Historic Wabana
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      • Brief History of Wabana Mines
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        • Arthur House Article >
          • Part 1 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 1, 1939
          • Part 2 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 2, 1939
          • Part 3 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 3, 1939
          • Part 4 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 4, 1939
          • Part 5 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 6, 1939
          • Part 6 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 7, 1939
        • F.F. Jardine Article >
          • Fortieth Anniversary of Wabana Mines, Bell Island
          • Part 1 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 2 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 3 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 4 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
      • Mining Terminology
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      • No. 2 Mine
      • No. 3 Mine
      • No. 4 Mine
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      • Epidemics in the Mining Years
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      • Insurance Plan of Wabana 1954
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      • The Murals Project History
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    • Today in the History of Bell Island
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      • Beach Tramway
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        • Elmer W. Jones
        • Ice in The Tickle
        • Tragedy in The Tickle 1940
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    • World War I
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      • Caribou Sinking-Bell Island Connections
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      • WW2 Veterans >
        • WW2 Veterans Group Photos
  • Publications
    • Arthur House Article
    • The Book of Newfoundland >
      • "Bell Island Was Exciting For a Growing Boy"
    • Books About Bell Island
    • F.F. Jardine Article
    • Maclean's Magazine
    • A Mine Dead - A Town Stricken
    • Newfoundland Quarterly >
      • "Bell Island," V. 1, No. 1, July 1901
      • "Belle Island Boyhood," Part 1, V. 85, No. 2, Fall 1989
      • "Belle Island Boyhood," Part 2, V. 85, No. 3, Winter 1990
    • Newspapers (Bell Island) >
      • Bell Island Miner (Newspaper)
    • Place Where the Sun Rises
    • Submarine Miner >
      • 1954 Issues >
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 1, June 1954
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 2, July 1954
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 3, August 1954
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 4, September 1954
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 5, October 1954
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 6, November 1954
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 7, December 1954
      • 1955 Issues >
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 1, January 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 2, February 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 3, March 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 4, April 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 5, May 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 6, June 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 7, July 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 8, August 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 9, September 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 #10, October 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 11, November 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 #12, December 1955
      • 1956 Issues >
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 1, January 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 2, February 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 3, March 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 4, April 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 5, May 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 6, June 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 7, July 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 8, August 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 9, September 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 #10, October 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 11, November 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 #12, December 1956
      • 1957 Issues >
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 1, January 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 2, February 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 3, March 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #4, April 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #5, May 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #6, June 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #7, July 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #8, August 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #9, September 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V.4, #10, October 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V.4, #11, November 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V.4, #12, December 1957
      • 1958 Issues >
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #1, January 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #2, February 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #3, March 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #4, April 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #5, May 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #6, June 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #7, July 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #8, August 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #9, September 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #10, October 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #11, November 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #12, December 1958
      • 1959 Issues >
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #1, January 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #2, February 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #3, March 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #4, April 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #5, May 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #6, June 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #7, July 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #8, August 1959
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WORLD WAR II


The Wabana Mines of Bell Island played a key role in World War II. Not only was Wabana's iron ore used by the Allies in the manufacture of weapons, ammunition, ships, and other products necessary to wage war, but it was also used by the enemy for the same purpose. 

World War II broke out in September 1939. For several years before that, everything was in full swing on Bell Island with 2,200 men employed as Germany, Wabana's best customer outside of its parent company, DOSCO, was buying as much iron ore as possible to feed its war machine. The last shipment of Wabana iron ore left for Germany on August 26th. A week after the last German ore boat left Bell Island, Germany invaded Poland and precipitated World War II.

As with WWI, WWII had profound consequences for Bell Island and the Wabana Mines. Once again overseas markets were lost, causing slow-downs in the mines and lay-offs. Many miners found work on the American bases in St. John’s and Argentia.

In April 1940, the mines went on half-time due to some ore carriers being engaged for military use. DOSCO advised all workers with garden allotments to plant them as they had done during the Great Depression of the 1930s. This situation continued for the duration of the war, ie. through 1945.

​Throughout the war, the 1st Coastal Defence Battery was stationed on Bell Island, in barracks situated on Memorial Street.

In 1941, D.I. (Nish) Jackman formed the Wabana Mine Workers’ Union, spurred on by the ongoing work shortage. Also in 1941, Torbay Airport (forerunner of St. John’s International Airport) was constructed “to protect Bell Island from raids by German warplanes.”

On September 5, 1942, the war came to Bell Island when a German U-boat sank 2 ore boats anchored in The Tickle killing 29 sailors. On November 2, 1942, another German U-boat sank 2 more ore boats killing 36 sailors. It was said that the Germans were “throwing back what they had bought a few years before!”

In August 1945, World War II ended; 32 Bell Islanders had been killed. 

In March 1946, No. 4 Mine opened for the first time in 3 years as markets began to improve.

In 1948, prosperity returned with the first shipment to Germany since the war began in 1939.

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