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They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
PETTS, Clifford, LS, V7403, RCNVR, MPK - 22 OCT 1940, HMCS MARGAREE - Son of Herbert and Rebecca Petts, of Toronto, Ontario. Husband of Evangeline E. Petts, of Scarborough, Ontario.
Leading Seaman Petts died when his ship, HMCS MARGAREE, was struck by the freighter SS Port Fairy while in convoy and was sunk. 143 of her crew were lost, 86 of them were survivors of HMCS FRASER.
Leading Seaman Clifford Petts was a member of the crew of the destroyer Fraser, but was away from his ship on leave at that time and so was safe when the Fraser was sunk. He was in Toronto last June for the last time, left Canada for Britain a short time late to be posted to the Margaree, and had been serving in the new Canadian ship's crew since then. He was a member of the Toronto division of the RCNVR for seven years, an when war broke out was called up immediately for active service. He was kept in Toronto for several weeks last autumn, then took a gunnery course at Halifax, served as an instructor there for a time, and then joined the Fraser, remaining with that ship until he got leave a short time before it was sunk. He was married four years ago. Besides his widow, he leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Petts, 286 Waverley Road; five brothers and three sisters, William, Herbert and Harry Petts, Mrs. R.J. Buchanan, Mrs. Harry Jones and Mrs. Sidney Rose of Toronto; Alfred Petts of Detroit and James Petts of Rochester, N.Y. (Glove and Mail, 28 Oct 1940)
Ships served in: TORONTO COMPANY RCNVR - Enlisted as an Ordinary Seaman, RCNVR HMCS STADACONA - Served in STADACONA for training 01 Sep 1934 - 07 Oct 1934 HMCS STADACONA - Served in STADACONA for training 15 Aug 1936 - 10 Sep 1936 HMCS DUNDEE - Served in DUNDEE for training 10-13 Sep 1936 * Rated Able Seaman, RCNVR 11 Sep 1936 * Discharged 29 Jan 1937. Changed place of residence TORONTO DIVISION RCNVR - Re-entry 02 May 1937 as an Able Seaman, RCNVR HMCS STADACONA - Served in STADACONA for training 25 Sep 1937 - 24 Oct 1937 * Rated Acting Seaman Torpedoman, RCNVR 22 Oct 1937 * Rated Acting Leading Seaman, RCNVR 20 Dec 1937 * Rated Leading Seaman, RCNVR HMCS SAGUENAY - Served in SAGUENAY for training 01 Jan 1938 - 19 May 1938 HMCS STADACONA - Served in STADACONA for training 20 May 1938 - 21 May 1938 HMCS STADACONA - Served in STADACONA for training 16-30 Jul 1939 * Commenced Active Service 08 Sep 1939 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 22 Sep 1939 HMCS FRASER - Drafted to FRASER 23 Nov 1939 * Rated Seaman Torpedoman 26 Nov 1939 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 17 Jan 1940 HMCS FRASER - Drafted to FRASER 20 Feb 1940 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 07 Mar 1940 HMCS ALACHASSE - Drafted to ALACHASSE 12 Mar 1940 HMCS FUNDY - Drafted to FUNDY 31 Mar 1940 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 17 Jul 1940 HMCS MARGAREE - Drafted to MARGAREE 14 Aug 1940 * Commissioning crew 06 Sep 1940
Service file for Clifford Petts Source: The Library and Archives of Canada
Second World War Casualty Index
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