Members Area
Log in | Become a Member
Organization access | Register your group

Weather: Montreal, October 13th 2008 / 14°C / Overcast / Wind: 7 Km/h / Humidity: 59 %

National

Ceremony marks 65 years since the turning point of the Battle of the Atlantic

Article online since May 3rd 2008, 0:00
Be the first to comment on this article

HALIFAX - Only the sound of water lapping against the rocks could be heard Saturday as veterans paused at the edge of a boardwalk, tossing long-stemmed red roses into Halifax harbour to mark 65 years since the turning point of the Battle of the Atlantic.

The solemn gesture capped a ceremony attended by a couple hundred people at a waterfront museum to remember the thousands of Canadians who served in the battle, many of whom set sail from Halifax.

Commemorative services were also planned for Sunday in cities across Canada.

Alex White, 84, of Regina was fresh out of high school when he joined the merchant navy.

"It was scary," recalled White, who served as a radio officer during what would become the longest-running battle of the Second World War.

"The Canadian navy just did an excellent job out there as did the merchant navy. Canada should be proud of them and I'm sure they are."

In 1939, a German submarine sunk a Montreal-bound passenger ship near Ireland, sparking a battle that would last for nearly six years.

During that time, the Canadian navy shielded merchant marine ships carrying supplies across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe.

The supply ships were under constant threat from German and Italian forces, including infamous German U-boats.

May 1943 is considered the turning point of the battle in favour of the Allies, who had begun to receive additional training, air cover, special intelligence and better equipment.

The Royal Canadian Navy helped destroy 33 German U-boats and 42 other enemy vessels.

By the end of the battle, 24 Canadian warships had been sunk and more than 3,000 sailors were killed, including members of the merchant marine.

Margaret Haliburton, 86, never went to sea, but memories of the battle are fresh in her mind.

The Toronto woman served in the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service and monitored German submarine radio traffic while stationed in New Brunswick.

"It was exciting, you thought you finally have contact with the enemy, your job is paying off," she said.

"It was very exciting if we could pick up any signals."

But her eyes welled up with tears when her thoughts turned to those who could not attend commemorative services.

"It's very sad because when you think of the age of those boys ... when you think of that terrible, terrible loss of life and what could they have done, you know," she said.

"Who knows? One of them may have been another Einstein for all you know. Such a waste of life."

Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson said it's sad to see fewer and fewer veterans at the ceremonies each year, but he stressed the importance of taking the time to remember their sacrifices.

"We have young men and women today depending on those same values as those previous generations did, so we can never forget," said Thompson, who laid a wreath in memory of those who served.

"It's important for all of us to remember exactly what these people have done for us."

Send this text to a friend

Print this article

Comment on this article