The Canadian Navy and the U-Boat War

[Kafka BC]

Battle of the Atlantic Day was just honoured here in Canada so I think I shall break my lurker status for a moment and share a few links to some very interesting reading about the often overlooked role the Royal Canadian Navy had in the critical years of the battle.

Crewed by hastily trained RCN Volunteer Reservists, exhausted and overstretched from constant escort duty and little time in port, and always poorly equipped, I think the little Flower class corvettes of our "Sheep Dog Navy" did remarkably well.

Legion Magazine: Preserving The Atlantic Lifeline (http://www.legionmagazine.com/en/index.php/1998/05/preserving-the-atlantic-lifeline/)
A good overview of Canadian participation.

Legion Magazine: The Fate Of Slow Convoy 42 (http://www.legionmagazine.com/en/index.php/2009/06/the-fate-of-slow-convoy-42-navy-part-33/)
About the first "confirmed" sinking of a U-Boat by the RCN and where Korvettenkapitan Hugo Forster jumped onto the deck of HMCS Moose Jaw (http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-mob-atl-moosejaw-e.htm) from the conning tower of U-501.

NAVAL - Canadian Naval and Maritime History (http://www.noac-national.ca/cnmh/)
Of particular intrest is the eight part "A Naval Officer's War" by Anthony Griffin who commanded HMCS Pictou from 1940 to 1943. Included in part 6 is the little tidbit that, before it was sunk, some of the crew of U-845 had gone ashore and went to see the movies in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Legion Magazine: The Newfoundland Escort Force (http://www.legionmagazine.com/en/index.php/2008/10/the-newfoundland-escort-force/)
Has a bit about the (unacceptable to the Royal Navy) "Canadian Cowboy" style of attacking U-boats.

Naval History.CA: Tactics, Training, Technology and the RCN's Summer of Success, July-September 1942 (http://www.familyheritage.ca/Articles/summer1942.html)
Training and experience finally pays off. Includes the famous gun duel between U-210 and the destroyer HMCS Assiniboine. Pictures of which can be found here (http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-mob-gol-asb-e.htm).

Legion Magazine: The Humble Corvette (http://www.legionmagazine.com/en/index.php/2008/06/the-humble-corvette-navy-part-27/)
Canadian corvettes were not quite the same as those used by the Royal Navy.


I should note that of the ships mentioned in these articles, HMCS Sackville (http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/ARTICLES/Sackville.htm) is the last Flower Class Corvette in the world. She has been restored (http://www.hmcssackville-cnmt.ns.ca/) and can be seen at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia - not far from where I live.

HMCS Wetaskiwin (http://www.navy.gc.ca/project_pride/photo_archive/photo_archive_e.asp?section=1&category=T%20-%20Z&title=145&page=4) became famous for her moniker "Wet Ass Queen (http://cmcf.forumotion.ca/badges-cloth-insignia-f68/hmcs-wetaskiwin-t469.htm)", and her unofficial gunshield badge (http://www.internetmodeler.com/2002/february/galleria/RCN_gunshields.htm) depicted a leggy beauty wearing a crown falling on her behind into a puddle.

Although not mentioned, HMCS Baddeck (http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-mob-atl-baddeck-e.htm) (named after the town where I was born, and the resting place of Alexander Graham Bell) had a gunshield badge depicting a poker hand of Five Aces. Can you get its meaning without looking it up. I didn't at first, shows you how much I play poker.


P.S. I hope you find these as interesting as I did. I posted them in this forum as I have learned a quite a bit from the SH3 forums in the past few months since I started playing the game, and the General Topics forum just didn't seem to fit. If a moderator thinks otherwise, please move at will.

[KL-alfman]

thx for sharing these highly interesting documents! :salute:

and welcome to the pack :up:

[PappyCain]

HMCS Moose Jaw???? Hi-larious!!! Thanks for the post Kafka BC!

[frau kaleun]

Ahoy and welcome, Kafka BC! Thanks for sharing the links.

From what I have read already I've gathered that the effort put forth by our northern neighbors in the BoA was nothing short of extraordinary. :salute:

[ReallyDedPoet]

Welcome fellow Canuck, very nice links there :yep::up:

[Kafka BC]

thx for sharing these highly interesting documents! :salute:

and welcome to the pack :up:

Thank You.

I am not hardcore and prefer playing stock with a few light mods. Still learning hunting techniques in between modding the graphics to my liking, stock are terrible. It's a fascinating game.

[Kafka BC]

HMCS Moose Jaw???? Hi-larious!!! Thanks for the post Kafka BC!

Your welcome.

Yes, it is a funny name, but a proud one to Canadians. Moose Jaw became the home of the famous British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during the war, where thousands from all over the British Empire (and a some Americans) earned their wings. It is now the home of Canada's Air Demonstration 431 Squadron (the "Snowbirds").

During the American Prohibition the town got the nickname "Little Chicago" when it became a hub for liquor smuggling (The Tunnels of Moose Jaw (http://itotd.com/articles/423/the-tunnels-of-moose-jaw/)).

[Kafka BC]

Ahoy and welcome, Kafka BC! Thanks for sharing the links.

From what I have read already I've gathered that the effort put forth by our northern neighbors in the BoA was nothing short of extraordinary. :salute:

M'lady

In many respects it was, it is certainly unheralded by the rest of the world. But what I find truly extraordinary were the men of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve, who manned those corvettes. The best book that tells their story (if you can find it) is "The Corvette Navy" by James B. Lamb, who commanded two of them during the war.

[Kafka BC]

Welcome fellow Canuck, very nice links there :yep::up:

Dear God, another Stan Rogers fan. We must spread the word.

Stan Rogers - Barrett's Privateers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-PQbdmQRwc&feature=related)
Stan Rogers - Northwest Passage (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVY8LoM47xI&feature=related)
Stan Rogers - Mary Ellen Carter and Three Fishers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NPuBEZPgjY&feature=related)

[Jimbuna]

Welcome matey http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/welcome.gif

My father undertook many an Atlantic crossing with our Canadian cousins....and a fine job they all did ~SALUTE~

Nice links...thanks for sharing http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[frau kaleun]

M'lady

In many respects it was, it is certainly unheralded by the rest of the world. But what I find truly extraordinary were the men of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve, who manned those corvettes. The best book that tells their story (if you can find it) is "The Corvette Navy" by James B. Lamb, who commanded two of them during the war.

I will keep an eye out for it, thanks for the recommendation!

[JMV]

From over on the other side.
Thanks Kafka, I was missing an entry in my archives. It's now done.
( As if we didn't have enough to read :wah: [ JOKING ].)
So much to do, so little time.....

[ReallyDedPoet]

Dear God, another Stan Rogers fan. We must spread the word.

Stan Rogers - Barrett's Privateers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-PQbdmQRwc&feature=related)
Stan Rogers - Northwest Passage (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVY8LoM47xI&feature=related)
Stan Rogers - Mary Ellen Carter and Three Fishers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NPuBEZPgjY&feature=related)

:yep::up:

[Kafka BC]

My father undertook many an Atlantic crossing with our Canadian cousins....and a fine job they all did ~SALUTE~


Agreed. What ship was your father on?

[Kafka BC]

From over on the other side.
Thanks Kafka, I was missing an entry in my archives. It's now done.


Glad to be of service.

[Jimbuna]

Agreed. What ship was your father on?

He was in the merchant marine from before the commencement of hostilities to the wars end. His discharge papers containing all the vessels he sailed aboard is 5 pages long and include such adventures (if that's the appropriate term) as:

First British ship to be bombed in the Spanish Civil War (Barcelona).

Last ship to leave France before it fell.

Only unescorted convoy to sail to Russia.

You'll meet a great guy on this forum shortly called Sailor Steve...he took a personal interest in my fathers war record and has copies of all his papers.

I remember he always spoke highly of the Canadians.

Sadly he departed this earth on Dec 7th 2009.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=158963&highlight=farewell+my+friend

[Kafka BC]

He was in the merchant marine from before the commencement of hostilities to the wars end. His discharge papers containing all the vessels he sailed aboard is 5 pages long and include such adventures (if that's the appropriate term) as:

First British ship to be bombed in the Spanish Civil War (Barcelona).

Last ship to leave France before it fell.

Only unescorted convoy to sail to Russia.

You'll meet a great guy on this forum shortly called Sailor Steve...he took a personal interest in my fathers war record and has copies of all his papers.

I remember he always spoke highly of the Canadians.

Sadly he departed this earth on Dec 7th 2009.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=158963&highlight=farewell+my+friend


What a history! What he saw! Be proud.

Merchant Mariners, truely unsung heros of the war.

My late father (err.. stepfather - long story) joined the infantry but never got overseas. After a short stint guarding the Halifax docks and as a Motorcycle Messenger, he was mustered out because his family had nobody to work the farm. My mother still cherishs the only picture of him in uniform, standing next to the big, beautiful, Indian motorcycle that he used. It has been twelve years since his passing and I still miss him.

I can understand your loss.

[JMV]

A bit aside from the topic ( apart from the Maple syrup, which is Canadian as anyone know )

Was going to have breakfast with Maple Syrup at 02:30 pm ( ?? that's me ) while drinking a beer, when I told myself, why not put some of it in my beer rather than blackcurrant ?.........Result = Nice.
I give you a french one ( It has a name, may be "Golden Velvet" don't remember ) : a dash of Cognac ( very nice with Calvados too ) + your beer on top.........Careful now, that's more dangerous thank the taste at first might feel like. :know:

P.S. : Also depends on what a dash is for you.

[Kafka BC]

Was going to have breakfast with Maple Syrup at 02:30 pm ( ?? that's me ) while drinking a beer, when I told myself, why not put some of it in my beer rather than blackcurrant ?.........Result = Nice.


Out of sheer curiosity, was that real Maple Syrup or artificial. Here, the real stuff can cost as much as a good bottle of Scotch and is either sold as a high end item in specialty stores or exported. What the rest of us peons are saddled with is nothing more than flavoured pancake syrup.

I've heard of putting Blackcurrant in beer. I would like to try it sometime.

[JMV]

@ Kafka BC

I go for the real stuff...
Yes true, it's very expensive, also I confess I don't do it everyday... :salute:

[Jimbuna]

I've heard of putting Blackcurrant in beer. I would like to try it sometime.

A popular drink is a 'Snakebite' beer and cider, often with a dash of blackcurrant cordial.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakebite_(beer_cocktail)

Also quite nice with Guiness


Guinness and black - a pint of Guinness with a small measure of blackcurrant cordial poured in. most people put the blackcurrant in last but if put in first it makes the head of the Guinness turn purple.


http://www.bodhranii.org.uk/page3.html

[MILLANDSON]

A popular drink is a 'Snakebite' beer and cider, often with a dash of blackcurrant cordial.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakebite_(beer_cocktail (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakebite_%28beer_cocktail))

Also quite nice with Guiness


http://www.bodhranii.org.uk/page3.html

Aye, Snakebite is lovely. Sadly, however, it's illegal for bars to make it for you in the UK, because the mixture of the beer and cider starts them both fermenting again, which means you can't actually tell how much alcohol you are consuming, and results in you going over the drink-drive limit.

[fw66]

Dear God, another Stan Rogers fan. We must spread the word.

Stan Rogers - Barrett's Privateers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-PQbdmQRwc&feature=related)



That is one of my youtube favourites, I love how much fun they're having!

[Sailor Steve]

Sorry I came late to the party. Some great information you have there.:rock:

Out of sheer curiosity, was that real Maple Syrup or artificial. Here, the real stuff can cost as much as a good bottle of Scotch and is either sold as a high end item in specialty stores or exported. What the rest of us peons are saddled with is nothing more than flavoured pancake syrup.
It's the same down here south of the border. I always get the cheap stuff, as the real thing costs four or five times as much.

[bigboywooly]

Heres a pdf concerning the Canadians and the battle of the Atlantic

http://www.filefront.com/16401155/battle.Atlantic.Canadian.Campaign.rar/

[Jimbuna]

Aye, Snakebite is lovely. Sadly, however, it's illegal for bars to make it for you in the UK, because the mixture of the beer and cider starts them both fermenting again, which means you can't actually tell how much alcohol you are consuming, and results in you going over the drink-drive limit.

I wouldn't be going anywhere near the driving seat of a car regardless of what I'd consumed :nope:

[Kafka BC]

Heres a pdf concerning the Canadians and the battle of the Atlantic

http://www.filefront.com/16401155/battle.Atlantic.Canadian.Campaign.rar/

Wow, that is great! Looks like I got a lot more reading to do.

[Jimbuna]

Wow, that is great! Looks like I got a lot more reading to do.

You might like to listen to this as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO_drlO5vSU

[raymond6751]

Welcome matey http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/welcome.gif

My father undertook many an Atlantic crossing with our Canadian cousins....and a fine job they all did ~SALUTE~

Nice links...thanks for sharing http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

My Dad was aboard the destroyer Ottawa and probably escorted your Dad. The ship was torpedoed Sept 1942 but he survived.

[Jimbuna]

My Dad was aboard the destroyer Ottawa and probably escorted your Dad. The ship was torpedoed Sept 1942 but he survived.

Pleased to hear it....he was very lucky http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif