The Project
Our website “H.M.C.S. Rainbow History” was created as a class project for the University of Victoria history class “A City Goes to War: Putting Victoria’s History on the Internet.” There were three objectives of this course, 1) To provide us with an understanding of the analytical framework and methods of micro-history. 2) To develop or refine our research skills using primary documents and archival research. 3) To develop or refine presentation and critical skills to allow us to effectively present our research on the Internet.
Website Goals
The goal of this website project is to provide a micro-history of H.M.C.S. Rainbow that helps demonstrate the importance the ship had in the city of Victoria and the Province of British Columbia. We also hope to show the Canadian Navy’s lack of preparedness for war in 1914. The Rainbow has an interesting history, and the variables that may have arisen had the Rainbow actually engaged the Germans at sea bear analysis.
This website also covers technical information on Rainbows specifications and weaponry, including the confusion surrounding the Rainbows armaments.
We also present a picture of the Rainbow’s crew life and look at the early career of Rear Admiral Walter Hose who was the ships first commander in the Royal Canadian Navy, and who led the ship into the First World War.
Finally, under Rainbow Cadet Corps, we provide a brief history and information on the RCSCC Rainbow Cadet Corps, the Victoria Sea Cadets.
Despite being retired nearly a century ago, the Rainbow still has a lasting legacy with the city of Victoria. The Rainbow cadet corps has its own long history, and is alive and well today. Thus, the Rainbow lives on.
The Team
Luke F. Kowalski
Luke is a 4th year history and anthropology double major at the University of Victoria. Although his primary area of research is in Canadian aboriginal history, military history is a passion of his. Luke wrote the history sections of the page, and contributed research and images to other areas of the site. He can be reached at lukek[at]uvic.ca.
Mike Martin
Mike is a second year history major at the University of Victoria, and will be going on to do an education degree in high school history. Mike photographed and edited the majority of photographs on the site. As well he contributed research on the crew and the first commander of the H.M.C.S Rainbow, Rear Admiral Walter Hose. Mike can be reached at mmartin7[at]uvic.ca
Paul Taylor
Paul is a fourth year history major who studies world history at the University of Victoria. He has spent four years in the Canadian Navy and now resides in Victoria BC. For this project, Paul contributed to the Rainbows specifications and armaments, as well as the legacy of the Rainbow Cadet Corps. He can be reached at pault[at]uvic.ca