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They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
SMITH, Thomas Alfred, L/Cook, V24481, RCNVR, MPK - 21 Aug 1944, HMCS ALBERNI - Son of Thomas Alfred and Louise Smith, of Norwood, Manitoba; husband of Letitia J. Smith, of Gaspe, Quebec.
L/Cook Smith died when his ship, HMCS ALBERNI, was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel on 21 Aug 1944 by U-480, southeast of the Isle of Wight. Fifty-nine of her ship's company lost their lives.
Thomas Alfred Smith was born in 1915 in Rotherham, Yorkshire, England and his family moved to Winnipeg, MB in 1923 where he worked for a soft drink bottling company that made a drink called Mexicola. After that he worked at the Green Gables Restaurant and the Furby Grill next to the old Furby Theatre in Winnipeg. He belonged to the Sons of England, and was an avid golfer. He joined the Navy in 1941 as a cook. While drafted to the GASPE area he met and married Lettie McCallum. Soon afterwards, he was transferred to HMCS ALBERNI as a Leading Cook. Alfred Smith Lake southeast of Sims Lake was named after him in 1995.
Ships served in: WINNIPEG DIVISION RCNVR - Enlisted 07 Apr 1941. Commenced Active Service 30 Apr 1941 as an Assistant Cook, RCNVR HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 16 Jun 1941 HMCS FORT RAMSAY - Drafted to FORT RAMSAY 09 Sep 1941 * Rated Cook (S) 09 Sep 1941 TUG PATRICIA MCQUEEN - Drafted to PATRICIA MCQUEEN 30 May 1942 HMCS FORT RAMSAY - Drafted to FORT RAMSAY 06 Nov 1942 HMCS ALBERNI - Drafted to ALBERNI 11 Jun 1943 * Rated Leading Cook 15 Jun 1943
(TS01) Portrait of Cook Smith (TS02) LS T. A. Smith report missing - Article from the Winnipeg Evening Tribune (TS03) Documents from the Service File of Thomas Smith
Second World War Casualty Index
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