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They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
BEATTIE, William Ironside (Bill), AB SD, V17026, RCNVR, MPK - 22 Oct 1940, HMCS MARGAREE - Son of Lorne Edward and Pearl Beattie, of Lucan, Ontario.
Able Seaman Beattie 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.
Born January 16, 1921, the son of Lorne Edward and Pearl Beattie of Lucan. He attended Lucan's Public and High Schools. He enlisted at HMCS Prevost in London, on May 3, 1939 and was trained as a technician, operating electronic equipment locating enemy submarines. He participated in the evacuation of Narvik, Norway and served on North Atlantic patrols on HMCS Saguenay until August 1940, when he was transferred to the destroyer HMCS Margaree. He was aboard the Margaree on October 22, 1940 in the Atlantic, when a large merchant vessel cut the Margaree in half. One hundred and forty two of the 173 sailors were lost.
Ships served in: LONDON DIVISION RCNVR - Enlisted 13 May 1939 as an Ordinary Seaman, RCNVR * Commenced Active Service 07 Sep 1939 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 07 Sep 1939 HMCS ULNA - Drafted to ULNA 16 Sep 1939 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 03 Nov 1939 * Rated Able Seaman, RCNVR 15 May 1940 * Rated Submarine Detector, RCNVR 01 Jun 1940 HMCS SAGUENAY - Drafted to SAGUENAY 03 Jun 1940 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 14 Aug 1940 HMCS MARGAREE (STADACONA for) - Drafted to MARGAREE 14 Aug 1940 HMCS MARGAREE - Drafted to MARGAREE 06 Sep 1940. Commissioning crew
(WIB001) OS William Beattie (WIB002) Article - Former Londoner Lost with Ship // Source: VAC Canadian Virtual War Memorial (WIB003) Service file for William Beattie
Second World War Casualty Index
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