WARNHOLTZ, WILLIAM ‘BILL’

Bill Warnholtz is understood to have enlisted with the Royal Canadian Navy in 1942.

Able Seaman W. Warnholtz with R.C.N.C.R., Coastal Duty

The RCNVR (Royal Canadian Volunteer Reserve) became the backbone of the Canadian Navy, recruiting officers and sailors for the Navy. The usefulness of the RCNVR was demonstrated in 1939, at the onset of the Second World War, when the RCNVR was used to recruit and build the navy. By the end of the war, Canada had the third largest navy in the world, with a complement of nearly 100,000. Most of these men and women were members of the RCNVR.

Further, at the end of the Second World War, Canada had 434 commissioned vessels including cruisers, destroyers, frigates, corvettes and auxiliaries.  Unfortunately, at time of writing, we do not know which of those ships, Bill Warnholtz served on.

The importance of ‘Coastal Duty’ is demonstrated by the fact that during the war, German submarines were positioned off the coast of Nova Scotia with the intent of sinking troop ships, military supply ships and ships providing food and materials for Britain.

The picture above from Veterans Affair s Canada helps to illustrate this.

The picture is entitled “A number of German U-boats, including the U-130 shown here surrendered to the R.C.N. at the end of the war.