Built as a passenger ferry under yard No. 130 by the New Waterway Shipbuilding Co., Schiedam, Netherlands for the New Foundland Government, Rail and Steamship Department, New Foundland.
09 June 1925 launched under the name CARIBOU.
Tonnage 2.223 gross, 1.362 net, 1.850 dwt., dim. 81.1 (bpp.) x 12.58 x 7.13m.
Powered by triple expansion steam engines, 456 nhp., speed 14.5 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 250 passengers in two classes.
Cargo capacity for 1100 ton.
She was ice strengthened.
October 1925 completed building cost a half million dollar.
She was built for the ferry service between North Sydney, Nova Scotia and Port aux Basques, Newfoundland.
Got steam heating in every cabin and public rooms.
10 October 1925 under command of Capt. L.Stevenson she sailed from Schiedam, and arrived 22 October at St Johns, Newfoundland.
Thereafter she was put in the ferry service between the two ports, a distance of around 100 miles.
13 October 1942 at 19.00 she departed from North Sydney under command Of Capt. Benjamin Taverner, and 45 crew also 206 passengers had boarded the vessel in North Sydney. She carried 900 bags of mail and 51 head of cattle.
When she left she was escorted by minesweeper HMCS GRANDMERE.
The next morning at 03.00 a.m. during a dark night with a long low swell she was spotted by the German submarine U-69 under command of Capt. Ulrich Gräf in a position about 25 miles from Port aux Basque.
At around 03.30 he fired some torpedoes and the CARIBOU was hit on the starboard side in the amidships, killing almost all of the engine crew and some passengers. Two lifeboats on the starboard side were destroyed, also all light went out and the radio installation destroyed.
Approximately four to five minutes later the CARIBOU disappeared beneath the waves.
The GRANDMERE sighted the submarine on the surface and immediately turned his ship towards the submarine with full speed his intention was to ram the sub.
The submarine crew did see the escort coming and the order was given to dive. The GRANDMERE when passing the position where she sighted the U-69 dropped a pattern of depth charges, but without success, the U-69 escaped.
After several hours searching for the submarine he returned to the position where the CARIBOU was sunk, and he was able to rescue 103 persons, before he headed back to North Sydney, but before arriving port two of the survivors died.
Of the crew of the CARIBOU 31 were lost including Capt. Taverner and his two sons. Of the passengers 104 lost their lives.
On Newfoundland 1929 2c sg 180, scott 164.
Sources http://www.heritage.nf.ca/law/caribou_sinking.html http://www.oisphere.net/~sullivan/caribou.htm
http://www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625/nshist19.html