The son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert George of Stanley Ave., Chatham, ON.

Appears on the ‘Muster Roll’ of the 2nd Bn., Kent Regiment (MG), N.P.A.N. (date unknown) where he served for three month before transferring to the RCNVR, L/S., V22895. He attended Navy training schools in Toronto and Halifax.

A well known athlete from Chatham returned home after a year in the Navy on furlough. He described the rescue of survivors from a torpedoed ship the USS Kearny (DD-432) attacked by German U-boat U568 that attacked the US Navy ship on escort duty with convoy SC-48. The  American sailing before the USA was into WWII is likely the reason that the ship and action was not identified in the article. Though the ship was not sunk 11 sailors were killed and 22 injured south of Iceland on the evening of 16-17 October, 1941.

Describing the action for the Chatham Daily News, George described the incident. The murky mountainous waves of the north Atlantic, “Strange things can happen in a few hours.” He told of three days of dodging submarines and hunting for survivors from “incidents” in the Battles of the Atlantic.

One survivor, a half frozen Norwegian chief engineer as he was hauled from the black lashing waves whispered to his rescuer, “Many things can happen in a night”. Over the year of active service Phil had sailed to Jamaica, Iceland and other stations protecting the seaplanes to England.

Glad to be back in Chatham he thanked all of the services that auxiliaries and charitable organizations had provided in “extras” that the men of the Navy enjoyed. Of his service in the Navy he said, “The Navy offers the greatest life on Earth. You see the world and you have adventure to boot.”

During his furlough Phil plans to play some baseball and he was scheduled to speak to an assembly at CCI, where he was once a student. Phil was again reported on leave from the Navy in October of 1942 to spend time with his family. CDN 12/10/42 (P).  The CDN 11/12/43 reported Philip had been spending two weeks with his parents and Miss Shirley Sams who had been staying with his family returned to her home in Garspe, Quebec.

Discharged October 5th, 1945.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources

2KRMR, CDN (5/02/42), CFF-FD44, CCI-RH, I0DE(N), StAUC-RH

Religion	United Church
When Enlisted	February 1941
Next of Kin	Dorothea George

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