Upon its entry into the war, on September 10, 1939, Canada was far from anticipating the enormity of the task ahead, nor the impacts of the conflict on its own territory. The Canadian participation, over the six years of hostilities, involved three main areas. The country played a logistical support role for the Allies, an intermediary role between the United States and Great Britain, as well as an active part in combat on the battlefields. The Canadian war effort was expressed in men, in goods and in war materials. Nonetheless, its real impact on the outcome of the conflict was directly dependent upon the safe arrival in port of the Europe-bound convoys. At the onset of hostilities, Great Britain understood that she needed to maintain control over the sea-lanes to ensure supply lines to the Allies troops and to the continental civilian population. The Atlantic supply lanes, from North America to the United Kingdom, had to be protected because of the possible presence of enemy ships, particularly that of the formidable German submarines.

Canada's determinative geo-strategical position made it one of the main protagonists in supplying Great Britain with war materials and goods, as well as in the organization and the control of merchant ships in the western part of the North-Atlantic. Therefore, during the entire conflict, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Merchant Fleet and the Royal Canadian Air Force were directly involved in the Battle of the Atlantic. By maintaining this critical shipping line open, Canadian sailors and aviators put their lives on the line at all times. The danger in the Atlantic was not only from enemy attacks, but also from inclement weather conditions like fog and winter storms. At the start of the war, the lack of equipment, war ships and scout planes, as well as inadequate training and techniques, hurt Canada. At that time, the country had only a few dozen merchant ships, fifteen or so war ships, and one squadron of modern military seaplanes. Also, the Royal Canadian Navy had only 1700 enlisted men.

As early as 1940 the North-Atlantic sea-lanes were the setting for the slaughter of hundreds of men who died in the freezing ocean waters, victims of submarine attacks. For over two years, from 1940 to March 1943, the German supremacy on the seas was overwhelming. It was only in May 1943 that the Allies combined their efforts in the fight against submarines and decided to strengthen merchant ship convoy protection in the Atlantic by acquiring, for example, better equipment, and by increasing the number of vessels. By the end of 1943, despite the fact that the German submarine fleet was still active in the North Atlantic, it was no longer able dominate the Allies.

It is at the heart of this conflict in the North Atlantic that the Battle of the St. Lawrence took place. The river and the Gulf of St. Lawrence proved to be vulnerable sea-lanes as well as difficult to protect, because of their extent and their geography. An excellent gateway to the Canadian industrial heartland, the St. Lawrence River was the departure point for many merchant ships loaded with goods and supplies that joined up with the larger convoys leaving Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Attacks that could compromise shipping on the St. Lawrence had to be prevented. In order to protect the mouth of the river, military authorities put in place defensive measures along the shores, more particularly in the Gaspé Peninsula. The setting up of coastal batteries, the establishment of a naval base, reserve personnel conducting coastal surveillance, protecting the waters with Royal Canadian Navy ships and the ordering of special war-related measures were examples of these measures. Unfortunately, fears materialized between 1942 and 1944, when German submarines invaded the waters of the river and gulf, sinking twenty or so ships. The losses inflicted, in casualties and in ships, were disquieting for the Canadian military authorities and for the coastal population.

After the first torpedo attacks, military authorities became aware of the poorly organized defence system as well as its very poor co-ordination. Therefore, they decided to reinforce the protection along the Gaspé shores. In September 1942 the Government of Canada closed access to the river; this was maintained until 1944. The German submarines attempted to continue their hunt, without great success. This was the result of the improved Royal Canadian Navy's protection methods for convoys and defensive systems.

Naturally, these events, which occurred during the Battle of the St. Lawrence, fit into a much larger picture: that of the Second World War. It is in light of this war context on Canadian territory that the Naval Museum of Quebec seeks to determine how the lives of the Quebec coastal population were affected. In effect, the war created a new landscape and impact on lifestyle.

The Battle of the St. Lawrence had repercussions on the military forces involved, as well as on the coastal population living along the shores of the river. This impact was felt in many ways: the sea battles; men finding themselves at the heart of submarine attacks, the Gaspé landscape altered by coastal defence facilities and the disruption of everyday life for a population living through the effects of a state of war.

The Naval Museum of Quebec invites you to live or relive these events.