RCN ships also served in different ways during the war. The RCN lost 14 warships to enemy attack and another eight ships to accidents at sea during the Second World War, with approximately 2,000 losing their lives. The RCN sank or helped sink more than 30 U-boats, but at a steep price. More than 25,000 merchant ships safely made it to their destination under Canadian escort, delivering approximately 165 million tons of vitally-needed supplies to Europe. It was a tough fight, but with courage and the adoption of new technology and tactics, Canada helped the Allies to victory in the Battle of the Atlantic. U-boats even penetrated deep into the Gulf of St. This battle also saw the Germans bring the war to our own shores. Canada played a major role with the RCN assuming responsibility for escorting convoys in the northwest Atlantic - the only major theatre of the war to be commanded by Canadians. This “Battle of the Atlantic” was the longest and one of the most important campaigns of the Second World War - lasting from the first day of the war in 1939 until the last day of the war in Europe in 1945. In fact, the navy was the main thrust of Canada’s war effort in the first two years of the conflict as German U-boats again made cutting off Allied shipping a top priority and the Allied navies had to find a way to protect the merchant vessels crossing the Atlantic Ocean so supplies could reach Europe. This was important as the navy was immediately called on to help. From its modest beginnings of six ocean-going ships and 3,500 officers and men (both regular and reserve) at the outbreak of the war, it grew into a large and capable fighting force. The RCN expanded greatly during the Second World War.
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