SS Western Head (Nassau)

Wartime Heritage ASSOCIATION

SS Western Head (Nassau), Canadian Merchant Navy May 20, 1942

SS Western Head (Nassau), Canadian Merchant Navy May 28, 1942 On May 28, 1942 the unescorted SS Western Head was approximately fifty miles east of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba sailing from Kingston, Jamaica to Montreal in Canada with a cargo of raw sugar. At 7:17 pm the ship was hit by two torpedoes from U-107 and sank immediately. The SS Western Head had a crew of thirty, including the Captain. Twenty-four crew members were lost, thirteen with known connection to Nova Scotia. The surviving crew members were picked up by a US Navy patrol ship and landed at Guantanamo Bay. Nova Scotia Casualties of the SS Western Head

Allen, Warren Able Seaman, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Age 31 Son of Letitia Allen, of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 84 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

Colpitts, Vaughan Able Seaman, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Age at Death: 25 Son of Mr. and Mrs. Burpee Colpitts, of Diligent River, Cumberland Co., Nova Scotia Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 115 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

Faulkner, Joseph Everett Master, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Age at Death: 67 Husband of Margaret Unice Faulkner, of Port Williams, Kings Co., Nova Scotia. Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 133 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

George, Garfield Edward Oiler, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Age at Death: 21 Son of Mr. and Mrs. James E. George, of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia. Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 141 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

McPhee, James William Boatswain, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Son of Mr. and Mrs. William McPhee, of Sambro, Halifax, Co., Nova Scotia Age at Death 27 Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 191 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

Mahar, Douglas Third Engineer, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Husband of Mrs. Douglas Mahar, of Fox River, Nova Scotia. Cumberland Co., NS Age at Death: 40 Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 182 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

Deveaux, Wilfred John 4th Engineer, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Age at Death: 47 Son of Mr. and Mrs. Simon C. Deveaux, of Friar's Head, Nova Scotia Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 125 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

Mahar, Daniel Able Seaman, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Son of Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Mahar, of Diligent River, Nova Scotia Cumberland Co., NS Age at Death: 32 Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 179 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

MacDonald, John Albert Chief Steward, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Brother of Elizabeth MacDonald, of Arichat, Nova Scotia Age at Death 49 Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 179 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

Hoben, James Robert Third Mate, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Son of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson W. Hoben, of Fox River, Nova Scotia. Age at Death: 36 Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 155 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

Cochrane, Leo Fireman, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Cumberland Co., NS Age at Death: 18 Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 114 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

Buchanan, Willard John Able Seaman, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Age at Death: 18 Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Buchanan, of Liverpool, Nova Scotia. Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 103 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

Sources: Commonwealth War Grave Commission Canadian Virtual War Memorial shipwreck.eu uboat.net

Palmer, Eugene Able Seaman, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Palmer, of Saint John, New Brunswick and husband of Mrs. Eugene Palmer, of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia. Age at Death 27 Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 206 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

Rector, Charles Edward (1880-1942) Chief Cook, SS Western Head Canadian Merchant Navy Son of Charles Edward Rector and Agnes Rector Palmer, of Parrsboro, Cumberland Co., NS and husband of Edith Alma (Fletcher) Rector. Age at Death 61 Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 216 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance

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