The Battle of the Atlantic
The Battle of the Atlantic raged for six arduous years, from the earliest days of the Second World War to the final hours of the conflict in Europe. Sir Winston Churchill called it “the dominating factor all through the war.”
Sailors in both the Royal Canadian Navy and Canada’s Merchant Navy played an indispensable role in this battle, aided from the sky by the Royal Canadian Air Force. They transported, and defended, Canadian men and women, and vital supplies, across the treacherous North Atlantic.
Thousands of Canadians gave their lives in what would become the longest battle of the entire Second World War—all to ensure vital troops and provisions continued to reach Great Britain and Europe.
Victory was hard-won. In the first years of the war, German “wolf packs”—groups of ship-hunting submarines, or U-boats—took a devastating toll on Allied ships, sinking hundreds. Some attacks took place within view of Canada’s East Coast, and U-boats were even operated in the St. Lawrence River.
Our country responded by expanding its navy from less than a dozen ocean-going ships to more than 250, and from 3,500 personnel to more than 100,000. Our shipyards clanged with frenzied production, churning out hundreds of ships and thousands of landing craft during the war’s final four years.
Canada’s vital contribution and the bravery and skill of her sailors earned Rear Admiral Leonard Murray the role of leading the Allies’ endeavours in the Northwest Atlantic from 1943 to the end of the war. It was the only time during the Second World War that a Canadian held such a command.
The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to honour the courage and sacrifice of those who served in the Battle of the Atlantic. With this special 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic $2 coin, we continue our long tradition of paying tribute to the men and women who have served our country.
A Sailor Aboard a Canadian Warship
A watchful sailor presses his eye to the viewfinder of his anti-aircraft gun, scanning the skies for threats while unforgiving seas roll by below.
In dramatic detail, 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic $2 commemorative circulation coin pays tribute to the men and women who served and supported the Allied war effort in the North Atlantic.
The central image of the coin design—a sailor aboard a Canadian warship—is accompanied by the depiction of two other Canadian vessels in the distance while a Bristol Beaufighter flies overhead.
