The Irish Fusiliers at the Cenotaph, City Hall, Prince George, B.C., 1942.

The Irish Fusiliers - Prince George, B.C. 1942

In Memory of 
Leading Stoker ALBERT JEAN GERMAIN DION

V/3373, H.M.C.S. Athabaskan., Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve
who died age 24
on 29 April 1944
Son of Emile and Josephine Dion, of Limoilou, Province of Quebec.
Remembered with honour
HALIFAX MEMORIAL
Jean was born in Quebec City and volunteered in 1938 to escape the Great Depression of the 1930's.  This gallant young French-Canadian was 24 years of age when he sailed with Athabaska on her last voyage.  He first became a "Bandsman", shore duty was not his style so he took the stokers course to qualify for sea duty.  He served on a boom defense vessel for about a year and then took a commando course in time to join the invasion force of Sicily and Italy.  Dion was wounded during this campaign when his landing-craft was hit and sunk.  He was taken to Niobe and hospitalized till he was fit and able to join Athabaskan.

Athabaskan's Leading Stoker Albert Dion

In Memory of 
Lieut-Commander JOHN HAMILTON STUBBS
D S O, D S C

O/70990, H.M.C.S. Athabaskan, Royal Canadian Navy
who died age 31
on 29 April 1944
Son of Maj. John Hamilton Stubbs and Dorothy Bessie Stubbs; husband of Ruth Stubbs, of St. John's Wood, London.
Remembered with honour
PLOUESCAT COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Lieutenant John Stubbs RCN marries Ruth Moore in Victoria, British Columbia, Feb 28, 1940.  Their marriage would last four years, John would rise to the rank of Lieutenant Commander and command HMCS Athabaskan right to the bitter end.  He would lose his life in the sinking.