Canadian WWII Merchant Ship Losses
This page contains lists of Canadian Merchant Ships which were lost in conflict between 1939 and 1945. This information is adapted from a paper written by Robert C. Fisher, for the Department of National Defence History Division, dated June 1993.
Ships with names ending in DOC, such as PORTADOC and SORELDOC, are former lakers owned by Paterson Steamships. They are named after towns and cities on the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway; the DOC part of the name signifies "Dominion Of Canada."
Canadian-Registered Merchant Ships Lost by Enemy Action
| Date | Ship Name | Cause of Loss | Tonnage | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | ||||
| 15 Jun | Erik Boye (HX-48) | Torpedoed by U-38 | 2,238 | Off Land's End 50°37N 08°44W |
| 5 Jul | Magog (HX-52) | Torpedoed and Shelled by U-99 | 2,053 | Off Ireland 50°31N 11°05W |
| 10 Jul | Waterloo | Bombed by German aircraft | 1,905 | North Sea 52°53N 02°19E |
| 22 Aug | Thorold | Bombed by German aircraft | 1,689 | Irish Sea 51°46N 05°38W |
| 15 Sep | Kenordoc (SC-3) | Most likely shelled by U-boat. (See Note 1) | 1,780 | North Atlantic 57°42N 15°02W |
| 12 Oct | St. Malo (HX-77) | Torpedoed by U-boat | 5,779 | North Atlantic 57°58N 16°32W |
| 16 Oct | Trevisa (SC-7) | Torpedoed by U-124 | 1,813 | North Atlantic 57°28N 20°30W |
| 1941 | ||||
| 6 Feb | Maplecourt (SC-20) | Torpedoed by U-107 | 3,388 | North Atlantic 55°39N 15°56W |
| 21 Feb | Canadian Cruiser | Sunk by raider (Admiral Scheer) | 7,178 | Indian Ocean 06°36S 47°18E |
| 22 Feb | A.D. Huff | Sunk by raider (Gneisenau) | 6,219 | North Atlantic 47°12N 40°13W |
| 17 Mar | J.B. White (HX-112) | Torpedoed by U-99 | 7,375 | North Atlantic 60°57N 12°27W |
| 25 Mar | Canadolite | Captured by raider (Kormoran). Sunk by RAF in 1944 | 11,309 | Mid-Atlantic 02°30N 23°48W |
| 7 Apr | Portadoc | Torpedoed by U-124 | 1,746 | Off Sierra Leone 07°17N 16°53W |
| 3 May | Europa | Bombed by German aircraft | 10,224 | Liverpool, UK (No coordinates) |
| 13 July | Collingdoc | Mined, Thames River, UK. | 1,780 | Salvaged; sunk as a blockship off Brest, France. |
| 15 Oct | Vancouver Island | Torpedoed by U-558 | 9,472 | North Atlantic 53°37N 25°37W |
| 25 Nov | Proteus | Cause unknown, Sabotage suspected. (Note 1) | 10,653 | Caribbean Sea (unknown) |
| 12 Dec | Nereus | Cause unknown, Sabotage suspected. (See Note 1) | 10,647 | Caribbean Sea (unknown) |
| 12 Dec | Shinai | Seized by Japanese Forces | 2,410 | North Borneo (No coordinates) |
| 1942 | ||||
| 19 Jan | Lady Hawkins | Torpedoed by U-66 | 7,988 | Off North Carolina 35°OON 72°30W |
| 4 Feb | Montrolite | Torpedoed by U-109 | 11,309 | Northeast of Bermuda 35°14N 60°05W |
| 5 Feb | Empress of Asia | Bombed by Japanese aircraft | 16,909 | Singapore (No coordinates) |
| 10 Feb | Victolite | Torpedoed by U-564 | 11,410 | Northwest of Bermuda 36°12N 67°14W |
| 22 Feb | George L. Torian | Torpedoed by U-129 | 1,754 | Off Guyana 09°13N 59°04W |
| 23 Feb | Lennox | Torpedoed by U-129 | 1,904 | Off Guyana 09°15N 58°30W |
| 15 Mar | Sarniadoc | Torpedoed by U-161 | 1,940 | Caribbean Sea 15°45N 65°00W |
| 1 Apr | Robert W. Pomeroy | Mined off Cromer, England | 1,750 | North Sea 53°10N 01°10E |
| 20 Apr | Vineland | Torpedoed by U-154 | 5,587 | Caribbean Sea 23°05N 72°20W |
| 1 May | James E. Newsom | Shelled by U-69 | 671 | Northeast of Bermuda 35°SON 59°40W |
| 5 May | Lady Drake | Torpedoed by U-106 | 7,985 | North of Bermuda 35°43N 64°43N |
| 7 May | Mildred Pauline | Shelled by U-136 | 300 | Off Nova Scotia (No coordinates) |
| 8 May | Mont Louis | Torpedoed by U-162 | 1,905 | Off Guyana 08°23N 58°44W |
| 9 May | Calgarolite | Torpedoed and SheIled by U-125 | 11,941 | Caribbean Sea 19°24N 82°30W |
| 21 May | Torondoc | Torpedoed by U-69 | 1,927 | Caribbean Sea 14°45N 62°15W |
| 21 May | Troisdoc | Torpedoed by U-558 | 1,925 | Caribbean Sea 18°15N 79°20W |
| 22 May | Frank B. Baird | Shelled by U-158 | 1,748 | Southeast of Bermuda 28°03N 58°50W |
| 30 May | Liverpool Packet | Torpedoed by U-432 | 1,188 | Off Nova Scotia 43°20N 66°20W |
| 28 Jun | Mona Marie | Shelled by U-126 | 126 | Caribbean Sea 12°22N 60°10W |
| 25 Jul | Lucille M. | Shelled by U-89 | 54 | Off Nova Scotia 42°02N 65°38W |
| 29 Jul | Prescodoc | Torpedoed by U-160 | 1,938 | Of f Guyana 08°50N 59°05W |
| 17 Aug | Princess Marguerite | Torpedoed by U-83 | 5,875 | Mediterranean Sea 32°03N 32°47E |
| 3 Sep | Donald Stewart | Torpedoed by U-517 | 1,781 | Belle Isle Strait 50°32N 58°46W |
| 5 Sep | Lord St rathcona | Torpedoed by U-513 | 7,335 | Wabana, Nfld. 47°35N 52°59W |
| 6 Sep | John A. Holloway | Torpedoed by U-164 | 1,745 | Caribbean Sea 14°10N 71°30W |
| 7 Sep | Oakton (Q533) | Torpedoed by U-517 | 1,727 | Gulf of St. Lawrence 48°50 63°46W |
| 18 Sep | Norfolk | Torpedoed by U-175 | 1,901 | Off Guyana 08°36N 59°20W |
| 9 Oct | Carolus | Torpedoed by U-69 | 2,375 | Gulf of St. Lawrence 48°47N 68°10W |
| 29 Oct | Bic Island (HX-212) | Torpedoed by U-624 | 4,000 | North Atlantic 55°05N 23°27W |
| 2 Nov | Rose Castle | Torpedoed by U-518 | 7,803 | Off Newfoundland 47°36N 52°58W |
| 3 Nov | Chr. J. Kampmann (TAG-18) | Torpedoed by U-160 | 2,260 | Caribbean Sea 12°06N 62°42W |
| 1943 | ||||
| 19 May | Angelus | Shelled by U-161 | 255 | North of Bermuda 38°40N 64°00W |
| 6 Jul | Jasper Park | Torpedoed by U-177 | 7,129 | Indian Ocean 32°52S 42°15E |
| 1944 | ||||
| 22 Mar | Watuka | Torpedoed by U-802 | 1,621 | Off Nova Scotia 44°30N 62°51W |
| 18 Jun | Albert C. Field | Torpedoed by German aircraft | 1,764 | English Channel 50°28N 01°46W |
| 3 Dec | Cornwallis | Torpedoed by U-1230 | 5,458 | Gulf of Maine 43°59N 68°20W |
| 1945 | ||||
| 23 Feb | Point Pleasant Park | Torpedoed by U-510 | 7,136 | Off South Africa 29°42S 09°58E |
| 13 Mar | Taber Park (FS-1753) | Most likely torpedoed by midget submarine. (See Note 1) | 2,878 | North Sea 52°22N 01°53E |
| 7 May | Avondale Park | Torpedoed by U-2336 | 2,878 | Firth Of Forth 56°10N 02°32W |
Note 1: The cause of loss of these merchant ships has not been established beyond doubt.
Canadian-Registered Merchant Ships Lost by Other Causes
| Date | Ship Name | Cause of Loss | Tonnage | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | ||||
| 6 Dec | Watkins F. Nisbet | Ran ashore and wrecked. Later salved for scrap. | 1,747 | Bristol Channel (No coordinates) |
| 1941 | ||||
| 5 Oct | Mondoc | Struck submerged object. | 1,926 | Caribbean Sea (No coordinates) |
| 1942 | ||||
| 15 Jan | R.J. Cullen | Wrecked two miles off Barra Island, Outer Hebrides. | 6,973 | Sea of Hebrides (No coordinates) |
| 1943 | ||||
| 1 Jan | Hamildoc | Foundered in heavy seas. Declared a total loss. | 1,926 | Off Guyana (En route to Trinidad). |
Canadian-Registered Merchant Ships Severely Damaged
| Date | Ship Name | Cause of Loss | Tonnage | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | ||||
| 16 Dec | Bic Island (See Note 2) | Bombed by German aircraft | 4,000 | North Atlantic 54°12N 17°45w |
| 21 Dec | Europa (See Note 2) | Bombed by German aircraft | 10,224 | Liverpool (No coordinates) |
| 1942 | ||||
| 10 Mar | Lady Nelson | Torpedoed by U-161 Salvaged and repaired | 7,970 | Port Castries, St.Lucia |
| 11 Sep | Cornwallis (See Note 2) | Torpedoed by U-514 | 5,458 | Caribbean Sea 13°05N 59°36w |
| 1945 | ||||
| 4 Jan | Nipawin Park (SH-194) | Torpedoed by U-1232. The fore part of the ship sank, but the after part was salvaged. As a result, this vessel is not considered officially lost. | 2,373 | Off Nova Scotia 44°30N 63°00W |
| 12 Apr | Silver Star Park | Collision and Fire. Hulk sold, repaired and renamed Santa Cecilia. | 7,243 | Off New York |
| 3 May | Green Hill Park | Explosion and fire. Hulk sold, repaired and renamed Phaeax II. | 7,168 | Vancouver Harbour |
Note 2 - These vessels were later lost by other enemy action.
Canadian-Owned (British Registered) Merchant Ship Losses
| Date | Ship Name | Cause of Loss | Tonnage | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | ||||
| 5 Feb | Beaverburn (OA-84) | Torpedoed by U-41 | 9,874 | North Atlantic 49°20N 10°07W |
| 28 Oct | Empress of Britain | Torpedoed by U-32 after being bombed by German aircraft | 42,348 | Off Ireland 55°16N 09°50W |
| 5 Nov | Beaverford (HX-84) | Sunk by raider (Admiral Scheer) | 10,042 | North Atlantic 52°26N 32°34W |
| 1941 | ||||
| 25 Mar | Beaverbrae | Bombed by German aircraft | 9,956 | North Atlantic 60°12N 09°00W |
| 2 Apr | Beaverdale | Torpedoed and shelled by U-boat | 9,957 | North Atlantic 60°50N 29°19W |
| 1942 | ||||
| 10 Oct | Duchess of Atholl | Torpedoed by U-178 | 20,119 | South Atlantic 07°03S 11°1~2W |
| 1943 | ||||
| 13 Mar | Empress of Canada | Torpedoed by Italian submarine Da Vinci | 21,517 | South Atlantic 01°13S 09°57W |
| 11 Jul | Duchess of York | Bombed by German aircraft | 20,021 | North Atlantic 41°18N 15°24W |
| 2 Dec | Fort Athabasca | Explosion of Ammunition ship bombed by aircraft | 7,132 | Bari Harbour, Italy (No coordinates) |
| 1944 | ||||
| 25 Jan | Fort Bellingham (JW-56A) | Torpedoed by U-360 and 0°957 | 7,153 | Barents Sea 73°25N 25°10E |
| 15 Feb | Fort St.Nicholas | Torpedoed by U-410 | 7,154 | Mediterranean Sea 40°34N 14°37E |
| 19 May | Fort Missanabie | Torpedoed by U-435 | 7,147 | Mediterranean Sea 38°20N 16°28E |
| 24 Jun | Fort Norfolk | Mined off assault beaches, Normandy | 7,131 | English Channel (No coordinates) |
| 15 Dec | Fort Maisonneuve | Mined, Scheldt Estuary | 7,128 | Holland (No coordinates) |
All of the "Fort" ships were owned by the Canadian Government but registered in Britain. All of the others listed were owned by Canadian Pacific and registered in Britain.
Canadian-Owned (British Registered) Merchant Ships Severely Damaged
| Date | Ship Name | Cause of Loss | Tonnage | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | ||||
| 9 Nov | Empress of Japan | Bombed by German aircraft | 26,032 | North Atlantic 53°54N 14°28W |
| 1943 | ||||
| 14 Mar | Duchess of York | Bombed by German aircraft | 20,021 | Off Cape Finisterre |
| 1944 | ||||
| 14 May | Fort Fidler | Torpedoed by U-616 | 7,127 | Mediterranean Sea 36°45N 00°55E |
| 26 Jul | Fort McPherson | Struck by flying bomb while under repair from a previous bomb. | 7,132 | Victoria Dock London, England |
| 18 Aug | Fort Gloucester | Torpedoed by German E-boat | 7,127 | English Channel |
Select List of Merchant Ship Losses of Canadian Interest
| Date | Ship Name | Cause of Loss | Tonnage | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | ||||
| 2 Dec | Montrose | Torpedoed by U-99 | 16,402 | North Atlantic 54°35N 18°18W |
| (Montrose was owned by Canadian Pacific and registered in Britain. She was converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser by the Royal Navy and renamed Forfar before she was lost.) | ||||
| 1941 | ||||
| 15 Jul | Lady Somers | Torpedoed by Italian submarine Morosini | 8,194 | North Atlantic 36°00N 21°00W |
| (Lady Somers was Canadian owned and registered but was requisitioned by the Admiralty and serving as an ocean boarding vessel when lost. As a result she is considered a Royal Navy warship loss.) | ||||
| 1945 | ||||
| 28 Feb | Soreldoc | Torpedoed by U-1302 | 1,926 | English Channel 52°15N 05°35W |
| (Soreldoc had been Canadian-owned and registered until 1944. In that year she was apparently acquired by the US War Shipping Administration and became Panamanian-flag.) | ||||