Naval Knowledge

Chapter 5
Performance Objective 405

Each year your corps probably participates in services commemorating the Battle of the Atlantic and Remembrance Day. Do you know why? These parades represent an important part of our battle history, filled with Canadian pride and honour.

Battle of the Atlantic

Battle of the Atlantic Sunday is celebrated the first Sunday in May. Remembrance services are held all across Canada in Canadian Forces Naval Bases, HMC Ships, reserve units and cadet units. The National Ceremony is held in Halifax where the sailors of the fleet parade to Point Pleasant Park, the site of the Naval Memorial.

The ceremony commemorates the sacrifices of sailors and merchant seamen who gave their lives for their country while valiantly defending the convoy routes of the North Atlantic during the Second World War.

During this battle, Canada sent its Naval and Air Forces up against the notorious German “wolf-packs”. The wolf-packs were the German submarines, whose prey were the convoys of merchant ships that were carrying valuable arms, material and personnel across the ocean.

The elements that the Canadian sailors had to endure were extreme. Raging storms, pack-ice, bitter cold and the blackness of the North Atlantic night.

Success only came as the result of tremendous courage and determination. Over 26,000 merchant ship voyages were made during the 2006 days of war, and they provided over 90,000 tons of war supplies a day to the battle fields of Europe. The battle was costly to Canada. The Canadian Navy lost 1797 sailors, 32 ships, and there were 319 wounded.

The Battle of the Atlantic is an exciting piece of Canadian history, filled with tragic sacrifices. It is important to remember those who fought for our country with honour and dignity. By attending local services with your corps, you help ensure that their legacy is not forgotten.

Do you know who is Canada’s most decorated war hero? Lieutenant-Colonel William Barker is the most decorated hero of all our wars. His gallantry awards from World War I include: The Victoria Cross; the Distinguished Service Order and Bar; the Military Cross and Two Bars; the French croix-de-guerre; two Italian Silver Medals for Valour, plus three Mentions-in-Dispatches.

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Remembrance Day

During the First, Second World and Korean Wars, in every community across Canada young men and women not much older than yourself, left their homes, families, jobs and schools to join the Army, Navy or Air Force and to fight for freedom. They gave up their best years and sadly many never returned home. They died on the battlefield, in the air and at sea. It is these men and women who died away from their homes and families that we remember.

Remembrance Day is held every year on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. It was at this time in 1918, the Peace Treaty was signed in Versailles, France that ended World War I.

Ceremonies are held across the country at local war memorials. The national ceremony is held in Ottawa at the National War Memorial.

There is a field in Flanders, France known as the field where the poppies grow. Flanders is a place where much fighting took place during World War I. This war lasted four years and every spring the soldiers, who lived and fought in the trenches, noticed the red flowers blooming all over the battlegrounds. As time went on and the war continued, the soldiers started to notice that poppies were blooming on the graves of their friends who had been killed.

The poppy has grown to represent the symbol to say we remember the young men and women who died in war and on peacekeeping missions, and are thankful for the peace we enjoy today.

Something to think about....
Do you know anyone who has fought for Canada? Maybe you know a veteran who can share some experiences with you. Take this opportunity to ask them about their contributions in the name of peace.

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Conclusion

Maybe your corps invites veterans in to talk about Battle of the Atlantic and Remembrance Day. There will come a day when the veterans will no longer be around to spread their messages, so it is important that this generation carries on the tradition of remembrance. LEST WE FORGET.

Other chapters:

Table of Contents | Chapter 1: Serve with a Sea Cadet Corps | Chapter 2: Drill | Chapter 3: Marksmanship | Chapter 4: Sailing | Chapter 5: Naval Knowledge | Chapter 6 : Seamanship | Chapter 9: Outdoor Adventure Training | Chapter 10: Physical Fitness | Chapter 11: Canadian Citizenship