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Wartime Heritage
ASSOCIATION
Remembering World War I
Yarmouth Connections
Sources:
findagrave
Name:
Rank:
Service:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
Cemetery:
Commemorated:
Glendall Charles Larkin
Second Mate
SS Aztec, American Merchant Navy
May 25, 1893
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
April 1, 1917
23
Lost at Sea
Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn, Mass
Glendall Crowell Larkin and Harry Lewis Larkin
SS Atzec
Name:
Rank:
Service:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
Cemetery:
Commemorated:
Harry Lewis Larkin
Second Assistant Engineer
SS Aztec, American Merchant Navy
January 26 1889
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
April 1, 1917
28
Lost at Sea
Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn, Mass
Glendal Crowell Larkin and Harry Lewis Larkin were the sons of Captain Anthony Coleman Larkin (1855–1913) and Miriam Hopkins
Smith Larkin (1862–1913). Their father was born in Pubnico, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia; their mother was born in Sable Island in
Shelburne Co., NS. Their parents married in Milton in Yarmouth on November 23, 1886.
Glendal and Harry had three sisters, Beatrice Winifred Larkin (1887–1969), Charlotte Isabell Larkin (1894–1975), and Eugenia Mabel
Larkin (1897–1977); and two other brothers Kenneth Archer Larkin (1891–1958) and Herbert Mitchell Larkin (1901–1973).
The two brothers were naturalized American citizens in 1917. Glendall was preparing for his second voyage with the SS Aztec and
visited with relatives two weeks prior to sailing when his Aunt, Mrs. Porter pleaded with him not to go on the SS Aztec.
Harry was in New York enrolled on another vessel. When Glendall met his brother in New York, he persuaded Harry to join him and
make the voyage on SS Aztec.
The SS Aztec, a slow moving freighter, departed New York on March 18 en route to Havre, France. The ship carried a cargo of
foodstuffs and general supplies.
Nine miles, west-south-west of Ushant Light on the French island
of Ushant (Île d'Ouessant) that marks the southern limit of the
Celtic Sea and the southern entrance to the English Channel, the
Captain of the SS Aztec was on the bridge and saw a large flash on
the port side forward of the bridge. Simultaneously he hear a
loud explosion and the ship seemed to be lifted to one side. No
submarine nor torpedo was seen. The ship began to sink forward,
listing to starboard and continued to sink rapidly. The ship now
in complete darkness and completely under forward, the Captain
gave orders to stand by the boats to abandon the ship.
The moon was shining, but the sky was overcast with frequent hail and rain squalls. The sea was very rough. At 9:40 am three boats
were launched. The first and third boat were successful in clearing the ship; however, the second was broken up getting away.
Number three boat was lost sight of after fifteen minutes and there was no trace of number two boat. Number one boat contained
the Captain and nineteen men the only survivors.
The SS Aztec was visible for about twenty minutes and then disappeared in a rain squall. After three hours the survivors were picked
up by a French patrol boat which after unsuccessful searching for the other two boats, proceeded to Brest. Among the missing were
both Glendal and Harry Larkin.
The Boston Globe April 3, 1917
(p.3)
