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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.

The Torpedoing of HMCS Magog
The Torpedoing of HMCS Magog

These four photographs show the aftermath of U-1223's attack on the frigate HMCS Magog, including the rescue of badly injured crew.

Using an acoustic torpedo that homed in on the ship's noise, U-1223 attacked Magog near Pointe-des-Monts, Quebec, on 14 October 1944. The explosion killed three crew, severely wounded three others, and severely damaged the ship. Some of the badly injured crew, seen at upper left, were evacuated by a Royal Canadian Air Force flying boat, seen at bottom left. Extraordinary efforts by Magog's crew prevented their heavily damaged ship from sinking.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 20030315-002_p1





St. Lawrence Convoy
HMCS Chaleur at Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec, 1939
Jig-Saw Puzzle, "Canadian Warship Captures First Italian Prize"
Crew Members, HMCS Bras D'Or
U-Boat U-190 Commissioning
HMCS Fort Ramsay
"Minor war vessels at Gaspé, 1942"
Bridge of Motor Launch
HMCS Raccoon
Funeral of Able Seaman Donald Bowser, HMCS Charlottetown
Burial at Sea
"Remember the Caribou and Her Gallant Crew"
Damaged Fairmile Motor Launch, 1944
The Torpedoing of HMCS Magog
Damage to HMCS Magog
Iced Up
HMCS Shawinigan
German U-Boat Navigation Handbook
German Map of the St. Lawrence