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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
MacLEOD, John Angus - Captain J.A. (Gus) MacLeod of Goldboro, Guysborough County, died Tuesday in St. Martha’s Hospital. Born in North Sydney, he was the son of John and Isabella (MacKenzie) MacLeod. He was a veteran of World War II. Funeral service will be held at the Goldboro United Baptist Church at 2 p.m. Friday. Burial will be in Bayview Cemetery, Goldboro.
This article was published in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald 14 Oct 1966
Windships, steamboats and diesel-powered vessels have all been a part of the adventurous career of Captain John Angus MacLeod. Now, he is leaving all that behind as he retires as marine supervisor of the federal Department of Fisheries sea-going patrol fleet in the Maritimes.
Captain MacLeod - "Cap'n Gus" to his former many shipmates and associates in the Department of Fisheries - quit his post with Fisheries on October 14 after nearly 20 years service. Prior to his retirement he was feted by friends and members of the department's regional headquarters here.
A native of North Sydney, Captain MacLeod began is sea-going career out of Nova Scotia porets as a younger man. He sailed aboard sailing vessels including the famous "Constellation", a U.S. built schooner-type yacht designed to participate in international sailing races.
During the twenties he progressed through the various stages of seamanship and, in 1930, was awarded a master's certificate. He saids in ships of the old Canadian Government merchant marine and the Black Diamond Line. For a time he was mater of the Clyde Valley, the oldest ship of Canadian registry.
This 80-year old coal-burning freighter retired from sea service less than a year ago and is now awaiting her fate in a Sydney dock with a For Sale sign tacked to her bow.
In 1932 Captain MacLeod joined the Marine Section of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police operating in Maritime waters. For seven years he sailed weith the fleet of powerful, but relatively small, craft which kept law and order within the territorial waters of Canada's east coast. That was the ear of the rum-runners when sleek grey-hulled vessels carrying contraband liquor sought to outwit sea-going law officers by landing their cargoes by night in fog-shrouded bays and inlets. That is a story in itself, and one which ended in a big bang heard across the nation in 1938 when 25 Maritimers - many prominent - were arraigned before the Nova Scotia Supreme Court on charges of conspiring to defraud the nation of millions in customs and excise duties.
When the war came in September 1939, Captain MacLeod immediately volunteered for service in the Royal Canadian Navy. And he was immediately accepted. For six years he served with the nation's sea-fighting service. After discharge, in late 1945, he returned to sea in a civilian capacity. This time as master of a freighter in the Caribbean trade. He was no stranger to these waters of the olden time Spanish Main as he said there years before.
In 1947, Captain MacLeod joined the Department of Fisheries as Master of its patrol flagship CGS Cygnus. This ocean-going vessel, a former minesweeper which saw wartime Atlantic service - was later replaced by a new Cygnus.
Captain MacLeod and wife, former Miss Lottie Patterson, Middleton, N.S., will live in Goldboro, Guysborough County. While Cap'n Gus has "swallowed the anchor", he'll be living by the sea, and occasionally will sail it on his Cape Island fishing boat which he bought recently for recreation days of leisure ahead.
Ships served in: * Appointed A/Chief Skipper (seniority 08 Sep 1939) (Navy List Mar 1940) HMCS MURRAY STEWART - Appointed to MURRAY STEWARD 10 Jan 1940 as a A/Chief Skipper, RCNR, Commanding Officer (Navy List Jun 1940) HMCS BERSIMIS - Appointed to BERSIMIS 31 Jan 1942 as a Chief Skipper, RCNR (Navy List Apr 1942) KINGS HARBOUR MASTER (HMCS STADACONA for) - Appointed to KHM 01 May 1942 as a Skipper-Lieutenant, RCNR (seniority 14 Nov 1942) (Navy List Aug 1943) HMCS KAM - Appointed to KAM 14 Sep 1943 as a Skipper-Lieutenant, RCNR, Commanding Officer (Navy List Oct 1943) MARIA THERESE - Appointed to MARIA THERESE 27 Jun 1944 as a Skipper-Lieutenant, RCNR, Commanding Officer (Navy List Jul 1944) HMCS BIRCHTON - Appointed to BIRCHTON 06 Oct 1944 as a Skipper-Lieutenant, RCNR, Commanding Officer (Navy List Nov 1944) HMCS EASTORE - Served in EASTORE 02 Jan 1945 as a Skipper-Lieutenant, RCNR (Navy List Mar 1945. Served as CO until 14 Oct 1945. (Ship's of Canada's Naval Forces 1910-1981 - Macpherson / Burgess) * Retired List as a Skipper-Lieutenant, RCN(R) (seniority 14 Nov 1941) (Navy List Apr 1946) * Lasted noted on the Retired List as a Skipper-Lieutenant, RCN(R) (Navy List Oct 1946)
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