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Wartime Heritage
ASSOCIATION
Remembering World War II
SS Cornwallis
SS Cornwallis
In the early morning of December
3, 1944, the SS Cornwallis a
Merchant Navy steam ship was off
the coast of Maine en route to St
John, New Brunswick. The ship
had departed Barbados on
November 20, 1944 with a cargo
of sugar and molasses. Cornwallis
carried a crew of forty-eight,
including seven gunners.
At 6:00 am a torpedo from U-boat
1230 struck the forward section
of the ship and within ten
Nova Scotia Casualties
SS Cornwallis
minutes SS Cornwallis perished. The master, thirty-five crew members, and seven gunners were lost including fifteen crew
members from Nova Scotia. Five survivors were rescued.
It is believed the radio operator managed to send an SOS as the Yarmouth, Nova Scotia radio station received a report of a
submarine sighting on the surface at 6:05 off Desert Rock. Air and surface craft searched the area of Mt. Desert Rock on the
intelligence of the signal received in Yarmouth.
Lawrence Douglas Cleveland
2nd Steward
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver),
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 25
(Queens Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 114 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on March 9, and August 6
Lawrence Douglas Cleveland was the son of Letitia Cleveland, of Liverpool, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Joseph Gerald Comeau
Ordinary Seaman
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver),
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 18
(Digby Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 115 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on March 9, and August 6
Joseph Gerald Comeau
was the son of Mary Marthe Comeau, of Little Brook, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Stephen Fowler
Able Seaman
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver),
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 43
(Colchester Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 137 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on March 20, and August 17
Stephen Fowler was the son of Patrick and Emma Fowler, of Conception Bay, Newfoundland and
husband of Laura J. Fowler, of Stewiacke, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Jacob George Hodder
Mess Room Steward
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 21
(Cape Breton Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 156 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on March 30, August 27 and November 22
Jacob George Hodder was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Hodder, of North Sydney, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Norman Hagar Kenney
Abe Seamn
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 19
(Yarmouth Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 156 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on March 30, August 27 and November 22
Norman Kenney was the son of Norman Loran and Leora Gurda (Hagar) Kenney, of Lower Argyle,
Yarmouth Co., NS.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
James Bernard Edward MacDougall
Fireman
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 24
(Cape Breton Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 179 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 10, September 7 and November 13
James Bernard Edward MacDougall was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William MacDougall, of North Sydney,
Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Wendell Gregory MacLellan
Abe Seaman
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 20
(Cape Breton Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 180 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 11, September 8, and November 14
Wendell Gregory MacLellan was the son of John and Jessie MacLellan, of Alder Point, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Harold Benjamin Dennis May
Third Radio Officer
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 17
(Halifax Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 184 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 13, September 10, and November 16
Harold Benjamin Dennis May
was the son of Mary Elizabeth May, of East Ship Harbour, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
John Murray
Carpenter
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
Honours and Awards: British Empire Medal
December 3, 1944
Age: 62
(Halifax Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 200 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 21, September 18, and November 24
John Murray was the husband of Rita Murray, of Halifax, Nova Scotia
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
George Frederick Olsen
Pantryman
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 17
(Cape Breton Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 204 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 23, September 20, and November 26
George Frederick Olsen was the son of Mabel Olsen, of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
William Joseph Quilty
Fireman
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 23
(Cape Breton Co., NS
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 215 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 29, September 26, and December 1
William Joseph Quilty was from North Sydney, Nova Scotia. William (on right in photo), and his best
friend, George Whalen (on left) both served in the Royal Canadian Navy, and were serving as temporary
crew on the SS Cornwallis when the the ship was torpedoed by U-1230.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Emerson Horace Robinson
Master
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 36
(Halifax Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 219 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on May 1, September 28, and December 3
Emerson Horace Robinson was the husband of Edith Robinson, of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
James Albert Roy
Boatswain
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 34
(Pictou Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 221 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on May 2, September 29, and December 4
James Albert Roy was the son of Mary Roy, of Pictou, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Roger Galloway Smith
Ordinary Seaman
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 19
(Halifax Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 230 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on May 7, October 4, and December 9
Roger Galloway Smith was the son of Maud Smith, of Necum Teuch, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
John Joseph Walsh
Chief Radio Officer
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 24
(Halifax Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 245 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on May 14, October 11, and December 16
John Joseph Walsh was the son of Richard and Alice Walsh, of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
George Whalen
Fireman
SS Cornwallis (Vancouver)
Canadian Merchant Navy
December 3, 1944
Age: 21
(Cape Breton Co., NS)
Listed on the Halifax Memorial, Panel 23
Commemorated on Page 246 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on May 15, October 12, and December 17
George Whalen was the son of Mary Whalen, of North Sydney, Nova Scotia. George Whalen (on left in
photo), and his best friend, William Quilty (on the right), both served in the Royal Canadian Navy, and
were serving as temporary crew on the SS Cornwallis when the the ship was torpedoed by U-1230.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
