Canada's Naval History

Second World War
Battle of the Atlantic - Lost at Sea: HMCS St. Croix

In September 1943, in a battle surrounding two convoys in the North Atlantic, German submarines sank the Canadian destroyer HMCS St. Croix and eight other Allied warships and merchant vessels. The loss of St. Croix, like the loss of many Canadian ships during the battle of the Atlantic was felt across the country.

Lieutenant Charles Alexander Ross, HMCS St Croix

Lieutenant Charles Alexander ("Alex") Ross, a gifted young man, joined HMCS St. Croix in September 1943.

Ross attended McGill University in Montreal, receiving a B.A. and a Master's degree in economics. He then worked with the Royal Bank of Canada's Foreign Exchange Branch and with the Allied War Supply Corporation, which administered the Canadian government's chemicals and explosives program. Enlisting in the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve, Ross trained at HMCS Kings, the navy's officer training establishment in Halifax, and served on its staff prior to joining the St. Croix.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19800567-001_p54