HMCS Unicorn is the Canadian Naval Reserve Division in Saskatoon. It was first established in April 1923 as the Saskatoon Half Company, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve. Naval custom has designated shore-based training establishments as ships, and in 1942 the Saskatoon Half Company was commissioned a “stone frigate” as HMCS Unicorn in honour of one of the first ships to sail into Hudson Bay. The name has belonged to a long line of Royal Navy ships, going back to the 16th century. HMCS Unicorn has served both the community of Saskatoon and Canada for over eighty years. During World War II, it operated as a recruiting centre, enlisting over 3,500 men and women into the Royal Canadian Navy. It also developed a University Naval Training program. Today, HMCS Unicorn remains a vital part of navy operations; naval reservists are trained for maritime coastal defense, navigation, and mine countermeasures.
Lauren Black