They made the Ultimate Sacrifice

 

John Arthur (Art) MacLean

 

Chief Engine Room Artificer, A2742, RCNR

 

Born: 28 Oct 1909, Baddeck, Nova Scotia

 

Died: 10 Feb 1942 at sea

 

Book of Remembrance

 

MACLEAN, John Arthur (Art), CERA, A2742, RCNR, MPK - 10 Feb 1942, HMCS SPIKENARD - Son of Charles John and Rose Alice MacLean, Toronto, ON; husband of Louise Emma MacLean, Rosemount, QC.

 

CERA MacLean died when his ship, HMCS SPIKENARD, was torpedoed and sunk by U-136, about 465 nautical miles west of Malin Head, Ireland while escorting convoy SC-67. Of her crew of 65, there were only 8 survivors.

 

Chief Engine Room John Arthur (Art) Maclean, whose wife Rose and eight-year-old daughter, lives at 5508 Thirteenth Ave., Rosemount, Québec. He was born at Baddeck, Nova Scotia, and was 15 years when he served on the Great Lakes. At the time he joined the navy in September 1940, he was second engineer for the Keystone Transportation Company. Three brothers are in the Army, Navy and R.C.A.F.

 

John's brother William Alfred MacLean served in the Navy during the Second World War. John's brothers Michel MacLean and Daniel MacLean served in the Canadian Army and RCAF respectively during the Second World War.

 

Ships served in:

MONTREAL DIVISION RCNVR - Enlisted 30 Sep 1940 as a CERA, RCNR

HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 11 Oct 1940 as a CERA, RCNR

SS INVIK (DEMS) - Drafted to INVIK 06 Dec 1940 as a CERA, RCNR

HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 19 Dec 1940 as a CERA, RCNR

HMCS SPIKENARD - Drafted to SPIKENARD 28 Dec 1940 as a CERA, RCNR

 

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(JM01) Portrait of CERA Art MacLean

(JM02) Documents from the Service file of Art MacLean

 

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(JM03) Telegram to CERA MacLean's wife

(JM04) Letter to CERA MacLean's wife

(JM05) Condolences from the King and Queen

(JM06) Article from an unknown periodical on the death of CERA Art MacLean

(JM07) Art MacLean on an unknown vessel

 

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(JM08-JM09) Newspaper clippings on the loss of HMCS SPIKENARD and her casualties from the scrap book of Louise MacLean, Art's widow

(JM10) Stoker PO Hal Laabs - survivor of the sinking of HMCS SPIKENARD. Hal kept in touch with Louise MacLean, after the war. He later moved to the USA and Crossed the Bar in 1972

 

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(JM11) Signalman J. Condie, ship's barber on HMCS SPIKENARD with B. Wittington as his customer

(JM12) Signalman J. Condie, ship's barber on HMCS SPIKENARD with Lt Robert A. Hughes (the Jimmy) as his customer

(JM13) CPO Alf Kettle on the starboard side of SPIKENARD just aft the life raft

(JM14) CPO Alf Kettle on HMCS SPIKENARD just below the starboard bridge wing

(JM15) The eight survivors of the crew of HMCS SPIKENARD

 


 

Second World War Casualty Index

 

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