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.

Torpedo Damage, SS Samtucky

Three shipyard workers (lower left) pose beside the massive damage a German torpedo inflicted on the merchant ship SS Samtucky.

The underwater explosions of the torpedo warhead buckled and tore the steel plates of the Samtucky's hull, making the rib-like frames of the ship's structure clearly visible. The German U-Boat (submarine) U-806 torpedoed the Samtucky off Halifax in December 1944, and the ship was brought to Halifax for repairs. Samtucky and its crew were fortunate to survive such an attack; thousands of Allied merchant ships and tens of thousands of Allied merchant mariners would not.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19720151-067