“The August Gale (I)”
Description
The captains and crews of four ships lost are cited. Only the Annie [Young q.v.] is mentioned by name.
Notes
The August Gale was off shore of the US and knocked out telephone and telegraph lines crossing Cape Breton.
"A number of vessels were lost including the _Joyce Smith_ with 21 lives, 19 of whom were Newfoundlanders. The _Halifax Daily News_ later reported that the August Gale was one of the worst in the history of Nova Scotia. Early in the morning of August 25, the August Gale crossed the Cabot Strait. Because communications had been severed because of the storm, no advance warning of the approaching storm was available....
The most severe destruction was reserved for ships at sea. According to Robert Parsons in _Lost at Sea_, the _Vienna_ of Burnt Island was lost with a crew of six, the _Hilda Gertrude_ of Rushoon went down with seven men, the _Ella May_ of Rencontre West (six men), _Annie Jane_ of Isle of Mort (4 men), Red Harbour's _John Loughlin_ (8 men) and Fox Harbour's _Annie Healey_ (7 men)."
Source: Bruce Whiffen site, copyright August 23, 1999, Bruce Whiffen, quoted with permission of copyright owner.
Northern Shipwrecks Database lists fifteen ships lost in Newfoundland waters -- between Cape Race and one at Prince Edward Island -- on August 24-25, 1935. You can use the reports of wrecks to follow the storm from Ramea in the southwest, around the south and east coast, up to Goose Cove just south of St Anthony. - BS
Historical references
- Aug 25, 1935 - "Placentia Bay was hit by a severe storm ... which claimed the lives of forty fishermen."
Cross references
- cf. "The August Gale (II)" (subject)
- cf. "The Annie Young" (subject)
References
- Lehr/Best 5A, "The August Gale" (1 text, 1 tune)
- BI, LeBe005A