Remembering World War II

Remembering Alexander (Sandy) Livingston Seaman on the SS La Salle (Mobile, Alabama) Lost at Sea: November 7, 1942 (Aged 34) Canadian Virtual War Memorial Listed on the Halifax Memorial Commemorated on Page 176 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance. Alexander (Sandy) Livingston was born on March 21, 1908 in Watertown Mass. US. He was the son of Bertha Esther (Livingston) MacLeod (1886-1968) and Hugh MacLeod (1869-1943) of North Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Alexander grew up in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He was the husband of Dorothy Louise (Smith) Livingston of North Mobile, Alabama, and the father of Lois Katherine Livingston. Alexander and Dorothy were married on March 21, 1933 in Harris Co., Texas. The SS La Salle was an American Steam Merchant Ship. On November 7, 1942 the ship was en-route from New York to Capetown, South Africa, with 6116 tons of trucks, steel, and ammunition. At 10:50 pm, the unescorted La Salle, was hit by one torpedo from U-159 about 350 miles south east of the Cape of Good Hope. The torpedo ignited the cargo of ammunition and the ship exploded, creating a fireball hundreds of meters high and completely destroyed the vessel. Bits of wreckage fell around the ship for several minutes afterwards and slightly wounded three men on watch in the conning tower of the U-boat. It is reported that the explosion was heard clearly at Cape Point Lighthouse over 300 miles away. All eight officers, 32 crewmen, including Alexander Livingston, and 20 armed guards were lost.

Alexander Livingston

Halifax Memorial