Canada's Naval History

Second World War
Battle of the Atlantic - The Battle of the St. Lawrence

The struggle on the Atlantic between Allied navies and German U-Boats (submarines) brought the naval war into Canada, turning the river and Gulf of St. Lawrence into a battleground. From 1942, German U-Boats sank 23 merchant and naval ships; improvements in anti-submarine defences ultimately stemmed these losses.

Artifact Record

Iced Up

Donald Cameron MacKay's oil sketch depicts the seemingly endless winter task of removing accumulated ice from ships.

In this painting, two members of HMCS Shawinigan's crew use axes to remove ice build-up from a depth charge launcher. Ice from waves and spray could rapidly accumulate on ships, threatening their stability through its added weight and interfering with the operation of weapons and equipment. Shawinigan took part in escort work in Canadian waters, including the Gulf of St. Lawrence, prior to being sunk off the Newfoundland coast in November 1944.

Iced Up
Painted by Donald C. MacKay in 1944
Beaverbrook Collection of War Art
CWM 19710261-4230