The small ships of the Sheep Dog Navy at war in the vile North Atlantic came to be seen as Canada’s naval war, and as the origins of the modern Canadian navy. But during the Second World War the overriding objective of the professional Royal Canadian Navy was securing the basics of a balanced postwar fleet—destroyers and cruisers, and later aircraft carriers. This meant continuing to train the young RCN officers in the big ships and establishments of the Royal Navy. It would also serve the ‘big fleet’ objective if Canadians were spread even more broadly in the British fleet during wartime. So Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve officer candidates were also sent to the RN, “to serve,” as Admiral Percy Nelles said in early 1940, “in interesting appointments overseas and represent ...