Battle of the Atlantic Commemorated

A commemorative ceremony takes place at the National War Memorial in downtown Ottawa on May 5 to mark the 70th anniversary of the turning point of the Battle of the Atlantic. Ceremonies were also held in Montréal, Québec City, and Halifax to mark the Battle of the Atlantic, which was Canada's single longest continuous military engagement of WWII, lasting from September 1939 to May 1945. During that time, the Canadian Merchant Navy, along with the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force, provided a crucial lifeline across the Atlantic between North America and Britain, which had incurred heavy losses to its own Merchant Navy. "Today we recognize the brave Canadians who played a key role in the struggle to overcome the enemy threat and keep the flow of merchant ships moving across the Atlantic during the Second World War," Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney said in a statement. "Their selfless dedication allowed essential provisions to cross the Atlantic Ocean and reach those fighting to restore peace and freedom in Europe.” (Jonathan Ren)