Today was the celebration and remembrance of all those sailors who, during World War II, sailed the ships that made the convoys across the Atlantic Ocean to help feed the Allied war effort and played a significant role in the Battle of the Atlantic. The ceremony was held at the National War Memorial in Ottawa under beautiful conditions: blue sky, sun, weather of 17 degrees C.
It should be noted that these sailors were not in the navy. These were sailors in their own right who manned all the ships going across the ocean and they went without the means to protect themselves from attack as few of these ships had light weaponry, if any at all, even after the outbreak of the war. They would have been laden with goods and troops and equipment and would have been the favourite targets of the U-Boats as well as surface raiders. They would have been slow because of their size, their cargo and their design and would have relied on fighting ships such as frigates or corvettes for their protection. They were floating targets.
The ceremony was completed with prayers, the Act of Remembrance, Last Post and the Rouse, the ringing of the bell from the HMCS Carleton for the ships and crews that didn’t return, and the laying of wreaths from the Government, Veterans Organizations, and foreign delegations in remembrance. This was an appropriate remembrance for those who didn’t or couldn’t join the armed forces but found another way to contribute – a way every bit as important as the fighting soldier. Many of them gave their full measure of devotion to their country and should not be forgotten.
To see all the photos from today’s ceremony, CLICK HERE
