For Posterity's Sake         

A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project

In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar 

Norman Farley joined the RCNVR in 1939 and served 9 years in the Navy. After 9 years in the Navy Norman got out and went back to school and took a cooks course.  After he completed the course he found the Air Force was looking for cooks and joined the RCAF and served 9 years. As of Jul 2019, Norman is alive and living in British Columbia.

While Norman was serving in HMCS St Laurent, he took part in the rescue of German and Italian POWs from the torpedoed Arandora Star.  He was in dingy pulling survivors out of the water.  They pulled out about 800 oil soaked survivors - some of which did not survive. "It was a problem to find space to put them - we were stacking them like cord wood on the upper deck in any vacant space we could find.. One of the survivors, that I must have pulled out of the water, recognized me and gave me a lighter."

Norman's father William Farley and his two brothers Reginald Farley and Gerald Farley also served in the Navy as Stokers.

Norman Robert Farley, age 100, of Victoria, British Columbia passed away on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Norman was born February 15, 1921. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy can be shared with the family in the condolences section below. The arrangements entrusted to the care of First Memorial Funeral Services, 1155 Fort Street, Victoria, British Columbia. V8V 3K9 Phone 250-384-5512