Port Colborne marks 80th anniversary of end of Battle of the Atlantic
A memorial service honouring those lost during the Battle of the Atlantic will be held Sunday at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 56 in Port Colborne as part of a series of events marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the longest military campaign of the Second World War.
Hosted by the Royal Canadian Naval Association Niagara (RCNAN), the service will pay tribute to the thousands of Canadians who died at sea.
This includes 2,000 sailors from the Royal Canadian Navy, 1,600 merchant mariners and 752 members of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Stretching over five years, eight months and five days, the Battle of the Atlantic was a critical struggle to keep critical supply routes open between North America and Europe, without which the United Kingdom would not have been able to maintain its resistance to the Nazi regime of Adolph Hitler.
Merchant ships that passed through the Welland Canal and the St. Lawrence Seaway played a vital role in that effort, carrying food, fuel and munitions across dangerous waters.
'When called upon by their country, these sailors risked their lives on treacherous convoys, transporting essential supplies and ammunition across the Atlantic to the front lines,' the RCNAN said in a statement.
In addition to the memorial service, the White Ensign, a historically significant naval flag, is flying at King George Memorial Park and along West Street until May 5 in recognition of Navy Week.
Residents are invited to attend the ceremony to honour the sacrifices made by Canadian service members during the Second World War and Battle of the Atlantic.
The memorial service is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on May 4. The legion is located at
67 Clarence St
.
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