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Battle of the Atlantic ceremony held in Montague, P.E.I.

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MONTAGUE, P.E.I. — A ceremony commemorating the tip of the Battle of the Atlantic was held at Waterfront Park in Montague on Could 7.  

Younger sea cadets and members of the Canadian Armed Forces had been there in uniform to recollect the longest steady battle of the Second World Struggle and people misplaced.  

The ceremony started with the enjoying of O Canada adopted by opening remarks from Lt.-Cmdr. John MacDonald, who defined the importance of this occasion.  

“This 12 months the Royal Canadian Navy marks the seventy-eighth anniversary of the tip of the Battle of the Atlantic,” stated MacDonald from the park’s gazebo overlooking the water.  

Within the harsh setting of the North-Atlantic, Allied naval and air forces went in opposition to Italian and German submarines, ships and plane, whose main targets had been service provider ships carrying important life-sustaining cargo from North America to Europe, he stated.  

Following these remarks, lieutenant-commander and chaplain Greg Davis spoke and invited these in attendance to participate in prayer or a second of non-public contemplation.  

Lt.-Cmdr. John MacDonald says the Royal Canadian Navy marked the 78th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic ending. He made the opening remarks at the ceremony commemorating this in Montague at Waterfront Park on May 7. - George Melitides/SaltWire
Lt.-Cmdr. John MacDonald says the Royal Canadian Navy marked the 78th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic ending. He made the opening remarks on the ceremony commemorating this in Montague at Waterfront Park on Could 7. – George Melitides/SaltWire

He learn from the journal of a Second World Struggle veteran who served on a corvette warship in 1941 throughout the Battle of the Atlantic.  

“It appears unattainable that we will proceed to take this unrelenting pounding and nonetheless stay in a single piece,” stated Davis studying from the journal.  

Davis went on to precise his gratitude for veterans like this.  

“At this time, we bow our heads in recognition of the nice service and sacrifice some have been requested to make, residing by the horror that’s warfare. We are saying thanks, and know that it’ll by no means be sufficient,” he stated.  

Lieutenant Commander and chaplain, Greg Davis, reads from the journal of a World War Two veteran. The journal recounted the continuous rough waters of the Atlantic Ocean and blastings during the war. - George Melitides/SaltWire
Lieutenant Commander and chaplain, Greg Davis, reads from the journal of a World Struggle Two veteran. The journal recounted the continual tough waters of the Atlantic Ocean and blastings throughout the warfare. – George Melitides/SaltWire

Then, MacDonald and Davis boarded a small boat to put a wreath within the river by Waterfront Park to honour those that made the last word sacrifice.  

“Since these lives had been misplaced at sea, we wish to commemorate them at sea,” stated MacDonald in an interview after the ceremony.  

“With out these convoys going forwards and backwards, we wouldn’t have seen success. We had so many of us, sailors and airmen, that misplaced their lives throughout the Battle of the Atlantic. It’s essential for us to verify they’re commemorated every 12 months,” he stated.  

Chris Nicholson, a master sailor who’s been in the reserves for over 22 years, says he’s happy to see the ceremony commemorating the Battle of the Atlantic happen in his hometown of Montague. - George Melitides/SaltWire
Chris Nicholson, a grasp sailor who’s been within the reserves for over 22 years, says he’s completely happy to see the ceremony commemorating the Battle of the Atlantic occur in his hometown of Montague. – George Melitides/SaltWire

The Battle of the Atlantic lasted from 1939 to 1945, the objective was to manage the North Atlantic Ocean. Throughout this time, Canada’s Navy grew from 13 vessels to just about 400 and suffered 2,210 fatalities.  

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces, sea cadets and others gather at Waterfront Park in Montague on May 7 to commemorate the end of the Battle of the Atlantic. The Battle of the Atlantic was a struggle for control of the North Atlantic Ocean during the Second World War, so merchant ships could deliver essential supplies to Europe. - George Melitides/SaltWire
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces, sea cadets and others collect at Waterfront Park in Montague on Could 7 to commemorate the tip of the Battle of the Atlantic. The Battle of the Atlantic was a battle for management of the North Atlantic Ocean throughout the Second World Struggle, so service provider ships might ship important provides to Europe. – George Melitides/SaltWire

Following the ceremony, members of the Canadian Armed Forces and sea cadets marched from the park to the Montague Curling Membership for a reception.  

Chris Nicholson, a grasp sailor whose been within the reserves for greater than 22 years, was completely happy to see the ceremony held in his hometown.  

Lieutenant-commander and chaplain, Greg Davis, lays a wreath in the river by Waterfront Park in Montague as Lt.-Cmdr. John MacDonald looks on. Laying a wreath in the water is a tradition to commemorate those lost at sea, said MacDonald. - George Melitides/SaltWire
Lieutenant-commander and chaplain, Greg Davis, lays a wreath within the river by Waterfront Park in Montague as Lt.-Cmdr. John MacDonald appears on. Laying a wreath within the water is a practice to commemorate these misplaced at sea, stated MacDonald. – George Melitides/SaltWire

“For us within the Navy, there’s two crucial days that we pause to recollect: Remembrance Day being one and the Battle of the Atlantic being the opposite,” stated Nicolson. “Those that misplaced their lives, those that got here dwelling and had been by no means the identical, and we’ve got misplaced most of these folks.” 


George Melitides is a contract reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island.



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