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They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
LAAK, Mike, LS, V13193, RCNVR, MPK - 22 Oct 1940, HMCS MARGAREE - Son of Charly and of Annie Laak, of Kelowna, British Columbia.
Leading Seaman Laak died when his ship, HMCS MARGAREE, was struck by 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.
Mike Laak entered the RCNVR in 1932. He was educated at St. Angela School and formerly made his home in Calgary, Alberta. This young man served in the Navy for some years, and at the time of his death he was a crew member of HMCS Margaree. This ship was lost in a collision with a large merchant ship in the North Atlantic during the night of October 22, 1940. On October 26, Laak was reported `Missing, believed killed.` He is survived by his family, who reside at 620 Sixth Ave. E. Calgary, Alberta.
Ships served in: CALGARY DIVISION RCNVR - Enlisted 14 Jul 1934 as an Ordinary Seaman, RCNVR HMCS SKEENA - Served in SKEENA for training 08-20 Aug 1934 HMCS NADEN - Served in NADEN for training 17 Sep 1934 - 07 Oct 1934 HMCS SKEENA - Served in SKEENA for training 08-20 Oct 1934 HMCS ARMENTIERES - Served in ARMENTIERES for training 26 Apr 1935 - 17 May 1935 * Rated Able Seaman, RCNVR 11 Apr 1936 HMCS NADEN - Served in NADEN for training 15 Apr 1935 - 17 May 1935 * Rated Seaman Gunner Pt. 3, RCNVR 24 Apr 1936 HMCS NADEN - Served in NADEN for training 13 Apr 1936 - 09 May 1936 * Rated Seaman Gunner Pt. 1, RCNVR 08 May 1936 HMCS SKEENA - Served in SKEENA for training 18 Jan 1937 - 27 Mar 1937 HMCS FRASER - Served in FRASER for training 28 March 1937 - 02 May 1937 HMCS NADEN - Served in NADEN for training 09 May 1938 - 07 Jun 1938 * Rated Acting Leading Seaman, RCNVR 09 Apr 1939 HMCS NADEN - Served in NADEN for training 10 Apr 1939 - 06 May 1939 HMCS NADEN - Served in NADEN for training 15-16 Jul 1939 HMCS ARMENTIERES - Served in ARMENTIERES for training 16-28 Jul 1939 HMCS NADEN - Drafted to NADEN 03 Sep 1939 * Commenced Active Service 03 Sep 1939 * Rated Leading Seaman, RCNVR 03 Sep 1939 SS LOCH DEE (DEMS) - Drafted to LOCK DEE 11 Oct 1939 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 24 Feb 1940 * Rated Quarters Rating 2nd Class, RCNVR 02 Mar 1940 HMCS ARRAS - Drafted to ARRAS 05 Apr 1940 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 10 Jul 1940 HMCS MARGAREE - Drafted to MARGAREE 14 Aug 1940 * Commissioning crew 06 Sep 1940
Service file for Mike Laak Source: The Library and Archives of Canada
Second World War Casualty Index
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