“Their supreme sacrifice in both wars ensured the lifeline of men and of supplies without which victory could not have been ours and without which we would not now enjoy freedom” from the Book of Remembrance – The Merchant Navy Against almost overwhelming odds, not only from U-Boat attacks, but also from the perils of storm, surface raiders, air attacks and mines, they transported millions of tonnes of food, munitions, petroleum and troops across the oceans of the world. Britain required more than a million tonnes of imported food, material and all important fuel per week in order to be able to survive and fight on against Hitler’s Germany.Īs a U-Boat Commander, you will join the fight to cut off the shipping that enables Britain to survive.Īs in the First World War, “the war to end all wars”, the men of the Allied merchant navies faced the daunting task of supplying that sea-borne lifeline.
“The only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-Boat peril.”Īs an island nation, Britain was highly dependent on sea-going trade.
