The Battle of the Atlantic was
the longest continuous military campaign in World War II lasting from
1939 to the defeat of Germany in 1945. It was at its height from
mid-1940 through to the end of 1943. The Battle of the Atlantic pitted
U-boats and other warships of the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) and
aircraft of the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) against Allied merchant
shipping. The convoys, coming mainly from North America and mainly
going to the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, were protected for
the most part by the British and Canadian navies and air forces. These
forces were aided by ships and aircraft of the United States from
September 13, 1941.
HMS Venomous at Londonderry - and Halifax
From late 1940 to early 1942 HMS Venomous
was part of the First Escort Group at Londonderry, Northen Ireland,
which with the ships of the RCN escorted the convoys across
the Atlantic during the longest battle of the Second World War.
Some crew members came from Northern Ireland and others met their
future wives there. And some like Jack Bolton did both. Jack did not
fancy being a foot slogging soldier so travelled the seventy
miles from his home to Belfast for a medical and joined the Royal
Navy. After basic training at HMS Arthur in Skegness and a course as a torpedoman at Devonport he was drafted to HMS Venomous
at Londonderry in June 1942. The girl he was courting and later married
was working in a shirt factory across the road from the naval base.
Jack got in touch this month to tell his story.
Sheena Mackenzie, the daughter of Lt Cdr Angus Mackenzie RNR, "No 1" on Venomous, 1940-1, and long time Halifax resident with Captain John Rodgaard USN (Ret) Captain John Rodgaard addressing the audience at the Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax Courtesy of Sheena Mackenzie
Venomous
was a Short Range Escort (SRE) and left the convoys south of Iceland to
dash into Havelfjord to refuel and usually remained there to escort the
next incoming convoy but occassionally, as recalled by its RDF
operator, "Freddo" Thomas and by Lt John Tucker RNR, rejoined the
outgoing convoy and continued to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian launch of A Hard Fought Ship took place at the Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax on the 18 June 2011. The author, Captain John A. Rodgaard USN (Ret), spoke about HMS Venomousand signed copies of his book. Moored alongside the
Museum on the waterfront at Halifax is HMCS Sackvillethe last survivor of the 120 Canadian built corvettes which escorted the convoys to
Londonderry.
HMCS Sackville, the last surviving Canadian built wartime frigate, now a museum ship in Halifax Wikiimedia Commons
Pilgrimage to Derry, NI Derry is particularly significant to sailors during the Battle of the
Atlantic for providing much needed rest and relaxation to Allied
sailors following convoy duty. During the course of the war at sea
approximately 20,000 RCN sailors made Derry their home-away-from-home,
more than any other British port.
That special link remains today and on
the 5 - 8 May 2011, Canadian naval veterans of the Second World War and
their families, members of the Crow’s Nest (the wartime naval officers
club in St Johns, Newfoundland); HMCS Sackville (the last surviving Canadian built wartime frigate) and the Nova Scotia Naval Officers Association (NSNOA) in Halifax and
the Canadian and Edmonton Branch of the NOAC along with Captain (N)
Harry Harsch, the Naval Attaché at the Canadian High Commission in
London travelled to Londonderry to participate in ceremonies
commemorating the Battle of the Atlantic and the loss of HMS Laurentic in 1917. Photograhs of this year's Pilgrimage to Londonderry can be seen in the NSNOA's Bosuns Call.
So successful was the pilgrimage that discussions are underway to plan
a similar event in Halifax next year which would include St. John’s
Newfoundland in the ceremonies. The Pilgrimage is tentatively called
“On Triangle Run” to embrace the three communities linked by the
longest battle of the Second World War.
The 70th Anniversary
The City of Derry has been named the Cultural Capital of the UK for 2013 as reported by the Guardian:
"In a place with two names – Derry (nationalist) and Londonderry
(unionist) – which highlight the city's often divided nature, both
communities came together to win the prize." Since 2013 is the 70th
anniversary of the turning of the tide against the U-Boats in 1943
during the Battle of the Atlantic this would be a very good time to
return to Derry.
The Sailors' Monument
The Londonderry Branch of the Royal Naval Association (RNA) in
conjunction with the Atlantic Chiefs and Petty Officer
Association (ACPOA) has embarked on a project to install on the site of
the stone frigate HMS Ferret (renamed HMS Sea Eagle
after the war) a replica of the ACPOA’s Sailors’ Monument on the
Halifax waterfront (right). Fundraising is underway and the RNA is
hopeful that the monument – a tribute to the thousands of sailors from
the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, US Navy, Free French, Free Dutch
and Royal Indian Marine that called Londonderry home during the Second
World War – will be in place for the 70th anniversary in 2013.
That special link remains today and on
the 5 - 8 May 2011, Canadian naval veterans of the Second World War and
their families, members of the Crow’s Nest (the wartime naval officers
club in St Johns, Newfoundland); HMCS Sackville (the last surviving Canadian built wartime frigate) and the Nova Scotia Naval Officers Association (NSNOA) in Halifax and
the Canadian and Edmonton Branch of the NOAC along with Captain (N)
Harry Harsch, the Naval Attaché at the Canadian High Commission in
London travelled to Londonderry to participate in ceremonies
commemorating the Battle of the Atlantic and the loss of HMS Laurentic in 1917. Photograhs of this year's Pilgrimage to Londonderry can be seen in the NSNOA's Bosuns Call.