Canada's Naval History

Second World War
Battle of the Atlantic - The U-Boats Surrender

With Germany's defeat in May 1945, its U-Boats (submarines) were required to surrender to Allied forces. The Royal Canadian Navy was involved in the surrender of U-Boats in European waters, while U-190 and U-889, surrendering to Canadian forces in the Western Atlantic, were brought to ports in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.

U-190 Surrender Document

In the early hours of 12 May 1945, Hans-Erwin Reith, U-190's commander, signed this document formally surrendering the submarine to the Royal Canadian Navy.

Although units of the Royal Canadian Navy had been involved in the boarding or surrender of U-Boats during the war, this document marked the first formal surrender of a German submarine to Canadian forces. Kenneth George Tryon, one of U-190's commanders when the submarine was in the Royal Canadian Navy between 1945 and 1947, donated this document and related artifacts to the Canadian War Museum in 1968.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19680168-009

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