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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Maywell French

In memory of:

Second Steward Maywell French

October 14, 1942
Cabot Strait

Military Service

Age:

35

Force:

Merchant Navy

Unit:

Canadian Merchant Navy

Division:

S.S. Caribou (St. John's, Newfoundland) (151660)

Additional Information

Born:

January 1, 1907
Bay Roberts, Newfoundland and Labrador

His first name is Maxwell French.

Son of Richard French and Sarah Annie Parsons, of Bay Roberts, Newfoundland.

On 14 October, 1942, at 3:21 a.m., the ferry Caribou was hit by a torpedo launched by U-69 25 miles (40 km) from Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. She sank in the Cabot Strait in 1,600 feet (488 m) of water with 136 people (crew, passengers and military) in position 47°19'N/59°29'W. The 101 survivors were recovered by the escort ship HMCS Grand-Mère (J258) and landed in North Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. This sinking would be Canada's worst maritime tragedy in terms of human lives during the Second World War.

Commemorated on Page 138 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

BAY ROBERTS UNITED CHURCH CEMETERY
Newfoundland, Canada

Grave Reference:

N/A

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Photo of Maywell French– In memory of the men and women who perished on the SS Caribou October 14th 1942. Submitted on behalf of the Twillingate (Newfoundland) Museum for the project, Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Photo of Maywell French
    Photo of Maywell French – In memory of the men and women who perished on the SS Caribou October 14th 1942. Submitted on behalf of the Twillingate (Newfoundland) Museum for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • SS Caribou– In memory of the men and women who perished on the SS Caribou October 14th 1942. Submitted on behalf of the Twillingate (Newfoundland) Museum for the project, Operation Picture Me

    Details

    SS Caribou
    SS Caribou – In memory of the men and women who perished on the SS Caribou October 14th 1942. Submitted on behalf of the Twillingate (Newfoundland) Museum for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Museum– In memory of the men and women who perished on the SS Caribou October 14th 1942. Submitted on behalf of the Twillingate (Newfoundland) Museum for the project, Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Museum
    Museum – In memory of the men and women who perished on the SS Caribou October 14th 1942. Submitted on behalf of the Twillingate (Newfoundland) Museum for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Merchant Navy Monument in St. John's, NL

    Details

    Merchant Navy Monument in St. John's, NL
    Merchant Navy Monument in St. John's, NL
  • Dedication

    Details

    Dedication
    Dedication

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