Canadian Virtual War Memorial
George Rosie
In memory of:
Leading Stoker George Rosie
November 15, 1942
Military Service
V/10616
26
Navy
Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
H.M.S. Quebec
Additional Information
Son of George and Isabella Rosie, of Bethune, Saskatchewan. George Rosie volunteered for assignment with the Royal Canadian Naval Combined Operations and while the time of his posting is not known, he was eventually based at H.M.S. Quebec, a 'stone frigate' a Combined Operations training base located in Inversary Castle at Inversary, Argyllshire on Lock Fyne, Scotland. The North American Invasion took place in November 1942, it is assumed that George Rosie, a Leading Stoker, as the 'chief engineer' aboard one of the landing craft transporting army troops to their landing destination somewhere in Tunisia or Algiers, North Africa. On completion of their mission, the naval personnel presumablywere embarked on MV 'Ettrick' for transport back to their in the Clyde, H.M.S. Quebec at Inverary. The 'Ettrick' was a training and transport ship, a passenger liner converted for troop transport purposes. On Sunday, November 15, 1942, she was on her way back from the North Africa Invasion to Inversary when she was torpedoed and sunk by U-155 at 36.13N - 07.54W, approximately 110 miles west of Gibralter, with a loss of life of 18 , 9 of which were RCN or RCNVR personnel and 6 of the ship's crew. The information provided herein was largely obtained through the research efforts of Frank Saies-Jones and Mrs. Janice MacCallum, Curator and Assistant Curator respectively of the Naval Museum of Alberta, from the resources available in the John Burgess Library. The primary source of the information is provided in St. Nazaire to Singapore: The Canadian Amphibious War 1941-45, Volumes 1 and 2.
Commemorated on Page 111 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.
Burial Information
HALIFAX MEMORIAL
Nova Scotia, Canada
Panel 9.
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:
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.
Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Digital Collection
-
Details
Newspaper clipping – From the Regina Leader Post November 1942. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me -
Details
Photo of GEORGE ROSIE – Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me
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.
- Date modified: