Second World War
Battle of the Atlantic  - Atlantic Battleground

Allied forces, including the Royal Canadian Navy, fought against Axis forces in the battle of the Atlantic over a vast and often dangerous oceanic battlefield. Harbours and bases like Halifax were essential for ships, and commanders on shore planned and coordinated the movements of convoys and anti-submarine forces.

MV Empire MacDermott, Halifax Drydock

Drydocks, like this one at the Halifax dockyard, were especially useful in wartime when enemy action, collisions, and weather damaged many ships.

This ship, the merchant aircraft carrier MV Empire MacDermott, carried a cargo of grain in addition to operating aircraft. It would have been floated in through gates at the far end of the dock, after which the water would have been pumped out. Blocks on the bottom of the dock and braces against the dock's walls (centre right) kept the ship upright.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19720151-033