His Majesty's Canadian Ship
The designation His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS; Template:Langx [NCSM]),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is applied as a prefix to surface ships in the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Joint Operations Command. The similar designation of His Majesty's Canadian Submarine is applied to submarine vessels.<ref>Template:Cite web </ref>
Origins of the term
The title is derived from His Majesty's Ship (HMS), used in the United Kingdom, as the monarch of Canada is also equally and separately the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Various Commonwealth realms use derivative variations to designate their warships, such as His Majesty's Australian Ship (HMAS) and His Majesty's New Zealand Ship (HMNZS).
In the reign of a queen, the designation changes to Her Majesty's Canadian Ship; the French version of the title remains unchanged in this instance.Template:Efn
Usage
After the formation of Naval Service of Canada in 1910, warships were given the prefix HMCS with the "C" representing Canadian as a way to differentiate Canadian from British warships. It was initially the only concession the British Admiralty made following the formation of the Canadian naval service.<ref>Milner, p. 22</ref> Template:HMCS was the first ship with the HMCS designation after being transferred from the British Royal Navy to Canada, commissioned on 4 August 1910.<ref>Johnston et al., p. 234</ref> Template:HMCS became the first Canadian ship commissioned under a Queen during March 1952.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Many RCN shore facilities also bear the designation, such as Template:HMCS, Template:HMCS, Template:HMCS, Template:HMCS, and the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets summer training centre HMCS Quadra.
Shore maintenance and mooring facilities bear the name His Majesty's Canadian Dockyard (HMC Dockyard) (in French Template:Lang or Template:Lang).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web </ref>
See also
- Hull classification symbol (Canada)
- List of current ships of the Royal Canadian Navy
- Monarchy of Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces
- Stone frigate