Battle of the Atlantic, 65yrs ago

From September 1939 to May 1943, the Canadians fought for the freedom of the seas from German control. The longest-running battle was a turning point in the War

This weekend, ceremonies were held across Canada to mark the end of the Battle of the Atlantic, 65 years ago. Fought in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the battle began with the attack of a German U-boat on a ship bound for Montreal off the coast of Ireland on September 3, 1939. The ship sank. It was the rare happening of an attack on Canada.

The Canadian Navy underwent changes during the Battle of the Atlantic, from a very small fleet of ships to third largest navy in the world. The Corvette ship became renowned as a quick ship, fast and cheap to build, and successful in skirmishes with U-boats until the heavier frigates could arrive.

By April, the Canadians got the upper hand over the brutal enemy, becoming hunters of the submarines and sinking those underwater vessels that spelled certain death for other ships in the vicinity. The Germans surrendered water supremacy, but not the war, on May 8, 1943.

We are proud of, and awed by, the Canadian seamen who tackled the enemy lurking beneath the Atlantic waters, month after dreadful month, year after year, and didn’t let go. They were defending the right of access to the seas while suffering miserable seasickness, vicious storms, injury, loss of lives and ships in battle. And most of the seamen were young, according to The Torch: Battle of Atlantic, aged 17 to 26. Most who survived the battle have now passed away.

Imagine how the world would have changed without them.