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They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
AKAM, Thomas, CERA 2c, 21214, RCN, MPK - 22 Oct 1940, HMCS MARGAREE - Husband of Jeanie G. A. Akam, of Victoria, BC.
Chief Engine Room Artificer Akam died when his ship, HMCS MARGAREE, collided with 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.
Thomas Akam, RCN, CERA on the Canadian destroyer Margaree, lost in mid-Atlantic, who is reported missing, was a survivor of the Canadian destroyer Fraser, cut in two off the coast of France during a dense fog last June. He is a brother of John W. Akam, Aldershot. Akam, who is 34, spent his younger days in the Aldershot district and joined the Canadian Navy fourteen years ago. His father lost his life in the Great War. Prior to the outbreak of war he was stationed at Esquimalt, B.C., and in September, 1939, was transferred to Halifax. He saw service in the West Indies in March of this year, and later was sent to England. As a member of the Canadian navy he attended the Coronation of King George in London, and was aboard one of the vessels which convoyed Their Majesties to Canada last year. He also had been at Gibraltar. He was educated at Fairfield Public School Aldershot and the Hamilton Technical School, Hamilton, Ontario. He married on August 11, 1937, to Jean Whitehouse, by whom he is survived at Victoria, B.C., together with a step-son, William and a son, Thomas.
Ships served in: HMCS STADACONA - Enlisted 30 Sep 1927 as an Acting Engine Room Artificer 4th Class, RCN HMS NELSON - Drafted to NELSON 01 Jan 1929 - 29 Mar 1929 * Rated Engine Room Artificer 4th Class, RCN 28 Mar 1929 HMS VICTORY - Drafted to VICTORY 04 Oct 1929 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 19 Oct 1929 HMCS CHAMPLAIN - Drafted to CHAMPLAIN 01 Jan 1930 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 04 Sep 1930 HMCS YPRES - Drafted to YPRES 01 Jan 1931 HMCS NADEN - Drafted to NADEN 10 May 1931 * Rated Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class, RCN 18 Jun 1931 HMCS VANCOUVER - Drafted to VANCOUVER 18 Aug 1931 * Rated Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class, RCN 30 Sep 1934 HMCS SKEENA - Drafted to SKEENA 01 Dec 1935 * Rated Acting Chief Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class, RCN 01 Jan 1938 HMCS ARMENTIERES - Drafted to ARMENTIERES 01 Jan 1938 * Rated Chief Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class, RCN 01 Jan 1939 HMCS FRASER - Lent to FRASER from ARMENTIERES 26-29 May 1939 HMCS FRASER - Drafted to Fraser 15 Jun 1939. Survived the sinking of HMCS FRASER on 25 Jun 1940. HMCS MARGAREE - Drafted to MARGAREE 10 Aug 1940 as a CERA 2c, RCN
Service file for Thomas Akam Source: The Library and Archives of Canada
Second World War Casualty Index
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