As the world counts down to the 60th anniversary of V-E Day, the contributions of those who fought in the Battle of the Atlantic were commemorated.

At the national cenotaph in Ottawa on Sunday, wreaths were laid, speeches were made -- and old men remembered some of the terrible things they went through as youths on the dangerous waters of the North Atlantic Ocean.

"Sometimes you don't want to talk about it. You could cry," said veteran Andre Rousseau, adding, "it was quite a struggle to pick up the survivors."

Added wartime nurse Hallie Sloan: "Young people died all around us, and it was such a waste."

About 300 surviving veterans were in attendance at Sunday's ceremonies. They were joined by both Canadian and foreign dignitaries.

One of those laying wreaths was Smokey Smith, Canada's only living Victoria Cross recipient. "I didn't expect to so many people, but it's terrific," he said from his wheelchair.

In Halifax, about 250 members of Marine Forces Atlantic joined military and merchant navy veterans to conduct their own celebration of the anniversary.

There was a roll call of ships lost at sea, and dignitaries laid wreaths to commemorate the fallen. A commemorative stamp of the battle was also unveiled.

Other ceremonies took place in St. John's and Winnipeg.

This entire coming week will see celebrations commemorating V-E Day's 60th anniversary.

On Sunday night, 126 Canadian veterans will board an aircraft and travel to the Netherlands. Canadian troops were instrumental in the liberation of the Netherlands.

There will also be celebrations across Canada this week.

The war in the Atlantic

The Battle of the Atlantic was one primarily fought between Canadian merchant marine and navy ships and German U-boat submarines.

Britain declared war on Germany on Sept. 3, 1939. Canada joined in a week later.

Things started getting dire for Britain in June 1940, as the Nazis moved into France.

In July 1940, U-boats started attacking merchant ships bound for Britain and the Battle for Britain had begun, with Nazi bombers striking targets in England.

Keeping Britain supplied left 3,600 Canadians dead -- making it the most dangerous duty our nation had during the Second World War.

By April 1942, more than 198 vessels had been sunk by U-boats, including a ferry that ran between Newfoundland and Cape Breton. The subs also laid mines near the harbours of St. John's and Halifax.

But still the ships set out for Britain, helping that nation defend itself.

By 1943, the Allies had developed effective strategies for counterattacking the U-boats. The ships went on with their work of transporting supplies and troops.

While the U-boat threat was diminished after 1943, the cat-and-mouse game continued until Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945, leading to V-E Day being declared the next day.

People in St. John's got to see a captured U-boat in their port after V-E Day in 1945.

With a report from CJOH's Catharine Lathem and files from The Canadian Press