List of Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy
During the history of the Canadian Navy there have been 6 different titles for the Navy’s commanding officer. Here are the names, dates, and titles of the people who have commanded the Navy. (The rank listed is the highest rank the person held while serving as Commander of the Navy.)
Director of the Naval Service (DNS)
| Name | Dates |
|---|---|
| Admiral Sir Charles Edmund Kingsmill | May 5, 1910 to December 31, 1920 |
| Commodore First Class Walter Hose | January 1, 1921 to March 6, 1928 |
Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS)
| Name | Dates |
|---|---|
| Commodore First Class Walter Hose | March 7, 1928 to December 31, 1933 |
| Vice-Admiral Percy W. Nelles | January 1, 1934 to January 15, 1944 |
| Vice-Admiral George C. Jones | January 15, 1944 to February 8, 1946 |
| Vice-Admiral Howard E. Reid | February 28, 1946 to September 1, 1947 |
| Vice-Admiral Harold T.W. Grant | September 1, 1947 to December 1, 1951 |
| Vice-Admiral E. Rollo Mainguy | December 1, 1951 to January 16, 1956 |
| Vice-Admiral Harry G. DeWolf | January 16, 1956 to August 1, 1960 |
| Vice-Admiral Herbert S. Rayner | August 1, 1960 to August 1, 1964 |
Principal Naval Adviser (PNA)
| Name | Dates |
|---|---|
| Vice-Admiral Kenneth L. Dyer | August 1, 1964 to July 16, 1966 |
| Vice-Admiral Ralph L. Hennessy | July 16, 1966 to September 15, 1968 |
Commander of Maritime Command (Comd MARCOM)
| Name | Dates |
|---|---|
| Rear-Admiral William M. Landymore | January 1, 1966 to July 19, 1966 |
| Vice-Admiral John Charles O'Brien | July 19, 1966 to July 6, 1970 |
| Vice-Admiral Henry A. Porter | July 6, 1970 to October 18, 1971 |
| Rear-Admiral Robert W. Timbrell | October 18, 1971 to August 21, 1973 |
| Vice-Admiral Douglas Seaman Boyle | August 21, 1973 to June 14, 1977 |
| Vice-Admiral Andrew L. Collier | June 15, 1977 to June 30, 1979 |
| Vice-Admiral John Allan | July 1, 1979 to August 5, 1980 |
| Vice-Admiral J. Andrew Fulton | August 6, 1980 to July 29, 1983 |
| Vice-Admiral James C. Wood | July 29, 1983 to July 3, 1987 |
| Vice-Admiral Charles M.W. Thomas | July 3, 1987 to August 1, 1989 |
| Vice-Admiral Robert E. George | August 1, 1989 to July 12, 1991 |
| Vice-Admiral John R. Anderson | July 12, 1991 to July 14, 1992 |
| Vice-Admiral Peter W. Cairns | July 14, 1992 to July 28, 1994 |
| Vice-Admiral Lawrence E. Murray | July 28, 1994 to June 27, 1995 |
| Vice-Admiral Lynn G. Mason | June 27 1995 to January 9, 1997 |
| Vice-Admiral Gary L. Garnett | January 9, 1997 to May 5, 1997 |
Commander Maritime Command and Chief of the Maritime Staff (CMS)
| Name | Dates |
|---|---|
| Vice-Admiral Gary L. Garnett | May 5, 1997 to September 24, 1997 |
| Vice-Admiral Gregory R. Maddison | September 24, 1997 to June 21, 2001 |
| Vice-Admiral Ronald D. Buck | June 21, 2001 to August 25, 2004 |
| Vice-Admiral M. Bruce MacLean | August 25, 2004 to January 17, 2006 |
| Vice-Admiral Drew W. Robertson | January 17, 2006 to June 22, 2009 |
| Vice-Admiral P. Dean McFadden | June 22, 2009 to July 22, 2011 |
| Vice-Admiral Paul A. Maddison | July 22, 2011 to August 16, 2011 |
Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and Chief of the Naval Staff (CRCN)
| Name | Dates |
|---|---|
| Vice-Admiral Paul A. Maddison | August 16, 2011 to June 20, 2013 |
| Vice-Admiral Mark A.G. Norman | June 20, 2013 to June 23, 2016 |
| Vice-Admiral M.F.R. Lloyd | June 23, 2016 to June 12, 2019 |
| Vice-Admiral Art McDonald | June 12, 2019 to January 12, 2021 |
| Vice-Admiral Craig Baines | January 12, 2021 to May 30, 2022 |
| Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee | May 30, 2022 to present |
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