Work Archives | Page 2 of 6 | When World War II Came to Bell Island, Newfoundland

Badge of the British Merchant Navy

Badge of the British Merchant Navy. Worn by all sailors and veterans who served in the British Merchant Navy in wartime.

Badge of the Canadian Merchant Navy

Badge of the Canadian Merchant Navy. Worn by all sailors and veterans who served in the Canadian Merchant Navy in wartime.

Ensign of the Free French Naval Forces in World War II

Ensign of the Free French Navy in World War II. General Charles de Gaulle led the Free French Forces, which split from the French Government in Vichy, France […]

Halifax Memorial to Canadian Sailors Lost at Sea

The Halifax Memorial in Halifax, Nova Scotia commemorates Canadian Merchant Navy and Royal Canadian Navy sailors lost in wartime with no known grave. Names of Canadian Merchant Navy […]

Tower Hill Memorial to British Merchant Navy sailors

The Tower Hill Memorial in London, England commemorates British Merchant Navy seamen lost in wartime with no known grave. The names of British sailors lost when Saganaga was […]

SS Rose Castle loading iron ore at Scotia pier

SS Rose Castle loading iron ore from the Bell Island iron mines at the Scotia pier in 1942. Ore was carried in ore cars on rails from the […]

Cross-section of Bell Island iron mine shafts

This drawing shows how the shafts of the Bell Island iron mines extended more than five kilometres out under the Atlantic Ocean. Water pumps had to operate 24 […]

Electric shovel loading iron ore into ore car at Bell Island

An electric shovel loading iron ore into an ore car in a Bell Island iron mine in 1949. Ore production increased as heavy equipment was introduced into the […]

Drilling for iron ore at Bell Island

A driller and chucker operate a drill in a Bell Island iron mine. Mining was hard and dangerous work. Dozens of miners were killed at Bell Island over […]

Tank production at the Montreal Locomotive Works

Canadian industry switched to war production during World War II. For example, the Montreal Locomotive Works produced tanks for the Canadian Army. Manufacture of trucks, tanks, airplanes, ships, […]

Pouring molten steel in Canadian steel mill, 1944

Steel production was crucial to the Allied war effort. Iron ore from Bell Island was used to make steel in the Dominion Steel & Coal Corporation’s steel mills […]

Map of second U-boat attack at Bell Island

This map of the second U-boat attack at Bell Island was drawn by Canadian Army Intelligence staff who investigated the sinkings. The map (marked SECRET) shows two ships […]