gus and Perth, the two pets of HMCS LANARK March 1945. This photo shows Gus grooming Perth's back. "'Perth', a black cocker spaniel, was a gift to HMCS LANARK from the city of Perth, Ontario, (located in Lanark County).'Gus' the goose arrived onboard while LANARK had just departed Londonderry, Northern Ireland and was proceeding down the River Foyle. Small powered boats would come alongside with crates of live fowl, hoping to sell them to the ship's Supply Officer to add to our daily menu. By the time this picture was taken, all the birds but Gus had been duly enjoyed as part of our Christmas celebrations. Unfortunately on subsequent escort duty west, the convoy was hit by a major storm, and Gus's resting place, under the after gun deck canopy, was torn away."

Image and anecdote courtesy of Mr. Peter Thomas of Victoria B.C., who is pictured kneeling in the background.

Captain J.E.W. Oland, daughter and canine friend

Captain J.E.W. Oland, with his daughter Mrs. J. McAvity and a canine friend, on the steps of the Senior Officer's Residence (at that time his home) September 1937

Photo Catalogue No. VR991.38.16

Mascot of HMCS CORNWALLIS 1943

Photo Catalogue No. VR2006.071.17

The monkey of HMS COCKADE was first encountered by retired Canadian sailor Frederick Rodgers while he was serving aboard the British naval vessel in 1956. "Monkeys could be purchases in Singapore very cheaply, and one of our crew bought one and smuggled it aboard in a brown paper bag." At first it was quite a novelty, however, the interest didn't last. The monkey made great sport of swinging from the hammocks while the sailors were sleeping, and sometimes even urinating on them, so it was decided that the monkey had to go. It was not an easy task to capture the creature - a couple of clever stokers gave it food and while it was eating, threw a net over it. It was quickly put into the launch and taken ashore to be released back into the jungle.

Image and anecdote courtesy of Frederick Rodgers