Canada's Naval History

Second World War
Battle of the Atlantic - Sea Battle: HMCS Assiniboine vs. U-210

On 6 August 1942, the Canadian destroyer HMCS Assiniboine, escorting straggling ships at the rear of convoy SC 94, sighted German submarine U-210 on the horizon. In a pursuit that culminated in a running gun battle, Assiniboine, damaged and set on fire by U-210's guns, rammed and sank the submarine.

Artifact Record

HMCS Assiniboine

Harold Beament's sketch depicts the gun battle between the burning Canadian destroyer HMCS Assiniboine and the German submarine U-210.

Both vessels maneuvered in close proximity for at least half an hour. The surfaced U-210 fired on Assiniboine with its anti-aircraft guns (right centre), damaging the destroyer and starting a fire (top left). Assiniboine had problems aiming its main guns (top centre) low enough to hit U-210, but its machine-guns kept the German crew from reaching their deck gun forward of the conning tower (centre).

HMCS Assiniboine
Sketch by Harold Beament
Beaverbrook Collection of War Art
CWM 19710261-1020