Campbell River Genealogy Society
~ LOST FAMILIES FOUND ~
BASIL EVANS WHITING
Service Personnel Information 1939–1945
| Address on Enrollment: | Whaletown, Cortes Island, British Columbia, Canada |
| Birthplace: | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Date of Birth: | 23 March 1923 |
| Next of Kin: | William Henry Evans Whiting and Muriel Alice (Horner) Whiting, Parents |
| Racial Origin: | British |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Trade or Calling: | Logger |
| Previous Service in a Military Force: | None |
| Date of Enlistment: | 18 November 1940 (Boy Seaman) |
| City and Province of Enlistment: | Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada |
Military Service Record 1914–1918
| Force: | Royal Canadian Navy |
| Unit: | Royal Canadian Navy HMCS Ottawa |
| Rank: | Able Seaman |
| Service Number: | 4037 |
| Commencement of Time on Engagement: | 18 November 1941 |
| Honours and Awards: | 1939 – 45 Star; Atlantic Star; Canadian Volunteer Service Medal & Clasp; War Medal |
| Mount Whiting in Clendenning Range of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in British Columbia is named for him. | |
| Photograph: | Not yet available |
| Date of Death: | 13 September 1942 |
| Age (at death): | 19 |
| Country of Burial: | Died at sea |
| Cemetery: | None |
| Grave Reference: | Halifax Memorial Monument Panel 5 inscribed with his name. |
| Location: | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Book of Remembrance: | Basil Whiting’s name can be found on page 124 of the 1942 Second World War Book of Remembrance |
| Digitized Personnel Record: | Library and Archives Record Link |
His Story
Basil Evans Whiting was born on March 23, 1923 at Vancouver BC. He was the son of William Henry Evans Whiting, (deceased in 1927) and Muriel Alice Whiting of Whaletown, BC. He did not have any brothers and had one half-sister – Mrs. Jean de Groot, 2165 Howard Ave, Windsor Ontario.
Basil joined the Royal Canadian Navy at Esquimalt, BC on November 18, 1940 as a “boy seaman” at the age of age 17 years, 8 months, stature, 6 feet 1 ¼ inches, chest 38 inches. His residence at time of enlistment was Cortez Island, BC, civilian occupation, logger – faller, employer – James Munroe Logging Co., Whaletown, BC. On November 18, 1941 he signed on for a seven year engagement in the RCN, official number 4037.
Like Able Seaman Ralph (another man on the cenotaph), Basil Whiting underwent naval training at the shore establishments HMCS NADEN and HMCS STADACONA on the west and east coasts of Canada as an Air Gunner. He was also a qualified Bugler.
On September 3, 1941 he was posted to Destroyer H60 HMCS OTTAWA in the rank of Ordinary Seaman. He was promoted to the rank of Able Seaman on January 2, 1942. From September 1941 until the day that OTTAWA was sunk on September 14, 1942, Able Seaman Whiting took part in escort duties in support of 14 trans-Atlantic convoys, primarily on the Nova Scotia to Liverpool, England route. At 02.05 hours on September 14th the German submarine U-91 fired a spread of two torpedoes at a destroyer and observed a hit. Then they saw another destroyer, made a full circle and fired one torpedo at 02.15 hours, which hit amidships and caused the ship to blow up and sink immediately. The U-boat commander Captain Heinz Walkerling thought that they had sunk two destroyers, but in fact HMCS Ottawa under the command of A/Lt.Cdr. Clark Anderson Rutherford, RCN, was hit twice and sank in position 47º55’N, 43º27’W (German naval grid BC 6191) with the loss of 114 crew. There were 67 survivors. Able Seaman Ralph was missing, believed killed in action.
Basil Whiting’s name is engraved on the Halifax Memorial. Honours and Awards: 1939 – 45 Star; Atlantic Star; C.V.S.M. Medal & Clasp; War Medal