Canadian Northwest Atlantic

Canadian Northwest Atlantic Command was the zone of operations during the Battle of the Atlantic that stretched from north of New York City to 47 degrees west. It was set up at the Atlantic Convoy Conference, held in Washington DC from 1-12 March 1943, and placed under the command of Rear-Admiral Leonard W. Murray on 30 April 1943 with its headquarters in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was notable for being the only Allied theatre of operations commanded by a Canadian during the war.

U.S. contribution to the Atlantic conveys was organised initially through the Support Force, Atlantic Fleet, initially Task Force 6 under Rear Admiral Arthur L. Bristol (later Vice Admiral), then Vice Admiral Rolland M. Brainard, then Task Force 24 under Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf.

Atlantic Convoy Conference
Admiral Ernest J. King, USN Chief of Naval Operations and Commander in Chief (COMINCH), met with Admiral Sir Percy Noble RN, Admiral Sir Henry Moore RN and Rear-Admiral Mansfield RN (formerly Chief of Staff to the C-in-C Western Approaches), Air Vice-Marshal Durston RAF and Rear-Admiral Victor-Gabriel Brodeur RCN at the Atlantic Convoy Conference.



King proposed a realignment of authority. After deliberation, the idea was endorsed by the delegations. According to the arrangement, Britain and Canada shared the responsibility of controlling the North Atlantic seaways, while the U.S. Navy assumed control over the central and southern Atlantic.

Shortly after the conference, King created the U.S. Tenth Fleet. Vessels were not specifically assigned to Tenth Fleet, and the organization essentially served as an antisubmarine command.