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

Bridge of Motor Launch

Donald Cameron MacKay's sketch gives an idea of a Fairmile motor launch's relatively small size.

The short-range, lightly armed Fairmile "B" filled a need for coastal escort vessels in the St. Lawrence and elsewhere. Its 34-metre-long, wooden-hull could be built by smaller companies across Canada, including boat builders in Ontario's Muskoka district who had previously specialized in pleasure and racing craft. The sailor at the wheel gives a sense of scale, while the Fairmile's forward 20mm cannon can be seen to the left of the sketch.

Bridge of Motor Launch
Sketch by Donald C. MacKay
Beaverbrook Collection of War Art
CWM 19710261-4157