Defence Islands facts for kids
The Defence Islands are two small islands located in Howe Sound, a beautiful area in British Columbia, Canada. You can find them near Anvil Island and Porteau Cove. These islands are quite small. The one to the east is called Defence Island Indian Reserve No. 28 and is about 1.7 hectares in size. The island to the west is named the Kwum Kwum Indian Reserve and is larger, at 6.20 hectares. Both of these islands are managed by the Squamish Nation, an Indigenous group in the region.
Why are they called Defence Islands?
The name "Defence Islands" was given around 1860 by Captain Richards, a British naval officer. He named them after a famous ship called HMS Defence. This was a large warship with 74 guns.
HMS Defence was part of an important naval battle in 1794, known as "the Glorious First of June". During this battle, the Defence was the first ship to bravely sail through the enemy's battle line. This was a very daring move!
The ship continued to serve in other major battles, including the Battle of the Nile and the Battle of Trafalgar. These were big events in naval history. Sadly, in 1811, while serving in the Baltic Sea, the HMS Defence was caught in a terrible storm. It was pushed onto the coast of Jutland (which is now part of Denmark). Out of about 600 sailors on board, only five survived. The islands were named to remember this brave ship and its history.
