Merchant Navy Memorial

This memorial is dedicated to the Canadian Merchant Seamen and Canadian vessels lost by enemy action during the First and Second World Wars and the Korean Conflict. It was dedicated on November 11, 1993, sponsored by the Canadian Merchant Navy Association and assisted by the Armed Forces. On October 22, 1993, the Merchant Navy Memorial was mounted at Sackville Landing, Halifax. It was sponsored by the Canadian Merchant Navy Association with donations from Canadians.

The significance of the memorial is that it honours the memory of thousands of Canadians who volunteered their service and lives for their country in wartime, which occurred half a century ago. The Merchant Navy provided a vital role in the Allied success of World War II, by carrying troops, food, fuel, and war supplies overseas to the armed forces and civilian population. The black rectangle-shaped African granite monument on a gray granite base is nearly six feet long, four and a half feet high and weighs over 5,000 pounds. Both sides are engraved with various marine symbols. Conspicuous is the S.S. Point Pleasant Park, a 10,000-ton Parkship, built in Canada and torpedoed off the coast of West Africa in World War II. “Canada” is in large block letters. “Mother Earth” in upper right corner is depicted by a six inch terrestrial sphere, displaying North and South America, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The Canadian Merchant Navy insignia, worn in wartime as a lapel pin, is in the upper left corner. Both official languages describe the memory of 2,200 known Canadian Merchant Seamen and 91 Canadian vessels lost by enemy action and those who served in World War I, World War II, and the Korean conflict. Two anchors at bottom corners depict a destroyed vessel at rest on the ocean floor. A rope border inside the perimeter represents the continuity of seamanship and the marine profession. Engraved in the rear is a similar rope and then names of 24 Canadian vessels lost in World War I and 67 vessels lost in World War II. A time capsule, a 3″ x 12″ insulated cylinder, containing various items is fitted inside a stainless steel vacuum sealed four inch pipe. Contents include Senate Report “It’s Almost Too Late”, letters from three levels of government, C.M.N.A. membership, a set of 1993 Canadian coins, M.N. Report, copy of “Red Duster” and front page of the Chronicle Herald, September 23, 1993. Captain E. Wagner designed the memorial. Professor Horst Deppe produced the drawings. Commander Tony and Jane Law were artistic consultants. Heritage Monuments, Windsor, Nova Scotia, manufactured the memorial.

Since November 11, 1993, the Merchant Navy Memorial remembers and honours all those men and women who served their country in World War II. The special significance is the memory of 2,200 known Canadian Merchant Seamen and 91 Canadian vessels lost by enemy action and those who served in the cause of freedom, commemorating wars of this century.

Inscription

[front/devant]
CANADA

IN MEMORY OF 2200 KNOWN CANADIAN
MERCHANT SEAMEN AND 91 VESSELS
LOST BY ENEMY ACTION AND THOSE WHO
SERVED IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM

A LA MÉMOIRE DES 2200 MARINS MARCHANDS
ET DES 91 VAVIRES CANADIENS QUI ONT PÉRU
LORS DES HOSTILITÉS ET A TOUS CEUX QUI
ONT SERVI LA CAUSE DE LA LIBERTÉ.

COMMEMORATING/COMMEMORANT
WORLD WAR I 1914 – 1918 LA PREMIERE GUERRE MONDIALE
WORLD WAR II 1939 – 1945 LA SECONDE GUERRE MONDIALE
KOREAN CONFLICT 1950 – 1953 LA GUERRE DE COREE

[rear/arrière]
CANADIAN VESSELS LOST BY ENEMY ACTION/NAVIRES CANADIENSPORTES DISPARUS
WORLD WAR I/LA PREMIERE GUERRE MONDIALE

SCHR. C.M. WALTERS
SCHR. LUCILLE M. SCHNARE
SCHR. E.B. WALTERS
SCHR. UDA A. SAUNDERS
SCHR. PASADENA
SCHR. GLOAMING
SCHR. POTENTATE
SCHR. VERNA D. ADAMS

SCHR. ELSIE PORTER
SCHR. L.C. TOWER
SCHR. ST. OLAF
SCHR. HARRY W. ADAMS
SCHR. PERCÉ
S.S. DUNDEE
SCHR. MAYOLA
SCHR. THOMAS

SCHR. WILLENA GERTRUDE
SCHR. MINAS QUEEN
SCHR. DORFONTEIN
SCHR. INDUSTRIAL
S.S. EMPRESS FORT WILLIAM
S.S. D.A. GORDON
S.S. LUZ BLANCA
S.S. FRESHFIELD

WORLD WAR II/LA SECONDE GUERRE MONDIALE

S.S. ERIK BOYLE
S.S. MAGOG
S.S. WATERLOO
S.S. THOROLD
S.S. KENORDOC
S.S. ST. MALO
S.S. TREVISA
S.S. MAPLECOURT
S.S. CANADIAN CRUISER
S.S. A.D. HUFF
S.S. J.B. WHITE
M.V. CANADOLITE
S.S.PORTADOC
M.V. EUROPA
S.S. COLLINGDOC
M.V. VANCOUVER ISLAND
S.S. SHINAI
S.S. LADY HAWKINS
M.V. MONTROUTE
S.S. EMPRESS OF ASIA
VICTOLITE
S.S. GEORGE I. TORIAN

S.S. LENNOX
S.S. SARNIADOC
S.S. ROBERT W. POMEROY
S.S. VINELAND
SCHR. JAMES E. NEWSOM
SCHR. MILDRED PAULINE
S.S. LADY DRAKE
S.S. MONT LOUIS
M.V. CALGAROLITE
S.S. TORONDOC
S.S. TROISDOC
S.S. FRANK B. BAIRD
S.S. LIVERPOOL PACKET
SCHR. MONA MARIE
M.V. LUCILLE M.
S.S. PRESCODOC
S.S. PRINCESS MARGUERITE
S.S. DONALD STEWART
S.S. LORD STRATHCONA
S.S. JOHN A. HOLLOWAY
S.S. OAKTON
S.S. NORFOLK
S.S. CAROLUS

S.S. BIC ISLAND
S.S. ROSE CASTLE
S.S. CHR. J. KAMPMANN
S.V. ANGELUS
S.S. JASPER PARK
S.S. WATUKA
S.S. ALBERT C. FIELD
S.S. CORNWALLIS
S.S. PT. PLEASANT PARK
S.S. TABER PARK
S.S. AVONDALE PARK
S.S. LADY NELSON
M.V. NIPIWAN PARK
S.S. FORT BELLINGHAM
S.S. FORT ATHABASCA
S.S. FORT ST. NICHOLAS
S.S. FORT MISSANABIE
S.S. FORT NORFOLK
S.S. FORT MAISONNEUVE
S.S. FORT FIDLER
S.S. FORT MCPHERSON
S.S. FORT GLOUCESTER

En commémoration des Première et Seconde Guerres mondiales et de la guerre de Corée. Ce monument a été érigé le 22 octobre 1993 grâce au parrainage de l’Association canadienne de la Marine marchande et des Forces armées canadiennes ainsi qu’aux dons des citoyens. Il rend hommage à tous ceux et celles qui se sont portés volontaires et ont donné leur vie pour servir leur pays en temps de guerre. La Marine marchande a joué un rôle important dans le succès des alliés durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale en transportant troupes, vivres, essence et fournitures de guerre outre-mer pour les Forces armées et la population civile. Ce monument de granit mesure 6 pieds de longueur par 4 ½ de hauteur et pèse 5000 livres. Les deux côtés sont gravés de symboles maritimes. On remarque le SS Point Pleasant Park, un navire de 10,000 tonnes construit au Canada et coulé sur la côte africaine durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Le monument énumère les 2,200 marins marchands connus qui ont péri et les 91 vaisseaux canadiens coulés par l’ennemi ainsi que ceux et celles qui ont servi durant les Première et Seconde Guerres mondiales et la guerre de Corée. Une sphère terrestre montre les Amériques et les océans Atlantique et Pacifique. Inclus aussi, un coffret contenant divers objets, dont le rapport du Sénat intitulé “It’s almost too late”. Le design est du capt. E. Wagner, les dessins du professeur Horst Deppe, le commander Tony Law et Jane Law, conseillers artistiques. Fabrication de Heritage Monuments, Windsor, N.S. Le dévoilement du mémorial de la Marine marchande a eu lieu le 11 novembre 1993.

Le texte de l’inscription figure dans la section anglaise.