Page 58 - Louisbourg Fishermen Rescue U.S. Seamen, 1942

ISSUE : Issue 41

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1986/1/1

Alberta Stevens, R.N., Mrs. Ruby Stewart, Mrs. "Jimmy Ned" Townsend and'Mrs. Laura Wilcox, R.N., gently removed the iced clothes, bathed the men in warm water, patted circulation back into frozen limbs, wrapped the men in blankets and fed them soup and coffee, "the first hot food and coffee since our departure the previous Monday," commented Ensign Jordan. "Excel? lent and efficient care was taken of us, although we were too spent to care much." Other women in town made gallons of hot soup and coffee and sons and daughters were pressed into service to bring them up to the Navy Hut for the men. It took an hour per man to revive them. As they revived they were taken to the Air Force Hospital in Victoria Park, Sydney. Not a man lost his life. D. H. Gibson, C.B.E., then president of the Navy League, paid tribute to the men and women in a full page ad in the August 23, 1943, Montreal Gazette sponsored by the Robert Simpson Company for the 1943 Na? vy League appeal. Below a graphic drawing of the ice-caked ship and the small boat heading towards the anxious seamen, the caption read: "BY THEIR DEEDS, MEASURE YOURS" "... these..,men were exposed on the upper deck during the howling gale and fierce blasts of the winter wind and icy spray coating their clothing. They dare not go below for fear of their ship keeling over with the weight of ice. Rescued by gallant Louisbourg fishermen, they were brought in? to the Navy League Hostel,,,. Because of the care received at the hostel the limbs of all but one were saved." The main body of this story was written by Jean Kyte, Louisbourg • the result of interviews and con? siderable research into the inquest held regarding the grounding of S.C. 709. Her entire article was first published in The Coastal Courier, May 16, 1984. To this edited version of her article we have added portions from our talks with two of the fishermen involved in the rescue. Our thanks to Ms. Kyte for sharing her copies of photos of S.C. 709, officers and crew. iters and Crew S.C. 709 Elizabeth City Shipyard 16 November 1942 The only key to trouble-free and long car life is regular and careful maintenance. For over 23 years, maintenance • solely of European cars • has been our occupation. If you don't wish to maintain your car, neither do weli If you do, we'd like to help!! EUROCAR SERVICE LTD. '-- ""'"?"-' '?- SYDNEY 564-9721 A Neighbourhood Store in a Beautiful Village Neits Harbour CO-OP' Suppliers of Commercial Recreational Fencing P._0. Box 98. King St.. North Sydney, N. S. B2A 3M1 794-4773 "Have our auger truck dig your holes.

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