photo source: Victoria Maritime Museum
Admiral Hose was a seaman from the day he was born. On October 2, 1875 he arrived in this world aboard the P & O steamer SURAT, while travelling through the Indian Ocean near Ceylon. Later in life his naval career began onboard a British troopship heading to China and was transferred to H.M.S Hyacinth in Singapore. In his early years Hose also spent time on H.M.S Imperieuse, and H.M.S Calypso. After being promoted to commander in 1908, commander Hose inquired about employment in Canada. His interest in Canada arose from previous service in Newfoundland where he met his wife from St. John’s. In 1911, Commander Hose was lent to the Royal Canadian Navy and in June he was appointed to succeed Commander Stewart in command of H.M.C.S. Rainbow. In 1912 Hose voluntarily retired from the Royal Navy, and joined the Canadian Naval Service. He remained with the Rainbow until 1917 when he was transferred to the east coast Admiral Hose spent one year after the war as Senior Naval Officer in Halifax, followed by a position as Assistant Director of the Naval Services in 1920. The next year Admiral Hose was appointed Director, a position he held until his retirement on July 1, 1934. He died at his daughter’s house in Riverside, Ontario in June of 1965.[1]
photo source: Maritime Museum of British Columbia
Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve
photo source: http://ns1763.ca/hfxrm/admhose-12275.jpg
Rear-Admiral Hose left an eternal legacy as he created the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve. In 1913 admiral Hose was approached by four young men from Victoria, all who had served in the Royal Navy Reserve in London. They requested permission to start a volunteer reserve. Informal approval was given and thirty three men began training. During the First World War the reserve numbers reached around 6,000. The success of the reserve was largely due to the support of Admiral Hose in his position as chief of naval staff[1]. With the end of WWI came hard financial times, and the RCN was reduced to minimum numbers. However, Admiral Hose continued to expand the RCNVR and by WWII 78,000 of the 87,000 officers and men[2], were from the volunteer reserve. Rear Admiral Walter Hose is remembered as, The Father of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Founder of the Naval Reserves of Canada.
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