A Tough Little Boat: The Pogo-HMCS Labrador’s Hydrographic Survey Launch

Authors

Eric Fernberg, Canadian War Museum

Abstract

In the summer of 1995 the Canadian War Museum accepted delivery of the Pogo, the 36-foot aluminum sounding boat which had accompanied the voyages of HMCS Labrador, Canada’s first and last Arctic Patrol vessel. One of the considerations that led to its acquisition lies in the CWM’s mission statement, to document “Canada’s commitment to peacekeeping and maintenance of international security.” We have a tendency to speak of international security as a concept symptomatic of the Nuclear Age because, prior to the Second World War, countries could afford to take an isolationist stance and dismiss the tension between belligerents as “none of their business.” However, the long-range nuclear bomber and the subsequent introduction of the intercontinental ballistic missile made tensions everybody’s business. The early 1950s were the beginning of an era where Canada began to define its postwar image and the addition of this artifact to the National Collection is a physical reminder of Canada's role in the achievement of Arctic sovereignty and the development of international security.

Recommended Citation

Fernberg, Eric "A Tough Little Boat: The Pogo-HMCS Labrador’s Hydrographic Survey Launch." Canadian Military History 5, 2 (1996)