Description
This large 54 mm, $30 coin is struck in just over two ounces of pure silver with a near flawless proof finish. The design commemorates the Battle of the Atlantic and the role played by Canada's Merchant Navy in ensuring the Allied cause was maintained abroad. The obverse features the effigy of King George VI, who was the king at the time of the Second World War. Mintage is limited to just 5,000 coins. HST/GST exempt.
"The Battle of the Atlantic was not won by any navy or air force, it was won by the courage, fortitude and determination of the British and Allied merchant navy." – Rear Admiral Leonard Murray, Commander-in-Chief Canadian North Atlantic.
The Design:
The reverse design by Canadian artist Yves Bérubé depicts the dangerous conditions endured by transatlantic ships during the Battle of the Atlantic between 1939 and 1945. It is a calm evening on July 11, 1943; in the foreground, the ocean steamer SS Duchess of York (left) is featured prominently, with a thick plume of steam billowing out from its funnels. Requisitioned as a troopship during the war, the large vessel is part of the convoy dubbed "Faith," which has been spotted by enemy aircraft off the coast of Spain. Two Focke-Wulf Fw-200 Kondors have begun their high-level bombardment, with one bomb hitting the water starboard side off the ship's bow, where detailed engraving adds movement through the motion of the water's surface. One of the convoy's escort ships, the Tribal-class destroyer HMCS Iroquois (right), has unleashed anti-aircraft fire but it is all in vain against this airborne attack. While SS Duchess of York and 34 of its crew would be added to the Allied casualties suffered during the Second World War's Battle of the Atlantic, 628 of its survivors would be rescued and transported to safety by Iroquois.
The Battle:
The Battle of the Atlantic continued on for two more years, until the very end of the war. Merchant ships made more than 25,000 voyages between 1939 and 1945, delivering 165 million tonnes of cargo overseas. In spite of the perilous task at hand, the heroism of these 12,000 Canadian men and women made an immeasurable contribution to the Allied war effort at home and abroad, and has left a proud legacy for all Canadians to remember.
From its very onset in September 1939, the Second World War's longest continuous military campaign was fought in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. During six long years of naval warfare, enemy U-boats and warships targeted Allied transport ships in an attempt to cut off vital Allied supply lines between Europe and North America. A decisive Nazi victory at sea could have starved Great-Britain into submission, but Canada's Merchant Navy would play a central role in maintaining this Atlantic lifeline which provided much-needed personnel, food, fuel and weapons to the Allied cause in Britain and beyond.
