55 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca CRABBE,Thomas Gordon “Tom” Tom was born on April 21, 1940, to Phillip and Jean (Milne) Crabbe in Alonsa, Manitoba. The family moved later and were living in Neepawa, Manitoba.Tom enlisted on January 24, 1962 inWinnipeg, Manitoba. He was married to Kathryn Fowler of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Tom was killed on October 23, 1969 in a gearbox explosion and fire on his ship, HMCS Kootenay. He was buried at sea. The Kootenay disaster is known as the worst peacetime accident in the history of the Royal Canadian Navy. A number of factors combined and contributed to the severity of the incident, which began when an explosion ripped through the engine’s starboard gearbox of the Destroyer Escort, HMCS Kootenay. At the time, the ship was approximately 200 miles off the south west coast of England. As a result of the fire and deadly toxic smoke created by the explosion, nine crewmen died and 53 were seriously injured.Years later, the disaster remains deeply imprinted in the memories of the survivors. The disaster began at 8:10am. Just after the morning watch had been relieved, the order was given, “full speed ahead both engines”. At 8:21am, a bearing in the starboard gearbox failed. Its casing had been improperly installed and the oil intended to circulate through it as a coolant overheated reportedly at 650°C. With the pressure in the engines up to its maximum for the ship to be under full power, the bearing exploded, rupturing the gearbox. A massive wall of fire blasted the ten men working in the engine room burning them as it raged through the space. In the engine room, the pump feeding the lubricating oil to the ruptured gearbox continued to spew lubricant around the engine room fueling the flames. The intense heat and deadly smoke foiled attempts to close the valves of the severed oil line. The fire surged out of the engine room and into the main cafeteria. The wheelhouse located forward of the engine room was rapidly overtaken by smoke. Once the wheelhouse was evacuated, the ship was left steaming across the Atlantic at full speed, since the boilers were stoked to full pressure and completely out of control. The electrical system had also been destroyed by the blaze and the ship could not radio for help. Most of the firefighting equipment and the Chemox breathing apparatus were stored in the main passageway and were rendered inaccessible or destroyed by the fire. Crabbe Island, located in northwestern Manitoba, was named in Leading Seaman Thomas Crabbe’s honour in July 2018. His name is also engraved on the memorial in front of the County Court Building in Neepawa and on the Bonaventure Monument in Halifax. CRAIG, Daniel A. WWII Daniel was born in Dauphin, Manitoba in 1913. He served as a telegraphist in the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve on HMCS Levisbased in Halifax. In the early hours of September 19, 1941, at Cape Farwell, Greenland, the Levis sustained a torpedo hit on the port side. It sank five hours later amid heroic efforts with a towline. There were eighteen deaths and forty rescues. The Leviswas the first Canadian-built vessel to sink since the outbreak of World War II. Daniel was 28 years old. He is commemorated on a memorial in Halifax, Panel B; Dauphin, MB Cemetery and on page 86 of A Place of Honour. Craig Point in Lake Agerbak in northern Manitoba was named after him in 1995. His service medals include the 1939-1945 Star, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, and War Medal 1939-1945. Daniel passed away in 1941.
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