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A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project
They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
O'HARA, Wallace Ian, OS, V5908, RCNVR, MPK - 26 Mar 1941, HMCS OTTER - son of William Wallace and Eva Maud O'Hara, of Westmount, QC.
The ship's lifeboat went back to HMCS Otter to rescue Lieutenant Mossman. However, the lifeboat was overcrowded and three seamen (Ordinary Seaman Ian O'Hara, Ordinary Seaman John Slavin, and Able Seaman Thomas Guildford left the lifeboat to take their chances with others clinging to a float to relive the over-crowding in the life-boat. Ordinary Seaman O'Hara unfortunately drowned.
Ordinary Seaman Wallace Ian O'Hara was a graduate of Westmount High School before is enlistment. He was survived by his parents William Wallace and Eva Maud O'Hara, of Westmount, Quebec and two sisters Margery and Myrna O'Hara
Citation for Mentioned in Despatches:
O'Hara, Ian Wallace, Ordinary Seaman, V5908, Posthumous Mention in Despatches
"For gallantry and devotion to duty when HMCS OTTER was lost."
Ships served in: MONTREAL DIVISION RCNVR - Commenced Active Service 09 Aug 1940 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 21 Aug 1940 as an OS, RCNVR HMCS OTTER - Drafted to OTTER 01 Jan 1941 as an OS, RCNVR
(OH01) Certificate of Service (OJ02) Naval Training and Active Service record (OH03) Report of Death (OH04) Newspaper article on the death Tel Earl Day and Seaman Wallace O'Hara
Second World War Casualty Index
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For Posterity's Sake 
