Hugh Hendry: A Brave Sailor Lost but Not Forgotten

1877–1917 
Prospect Cemetery 
Section 7 Lot 44 

Hugh Hendry’s life and service reflect both courage and tragedy. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Hendry immigrated to Canada and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy, serving as Petty Officer 1st Class aboard H.M.C.S. Margaret during World War I.  

On December 6, 1917, Hendry was stationed in Halifax when disaster struck. Two ships – one laden with explosives – collided in the harbour, triggering the Halifax Explosion, the largest man-made blast before the dropping of the atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. Nearly 2,000 people perished, and Hendry was among them, killed by shock and injuries sustained in the blast. He was 40 years old.  

Hendry’s sacrifice is memorialized on Page 254 of Canada’s First World War Book of Remembrance and on plaques at Toronto’s Old City Hall and St. John’s Presbyterian Church. His final resting place is a quiet corner that honours a sailor who gave his life in service to his country.  

The story of Hugh Hendry reminds us that even far from the front lines, war’s toll was profound, and that Toronto’s cemeteries hold the memory of those who shaped Canada’s history. 

Sources: 
•  Veterans Affairs Canada – Canadian Virtual War Memorial (Hugh Hendry) 
•  For Posterity Sake – Short Biography 
•  Nova Scotia Archives – Halifax Explosion Casualty Lists