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They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
SMITHSON, David Baker, AB, 3279, RCN, MPK: 22 Oct 1940, HMCS MARGAREE - Son of David C. and Bertha Louise Smithson of Medicine Hat, Alberta.
Able Seaman Smithson 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.
AB Smithson survived the sinking of HMCS Fraser, and like most of the Fraser's survivors, was drafted to the newly acquired HMCS Margaree, losing his life when she was sunk just a month and a half later. David was born at Medicine Hat, AB on 03 Sep 1920, to David C and Bertha Louise Smithson of Medicine Hat.. He attended Medicine Hat's Elm Street School and Alexandria high School. As a boy he had taken much interest in the boy Scout Movement and was Assistant Scout Master of the St. Barnabas Club Pack at Medicine Hat. David enlisted in the RCN at Esquimalt BC in September 1938.
Ships served in: HMCS NADEN - Enlisted RCN 03 Oct 1938 as an Ordinary Seaman, RCN HMCS FRASER - Drafted to FRASER 05 Jul 1939 * Rated Able Seaman, RCN 03 Apr 1940 * Survived the sinking of HMCS FRASER ON 25 Jun 1940 HMCS MARGAREE - Drafted to MARGAREE 06 Sep 1940 * Commissioning crew
(DBS001) Portrait of David Smithson (DBS002) Family memorial for David Smithson (DBS003) Service file for David Smithson // Source: The Library and Archives of Canada
Second World War Casualty Index
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