During the First World War, members of the RNCVR saw immediate service with the Royal Canadian Navy, as members of the Victoria, British Columbia company, which was the only operational naval reserve company in the country at the time, were recalled to fill out the crew of the Canadian cruiser . The cruiser deployed south off the western coast of North America, responding to reports of German raiders operating along it. Though "Rainbow" never interacted with the German raiders, "Rainbow" did capture two German merchant vessels as war prizes. The Victoria company went on to fill out the crews of the submarines and and their tender soon after the war began.