In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar

ANDERSON, Ernest Raymond - joined the Royal Canadian Navy on 14 December 1939. He served on HMCS ATHABASKAN and survived her sinking, being picked up by HMCS HAIDA. The following is from his daughter, Karen Anderson. "My dad really never talked about his days in the war, he was just never the boastful kind of person. My mom does remember his brother telling her a story about my dad, on the ATHABASKAN on the night it sank. He mentioned how he was with one of the guns that exploded, he was thrown into the water and a lot of the men he was with were killed. He was a very strong swimmer and was able to swim to be rescued. He was covered in oil and had bad burns on his hands. He told me he remembers coming out being covered in oil and being filmed on a camera. I do know these burns on his hands gave him pain and limitations for his whole life."

Awards and Decorations: 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star with clasp France and Germany, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp, and the War Medal 1939-45

Ernest Anderson's HMCS ATHABASKAN cap tally. Note - this is a post Second World War cap tally for HMCS ATHABASKAN 2nd of name