The Battle of the Atlantic

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DEPTH CHARGES BEING DROPPED BY HMCS SAGUENAY. (LAC PA116840)could not be reinforced adequately or supplied with the latestweapons or advanced training programs. The RCAF’s EasternAir Command did its best to help the beleaguered convoyspushing its aircraft to the limits. The Canadian airmenachieved outstanding results on several occasions, destroyingand damaging U-boats 500 miles and more out in the Atlantic.They did not, however, have the latest “very-long-range”aircraft needed to reach the dreaded “Black Pit” where theU-boats could attack in relative freedom.The Battle of the Atlantic reached its climax in March 1943;in that month, the U-boats sent 108 Allied ships — 569,000tonnes of vital shipping — to the bottom. These figures werelower than in November 1942, but what was so disturbingwas that 85 of the ships lost had been in convoy or stragglingand most had been sunk in the North Atlantic. The onlyglimmer of hope lay in the success of the air and naval escortsin exacting a toll of 16 U-boats.The Battle of the Atlantic 18
The Tide TurnsThe U-boat success threatened the war plans of the westernalliance. Dependable delivery of troops, equipment andsupplies were vital to build up forces for the liberation ofEurope. An all-out Allied effort, especially by the British,against the submarines was needed. In May 1943, outstandingdefence of convoys compelled Dönitz to change his U-boatstrategy in the North Atlantic.This was not, however, the end of the U-boat menace. Dönitzstill had more than 200 submarines, and German industry andscience was rapidly replacing losses and providing improvedequipment. The RCN continued its rapid expansion, but nowwith better equipment and improved ships. For example, largeCanadian-built frigates, unlike the little corvettes, were expresslydesigned for trans-ocean escort. The RCAF’s Eastern AirCommand also received better aircraft in the last half of 1943,including very-long-range Consolidated Liberator bombers thatcould - and did - make patrols right across the Atlantic, helpingto close the “Black Pit.” In addition, three RCAF antisubmarinebomber squadrons had been organized in the RoyalAir Force’s Coastal Command to carry out patrols from greatFRIGATE HMCS SWANSEA, JANUARY 1944. (LAC PA107941)19 The Battle of the Atlantic
Page 1 and 2: Remembrance Series
Page 4 and 5: The Battle of the AtlanticGeneratio
Page 6 and 7: CONVOY ASSEMBLED IN THE BEDFORD BAS
Page 8 and 9: important and vulnerable routes was
Page 10 and 11: In September of 1940, for the first
Page 12 and 13: for a crew of some 60 sailors were
Page 14 and 15: western Atlantic. However, when the
Page 16 and 17: ANTI-SUBMARINE GRENADE LAUNCHED INT
Page 18 and 19: A CONSOLIDATED VLR LIBERATOR PROVID
Page 22 and 23: PAINTING BY JACK NICHOLS. TAKING SU
Page 24 and 25: Canada’s Merchant Navy Veterans b
Page 26 and 27: about 290,000 tonnes and manned by
Page 28: Halifax MemorialThis memorial in No

The Battle of the Atlantic

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