Reference N14034E
Ottawa – The Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of Veterans Affairs, issued the following statement marking May 4th as the 71st anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic:
"We remember the month of May in 1943 as the turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest running battle of the Second World War, and a game changer for the Allies who gained the upper hand over the German U-boats.
"The heroism of the thousands of men and women serving in the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Merchant Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force gave the Allies a crucial victory by maintaining the Allied supply routes across the Atlantic between North America and Great Britain.
"Today, we also remember and pay tribute to the 4,600 men and women who lost their lives during the Battle of the Atlantic. We will never forget the bravery of the Canadians who served in this historic battle."
For more information about the Battle of the Atlantic, visit veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/historical-sheets/atlantic.
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Nicholas Bergamini
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs
613-996-4649
Media Relations
Veterans Affairs Canada
613-992-7468
