Prominent in the Great War, some sources state there was no Newfoundland Regiment in WW2.
Yet twenty-nine men are listed with a date of death during the Second World War on the Newfoundland Regiment Honour Roll (Formerly Newfoundland Militia). All but seven died on 12 December 1942. What happened?
In the St John’s Knights of Columbus Hostel fire a total of 99 people died. Eighty of them were Newfoundlands and Canadians or British and American servicemen. Nineteen were civilians. Arson by enemy agents was suspected. German vessels were active in the waters off Newfoundland at the time. The ferry Caribou had been torpedoed in October, with the loss of 137 lives, mainly Newfoundlanders, on a voyage from North Sydney, N.S. to Port Aux Basques, Nfld.
Many Newfoundlanders saw overseas service with British and Canadian forces.