Canada's Naval History

Second World War
Battle of the Atlantic - The U-Boats Surrender

With Germany's defeat in May 1945, its U-Boats (submarines) were required to surrender to Allied forces. The Royal Canadian Navy was involved in the surrender of U-Boats in European waters, while U-190 and U-889, surrendering to Canadian forces in the Western Atlantic, were brought to ports in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.

Artifact Record

Equipment Plates from U-190

These plastic plates identifying equipment in U-190 were kept as souvenirs of the surrendered U-Boat.

Surrendered U-Boats and their crews were the subject of considerable curiosity for Canadian sailors, many of whom sought souvenirs of their encounters. Equipment nameplates like these - small, portable, and easily removable - were good candidates. Kenneth George Tryon, one of U-190's commanding officers when the submarine was in Canadian service between 1945 and 1947, kept these plates as souvenirs. Other Canadians also acquired similar examples from the surrendered U-Boat.

Equipment Nameplates
CWM 19680168-006
CWM 19680168-010 - 015