Canada's Naval History

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.

Artifact Record

Jig-Saw Puzzle, "Canadian Warship Captures First Italian Prize"

This wartime jigsaw puzzle portrays HMCS Bras D'Or capturing the Italian merchant ship Capo Noli near Île du Bic, Quebec, following Italy's entry into the Second World War on Germany's side in 1940.

Despite the dramatic image and the reference on the box to an interception, the master of the Capo Noli had run his ship aground and surrendered to the Quebec pilot master on board before Bras D'Or arrived. Bras D'Or's presence in the area, however, had convinced the Italians to surrender, and Bras D'Or's crew also boarded the Italian ship to secure it and put out fires started by the Italian crew.

Puzzle
CWM 19800317-001