Hundreds commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic in Halifax

Hundreds gathered at Point Pleasant Park in Halifax on Sunday to mark the 78th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic.

More than 200 Canadian forces members, along with dignitaries and locals, commemorated the lives lost in the Battle of the Atlantic.

“No other population in the Allies has this high of a percentage of people from their own population serving in uniform as a volunteer force. No other country surpasses Canada’s commitment to winning that war,” explained Admiral Brian Santarpia, Commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic.

A cyclone helicopter dropped a wreath into the waters. This is part of a long-standing tradition marking the ships that sank and the thousands of Canadian lives lost in the Second World War.

The war was fought from 1939 to 1945. More than 377 convoys kept supply lines open to Britain.

The vast majority of the 25,000 delivered came out of Halifax.

“The convoys that left here -- 377 left from Halifax and 177 left from Sydney -- and the vast majority of the merchant sailors who sailed in Canada’s merchant marine, they came from Halifax’s north end,” explained Admiral Santarpia.

During the memorial, a list of HMCS ships, Canadian Merchant Marine vessels, and Air Squadrons were called, and for each name called, a bell was rang.

For sailors, it’s part of a tradition to honour those who came before them.

“The transits, the convoy and how rough they actually had it, I like to reflect on that and think about the next time I go out to sea that we’re carrying on what they did so long ago,” said Master Sailor Kevin Dave.

Wreaths were placed at the memorial grounds where the names of those gone remain.

Along with Sunday’s event, naval reserve divisions across the province joined in memorializing the sacrifices made during the longest continuous military campaign in World War II.

A somber yet important day to remember.