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Wartime Heritage
ASSOCIATION
Remembering World War II
Merchant Navy
Bush, Henry Benjamin
Cannell, Wilfrid Edwin
Cook-Gorbell, Lillie
Coolen, Carl Hastings
Dunne, James Albert
Hall, Lloyd Kenneth
Hayman, Donald Stanley
Houghton, Harry Purdy
Kuhl, Rene Arnold
McDonald, Thomas
Morrison, Lewis Nelson
Newell, Ephraim Eugene
Parker, John Edward
Ross, Donald Brenton
Smith, Albert Osborne
Stone, Philip Matthew
Thompson, John
Tyrrell, Harold Edward
Royal Canadian Navy
Marryatt, Ralph Emerson Able Seaman, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Civilians
Knock, June Angeline
Macoun, Julie Maude
SS Lady Hawkins
January 19, 1942
SS Lady Hawkins was a steam turbine ocean liner, one of a class of five sister ships popularly known as "Lady Boats" that Cammell
Laird of Birkenhead, England built in 1928 and 1929 for the Canadian National Steamship Company. The five vessels were Royal Mail
Ships that Canadian National operated from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the Caribbean via Bermuda.
On the morning of January 19, 1942, the SS Lady Hawkins was sailing unescorted about 150 nautical miles (280 km) off Cape
Hatteras, taking a zigzag course when at 7:43 am, when two stern-launched torpedoes struck the ship fired from U-boat 66. The
liner sank in about 30 minutes killing 251 of the 322 people aboard.
The ship's master Captain Huntley Giffen, 85 other members of the crew, one DEMS gunner and 164 of her passengers, two of whom
were DBS (Distressed British Seamen survivors from previous sinkings), were lost.
21 of the lost had connection to Nova Scotia; 18 Merchant Navy, 1 Royal Canadian Navy DEMS Gunner (Defensively Equipped
Merchant Ship Gunner), and two civilians.
The 71 survivors whom the merchant ship SS Coamo rescued from their lifeboat on January 28, 1942, were Chief Officer Percy
Kelly, 21 crew, and 49 passengers.
Bush, Henry Benjamin
Henry Benjamin Bush was born on April 15, 1886, in La Have Islands, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, the son of Henry W. Bush (b.1842) and
Letitia Margaret (Publicover) Bush (b.1844) of Lunenburg Co., Nova Scotia. He was the husband of Catherine Delilah (Corkum) Bush
(1888-1973) and father of Lester Henry Bush (1925-1985). He was an Able Seaman, aged 55, on the SS Lady Hawkins and was lost at
sea when the ship was torpedoed.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 104 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Cannell, Wilfrid Edwin
Wilfred Edwin Connell, aged 38, was Second Steward on the SS Lady Hawkins. Born in Higher Bebington, Cheshire, England, he was
the son of Joseph Coole Cannell and Annie Mary Shaw, of Birkenhead, England and the husband of Georgina (Waugh) Cannell, of
Halifax, Nova Scotia. Lost at sea when the ship was torpedoed.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 107 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Cook-Gorbell, Lillie
Lillie Catherine Cook-Gorbell, aged 58, was the Stewardess on the Lady Hawkins. She was born in Halifax on January 1, 1884, the
daughter of David Cook and Catherine Rebecca (Conrad) Cook, of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Lillie Cook married Trueman Kewell Gorbell of
Toronto, Ontario on June 2, 1911. Trueman died of tuberculosis in 1911 at the age of 39, in Ontario.
Her name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 116 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Commemorated on a memorial plaque in Veteran's Park in Langford, British Columbia
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Coolen, Carl Hastings
Carl Hastings Coolen, aged 40, was the First Mate on the SS Lady Hawkins. He was born November 1,
1901
in Hubbards Cove, Nova Scotia, the son of Robert Lindsay Coolen (1870-1937) and Mary Jane (Wolfe)
Coolen (1875-1955) of Hubbards, Nova Scotia. Carl was the husband of Lillian May (James) Coolen,
(1908-1938) While born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Carl and Lillian lived in Fox Point, Lunenburg Co.,
NS.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 116 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Dunne, James Albert
Charles Albert Dunne, aged 52, was the Third Engineer Officer on the SS Lady Hawkins. He was the husband of Frances L. Dunne, of
Halifax, Nova Scotia.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 130 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Hall, Lloyd Kenneth
Lloyd Kenneth Hall, aged 28, was the 4th Engineer on the SS Lady Hawkins. Born on December 19, 1913 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, he
was the son of Ralph McMillan Hall (1882-1942) and Minnie Mae Mary (Sims) Hall of Halifax.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 148 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Hayman, Donald Stanley
Donald Stanley Hayman, aged 30, was a Baker on the SS Lady Hawkins. He was born March 1, 1911, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the son
of William John Hayman (1884-1952) and Margaretta Etta (Gorman) Hayman (1885-1951) of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Donald was the
husband of Gladys Marguerite (Foley) Hayman of Halifax.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 153 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Houghton, Harry Purdy
Harry Houghton, aged 54, was the Chief Refrigerating Engineer on the SS Lady Hawkins. He was born April 4, 1887 in Chester,
Lunenburg Co., Nova Scotia, the son of James David Houghton and Theresa Sarah (Chase) Houghton of Halifax, Nova Scotia.Harry was
the husband of Bernice Margaretta (Publicover) Houghton of Halifax and the father of David Daniel, Margaret, and Frances Houghton.
Harry served with the Canadian Garrison Artillery during WWI.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 157 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Kuhl, Rene Arnold
Rene Arnold Kuhl, aged 37, was the Second Engineer on the SS Lady Hawkins. He was born on April 19,
1904 in Berne, Switzerland. Rene was the husband of Dorothy Frances (Boudreau) Kuhl (b. 1909) of
Dover, Guysborough Co., Nova Scotia. The couple married on June 5, 1929, at St. Patrick’s Roman
Catholic Church, in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 167 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
McDonald, Thomas
Thomas McDonald, aged 24, was a Quartermaster on the SS Lady Hawkins. Born in Isle Aux Morts, Newfoundland, on December 31,
1917, he was the son of Michael McDonald (1892-1959) and Annie Maude (Knott) McDonald (1898-1989). Thomas was the husband of
Anastasia (Knott) McDonald (1921- 2015) of North Sydney, Nova Scotia and father of Thomas McDonald (b. Halifax, NS, March 12,
1942- 2016) and Welbourne MacDonald (1940-2014).
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 189 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Morrison, Lewis Nelson
Lewis Nelson Morrison, aged 44, a medical doctor was the Surgeon on the SS Lady Hawkins. Born on
February 11, 1893, in Oxford, Cumberland Co., Nova Scotia, he was the son of Daniel Nelson Morrison
(1854-1911) and Bessie Crosby Lewis (1864-1934). Lewis was the husband of Grace Gwendolyn (Smith)
Morrison (1898-1985). They were married in Halifax, NS, on June 16, 1925.
Lewis, a student at enlistment, served with the Canadian Army Medical Corps in England and France
during WWI (1915-1919) and was discharged on demobilization on August 14, 1919 at Halifax, NS.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 197 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Newell, Ephraim Eugene
Ephraim Eugene Newell, aged 24, was an Able Seaman, on the SS Lady Hawkins. He was born on
September 13, 1917, in Newellton, Shelburne Co., Nova Scotia, the son of Adelbert (1882-1943) and
Florence (Athinson) Newell (1884-1941). On November 10, 1939, he married Dorothy Wilhemina Ross
Newell, in Cape Sable Island, Shelburne Co., NS.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on the family grave monument in the Newellton Cemetery, Shelburne Co., NS.
Commemorated on Page 200 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Parker, John Edward
John Edward Parker, aged 26, was the Purser on the SS Lady Hawkins. He was the husband of Sophia Dickey Parker, of Halifax, Nova
Scotia.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 208 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Ross, Donald Brenton
Donald Brenton Ross, aged 26, was serving as a Plumber on the SS Lady Hawkins. Born on July 21,
1915, Donald was the son of Alexander Fraser Ross (1876-1963) and Mary Ann (Campbell) Ross (1883-
1960), of Pictou, Nova Scotia.
Donald was educated in Inverness public school, the Nova Scotia Agricultural College and at MacDonald
College in the Agricultural Program (1938). His hobby was photography.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 221 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Smith, Albert Osborne
Albert Osborne Smith, aged 46, was a Boatswain on the SS Lady Hawkins. Born on October 17, 1895, he was the son of Charles
Moore Smith (1864-1948) and Anastatia (Publicover) Smith (1865-1958) of LaHave, Nova Scotia. Albert served as a Private with the
1st Depot Battalion during WWI.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on the family grave monument in the Fort Point Cemetery, LaHave, Nova Scotia
Commemorated on Page 229 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Stone, Philip Matthew
Philip Matthew Stone, aged 27, served as a Quartermaster on the SS Lady Hawkins. He was born in 1914 in Harbour Breton,
Newfoundland, the son of Solomon Philip Stone (b.1882) and Mary Grace King Stone (b.1883). Philip was the husband of Anne Stone,
of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 234 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Thompson, John
John Thompson, aged 35, was a Linen Keeper on the SS Lady Hawkins. He was the brother of Mary (Thompson) Hanley, of Halifax,
Nova Scotia
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 240 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Tyrrell, Harold Edward
Harold Edward Tyrrell, aged 16, was an Able Seaman on the SS Lady Hawkins. Born on April 15, 1925 in
Parrsboro, Cumberland Co., Nova Scotia, he was the only son of Frank Harold Tyrrell (1893-1986) and
Violet Ruth (Moore) Tyrrell (1906-1999)
His name is listed on the Halifax Memorial
Commemorated on Page 243 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial