Royal Canadian Navy Commemorates 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic
News release
May 4, 2025 – Ottawa, ON – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Today, Canadians and sailors from coast to coast to coast commemorated the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic.
We pause with solemn reverence to honour the courage and sacrifice of the sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Naval Reserve, the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Merchant Navy. As we contemplate a time of renewed great power competition and with a major land war underway in Europe, their legacy resonates now more than ever.
The Battle of the Atlantic, the longest of the Second World War, ensured that reinforcements and supplies made it to Europe, enabling the hard-fought Allied victory. Its cost was profound: over 2,100 Canadian sailors, more than 1,700 merchant mariners, and over 900 aviators lost their lives. We should never forget that it was also a battle that came to Canadian waters as well with 23 ships sunk in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and St. Lawrence River.
The bravery and resolve of those who served continue to inspire. Their story is a proud and enduring chapter in Canadian military history. Today, our sailors carry that legacy forward—steadfast in their duty to serve and defend Canada, ready to safeguard all three of our coasts and oceans.
Quotes
“As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic, we honour the bravery of the Canadians who served with unwavering resolve and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The Battle of the Atlantic left a lasting imprint on Canada’s national story and the identity of the Royal Canadian Navy. On this landmark anniversary, my thoughts are of the sailors of HMCS Esquimalt, the last Canadian ship sunk in the war on April 16, 1945. Forty-four sailors, more than half of the crew, died just three weeks before the end of the war, within sight of their home port of Halifax and never had the chance to celebrate the hard-won peace they helped secure.”
Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy
Quick facts
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The Battle of the Atlantic spanned the entire duration of the war, from 1939 to 1945. Allied forces fought for control of the North Atlantic Ocean to supply the war effort from 1939 to 1945, making this the longest campaign of the Second World War.
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During the Battle of the Atlantic, the Royal Canadian Navy destroyed or shared in the destruction of 33 U-boats and 42 enemy surface craft. In turn, it suffered 2,210 fatalities and lost 41 vessels. Canada’s Merchant Navy lost over 60 ships, 1,700 lives, and the Royal Canadian Air Force lost 900 aircrew.
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The RCN grew from a mere 6 destroyers & 3,500 personnel in 1939, to 373 fighting ships and almost 100,000 sailors by the War’s end – becoming one of the largest navies in the world and a world-leader in anti-submarine warfare.
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Over 25,000 Canadians served at sea during the battle, primarily reservists or part-time sailors who only joined for the duration of the War. Canada built over 120 Flower-class corvettes to escort Atlantic convoys, the defence of North Atlantic trade against the submarine menace defined a naval role for Canada within a much larger alliance. After 1945, the RCN became one of the best anti-submarine warfare navies in the world.
Associated links
Contacts
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca