Second World War (1939-1945)
The Navy in European Waters  - Coastal Operations: United Kingdom and European Waters

The Royal Canadian Navy, employed on coastal patrols, convoy escort duty, and support operations, made an important contribution to the naval war that raged in the waters around the United Kingdom and off the nearby European coast.

Depth Charge Attack on U-Boat

This photograph shows the plume of water raised by a depth charge attack during the hunting and destruction of the German U-Boat (submarine) U-448 on 14 April 1944.

A careful hunt culminating in a joint depth charge attack by HMCS Swansea and the British ship HMS Pelican drove U-448 to the surface, where the submarine's crew abandoned their vessel. The successful attack took place north of the Azores, where the British-based Swansea was part of an escort group supporting convoys. This photograph is taken from the album of Fred Flater, a Stoker Petty Officer serving in Swansea. Ultimately involved in the destruction of four U-boats, Swansea was the Royal Canadian Navy's most successful submarine hunter.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19840120-001_p10