List of Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy

During the history of the Canadian Navy there have been 6 different titles for the Navy’s commanding officer. Here are the names, dates, and titles of the people who have commanded the Navy. (The rank listed is the highest rank the person held while serving as Commander of the Navy.)

Director of the Naval Service (DNS)

Name	Dates
Admiral Sir Charles Edmund Kingsmill	May 5, 1910 to December 31, 1920
Commodore First Class Walter Hose	January 1, 1921 to March 6, 1928

Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS)

Name	Dates
Commodore First Class Walter Hose	March 7, 1928 to December 31, 1933
Vice-Admiral Percy W. Nelles	January 1, 1934 to January 15, 1944
Vice-Admiral George C. Jones	January 15, 1944 to February 8, 1946
Vice-Admiral Howard E. Reid	February 28, 1946 to September 1, 1947
Vice-Admiral Harold T.W. Grant	September 1, 1947 to December 1, 1951
Vice-Admiral E. Rollo Mainguy	December 1, 1951 to January 16, 1956
Vice-Admiral Harry G. DeWolf	January 16, 1956 to August 1, 1960
Vice-Admiral Herbert S. Rayner	August 1, 1960 to August 1, 1964

Principal Naval Adviser (PNA)

Name	Dates
Vice-Admiral Kenneth L. Dyer	August 1, 1964 to July 16, 1966
Vice-Admiral Ralph L. Hennessy	July 16, 1966 to September 15, 1968

Commander of Maritime Command (Comd MARCOM)

Name	Dates
Rear-Admiral William M. Landymore	January 1, 1966 to July 19, 1966
Vice-Admiral John Charles O'Brien	July 19, 1966 to July 6, 1970
Vice-Admiral Henry A. Porter	July 6, 1970 to October 18, 1971
Rear-Admiral Robert W. Timbrell	October 18, 1971 to August 21, 1973
Vice-Admiral Douglas Seaman Boyle	August 21, 1973 to June 14, 1977
Vice-Admiral Andrew L. Collier	June 15, 1977 to June 30, 1979
Vice-Admiral John Allan	July 1, 1979 to August 5, 1980
Vice-Admiral J. Andrew Fulton	August 6, 1980 to July 29, 1983
Vice-Admiral James C. Wood	July 29, 1983 to July 3, 1987
Vice-Admiral Charles M.W. Thomas	July 3, 1987 to August 1, 1989
Vice-Admiral Robert E. George	August 1, 1989 to July 12, 1991
Vice-Admiral John R. Anderson	July 12, 1991 to July 14, 1992
Vice-Admiral Peter W. Cairns	July 14, 1992 to July 28, 1994
Vice-Admiral Lawrence E. Murray	July 28, 1994 to June 27, 1995
Vice-Admiral Lynn G. Mason	June 27 1995 to January 9, 1997
Vice-Admiral Gary L. Garnett	January 9, 1997 to May 5, 1997

Commander Maritime Command and Chief of the Maritime Staff (CMS)

Name	Dates
Vice-Admiral Gary L. Garnett	May 5, 1997 to September 24, 1997
Vice-Admiral Gregory R. Maddison	September 24, 1997 to June 21, 2001
Vice-Admiral Ronald D. Buck	June 21, 2001 to August 25, 2004
Vice-Admiral M. Bruce MacLean	August 25, 2004 to January 17, 2006
Vice-Admiral Drew W. Robertson	January 17, 2006 to June 22, 2009
Vice-Admiral P. Dean McFadden	June 22, 2009 to July 22, 2011
Vice-Admiral Paul A. Maddison	July 22, 2011 to August 16, 2011

Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and Chief of the Naval Staff (CRCN)

Name	Dates
Vice-Admiral Paul A. Maddison	August 16, 2011 to June 20, 2013
Vice-Admiral Mark A.G. Norman	June 20, 2013 to June 23, 2016
Vice-Admiral M.F.R. Lloyd	June 23, 2016 to June 12, 2019
Vice-Admiral Art McDonald	June 12, 2019 to January 12, 2021
Vice-Admiral Craig Baines	January 12, 2021 to May 30, 2022
Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee	May 30, 2022 to present