Able Seaman Joseph Frederick Fortune

Son of John Edward Fortune and Vitelena Helena Latulippe, of Sydney, Nova Scotia. During the First World War, John Edward enlisted on 19 November 1914 with the 62nd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was transferred to the 115th Battalion, regimental number 742444. He was demobilized on 30 August 1916 for medical reasons. During the Second World War, he served as a private in the Veterans Guards and was assigned to dry dock security in St. John, New Brunswick.

Sailing with the 61-ship convoy SC-118, on 8 February 1943, at 0142 hours, the Newton Ash was torpedoed by U-402 700 miles (1127 km) west of Ininstrahull, south of Iceland and sank with 34 crew and five gunners, position 56°25'N/22°26'W. The four survivors were recovered by the US Coast Guard Ship USCGC Ingham (WPG-35) and landed in Reykjavik, Iceland. The attack by a pack of 18 U-boats sent twelve cargo ships to the bottom and three submarines sunk.