James Colin Cameron was born in Canso, Guysborough County, on November 18, 1907, to James and Harriet Elizabeth (Condon) Cameron. Colin traced his Nova Scotian roots to his grandfather Angus Cameron. Born in Scotland in 1823, Angus immigrated to Nova Scotia with his family at age five. A shoemaker by trade, he married Ellen Grant, an Antigonish County native, in 1848. The couple established residence in Canso, where they raised a family of seven children—two daughters, Margaret “Maggie” (DOB May 8, 1851) and Mary “Minnie” (DOB June 16, 1864), and five sons.
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| 3rd Mate James Colin Cameron in civilian lite |
Angus and Ellen’s three oldest boys—Frederick A. “Fred” (DOB December 26, 1850), James W. (DOB January 2, 1857) and Duncan (DOB August 1, 1858)—learned the shoemaker trade from their father. By 1891, Angus had established a “general merchandise” business in the community, a commercial endeavour that eventually employed the three oldest Cameron boys, as well as younger brothers Angus Colin (DOB January 6, 1865) and John Grant (DOB March 29, 1866).
Ellen (Grant) Cameron passed away on June 11, 1900, and was interred in Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Cemetery, Canso. Angus died before the end of the decade, leaving his business in the hands of his sons. James W., the third-oldest of the Cameron boys, married Harriet Elizabeth “Bessie” Condon, daughter of Thomas and Anastasia (Kennedy) Condon, in Guysborough town on September 25, 1893. James and Bessie established residence in Canso, where they raised five children—Thomas Theophilus “Theo” (DOB November 10, 1893); Anne/Anna (DOB November 5, 1895); Evelyn Cecilia (DOB May 2, 1897); James Colin and Joseph Bernard (DOB August 9, 1910).
Tragically, only one of James and Bessie’s five children survived into old age. Joseph succumbed to diphtheria on December 4, 1917, at age seven. Neither of their daughters married. Evelyn experienced “epileptic fits” during adolescence and was diagnosed with tuberculosis at age 20. She passed away at home on April 25, 1922, one week shy of her 24th birthday. Ann also suffered from tuberculosis and eventually developed pulmonary oedema (fluid in the lungs). She died in Canso on March 11, 1942, at age 46.
Theo, the oldest of the Cameron siblings, initially relocated to Halifax, where he worked as a bank clerk. In April 1919, he crossed the United States border at Vanceboro, Maine, on his way to New York City. He established residence in Manhattan and obtained a clerk’s position with the New York Stock Exchange. Meanwhile, back in Canso, his father James’ health was declining. Diagnosed with tuberculosis, he was ill for “some considerable time” before passing away from pneumonia on February 15, 1922.
Following his father’s death, Theo’s younger brother Colin remained in Canso for several years. In mid-summer 1926, the 18-year-old travelled by train to Montreal, QC, and crossed the American border at Rouses Point, New York, on August 8, 1926. He then joined Theo in New York City, where he planned to establish permanent residence.
Colin soon found work as a “clerk” with a local “telephone company.” According to the 1930 United States census, Bessie had relocated to New York a year prior to Colin’s arrival. At the time of the census, she and her two sons were living together in Manhattan. In fact, Colin completed a Declaration of Intention to become an American citizen on June 10, 1929. The document listed his occupation as “seaman.”
In fact, Port of New York records indicate that Colin served as “First Messman” on an American steamship that arrived from Havana, Cuba, in late May 1929. The following month, he departed for “foreign ports” aboard the steamship Liberty, listed on the vessel’s manifest as “A.B.”—able-bodied seaman, a member of the ship’s deck crew. He made a second voyage to Southampton, England, in October 1929, as a “room cleaner.” He appears to have continued to work at sea throughout the 1930s, although details of his service are not available.
By early April 1940, Colin had advanced to the rank of “bosun”—senior deck hand, responsible for overseeing the deck crew’s operations—aboard the tanker SS Royal Arrow. Port of New York records list a round-trip voyage to Willemstad, Curacao, North West Indies, that spring, followed by a trip to Naples, Italy, aboard the same vessel. According to both documents, Colin had amassed 11 years of merchant marine service by that time.
The outbreak of the Second World War in Europe soon made merchant marine voyages across the North Atlantic a perilous undertaking. Widespread German U-boat activity commenced in mid-1940 and continued with intensity for the next three and a half years. Despite the dangers, Colin continued to work at sea. In August 1940, he submitted a Petition for Naturalization and registered for the United States military draft two months later. His occupation would likely have warranted an exemption, should he be “called up.” On February 12, 1941, Colin officially became a US citizen.
By late 1942, Colin had advanced to the position of 3rd Mate aboard MS Brilliant, an American “motor tanker” owned and operated by Socony-Vacuum Corporation, the world’s third-largest oil company at that time. On November 9, 1942, the vessel left New York on its way to Belfast, Ireland, carrying more than 90,000 barrels of oil and gasoline as part of an Allied merchant convoy.
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| MS Brilliant, New York, November 7, 1942 (Source: Auke Visser's MOBIL Tankers & Tugs Site) |
Unbeknownst to the vessels, a pack of German U-boats tracked their progress as they sailed past Newfoundland and veered eastward into the North Atlantic. At 0956 hours November 18, German U-boat U-43 surfaced and fired a torpedo that struck MS Brilliant between its number five tank and pump room. The impact blew a 12-meter-wide hole in its hull, destroyed three of the vessel’s below-deck tanks, and created leaks in three other port side compartments.
The subsequent explosion sent a burst of flame into the air but fortunately did not ignite the vessel’s flammable cargo. Crew below the deck immediately secured the engines, which were undamaged and continued to operate. The ship’s Master sounded an alarm calling all hands to “general quarters” and the crew immediately prepared to lower several lifeboats into the water.
One lifeboat at the forward deckhouse would carry the Master, several officers and a group of Navy Armed Guards who were aboard the ship. A second lifeboat at the vessel’s stern was also readied for deployment. As the forward lifeboat was being outfitted, the ship’s Master ordered Colin to gather several items—navigational equipment, the ship’s papers and cigarettes—and place them in the boat.
Colin quickly returned with the requested items, but departed again to retrieve a new Officer’s cap in his quarters. During his absence, crew members lowered the forward lifeboat into the water. By the time Colin returned, it was halfway along the vessel’s side. He shouted at its occupants but they did not respond. While the Master intended to remain alongside the tanker to determine if it would remain afloat, rough seas soon swamped the lifeboat, dumping the men into the ocean. A nearby British rescue ship quickly came to their rescue, retrieving all without loss or injury.
Meanwhile, Colin decided not to head toward the stern lifeboat, as he feared the vessel’s rear portion might explode at any time. Instead, remembering that there was a lifeboat on the other side of the bridge, he headed in that direction only to run directly into a Navy Armed Guard officer. The two men landed on the deck, erupting in laughter at the absurdity of their circumstances.
The officer informed Colin that he was now in charge of the vessel, as all other merchant marine officers had left with the Master. Colin immediately entered the wheelhouse and turned off the general alarm. He then contacted the engine room, where the third engineer informed him that none of the equipment had been damaged in the explosion.
Having assessed the situation, Colin decided that it might be possible to save the vessel. He activated the automatic fire suppression system and within minutes the flames on the deck began to subside. Around that time, a corvette with the convoy escort signalled the men aboard Brilliant, ordering them to “abandon ship.” Colin responded that, as the situation appeared to be under control, he planned to bring the vessel into the nearest port.
The corvette repeated its order but Colin remained firm—he and the remaining crew on board were determined to save the ship. The convoy commodore then signalled for the tanker to proceed to St. Johns, Newfoundland. Colin slowly turned the crippled vessel around and headed west. Meanwhile, the convoy resumed its eastward journey.
The men aboard the tanker were well aware that a German U-boat might be lurking nearby, waiting to resume the attack. Fortunately, seas were light as Brilliant began its journey to safety. Steel plates and beams loosened by the torpedo’s impact groaned as the ship cut through the water. In response, the crew operated the engine at “slow ahead” speed to minimize the strain on the hull and avoid the possibility of the ship breaking in two.
Two sailors shared bridge watches while others manned the ship’s deck guns, ready to fire should a U-boat surface nearby. The skeleton crew was soon alone in a vast expanse of ocean as the vessel slowly made its way westward. Colin remained on the bridge throughout the journey, he and the crew watching the damaged stern sway from side to side as the ship cut through the water.
Fortunately, seas remained calm and winds were light as the tanker crept along. After several days, the crew spotted a small fishing schooner whose skipper guided them into Musgravetown, 30 kilometers north of Clarenville, Newfoundland, on November 24. The damaged ship had traveled a distance of 500 kilometres at a speed of three knots without being spotted by a U-boat. The Brilliant’s entire crew—nine officers, 33 sailors, and 18 Navy Armed Guards—had survived the harrowing incident without loss or injury.
James immediately turned on the ship’s radio and contacted Naval officials, who ordered him to bring the tanker to St. Johns, where the crew remained for several weeks. As the required repairs could not be completed there, naval authorities instructed the men to take the ship to Sydney, NS. On December 18, 1942, the tanker left St. Johns harbour “in convoy” but immediately encountered gale force winds and rough seas, forcing the ship to return the following day.
Meanwhile, the United States Marine Commission learned the details of the November 18 attack, particularly Colin’s role in saving the damaged oil tanker. The Commission determined that his actions warranted special commendation and awarded him the US merchant marine’s Distinguished Service Medal (DSM). The official citation stated:
“For especially meritorious service under unusual demands and hazards….Junior Third Officer Cameron was the remaining deck officer on board…. [W]ith the heroic assistance of the remaining crew members, he accomplished the extinguishing of deck fires and directed the Chief Engineer to start the engines in an effort to save the ship and her valuable cargo. He then brought her through heavy weather and dangerous waters to the nearest safe port…. His personal courage and devotion to duty will be an enduring inspiration to seamen of the United States Merchant Marine everywhere.”
According to an article published in The United States Naval Proceedings, October 1958, a monthly US Naval Institute publication, the Marine Commission sent a telegram to St. Johns on January 18, 1943, instructing Colin to make his way to Washington, DC, by Navy airplane to receive the DSM. By unfortunate coincidence, Brilliant had left the harbour several hours earlier, on its way to Halifax, NS, for repairs.
Workers in St. Johns had placed a temporary patch across the opening in the vessel’s hull during its time in the harbour. On board for the journey was Andrew Lagan, a merchant marine Master sent to Newfoundland to guide the vessel to its destination. A crew of 54 sailors, including 3rd Mate James Colin Cameron, was also on board.
On this occasion, the British tugboat HMS Frisky towed the ship to its destination, while HMS Chelsea provided escort protection. Once out to sea, weather conditions quickly worsened. As a precaution, all hands donned immersion suits and life jackets as the vessel continued on its way.
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| Photograph of Brilliant's stern section prior to sinking (Source: Auke Visser's MOBIL Site) |
Two days into the journey—January 20, 1943—persistent high winds and heavy seas split the damaged tanker into two pieces. The ship’s “forepart” sank immediately, taking all 11 men aboard that section of the vessel under with it. The ship’s Master, two officers—including Third Mate James Colin Cameron—four crew members, three armed guards and a coastal pilot perished in the incident.
The vessel’s “after-part” remained afloat, drifting southeast for five days with 44 crew members aboard before a lifeboat from the tugboat and another from HMCS Goderich managed to safely extract the men. They were then transported to Argentia, Newfoundland, arriving there on January 24. The tanker’s broken section was towed to nearby Placentia Bay, but sank the following day.
At time of Colin’s death, Bessie was living in Canso, having returned sometime prior to 1940. At an unknown date, Colin’s brother Theo travelled to Washington, DC, where he received the DSM on his behalf.
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| Theo Cameron (right) accepting Colin's DSM (Source: MM DSM Recipients—Ian Watt) |
Bessie Cameron passed away in her Canso home on April 14, 1946, and was laid to rest in Star of the Sea Cemetery. Her son Theo was the informant on her death certificate. Theo Cameron died in 1984 and was buried in Star of the Sea Cemetery, Canso, beside his grandmother Ellen. The exact location and circumstances of his death are unknown at this time.
Special thanks to Frank Streicher, Halifax, NS, who reconstructed the photograph of James Colin Cameron from a poor quality image attached to his 1938 Declaration of Intent US citizenship application. Frank also enhanced the DSM photograph of Theo Cameron and DSM recipients.
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