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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
BOOTH, Harold Henry (Harry) - After a long, gallant battle, Harold (Harry) H. Booth of Esquimalt, age 70, retired RCN., died peacefully February 25, 1982, at Royal Jubilee Hospital. Harry is survived by his loving wife Margaret; two daughters, Morlene Smallbones of Brooks, Alberta, Roberta and son-in-law Bud Cope of Maple Ridge, B.C.; two sons of Victoria, Craig and Ian, and daughters-in-law, Sandy and Kathy, and 11 grandchildren who loved him dearly. He was a member of the Victoria #1 Oddfellows Lodge, Vancouver #1 Encampment and Cerne Rebekah Lodge #45. H served on Convoy Duty in the Atlantic with the RCN during the Second World War and was a member of the C.P.O.'s Association. Funeral service will be held Monday, March 1st, at 2 p.m. in Cunningham Funeral Chapel, 1155 Fort Street, under the auspices of the I.O.O.F., Victoria Lodge # 1, followed by cremation. Flowers gratefully declined. Those so desiring may make donations to a charity of their choice. (Victoria Times Colonist)
CPO HAROLD HENRY BOOTH, C1HT4, of Winnipeg, Manitoba; joined RCNVR Nov. 8, 1933; transferred to RCN May 12, 1943; served in Naden, Prince Henry, Givenchy, RNO Yarrows, Chebogue, Niobe, Peregrine, Scotian, Cornwallis, Iroquois, Royal Roads, Ontario, Stadacona; awarded CD; retired November 14, 1961. (Crowsnest magazine, Dec. 1961)
Memories of Harry Booth - My Father, Harry Booth, was the shipwright on board the Chebogue when it was torpedoed in 1944. He only spoke of the incident once that I am aware of and that was near his passing in 1982. He did not say much but about the ordeal but with a bit of coaxing he did tell or a few details including that a good friend of his was onboard one of the other HMCS ships that was on the same convoy and some crew were evacuated to his ship. He said his friend, Bill Rothery, kept on asking the men coming onboard being rescued about “Chips” and if he was ok. He said a skeleton crew was left on board while it was towed for several days eventually ending up in Wales. He told that the ship which had had damage to the stern, was in distress after the towline from the tug towing it was separated and the ship was floundering. He said that a lifeboat crew came out to rescue the remaining crew getting them safely to shore. He was totally amazed to find that when rescued by the lifeboat, the crew of the lifeboat, who were all decked out in their storm gear and looked like what you would expect them to be, but when they got to shore and removed their storm gear he discovered that they were all elderly men much the same age as my father was near his passing.
Ships served in: HMCS PRINCE HENRY - Served in Prince Henry in 1943 as a Petty Officer. Harry is in the Prince Henry's 1943 ship's company photo HMCS CHEBOGUE - Survived the torpedoing of Chebogue
Petty Officer Harry Booth
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