[As printed in Milton Christian Church newsletter] "The Battle of the Atlantic" is commemorated on the first Sunday of May each year, recognizing the supreme sacrifice made on our behalf by sailors and Canadian Merchant Seamen during the Second World War. When Canada declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939, the Royal Canadian Navy consisted of 13 ships and 1,819 officers and men. By the war's end in 1945 Canada's Navy had become the 3rd largest in the world with 775 ships and 107,000 men and women. By December 1941, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and the withdrawal of most American ships from Atlantic waters for use in the Pacific, Canada found herself in the position of supplying nearly half of the Atlantic convoy protection. Atlantic convoy duties were only part of the RCN role. Canadian warships also sailed the deadly Mermansk Run delivering life-saving convoys to Russia and were engaged in numerous other extremely dangerous, life-threatening missions. The young men who manned our ships during this terrible time in our history endured dreadful hardships, uncertainty and boredom, mixed with the acrid taste of fear. Many of them never returned and only the restless waves mark their burial places. Their courage, strength and devotion to duty against frightening and at times, nearly impossible offs, will remain forever a source of pride for Canada. Research has determined that 24 ships of the RCN were lost to enemy action or foundered at sea in stormy weather during World War Two. 2,204 sailors gave their lives and 319 were wounded. In addition, 1,146 Canadian Merchant Seamen gave their lives in the sinking of 72 Canadian registered merchant ships. - Larry Truelove http://members.tripod.com/~merchantships/contents.html is a site on http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~downhome/ - filled with stories and facts of many merchant navy ships. Muriel M. Davidson

----- Original Message ----- From: "muriel m davidson" Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 9:19 PM Subject: [NS-L] The Battle of the Atlantic > [As printed in Milton Christian Church newsletter] > > "The Battle of the Atlantic" I believe the Battle of the Atlantic was the longest battle in Naval History - September 1939 to May 1945. By the war's end in 1945 Canada's Navy had become the 3rd > largest in the world with 775 ships and 107,000 men and women. .. and became the highest paid Navy in the world. > Research has determined that 24 ships of the RCN were lost to enemy > action or foundered at sea in stormy weather during World War Two. > 2,204 sailors gave their lives and 319 were wounded. In addition, > 1,146 Canadian Merchant Seamen gave their lives in the sinking of > 72 Canadian registered merchant ships. - Larry Truelove In memory of Robert "Bobby" BROWN, aged 24 of Montreal who went down with HMCS Ottawa, in October 1942. An uncle we never had the chance to meet. Also his brother, Gordon BROWN - RCN 1939-1965, including with HMCS Haida in Korea, who passed away February 1982 and my father William WYATT - RCNVR 1930-1945 (2-PPCLI Korea) who passed away April 2003. Grand-uncle Charles Morton NELSON and his son, Charles NELSON both of whom went down with their merchant ships in June and September 1943, and my Godmother's husband, John DELEDGE who also was lost when his oil tanker was sunk in 1942. 10th of May is the official birthday of the Royal Canadian Navy, which is the main reason why The Battle of the Atlantic is remembered reverently during this time frame in May. Toni