An 81-year-old letter written by Canadian Navy sailor Cecil Richard Moss, who was killed in WWII, was discovered by teacher Geneviève Dale in the underground storage of Western Canada High School in Calgary. The letter, addressed to former classmate Rosalie Cummings, offers a poignant glimpse into Moss's teenage thoughts and hopes before he died at sea in November 1944 when his ship, HMCS Shawinigan, was sunk by a German U-boat.
Letter from WWII sailor killed by Nazi U-boat found in 'the bowels' of Calgary high school
CalgaryCanadaNewfoundland and LabradorWestern Canada High SchoolCecil Richard MossGeneviève DaleRosalie CummingsWorld War IIWar and unrestWar casualtiesMuseums
AI Summary
TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️An 81-year-old letter written by Canadian Navy sailor Cecil Richard Moss, who was killed in WWII, was discovered by teacher Geneviève Dale in the underground storage of Western Canada High School in Calgary. The letter, addressed to former classmate Rosalie Cummings, offers a poignant glimpse into Moss's teenage thoughts and hopes before he died at sea in November 1944 when his ship, HMCS Shawinigan, was sunk by a German U-boat.
Trending- 1 May 1, 1944: Cecil Richard Moss wrote the letter.
- 2 Late November 1944: HMCS Shawinigan sank, Moss killed.
- 3 Recently: Geneviève Dale found the letter.
- Poignant historical discovery
- Potential donation of the letter to a local museum
- Ongoing search for more details about Moss and Cummings
What: Discovery of an 81-year-old letter from a WWII Canadian Navy sailor, Cecil Richard Moss, who was killed in action.
When: Letter dated May 1, 1944; Moss killed in late November 1944; letter found recently (implied by context).
Where: Western Canada High School, Calgary, Alberta; off the Newfoundland coast (where HMCS Shawinigan sank); Italy (where Moss's brothers were); Edmonton (where another brother was in Air Force).
Why: Teacher Geneviève Dale was searching for old yearbooks for a digitization project.
How: The letter was found tucked into a file folder in a basement storage room.