Hedley Lake, last remaining survivor of Second World War N.L. ferry sinking, has died

By Canadian Press

FORTUNE, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, CANADA — Hedley Lake, celebrated as the last remaining survivor of the sinking of Newfoundland ferry SS Caribou during the Second World War, has died at the age of 103.

Lake was from the town of Fortune, on Newfoundland’s Burin Peninsula, and served with the British Royal Navy. He was one of just 101 survivors of the German attack on the Newfoundland passenger ferry, and his bravery has been celebrated in the province for decades.

“My father-in-law was a very extraordinary man,” Eva Lake, his daughter-in-law, said in an interview Thursday. “He had a heart of gold and he’d give you anything.”

Judy Foote, the province’s lieutenant-governor, echoed Lake’s comments. “His presence will be missed,” Foote said in a statement Thursday. “I will forever be grateful for his service and friendship.”

In the early hours of Oct. 14, 1942, the SS Caribou was on its way to Newfoundland from Nova Scotia when it was spotted by a German U-boat, the Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador website says. The Nazi U-69 submarine fired a single torpedo at the ferry, landing a catastrophic hit on its starboard side.

“As Mr. Lake spoke of that tragic event and how he, along with others, did everything they could to save lives, the impact it had on him was visible,” Foote said in her statement Thursday about her last visit with Lake. “At the time he was 24 years old.”

Deanne Hickman, mayor of Fortune, said Lake was always the “superstar” of Remembrance Day ceremonies in Fortune and beyond, and she said he attended every year he was able. “Mr. Lake was revered by everyone,” she said in an interview Thursday.

She said he was sick and in bed this past Remembrance Day, so the ceremony went to him. “We all piled into his room and pictures taken with him,” she said. “He was still smiling even then, even though he wasn’t feeling well.”

Lake was also known for having helped build the fish plant in the town of Fortune, which would have been no small feat, Hickman said. “It’s a fairly large building, and it was the main employer for the town,” she said. “We were all pretty sad this morning to hear the news. Not just Fortune, but all the surrounding communities.”

Eva Lake said a “military, honorary hero’s funeral” will be held for Hedley Lake on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2021.

The Canadian Press

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