Post by Administrator on Sept 3, 2014 10:58:33 GMT
September 3, 2014 is Merchant Navy Memorial Day in Canada, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
"In memory of 2,200 known Canadian Merchant Seamen and 91 Canadian vessels lost by enemy action and those who served in the cause of freedom - World War I 1914-1918; World War II 1939-1945; Korean Conflict 1950-1953".
The Canadian Merchant Navy was key to resupplying the United Kingdom with North American natural resources and equipment during the early stages of World War Two. Many men and ships were lost during those opening years of the Battle of the Atlantic.
Within hours of Canada's declaration of war on September 10, 1939, the Canadian government passed laws to create the Canadian Merchant Navy setting out rules and controls to provide a workforce for wartime shipping. The World War II Merchant Navy greatly expanded a similar effort in World War I known as the Canadian Mercantile Marine.
The Canadian Merchant Navy played a major role in the Battle of the Atlantic bolstering the allies merchant fleet due to high losses in the British Merchant Navy. Eventually thousands of Canadians served aboard hundreds of Canadian Merchant Navy ships, notably the "Park Ships", the Canadian equivalent of the American "Liberty Ships".
T. J. Simpson.