Canadian Virtual War Memorial
John William Skeard
In memory of:
Oiler John William Skeard
October 14, 1942
Cabot Strait
Military Service
62
Merchant Navy
Canadian Merchant Navy
S.S. Caribou (St. John's, Newfoundland) (151660)
Additional Information
April 1, 1880
Channel, Newfoundland and Labrador
Son of Thomas Skeard and Susan B. Cole of Channel, Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. Thomas served in the Merchant Navy during the First World War. Husband of Dinah Ann Grace Kendell of Channel. Father of Susannah Grace, John Enos. Marc Lewis, Freeman Germain M. Thomas Norman, of Private Victor Helven Skeard, regimental number F-605229, of the 61st Canadian Army Basic Training Camp, who died of illness at Channel, Newfoundland, on 26 October 1945, Maisie Helena, Rhoda Elmia, James Phillip, William Albert, Alice Mary and of Dina Catherine Skeard.
On 14 October, 1942, at 3:21 a.m., the ferry Caribou was hit by a torpedo launched by U-69 25 miles (40 km) from Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. She sank in the Cabot Strait in 1,600 feet (488 m) of water with 136 people (crew, passengers and military) in position 47°19'N/59°29'W. The 101 survivors were recovered by the escort ship HMCS Grand-Mère (J258) and landed in North Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. This sinking would be Canada's worst maritime tragedy in terms of human lives during the Second World War.
Commemorated on Page 228 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.
Burial Information
HALIFAX MEMORIAL
Nova Scotia, Canada
Panel 22.
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.
Digital Collection
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Photo of JOHN WILLIAM SKEARD – In memory of the men and women who perished on the SS Caribou October 14th 1942. Submitted on behalf of the Twillingate (Newfoundland) Museum for the project, Operation Picture Me -
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SS Caribou – In memory of the men and women who perished on the SS Caribou October 14th 1942. Submitted on behalf of the Twillingate (Newfoundland) Museum for the project, Operation Picture Me -
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Museum – In memory of the men and women who perished on the SS Caribou October 14th 1942. Submitted on behalf of the Twillingate (Newfoundland) Museum for the project, Operation Picture Me -
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Merchant Navy Monument in St. John's, NL -
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Dedication
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