3 Sept 1939 Jahr - Battle of the Atlantic Info
Beschreibung:
Longest military engagement of WW2.
Canada had large role in battle.
More than 4,600 lost.
Began with sinking of Montréal-bound passenger ship SS Athenia by German submarine.
Believed cutting off supply route would ensure victory.
Sep 16, 1939 first convoy set out.
U-boats were major threats.
Sep 1940, started using "wolf-pack" tactics in which groups of 6 or more attacked convoys at night.
Up to 20% of a convoy's cargo ships were sunk
In June, more than 454,000 tonnes of shipping was lost.
To counteract this, new vessels were made.
Most famously, the corvette.
Could be produced cheaply and quickly, and could outmaneuver a submarine.
Known as wet ships because often water seeped into it.
They were invaluable.
Of 123, only 10 lost.
Jan-July 1942, nearly 400 ships sunk, only 7 U-boats.
Oct 14, ferry Caribou sunk, 136 dead of 237
Confirmed navy's decision in closing the Gulf to overseas shipping.
Battle reached its climax in March 1943.
U-boats sent 108 Allied ships, 569,000 tonnes of vital shipping down.
1942, major share of the defence of North American waters and Britain’s principal partner in defence of trans-ocean convoys.
25,000+ merchant ships made the journey from NA ports to British successfully under Canadian escorts.
165 million tonnes of cargo delivered, making liberation of Europe possible.
Beginning the war with 13 vessels and 3,500 personnel, grew to 373 fighting ships, 110,000+ members (6,500 women).
The production speed of new ships was an important reason for success.
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