Nova Scotia Casualties SS Empire Eland

The SS Empire Eland The SS Empire Eland was a cargo ship of the USSB Design 1019, measuring 5,613 gross registered tonnage. It was originally built in 1920 as the West Kedron by the Long Beach Shipbuilding Co. in Long Beach, California. Initially constructed for the United States Shipping Board (USSB), the vessel was transferred to the United States Maritime Commission (USMC) in 1937 before being transferred again to the British Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) in 1940. On September 15, 1941, the vessel sailed from Liverpool, England, with convoy ON-14, bound for Mobile, Alabama, and Tampa, Florida. Due to prevailing bad weather, the ship became separated from the convoy and was sailing independently. While zigzagging at a position approximately 570 miles east-south-east of Cape Farewell, Greenland, the ship was intercepted and torpedoed by the German submarine U-94 at 23:48 hours. Following the initial hit, a second torpedo missed the vessel at 23:57 hours. However, a second strike at 00:30 hours on September 16, 1941, proved fatal. The ship began to sink by the stern and disappeared beneath the surface approximately 40 minutes after the final impact. The sinking occurred at the coordinates 54°09'N / 29°55'W. There were no survivors of the attack. The master, 31 crew members, and 5 naval gunners, totaling 37 personnel, were lost at sea. All casualties are commemorated as having no known grave following the destruction of the vessel in the Mid-Atlantic. There were three men with ties to Nova Scotia among the casualties. They were: Name: Robie Onley Symonds Rank: Sailor, Canadian Merchant Navy Date of Birth: May 2, 1921 Place of Birth: Clark’s Harbour, Shelburne Co., Nova Scotia Date of Death: September 16, 1941 Age: 20 Memorial: Panel 19, Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 237 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on May 10, October 7, and December 12 Robie was the son of Frank Onley Symonds (1885-1963) and Laura Mildred Atkinson Duncan Symonds (1895- 1992) from Clark’s Harbour, Shelburne, Nova Scotia. His siblings were Mildred Symonds (1911-1925), Waldena Gertrude Symonds (1919-2005), Ebenezer Symonds (1922-1924), Helen Lenora Bernette Symonds (1923- 1967), Ledrue "Judy" Frances Symonds (1925-2006), Owen Edgar Symonds (1928-2021), Betty Symonds (1931- 1931), and Rowland Ralston "Rolly" Symonds (1931-2003). In 1911, Robie’s mother lived on Deep Cove Island, one of the Tusket Islands in Yarmouth Co., NS, southwest of Comeau’s Hill and northwest of the Big Tusket Island. She was 17 and living with her stepfather, a fisherman, and her mother. Later that year, she married Frank Onley Symonds in Clark’s Harbour. Name: Lovitt Edward Nickerson Rank: Able Seaman, Canadian Merchant Navy Date of Birth: January 1, 1916 Place of Birth: Clark’s Harbour, Shelburne Co., Nova Scotia Date of Death: September 16, 1941 Age: 25 Memorial: Panel 19, Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 201 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 Lovitt was the son of Thomas Lovitt Nickerson (1888-1949) and Geneva Ethel Kenney (1890-1938) of Clarks Harbour, Shelburne Co., Nova Scotia. His brother, Able Seaman Carl Nickerson (1914-1941), also died in the sinking of the Empire Eland. His other siblings were Keith L. Nickerson (1911-1914), Rupert Charles Nickerson (b. 1912), Francena Mae Nickerson (1918-1947), and John Nickerson (1919-1942). Name: Carl Roy Nickerson Rank: Able Seaman, Canadian Merchant Navy Date of Birth: July 3, 1914 Place of Birth: Clark’s Harbour, Shelburne Co., Nova Scotia Date of Death: September 16, 1941 Age: 27 Memorial: Panel 19, Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 201 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 Carl was the son of Thomas Lovitt Nickerson (1888-1949) and Geneva Ethel Kenney (1890-1938) of Clarks Harbour, Shelburne Co., Nova Scotia. His brother, Able Seaman Lovitt Nickerson (1916-1941), also died in the sinking of the Empire Eland. His other siblings were Keith L. Nickerson (1911-1914), Rupert Charles Nickerson (b. 1912), Francena Mae Nickerson (1918-1947), and John Nickerson (1919-1942).

Sources: Canadian Virtual War Memorial uboat.net