Seamen's Memorial

Bell Island, Newfoundland & Labrador
Type
Other

The Seaman’s Memorial was created in 1994 by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 18. It commemorates the Merchant Navy and Royal Navy sailors who lost their lives in the two U-boat attacks at Bell Island in 1942. SS Lord Strathcona, SS Saganaga, SS Rosecastle, and SS PLM 27 were all sunk.

A large poppy sits at the top of the archway entrance. The monuments in the garden are surrounded by a wall supporting a salvaged anchor chain that was recovered from PLM 27. The anchor chain was previously supported by wooden posts and before the wall and archway were constructed, there were six large stones at the entrance.

Inscription

[entrance]
LEST WE FORGET

SEAMANS MEMORIAL

[stele front/stèle avant]
LANCE COVE - BELL ISLAND

THE ONLY COMMUNITY IN NORTH AMERICA
TO TAKE A DIRECT HIT FROM A TORPEDO FIRED BY A
NAZI U - BOAT IN WORLD WAR II.

ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1942, THE S.S. SAGANAGA AND THE
S.S. LORD STRATHCONA, ANCHORED NEAR LANCE COVE, BELL
ISLAND, WERE SUNK BY U - 513.

ON NOVEMBER 2 1942, THE S.S. ROSE CASTLE AND THE
FREE FRENCH FREIGHTER P.L.M. 27, ALSO ANCHORED A FEW
HUNDERD YARDS FROM LANCE COVE, WERE SENT TO THE
BOTTOM AFTER BEING ATTACHED BY U - 518. SIXTY-NINE
SEAMEN LOST THEIR LIVES IN THESE SINKINGS.

DURING THE ATTACK OF NOVEMBER 2, 1942, A TORPEDO
STRUCK THE SCOTIA LANDING PIER, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL
DAMAGE AND SEVERE SHOCK TO RESIDENTS OF THE ISLAND
WHO WERE AWAKENED BY THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION

THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF BELL ISLAND
TO COMMEMORATE THESE WARTIME EVENTS AND
TO REMEMBER THE BRAVE SEAMEN
WHO LOST THEIR LIVES.

LA SEULE COMMUNAUTÉ EN AMÉRIQUE DU NORD À AVOIR ÉTÉ
VICTIME DÙNE ATTAQUE ALLEMANDE PENDANT
LA 2ÈME GUERRE MONDIALE

LE 5 SEPTEMBRE 1942, LE S.S. SAGANAGA ET
LE S.S. LORD STRATHCONA, ANCRÉS PRÈS DE LANCE COVE,
BELLE ISLAND, SE SONT FAIT COULÉS PAR LE U - 513.

LE 2 NOVEMBRE 1942, LE S.S. ROSE CASTLE ET
LE CARGO P.L.M. 27 DES FORCES NAVALES FRANÇAISES LIBRES,
ANCRÉS ÉGALEMENT À QUELQUES CENTAINES DE MÈTRES DE
LANCE COVE, ONT ÉTÉ ENVOYÉS AU FOND PAR LE U - 518.
À LA SUITE DE CES DEUX TORPILLAGES, SOIXANTE-NEUF
MARINS DE LA MARINE MARCHANDE ON PÉRI.

PENDANT L`ATTAQUE DU 2 NOVEMBRE 1942, UNE TORPILLE
A HEURTÉ LE QUAI SCOTIA, PROVOQUANT DES DÉGÂTS
IMPORTANTS. LES RÉSIDENTS DE L`ÎLE SE SONT
FAIT RÉVEILLÉS PAR LA FORCE DE L`EXPLOSION

CE MONUMENT EST ÉLEVÉ PAR LES RÉSIDENTS DE BELL ISLAND
EN COMMÉMORATION DE CES ÉVÈNEMENTS DE GUERRE
ET EN MÉMOIRE DE CES BRAVES MARINS
QUI ONT PERDU LEUR VIE.

[stele back/stèle  arrière]
Inscribed with names of 69 seaman who lost their lives.
Gravé avec le nom des 69 marins qui ont perdu la vie.

[anchor and plaque on small slab/ancre et plaque sur petite dalle]
SS PLM 27

[plaque on slab/plaque sur dalle]
THIS PLAQUE IS
DEDICATED TO THE RESIDENTS OF
LANCE COVE
FOR SERVICES RENDERED
TO VICTIMS OF
TWO U - BOATS 1942

BRANCH 18
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION

[anchor and plaque on small slab/ancre et plaque sur petite dalle]
SS PLM 27

Location
Seamen's Memorial

Lance Cove Beach Road
Bell Island
Newfoundland & Labrador
GPS Coordinates
Lat. 47.600765
Long. -52.9782904

Seamen's Memorial

1 of 4 images

stele

1 of 4 images

anchor and plaque on small slab

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plaque on slab

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