History
HMCS UNICORN, an important part of Saskatoon for over eighty years, was established on 27 April 1923. In keeping with the three-hundred-year-old tradition of the navy she was commissioned as a land-based ship in November 1941, and took up permanent residence as a "stone frigate" at her present location in August 1943.
HMCS UNICORN is named after one of the first vessels to enter Hudson's Bay in search of the North West Passage and she honours all namesake Royal Navy vessels by remembering their battle honours. In the case of HMCS UNICORN, this includes battles that took place during the Spanish Armada (Armada 1588) to the Napoleonic Wars (Basque Roads 1809) to World War II (Okinawa 1945).
 The ship's crest was adopted from the former HMS UNICORN of the Royal Navy and was approved in 1948. It is often noted that the UNICORN's crest is unique in that it is a unicorn with wings! The specific reasons for this are not recorded, but ships of the Royal Navy often added wings to their crests after a particularly arduous campaign. It is likely that the wings you see on today's crest were added sometime during the 18th century. It is also noted that the last HMS UNICORN was an aircraft carrier so the wings on the unicorn were particularly relevant for that ship.
During World War II, UNICORN became the Royal Canadian Navy recruiting centre. 3,573 officers and non-commissioned members enlisted through UNICORN during the war years. World War II also saw the establishment of a University Training Program for officers in Saskatoon which continues to this day.
Three times in the past twenty years UNICORN has been awarded the Silver Destroyer as the top Naval Reserve Division in Canada. Five times in that same period, she has been named runner-up for the award or recognized as the most improved naval reserve division in Canada.
 Today the Naval Reserve is tasked with Maritime Coastal Defense, Harbour Defense and Naval Control of Shipping. Today's reservist is trained in mine countermeasures, precision navigation and surface interdiction. Current members of UNICORN ships' company have served with the Canadian Armed Forces in Cyprus, the Golan Heights, Germany, England, France, Holland, the US, in the Gulf War, and in every Canadian province. New Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDV) have allowed the Naval Reserve to carry out their mission with modern state-of-the-art equipment.
For over eighty years, HMCS UNICORN has played a prominent role in Saskatoon. From the organisation and execution of major public events such as the 1951 visit of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh to sending 17 members of the ship's company to Manitoba's Red River Valley during the Flood of 1998. The ship's company even participated in a Battle of the Atlantic parade with the HMCS Saskatoon, an MCDV currently patrolling the West Coast waters. The present company of HMCS UNICORN are proud of their heritage and the achievements of all former members of the ship.
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