The Navy Memorial lists the names of those who were lost or buried at sea in the Pacific Ocean. Thirty-six of the names listed were on HMCS Galiano when it was lost on October 30, 1918.
HMCS Galiano was short-handed as a result of the Spanish Flu. Her sister ship Malaspina was to re-supply West Coast lighthouses and wireless stations, in particular the one on Triangle Island. Before Malaspina could sail she crushed her bow on the jetty and Galiano had to sail in her stead. Galiano arrived in a timely fashion at Triangle Island and accomplished the first task despite a green crew and a troublesome boiler.
At 5 p.m. on October 29, she set sail, bound for stations in the Queen Charlottes. A storm intensified through the night and as the light at Cape St. James on the southern tip of the Queen Charlottes became visible, she transmitted her last message: “holds full of water - send help". The message was sent by wireless operator Michael Neary and received by his brother W.C. Neary, one of the operators on Triangle Island. Nothing more was heard. HMCS Galiano was the only Canadian naval vessel lost in the First World War.
