The Second World War
The Merchant Navy  - Serving with the Merchant Navy

During the Second World War, Canadian and Allied merchant mariners faced the constant hard work of operating and maintaining their ships, the threat of enemy attack, and the dangers of accidents and storms.

Burning Oil Tanker

An unidentified oil tanker burns after being torpedoed by a German U-Boat (submarine) on the Atlantic Ocean.

Massive flames (centre) rise from the ship, while a cloud of dark smoke fills the sky. Tankers carried a range of petroleum products essential to the Allied war effort, including lubricants and fuels for sea, land, and air equipment. This made them valuable ships, but also prime targets for the enemy. Flammable cargoes virtually guaranteed that torpedoed tankers would burst into flame, leaving their crews little chance of survival.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19900279-001_16