MacNeil, J R (John Rory)
MacNeil, J R (John Rory)
Stoker John MacNeil was the son of John A. J. MacNeil and Mary MacNeil, of Barra Glen, Victoria Co., Nova Scotia, Canada. He was born on the 17th of September 1912.
John’s ship H.M.C.S. Mayflower[1] was launched during July 1940 and went into active service on the 28th of November of the same year. It started its Canadian service escorting ships from St. John’s to Iceland.
On the 19th of September 1940 while escorting convoy SC 40 another ship, HMCS Lévis, doing the same job as the Mayflower was torpedoed by U-Boat U74.[2] From 109 crew, the Mayflower managed to save 91, with the loss of 18 lives.
The following month during the 2nd of October, the crew rescued 35 more sailors, this time from the British tanker San Florentino.[3] 23 others did not make it. It had been torpedoed by U-Boat U94.[4]
Early 1942 saw this vessel being refitted and then transferring to another escort group which covered the area between St. John’s and Londonderry. It would remain in this job until 1944.
Stoker 1st Class John MacNeil is listed as going missing on the 1st of October 1942.
On the 12th of October 1942, a body had been found in the river Foyle by Stoker Kenneth Hamilton who served on H.M.C.S. St. Francis. Initially they could not identify this person, but later an RUC officer found the initials J.R. MacNeil faintly written on the collar. The body was later identified by a fellow sailor called Allen Stephenson. There were no wounds, but the body did show signs of drowning.
John was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, War Medal, and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, with clasp.
Date of Death: 01/10/1942 (Aged 30)
Service: Stoker 1st Class, Royal Canadian Naval Reserve, H.M.C.S. Mayflower
Service Number: A/2447
Burial Location: Londonderry (or Derry), City Cemetery, R.C. Plot. Sec. M. Grave 7.
[1] H.M.C.S. Mayflower served initially with the Royal Navy and soon afterwards the Canadian
[2] U-Boat U74 was sunk by the British on the 2nd of May 1942.
[3] British tanker San Florentino. 23 lost their lives when torpedoed.
[4] U-Boat U94 was sunk by the USA on the 28th of August 1942, 19 died and 26 survived.
