Victoria will commemorate the 80th anniversaries of the end of the Battle of the Atlantic and Victory in Europe (VE) Day with two public ceremonies on May 4 and May 8, respectively.
Battle of the Atlantic will be observed May 4 at the B.C. legislature cenotaph with an 11 a.m. service recognizing the longest campaign of the Second World War and the 115th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Navy. Members and veterans of the navy, air force, and merchant navy, alongside the Naval Association of Canada, will be in attendance.
Canada’s naval involvement in the war began Aug. 31, 1939, when HMCS Fraser and St. Laurent left the West Coast for Halifax. The Royal Canadian Navy went on to provide 47 per cent of all convoy escorts across the Atlantic, losing 24 warships and nearly 1,800 sailors. The Royal Canadian Air Force lost 900 aircrew and 350 aircraft, while the merchant navy lost 68 ships and 1,466 sailors.
Later that morning, a VE Day service will take place at 10:30 a.m. at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church on Douglas Street. Four stained-glass windows honouring the navy, army, air force and merchant navy will be rededicated during the service.
A second VE Day event will be held Thursday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. at Pioneer Square, at the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s) memorial. Both VE Day services will be led by Padre Andrew Gates and are open to the public.
