During the Second World War, Canada needed forces to patrol the west coast. They approached the fishing fleet and encouraged them, together with their boats, to join the navy. Officially, they were referred to as The Fishermen's Reserve. Unofficially, they were referred to as The Gumboot Navy. To those unfamiliar to the word gumboot, it is the name of the black rubber boots worn by the fishermen and many other British Columbians to keep feet dry during the rainy west coast winter.