Events Archives | When World War II Came to Bell Island, Newfoundland

Book: The Enemy on our Doorstep by Steve Neary

The most thorough historical account of the 1942 U-boat attacks and sinkings at Bell Island is contained in this book written by the late Steve Neary and published […]

Emma Rees

Photo of Emma Rees of Lance Cove, Bell Island. Survivors of the 1942 Bell Island sinkings were brought to several homes in Lance Cove, including the home of […]

DOSCO correspondence: SS Rose Castle survivors

A letter dated August 26, 1943 from William Gilroy to J.A. Campbell, both of the Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation (DOSCO) in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The letter lists […]

David Rees Interview and Virtual Tour, Lance Cove, Newfoundland

David Rees shares stories from his grandmother Emma Rees of how survivors from the two German U-boat attacks and sinkings in 1942 were cared for in Emma’s home […]

Scuba Divers Commemorate Remembrance Day on Shipwreck

A group of scuba divers place a cross with poppies on the P.L.M. 27 shipwreck for Remembrance Day 2017. Ocean Quest Adventures takes local scuba divers out to […]

75th Anniversary of U-boat Attacks and Sinkings at Bell Island

The 75th anniversary of the U-boat attacks and sinkings at Bell Island took place at Lance Cove, Newfoundland on September 16, 2017. This photo shows members of Branch […]

Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland & Labrador

The Honourable Frank Fagan (on right), Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland & Labrador, delivers a speech of remembrance at the commemoration ceremony for the 75th anniversary of the U-boat attacks […]

Video of Canadian Forces divers removing unexploded shells

Video of clearance divers from the Royal Canadian Navy’s Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) removing unexploded artillery shells (also called unexploded ordnance or UXO) from two of the Bell […]

Video of German U-boat attacks at Bell Island in 1942

Video shows German newsreel of U-boat crews attacking Allied merchant ships with torpedoes. Transcript of narration: On September 4th 1942, U-513 under the command of captain Rolf Ruggeberg […]

Bell Island Attacks: Event of Provincial Significance

The U-boat attacks on the Bell Island ore ships in 1942 were designated as an Event of Provincial Significance by the Government of Newfoundland & Labrador in June […]

Navy divers handling unexploded artillery shell

Canadian Forces clearance divers from the Fleet Diving Unit – Atlantic lift an unexploded artillery shell recovered from the SS Rose Castle shipwreck. The divers are Leading Seaman […]

Navy diver clearing unexploded ammunition from Rose Castle shipwreck

A Canadian Forces clearance diver from Fleet Diving Unit – Atlantic shows an unexploded artillery shell (lower right) on the S.S. Rose Castle shipwreck. The Royal Canadian Navy […]