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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Jean Charles Mercier

In memory of:

Oiler Jean Charles Mercier

December 10, 1941
Caribbean Sea

Military Service


Age:

22

Force:

Merchant Navy

Unit:

Canadian Merchant Navy

Division:

S.S. Nereus (Montréal, Québec) (163243)

Additional Information


Son of Mr. and Mrs. David Mercier, of Arvida, Province of Quebec.

On 10 December 1941 the Nereus, which left St Thomas, in the Virgin Islands, with ore, was sailing alone when it disappeared at sea. No German submarine claimed to have sunk her. Her wreckage has never been found. Sometimes coal boats accidentally caught fire from coal residue accumulated in the hold.

Commemorated on Page 192 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

HALIFAX MEMORIAL
Nova Scotia, Canada

Grave Reference:

Panel 19.

Location:

The HALIFAX MEMORIAL in Nova Scotia's capital, erected in Point Pleasant Park, is one of the few tangible reminders of the men who died at sea. Twenty-four ships were lost by the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War and nearly 2,000 members of the RCN lost their lives. This Memorial was erected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and was unveiled in November 1967 with naval ceremony by H.P. MacKeen, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia, in the presence of R. Teillet, then Minister of Veterans Affairs. The monument is a great granite Cross of Sacrifice over 12 metres high, clearly visible to all ships approaching Halifax. The cross is mounted on a large podium bearing 23 bronze panels upon which are inscribed the names of over 3,000 Canadian men and women who were buried at sea. The dedicatory inscription, in French and English, reads as follows:

1914-1939
1918-1945
IN THE HONOUR OF
THE MEN AND WOMEN
OF THE NAVY
ARMY AND MERCHANT NAVY
OF CANADA
WHOSE NAMES
ARE INSCRIBED HERE
THEIR GRAVES ARE UNKNOWN
BUT THEIR MEMORY
SHALL ENDURE.

On June 19, 2003, the Government of Canada designated September 3rd of each year as a day to acknowledge the contribution of Merchant Navy Veterans.

Digital Collection

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  • Sculpture– An aluminium sculpture and granite base were erected at 2890 Davis Place, Jonquière, Quebec. This memorial consists of two parts, a granite base erected by local citizens in June 1952 to the local war dead of the Second World War, and, an aluminium sculpture wheel unveiled by Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 209 (Arvida) in June 1969.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[base] 
A NOS MORTS GLORIEUX DE LA GUERRE 1939-45 
TO OUR GLORIOUS DEAD WORLD WAR 1939-45 

RENALD ALLAIRE
JAMES BERESFORD
HARRY GORDON BLACK
WILLIAM BERESFORD
JEAN-CHARLES MERCIER
ERNEST VEILLEUX
LOUIS-PHILIPPE VEILLEUX 

POUR PERPÉTUELLE MÉMOIRE 
LES CITOYENS 
JUIN 1952 
IN PERPETUAL MEMORY 
THE CITIZENS 
JUNE 1952 
JE ME SOUVIENS 

[plaque/plaque] 

UN HOMMAGE DE LA LEGION ROYALE CANADIENNE FILIALE 209 - ARVIDA 
JUIN 1969
http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/nic-inm/sm-rm/mdsr-rdr-eng.asp?PID=4086

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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