Harry DeWolf

Vice Admiral Henry George DeWolf was a highly distinguished Canadian naval officer, recognized as the most decorated officer in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. He gained widespread fame as the first commander of the Tribal-class destroyer HMCS Haida, leading his crew in operations that successfully destroyed 14 German vessels and submarines before, during, and immediately following the Allied invasion of Normandy. His leadership of Haida was also marked by a heroic attempt to rescue survivors from her sister ship, HMCS Athabaskan, after she was torpedoed and sunk in April 1944.

Following the Second World War, DeWolf continued to serve at the forefront of Canada's post-war naval modernization. He was appointed commander of Canada's first aircraft carriers, HMCS Warrior and HMCS Magnificent. His extensive naval career spanned more than four decades, during which he held crucial leadership positions and helped shape the strategic direction of the Canadian Navy during the early years of the Cold War.

DeWolf retired in the early 1960s after 42 years of dedicated service. In his retirement, he actively supported efforts to preserve his wartime command, HMCS Haida, ensuring its preservation as a historic museum ship in Toronto. Today, he remains one of Canada's most revered naval heroes.