Signing up enhances your TCE experience with the ability to save items to your personal reading list, and access the interactive map.
Create AccountPlease be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
Lucien Simard was born in Saint-François, Quebec, in 1926. Both his family and community had strong connections to seafaring. After his 18th birthday, he started working as a sailor on a merchant ship. Soon after, Simard tried to enlist in the Royal Canadian Navy, but was rejected because he couldn’t speak English. He remained in the Merchant Navy for the length of the war and participated in the Battle of St Lawrence. Simard was one of 12,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders who served in the Merchant Navy during the Second World War. Approximately 1,600 merchant sailors lost their lives due to enemy action. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
"In August 1942 Montgomery’s forward forces had brought Rommel’s army to a halt. RAF bombers, British submarines, had sunk 47 supply ships totaling 169,000 tons. All except two had been a direct result of decrypts from BP." See below for Mrs. Cooper's entire testimony. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
"If you were there and you saw all those ships! It was unbelievable! Everything that you can think of. Aircraft carriers. Destroyers. Everything." See below for Mr. Kucher's entire testimony. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
"And then you got blasé about it. I used to stay in bed until a bomb dropped near and then of course, I’d shoot out like mad." See below for Mrs. Hurst's entire testimony. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
"I tell this to anybody, they laugh and say, overseas, you went to Newfoundland? I said, yes. Because it wasn’t part of Canada then." See below for Mrs Henderson's entire testimony. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
"It's thanks to all the seamen of the wartime navy and of the merchant navy, and to the airmen, who fought off enemy submarines and aircraft, that the worst outcome was avoided." See below for Mr. de Viller's entire testimony. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
Richard Norris served in the navy during the Second World War.Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
Roy Hall enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy in 1948. He served on five other ships before assignment to HMCS Iroquois and overseas service in Korea in 1952. During the Korean War, HMCS Iroquois participated in shore bombardments, dropped off South Korean guerrillas for raids behind enemy lines, and patrolled the waters around the Korean peninsula. On 2 October 1952 HMCS Iroquois was hit by a shell, the only time during the war a Canadian warship was hit by enemy fire.Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
Ruth St. Clair (née Jarvis) served as a WREN in the British Women's Royal Naval Service during the Second World War. Content warning: This article contains content which some may find offensive or disturbing.Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
Ruth McMillan served in the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service during the Second World War. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
Ruth Werbin was a WREN, serving in the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service during the Second World War. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
