Few people know that Bell Island, Newfoundland, Canada was directly attacked during World War II. In 1942, German U-boats twice raided the island in an attempt to disrupt the flow of high grade iron ore being transported from mines on the island. This high grade ore was used to supply steel critical to the war effort. Germans knew that if they could disrupt the flow of ship building materials, even temporarily, then the Allied war efforts would be seriously affected. In two separate attacks, U-boats sunk the SS Saganaga and SS Lord Strathcona followed by the SS Rose Castle, Free French vessel PLM 27 and the loading wharf on Bell Island. In all, 70 men were killed. The sheer temerity of the attack awakened North Americans that they were now on the front line of the Battle of the Atlantic.

Today, divers can visit these remarkable war graves. A short distance from shore, experienced divers can plunge into the cold water and explore shipwrecks resplendent with colorful marine growth. Submerged wrecks become artificial reefs and when they are situated in rich waters like Conception Bay, Newfoundland, they become magnets for biodiversity.

In 2007, a team of cave divers visited Bell Island to explore the submerged mines located there. Over 16 square kilometers with 100 of kms of mine tunnels plunge beneath Bell Island and under the sea floor of Conception Bay where the WWII wrecks reside. Abandoned decades ago, these mine passages are now flooded. Exploration of these passages revealed a trove of artifacts and the cultural history of mining. The tunnels contain mining relics, pipes, heavy equipment and remarkable graffiti that tells the story of miners who died during their work on Bell Island.

In February 2016, a comprehensive expedition has been organized with cooperation from the Bell Island Historical Society. When the mine was flooded in 1966, there was no record of what remained in the mine. The Minequest project is planning exploration, survey and cartography, inventory and documentation of artifacts, human physiology testing for decompression stress, and studies to DNA type biology living within this environment. The goal of the team is to turn over visual assets to the Bell Island Historical Society and assist them in developing educational materials for the Museum at Mine #2. There are no plans to remove any artifacts for conservation at this time. Additionally, the team is developing an infrastructure and safe diving protocols that can be used by future visiting cave divers on Bell Island.