SS Caribou The night of October 13 was dark and moonless as the SS Caribou made its way from North Sydney, Cape Breton, to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. The ship departed North Sydney at 9:30 pm with seventy-three civilians, including eleven children, one hundred an eighteen military personnel, and a crew of forty-six. Captain Benjamin Tavenor, aware of the U-boat danger to the crossing had the passengers familiarize themselves with the lifeboat stations prior to departure. The SS Caribou was escorted astern by the single stack minesweeper, HMCS Grandmere as it proceeded toward Port aux Basques. The two ships were sighted by U-69, forty miles south-west of its destination. A single torpedo struck the SS Caribou, at 3:40 am, causing the ship’s boilers to explode and sinking the passenger ship in four minutes. HMCS Grandmere immediately went in pursuit of U-69. At the time of the explosion most passengers were in cabins and there was much confusion as passengers and crew tried desperately to reach lifeboats and rafts. It was 6:30 am when HMCS Grandmere, unsuccessful in finding and destroying U-96, began to rescue survivors. Of the two hundred and thirty-seven aboard the SS Caribou, one hundred and thirty-six had perished, fifty-seven military personnel, forty-nine civilians, including only one of the 11 children, and thirty-six of the crew. U-69 would meet its fate the following February when it was destroyed by HMS Viscount, east of Newfoundland. All forty- six of the crew were killed in the sinking. Among the military casualties from Nova Scotia: Thomas Aubrey Currie Corporal Prince Edward Island Highlanders Service Number: F/30508 Age: 27 Memorial: Halifax Memorial Corporal Currie was the son of Murdoch and Florence Currie of Londonderry Station, Nova Scotia and husband of Marjorie Currie of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Commemorated on Page 67 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on February 15 Leo Archibald MacIntyre Lance Bombardier Royal Canadian Artillery Service Number: F/13323 Age: 23 Memorial: Halifax Memorial Lance Bombardier MacIntyre was the son of Archie William and Mary Rebecca MacIntyre, of Sydney, Nova Scotia. Commemorated on Page 92 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on February 27 George Edward May Petty Officer Stoker Royal Canadian Navy Reserve, HMCS Morden Service Number: A/2012 Age: 26 Memorial: Halifax Memorial George May was the son of Sgt. G. H. May and Florence Ada May, of Midland, Ontario, and the husband of Sarah Catherine May, of Halifax, NS. Commemorated on Page 95 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on March 1 John Tapper Able Seaman Royal Canadian Navy Reserve, HMCS Stadacona Service Number: A/1075 Age: 41 Memorial: Halifax Memorial Able Seaman John Tapper was the son of John and oennie Tapper, of Grand Beach, Newfoundland and the husband of Husband of Hazel Tapper. John his wife Hazel and their three children, Lillian, William John and Donald resided in Halifax. John Tapper had resided in Nova Scotia for some sixteen years. The family were travelling together on the SS Caribou and all were lost in the sinking. Commemorated on Page 200 of the Newfoundland Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 11, July 29, and November 9 Richard James Skinner Able Seaman Royal Canadian Navy Reserve, HMCS Stadacona Service Number: A/744 Age: 37 Memorial: Halifax Memorial Able Seaman Richard James Skinner was the son of John Robert and Elizabeth Skinner, of Harbor Buton, Newfoundland and husband of Kathleen Skinner. Richard, his wife and family lived in Halifax, NS with their six children. Prior to his enlistment in 1939 he had been in Halifax for sixteen years. Richard, his wife Kathleen, and the two youngest children, Nancy, aged 2 and Basil, aged four were travelling on the SS Caribou. All were lost. His remaining children, Kathleen, aged 7, Marjorie, aged 8, Arthur, aged 11 and John, aged 14 were not travelling with their parents. Commemorated on Page 197 of the Newfoundland Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 9, July 27, and November 7 References/Additional Reading: http://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/politics/caribou-sinking.php http://archivalmoments.ca/tag/caribou/ http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Railway/en/p.php?id=30 U-Boats Against Canada: German Submarines in Canadian Waters, pp. 138-143; (Michael L. Hadley)

SS Caribou