For Posterity's Sake         

A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project

 

They made the Ultimate Sacrifice

 

Harold Mercer

 

Engine Room Artificer 4th Class, VR6418, RNCVR

 

Died: 30 Oct 1918 at sea

 

Book of Remembrance

 

MERCER, Harold, ERA 4c, VR6418, RNCVR, MPK - 30 Oct 1918, HMCS GALIANO - Son of James and Bessie Mercer, of House 24, Michel, B.C.

 

On 29 Oct 1918 the GALIANO was sent with supplies to the light house at Triangle Island off Cape Scott at the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island. A number of her regular crew were unable to make the trip due to illness as the 1918 flu pandemic had reached her base at Esquimalt. She set out towards the Queen Charlotte Islands from Triangle Island at 5 pm on Oct 29th. When she made her only distress call at 3 am the next morning, she was estimated to be within visual range of the light at Cape St. James 95 miles from Triangle Island. She was never heard from again and went down with the loss of all hands.

 

Ships served in:

HMCS GALIANO

 


 

First World War Casualty Index - RCN

 

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