Reflections of the Captain

Friday sadly was my daughter in law’s father’s funeral. She and her family lost their rock, a much loved and cherished man. Ray was a resident of our small community all of his life, and was well known all around by all. He was a good man, and raised a family of five with his wife JoAnn of forty years. I watched Ray’s grandson, Torin [also my grandson of course] on Friday while they paid their respects. As I looked after Torin now almost two years old, and watched him play, it reminded me…..

I was five years old when my Grandpa Raeburn died. Not old enough to form vivid lasting memories of my own. Very, very few cameo appearances flash within my mind of him. I must rely on family members to tell the story of our very interesting patriarch. Many of those folks that could tell the story have come and gone, and few remain that can still tell me about the Captain. Miscellaneous photographs, newspaper clippings and a little oral folklore are what remain. No scrapbook of his life, or written accounts of his tales on the lakes. I am, a witness in the third person to his life, but will try in any event to put together a recollection of who this man was. In time. Not all to be done in just a day…..

Ernest Ferrier Raeburn died April 6, 1965 at his home in Sault Saint Marie, he was 82 years old. A then retired Great Lakes captain, father of five grown children, and husband to Ethel for fifty-two years; he was also granddad to eleven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He was a grand story teller and weaved stories of adventures on the lake when he came home in the winter to his children, perhaps the townsfolk when he took his daily winter strolls around town. Ernest was raised on a farm in Ontario near Collingwood, and came to the Michigan Soo with his parents at age 16. He may have developed a love for the water visiting relatives in Collingwood, near the shipyards. I have been told he left home and joined an academy for sailing in Ontario, and as we know now later became a captain after a few years as a shipmate.

As I am told a large funeral was attended by not just his family and local friends, but also old lake captains and shipmates he knew. Remembrances of lake tales, and events of old times. Someone told me that my father, who was 46 years old at the time, was pacing back and forth (for what reason I am not aware) baring a ‘striking resemblance’ to Ernie. In my mind I tried to picture my grandfather, at 46 years old, in his captain’s uniform. I really should have written down the stories I was told, but at the time never thought I would want to be recalling the details. I was young, and we all know the young are foolish. I need someone to wave their magic wand and make those stories reappear! I have some work to do…perhaps, more to come : )

My sister Kim, my Dad and I, and Grandpa Raeburn at grandpa's house in the Soo.

Ethel, Ernie & the Titanic

Ethel and Ernie were just a few months away from getting married. The anticipation and excitement was in the air, the dress, the church, the dream of a life beginning. This was certainly a consuming vision in any bride’s dreams. Ernie would have to take time away from his job for the wedding, as he worked a bit far from their soon to be home in the Soo. They were to be married in St. Luke’s Cathedral in Sault, Ontario on July 6, 1912.

As the couple both worked through the months to the wedding, they woke to news one morning that would rattle the nerves of many, and send them to despair and grief. The world was small, and this was the kind of news that would reach around it quickly and hard.

The biggest ship ever built, with a reputation as the ‘Unsinkable’ dove to an icy grave at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, on its virgin voyage. Just a few days after it set sail from Southampton, England, the Titanic did the unthinkable. It sank on April 15, 1912 and took over 1500 of its passengers with it, only some 700 managed to survive the horror. We can only imagine the terror that went through the minds of those fated people that night. The frightening knowledge of fate of those left on the ship. The grief and pity of those who had to leave their loved ones behind as the lifeboats floated them away in the frigid night air.

What was the sentiment of the people around the world? Outrage, most definitively, the builders of the ship never had enough life boats to accommodate all of its passengers. The wealthy lives were regarded higher than any other passengers. People beginning new lives had them preempted by way of arrogance.

What was the sentiment of my grandparents, I wondered. Ethel, was a feisty outspoken young suffragist about to marry…. a steamship captain of the Great Lakes. Ernie, who had been sailing on the Great Lakes since 1905 as a first mate took his first command in that ill-fated year of 1912. Captain Ernest Raeburn took the helm of the City of Chatham, a passenger ship that sailed between Sault Saint Marie and the Blind River. He went on to sail the Great Lakes from The Superior through to the St Lawrence Seaway to Montreal for 46 years. The Great Lakes may not have been the treacherous Atlantic Ocean, but the lakes could take the lives of those who rode the waves just as cruelly.

Did Ethel wish Ernie had picked a different profession? Did the fate of the Titanic spark conversations of prudence, safety and….arrogance of man? Would they weather this life with strength and courage? Absolutely! Did I say Ethel was feisty? Outspoken? A strong woman that was able to keep up with this salty ol’ character….who would have never given up this love of the water, it flowed through his veins. Observances were made and lessons were learned and taught. She kept any fears in check. She lived their married life on land and raised a family, and when the ice froze the path he came home to her, every winter. And they never sank.

Veterans Day: Merchant Marine WWII Dean E Raeburn

In Honor of Veteran's Day I would like to re-run this post, originally posted for Memorial Day-


Several years ago I tried to search information regarding the Merchant Marines, there was virtually nothing online. I have recently found a few websites devoted to the service of the Merchant Marines, and there is valuable and appreciated information on the sites, I will provide links at the end of this post. Recognition by the U.S. government to the Merchant Marines of WWII comes finally and for some to late. No Pensions or veteran benefits were ever received by the Merchant Mariners of WWII...a grave site memorial plaque was received without a U.S. flag for my dad.

My father, Dean Raeburn was a Merchant Marine during WWII, his United States Coast Guard card listing him as Fireman,Oiler, Watertender, Ordinary Seaman, his passport lists him as an oiler. He did sail the Great Lakes prior to and after WWII, I am guessing an inherited passion growing up in Sault Saint Marie the son of a Great Lakes Steamship Captain.

I have a lot to learn and research about the Merchant Marines. Some thought they saw “no action”, I heard of someone saying this to my father and his response was to the contrary. I never did hear my father talk about the war or being a Merchant Marine. Their missions over the Atlantic must have been anything but an easy task, with German U-boats after them. One of the ships Dad sailed on was the Thomas U Walter. A log shows them departing from Alexandria Egypt in September of 1943. The Gus 17 convoy list(slow convoy-Gibraltar-U.S.) shows 90 merchants and 13 escorts.

**Ninety merchant ships sailing in convoy and thirteen escorts by the U.S. Navy**

Dad sailed to many ports, Egypt, Algeria, France and England perhaps more I am unaware of. I found only three documents showing three ships through Ancestry.com. Some of his duties as an oiler in the engine crew on the merchant ships were making sure the bearing were always kept regularly oiled. Maintaining and keeping piston rods, valve stems, etc oiled and keeping seawater off. The duty list is is a long and responsible one, with the duties also of fireman watertender....

I wish to learn more and write a more fitting tribute, I will spend much more time on this. I can now write for records which I will, and I can request for ship records if I decide to do so. I wish I had more to write on right now.

I wasn’t going to even post this due to lack of info...but decided to anyway a bit late.

dad is #25 on list
Click on all photos for larger viewing

LINKS~

Song and Video by Celtae A must see!!

Duties of the engine crew
U.S.Merchant Marine
Arnold Hague Convoy Database
The Convoy System at UBoat.net
Ancestry.com Immigration & Emigration

Smile For The Camera, 11th Edition~~brothers & sisters

Byard, Barbara, Lee, Dean & Beth Raeburn~brothers & sisters
My dad and his siblings were definitely a one for all and all for one clan. Aunt Beth isn't in this photo for some reason...perhaps because she was the baby of the family like me and was 7 years younger than my dad [the two youngest of 5] The Raeburn clan grew up in Sault Saint Marie Michigan. This photo was taken sometime just before WWII.

Left to right top row: Marjorie Lee Raeburn Bates, Byard Raeburn, my cousin Michael Craig Durwin~Barbara's son, my dad Dean Raeburn
Middle row: Barbara Raeburn Durwin, Mae Wheeler Mathews my grandma's sister, my grandma Ethel Wheeler Raeburn, Ida Wheeler Panter~sister of g'ma,Ida~a friend
Bottom row: Esther Dittman Raeburn [my dad's 1st wife], Violet Raeburn~Byard's wife, Barbara's husband Oscar Thomas Durwin, Marjorie Wheeler Wilms ~g'ma's sister, 'Fuzz'O.N. Wilms

Dorothy Elizabeth Raeburn, 'Beth'