Born 12 July, 1922 the son of Adelard A. and Josephine (nee Burton) Renaud, of Wallaceburg, Ontario. Maurice was raised by his maternal grandmother Everalda Burton after his mother died in childbirth, they lived on Queen St., Wallaceburg. Maurice was employed at the Wallaceburg Brass Co. prior to the outbreak of war.

Maurice enlisted in the RCNVR at Windsor, ON. in August of 1940. He received his training in Windsor, ON. and Halifax, NS.

He served on HMCS Swift Current and was on HMCS Guyborough (J52), a Bangor Class minesweeper, originally built for the Royal Navy it was transferred to the RCN being commissioned 22/04/1942, with a copliament of 6 Officers and Crew of 77. The ship was cruising in the English Channel while escorting a convoy towards Plymoth, England when she  she was struck by  a Gnat torpedo fired from the German submarine U-868 at 18:50 hrs. The Guyborough stay afloat until 19:35 hrs. when the second ‘coup de grace’ torpedo from U868 sunk her at 46. 43 degrees N. – 09.30 degrees W.  Maurice was able to get aboard a Carley float but died of exposure in the frigid water of the Channel. HMCS Gusborough was the last Canadian warship to be lost in European waters. Maurice was buried at sea.  There were 51 casualties from the sinking (4 officers, 46 ratings and 1 R.N.).

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources	“No Return Ticket” by Alan Mann. Index of Overseas Deaths.
Supplemental Information	Age: 23, LAS - Date of Death: 18/03/1945. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead, Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 13. Memorial: HALIFAX MEMORIAL.

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