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| MARINER OVERVIEW The merchant mariners were the 'Forgotten Fourth Service' during WWII. "In 1939, Canada had only 37 foreign-going ships of over 1,500 tons, manned by 1,500 seafarers. At the end of the war, Canada had 200 merchant ships of over 10,000 tons. These ships were manned by 12,000 seafarer crews that ranged from 15 years old to 80 years old. Between 1939 and 1945, Canada lost 75 ships and 1,468 seamen lost their lives." [1] "Merchant mariners were civilian sailors... [they] were all volunteers, receiving a marginally higher pay rate than Navy sailors. Merchant navy ships delivered troops, munitions, food and fuel around the world, keeping the Allied war effort alive. They paid a terrible price: one in seven merchant mariners died at sea - a higher casuality rate than any of the other armed forces..." [2] |
| - Earl & Albert O'Hanley - Merchant Mariners from Prince Edward Island in WWII Earl's Story Maplecourt Roster U-107 Convoy SC-20 Albert's Story |
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| Albert (around 1938) |
| Earl (around 1940) |