At the heart. . .of the action
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Paul Hartwig
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Léon-Paul Fortin
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Guy Laflamme
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Wilhem Köning
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The main victims of enemy attacks perpetrated on the river or in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence were the sailors or the passengers on the torpedoed ships. In fact, most of the torpedo attacks that took place in the St. Lawrence caused loss of life. Certain survivors were lucky enough to come through safely, while others died at sea or of wounds suffered during the attacks.
After the corvette HMCS Ville de Québec recovered survivors during the Second World War, one survivor wrote this poem, which emphasizes the importance of the little red light on life preservers. Reverend Henri L. J. Lanctin sent it to the Naval Museum of Quebec.
THE LITTLE LIGHT OF RED
From New York City we set sail,
In convoy to Great Britain;
With precious cargo in our hold,
A page of life was written.
Up the coast to Canada,
And then to Newfoundland;
Never dreaming that our convoy
Had death on either hand.
T’was Tuesday night and cold and drear,
The waves were heaving high;
Then came the crash which seamen fear,
And the flames lit up the sky.
Jerry was out to make his name,
Five ships he sent below;
And sailors made their bid for life,
Into that heaving flow.
Our life belts strapped upon our backs,
The night was cold and dead;
Then I looked at my only chance,
The little light of red.
In the water dark and cold,
Many a seaman died;
When out of the night a wonderful sight,
A ship on my beam I spied.
My hopes leaped high as it drew nigh,
A corvette by her build,
And many a seaman from the sea
Were taken, cold and chilled.
We thank our God for the ships He sent,
But let my praise be said;
The thing that really saved our lives,
Was that little light of red.
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