Vanguard Magazine

26 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2025 www.vanguardcanada.com B O O K R E V I E W B Y N O R M A N J O L I N GUARDIANS OF THE NORTH – CANADIAN WARSHIPS AND MARITIME AIRCRAFT, 1910-2025 GUARDIANS OF THE NORTH – CANADIAN WARSHIPS AND MARITIME AIRCRAFT, 1910-2025 Richard H. Gimblett & Karl Gagnon. Dundurn Press, www.dundurn. com, 2025. xi+384 pp. illustrations, endnotes, index, appendices. $60.00, cloth; ISBN 978-1-45975-555-0. I n a refreshing change to the tradi- tional method of recounting historic fleets, the authors have compiled a complete listing of every ship (and submarine) type that has ever served in the Canadian navy (including embarked aircraft), accompanied throughout by magnificently detailed illustrations. Here- tofore the authoritative reference books on the ships of Canada's navy have been predominantly a short history of individual ships with an accompanying photograph, often only the best example that is readily available. Guardians of the North is a much different approach, a narrative history told through pictures and illustrations, in which it is both a definitive work of reference as well as wonderfully engaging narrative of how these ships (Part 1) and aircraft, both shipborne (Part 2) and land-based (Part 3) came to be in the service of Canada. Each of the 58 chapters deals with a specific class of ship or supporting aircraft, in chrono- logical order of service. In addition to some cleverly sourced photographs, select- ed to best tell the story, there is a superb side profile drawing (in exquisite detail) that reflects physical size (with scale in the legend) as well as structural and cosmetic changes during the service life of the class. The authors are both former serving naval officers. Richard Gimblett is exten- sively published as the former Command Historian of the Royal Canadian Navy, and he has deftly capitalized on his decades of research by combining again with Karl Ga- gnon's graphic artistic skill sets. They were first influential in their 2009 collaboration on The Naval Service of Canada, 1910- 2010: The Centennial Story and later in 2010 Citizen Sailors – Chronicles of Can- ada's Naval Reserve 1910-2010. Building on their successful formats in previous works, supported by a very handy index and well-researched endnotes, each chap- ter ends with a short vignette suggesting further reading for those looking for more detail. Moreover, in "a note on sources" on page 355, the authors explain the chal- lenge of attribution with the numerous published sources used in this book, both RCN and maritime aviation now resident under the RCAF. Hence their preference for endnotes instead of footnotes, accom- panied by a select bibliography and the previously mentioned recommendations for further reading. Furthermore, the ap- pendices are a compilation of some very useful (and often misquoted) facts on ship classes, aircraft type specifications and their various weapons fits. As a former nerdy junior officer fond of reading Jane's Fighting Ships (ostensibly to stay awake on a quiet middle watch), one can only try to appreciate the incred- ible level of research required to produce a work of this calibre. While it will appeal to anyone looking for facts on certain Canadian ships, submarines and aircraft, Guardians of the North offers much more, as it has an easy-to-read narrative that ca- ters the full spectrum of readership, from interested layperson to serious historian. Importantly, the Afterword is essential reading, as it skillfully brings the entire project together, geopolitically, to the time of writing in Spring 2025. I was par- ticularly taken by the subtle comparison of the challenges facing the current Com- mander of the RCN, Vice-Admiral Angus

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