Name: Rank: Service: Place of Birth: Date of Death: Age at Death: Cemetery: Reference:

Sources Veterans Affairs Canada uboat.net

Peter Paul Hashem Able Seaman SS William S. Thayer Canadian Merchant Navy September 8, 1917 Sydney, Cape Breton Co., Nova Scotia April 30, 1944 26 Halifax Memorial Panel 23 Commemorated on Page 153 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on March 28, August 25, and October 31 Peter was the son of Joseph Paul Hashem (1878-1972) and Mary (Yappur) Hashem, husband of Frances Mabel Boyd (1917-1985) of Hantsport, Kings Co, NS, and the father of Peter Joseph Hashem (1937- 2021). Both his parents were from the Lebanese Syrian region of the Levant. He was the brother of Bessie Hashem (1903-1999), Pearl Hashem (b. 1908), George Bernard Hashem (b. 1914), Martha Mary (Hashem) Cleyle (1916-2009), Helen (Hashem) Haleouty (1920-2001), Sarah Theresa (Hashem) Corriveau (1923-2019), and Adele Mary Hashem (1925-2021). The SS William S. Thayer, an American Steam Merchant Ship, part of Convoy RA-59, was sailing south of Bear Island in the Barents Sea. At approximately 9:00 pm the ship was hit by two torpedoes fired from U-Boat 307. The explosions broke the ship in three sections. The forward part sank in about 30 seconds and the midships section within several minutes. The stern section remained afloat and was scuttled by HMS Whitehall. Survivors were rescued by the American Liberty ship Robert Eden and HMS Whitehall of the Royal Navy. The eight officers, 33 crewmen, 28 armed guards and 165 Russian naval personnel passengers were unable to launch lifeboats and abandoned ship on six small square floats. Of the 234 on board, 43 were lost including Able Seaman Peter Paul Hashem, and Second Engineer Oskar Charles Swendsen of Nova Scotia.

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