Most ships that saw service during the First World War did not last to continue their career during the Second. These coal burning ships were most often times considered outdated and too expensive to refit as desiel/oil burners. There are, of course, a few exceptions. This week, we're looking at the story of the HMCS Cartier.
Read MoreHello everyone. For this weeks Over the Waves I decided to focus on a Canadian Navy story from the Second World War. Personally, I knew there had been U-boats off Canada's shores during wartime, and I knew about a couple that had been sunk (such as the one off of Bell Island, near St. John's). What I didn't know was the story of the HMCS Esquimalt and U-190, something that happened right in Canadian territory with one of our own ships. So, for this week, that's the story I am bringing to you all.
Read MoreAt the beginning of the Second World War, it was decided by the Allied forces that perhaps Newfoundland was more strategic of a location than they had previously thought. Being closer to Europe that anywhere else in North America, and being an island, gave it an advantage that land-based ports didn't have. Unfortunately, the effects of the Depression and the FIrst World War were still being felt, and Newfoundland could not afford to build any new defences on its Island shores. The Americans built two bases - one in St. John's, on the site of Pleasantville (the old training grounds of the Newfoundland Regiment) and one in Argentia, along the south shore. One night in 1942, however, this arrangement would prove costly for two ships of the American fleet: the USS Pollux and the USS Truxtun. This weeks entry is going to focus on the loss of the Truxton.
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