Bechthold, Michael

English

Wilfrid Laurier University

Canadian Military HistoryVolume 4 | Issue 2 Article 201-20-2012The Unknown Navy: Canada’s World War II MerchantNavy [Review]Michael BechtholdLaurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament StudiesThis Feature is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian MilitaryHistory by an authorized administrator of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationBechthold, Michael (1995) "The Unknown Navy: Canada’s World War II Merchant Navy [Review]," Canadian Military History: Vol. 4:Iss. 2, Article 20.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol4/iss2/20118 The Unknown Navy Canada's World War II Merchant Navy Robert G. Halford, The Unknown Navy: Canada's World War II Merchant Navy (St. Catharines, ON: Vanwell Publishing, 1995) 288 pages, $29.95, (ISBN 1-55125-016-0) It is with good reason that a recent book on the Canadian Merchant Navy, written by Robert G. Halford, has been titled The Unknown Navy: Canada's World War II Merchant Navy. One of the keys to the survival of Britain during the 1Bechthold: <em>The Unknown Navy</em> [Review]Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 1995Second World War was the t ranspor t of food, goods and weapons from North America. The struggle to accomplish this, known as the Battle of the Atlantic, has been told many times. Accounts of the chess match between the Allied escorts and the German U-boats as they fought their desperate struggle over the merchant ships has portrayed the merchantmen as mere pawns in a greater struggle. These pawns, however, have a story of their own to tell. The Canadian Merchant Navy, and the industry behind It, played a major role in the Allied war effort. Early in the war, as the full implications of the U-boat threat began to materialize, the British began to look for options. One of the earliest expedients was the transfer of 25 shallow-draft Great Lake boats in the spring of 1940 to England to replace British coastal ships lost to the Germans. Six of these ships were immediately put to good use in evacuating the r e m n a n t s of the Bri t ish Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk. Later in that same year, a mission was sent to North America to seek out ship-building yards to replace the steadily increasing losses. Though the Canadian industry had declined from its heyday in the 1920s, the war had stimulated tremendous growth. The British mission placed an order for twenty 10,000 ton dry cargo vessels followed shortly by a Canadian order for an additional 88 vessels. By the time the last wartime ship was launched, 354 10,000 ton and 43 4,700 ton vessels would be produced. This was in addition to the construction of nearly 500 destroyers, frigates, corvettes and minesweepers for the navy. In 1944, m e r c h a n t sh ips were being launched at a rate of almost two per week. To put this in perspective, the 10,000 ton Park/Fort class of m e r c h a n t ship produced in Canadian yards, which was nearly identical to its more famous American cousin, the Liberty ship, was being produced at a faster rate based on population and at a lower per unit cost. Nearly half of the ocean-going vessels of the Commonwealth, including those of Great Britain, were built in Canada. Canadian government expenditures and the workforce devoted to the creation of the merchant fleet were larger than those of the aircraft indus t ry . What an amazing accomplishment for a country considered an economic lightweight prior to the start of the war. The Canadian Merchant Navy evolved into the world's 4th largest wartime fleet with a force of over 12,000 men. The majority of the ships in the fleet were Canadian-built. Over the course of the war, a total of 67 Canadian-flagged vessels were sunk by enemy action. The toll of merchant seamen lost was 1,578, a ra te much higher t han experienced by the navy. In addition, there were losses not related to enemy action. The contributions of this fleet are immeasurable. After the war the British government had nothing but praise for the accomplishments of the Canadian Merchant Navy. Rear Admiral Leornard W. Murray, Commander- in-Chief of the Canadian Northwest Atlantic, stated that the Battle of the Atlantic was won by "the courage, fortitude and determination of the British and Allied Merchant Navy." Well deserved praise for the pawns of the "Unknown Navy." Halford has done a masterful job telling the many diverse stories of the Canadian Merchant Navy. The book is divided into three sections: The first is a complete history of the Merchant Navy from its origins through the war years to its downfall after the war. The second section conta ins an autobiographical treatment of the au thor ' s own merchant navy experiences while the third section, titled, "In Their Own Words," records the personal accounts of individual sailors. This book, written in a clear and forthright manner, should be read by all interested in Canada's role in the Second World War. Mike Bechthold Wilfrid Laurier University 119 2Canadian Military History, Vol. 4 [1995], Iss. 2, Art. 20http://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol4/iss2/20

\u3cem\u3eThe Unknown Navy: Canada’s World War II Merchant Navy\u3c/em\u3e [Review]

Scholars Commons

Canadian Military History
Volume 4 | Issue 2 Article 20
1-20-2012
The Unknown Navy: Canada’s World War II Merchant
Navy [Review]
Michael Bechthold
Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies
This Feature is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian Military
History by an authorized administrator of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.
Recommended Citation
Bechthold, Michael (1995) "The Unknown Navy: Canada’s World War II Merchant Navy [Review]," Canadian Military History: Vol. 4:
Iss. 2, Article 20.
Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol4/iss2/20
118 
The Unknown Navy 
Canada's World War II 
Merchant Navy 
Robert G. Halford, The Unknown Navy: 
Canada's World War II Merchant Navy 
(St. Catharines, ON: Vanwell Publishing, 
1995) 288 pages, $29.95, (ISBN 1-
55125-016-0) 
It is with good reason that a recent book on the Canadian Merchant 
Navy, written by Robert G. Halford, 
has been titled The Unknown 
Navy: Canada's World War II 
Merchant Navy. One of the keys to 
the survival of Britain during the 
1
Bechthold: <em>The Unknown Navy</em> [Review]
Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 1995
Second World War was the 
t ranspor t of food, goods and 
weapons from North America. The 
struggle to accomplish this, known 
as the Battle of the Atlantic, has 
been told many times. Accounts of 
the chess match between the Allied 
escorts and the German U-boats as 
they fought their desperate struggle 
over the merchant ships has 
portrayed the merchantmen as 
mere pawns in a greater struggle. 
These pawns, however, have a story 
of their own to tell. The Canadian 
Merchant Navy, and the industry 
behind It, played a major role in the 
Allied war effort. 
Early in the war, as the full 
implications of the U-boat threat 
began to materialize, the British 
began to look for options. One of 
the earliest expedients was the 
transfer of 25 shallow-draft Great 
Lake boats in the spring of 1940 to 
England to replace British coastal 
ships lost to the Germans. Six of 
these ships were immediately put 
to good use in evacuating the 
r e m n a n t s of the Bri t ish 
Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk. 
Later in that same year, a mission 
was sent to North America to seek 
out ship-building yards to replace 
the steadily increasing losses. 
Though the Canadian industry had 
declined from its heyday in the 
1920s, the war had stimulated 
tremendous growth. The British 
mission placed an order for twenty 
10,000 ton dry cargo vessels 
followed shortly by a Canadian 
order for an additional 88 vessels. 
By the time the last wartime ship 
was launched, 354 10,000 ton and 
43 4,700 ton vessels would be 
produced. This was in addition to 
the construction of nearly 500 
destroyers, frigates, corvettes and 
minesweepers for the navy. In 1944, 
m e r c h a n t sh ips were being 
launched at a rate of almost two per 
week. To put this in perspective, the 
10,000 ton Park/Fort class of 
m e r c h a n t ship produced in 
Canadian yards, which was nearly 
identical to its more famous 
American cousin, the Liberty ship, 
was being produced at a faster rate 
based on population and at a lower 
per unit cost. Nearly half of the 
ocean-going vessels of the 
Commonwealth, including those of 
Great Britain, were built in Canada. 
Canadian government expenditures 
and the workforce devoted to the 
creation of the merchant fleet were 
larger than those of the aircraft 
indus t ry . What an amazing 
accomplishment for a country 
considered an economic lightweight 
prior to the start of the war. 
The Canadian Merchant Navy 
evolved into the world's 4th largest 
wartime fleet with a force of over 
12,000 men. The majority of the 
ships in the fleet were Canadian-
built. Over the course of the war, a 
total of 67 Canadian-flagged vessels 
were sunk by enemy action. The toll 
of merchant seamen lost was 1,578, 
a ra te much higher t han 
experienced by the navy. In 
addition, there were losses not 
related to enemy action. 
The contributions of this fleet 
are immeasurable. After the war the 
British government had nothing but 
praise for the accomplishments of 
the Canadian Merchant Navy. Rear 
Admiral Leornard W. Murray, 
Commander- in-Chief of the 
Canadian Northwest Atlantic, 
stated that the Battle of the Atlantic 
was won by "the courage, fortitude 
and determination of the British 
and Allied Merchant Navy." Well 
deserved praise for the pawns of the 
"Unknown Navy." 
Halford has done a masterful 
job telling the many diverse stories 
of the Canadian Merchant Navy. The 
book is divided into three sections: 
The first is a complete history of 
the Merchant Navy from its origins 
through the war years to its 
downfall after the war. The second 
section conta ins an 
autobiographical treatment of the 
au thor ' s own merchant navy 
experiences while the third section, 
titled, "In Their Own Words," 
records the personal accounts of 
individual sailors. This book, 
written in a clear and forthright 
manner, should be read by all 
interested in Canada's role in the 
Second World War. 
Mike Bechthold 
Wilfrid Laurier University 
119 
2
Canadian Military History, Vol. 4 [1995], Iss. 2, Art. 20
http://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol4/iss2/20


https://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1038&amp;context=cmh

\u3cem\u3eThe Unknown Navy: Canada’s World War II Merchant Navy\u3c/em\u3e [Review]

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