The Stone Frigate: The Royal Military College’s First Female Cadet Speaks Out

Winner of the 2020 Ontario Historical Society Alison Prentice Award • Finalist for the 2020 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize in Nonfiction

A memoir from the first female cadet admitted to the Royal Military College of Canada.

Kate Armstrong was an ordinary young woman eager to leave an abusive childhood behind her when she became the first female cadet admitted to the Royal Military College of Canada. As she struggled for survival in the ultimate boys’ club, she called on her fierce and humourous spirit to push back against the whims of a domineering and patriarchal organization. Later in life, feeling unfulfilled in her post-military career, she realized that finding her true path forward meant she had to go back to the beginning and revisit the truth of what she had experienced all those years ago.

“Incredibly engaging and moving. Armstrong deftly handles the tough and challenging moments (and there are many) as well as humorous ones. Great read from beginning-to-end.” ― Timothy Caulfield, author of The Cure for Everything