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.

HMCS Fort Ramsay

A variety of Canadian warships at the important naval base HMCS Fort Ramsay in Gaspé, Quebec.

Gaspé's sheltered harbour and location on the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in the Gulf of St. Lawrence made it a useful wartime base. Ships operating from Gaspé helped escort convoys, carried out patrols, and responded to U-Boat sightings.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 20070195-008a_back