-In the early morning of 14 Oct 1942, the Newfoundland Railway passenger/rail ferry, S. S. 'Caribou', was sailing across the Cabot Strait when it was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat; it had departed from Sydney, Nova Scotia, on the evening of 13 Oct and was heading for Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland. Aboard were 192 passengers (armed forces personnel, as well as civilians), a crew of 46, some livestock, rail cars and other cargo. The island of Newfoundland, a sea-faring country which was still a British colony at that time, was in a strategic location during the Second World War because it was so close to Canada. There were several military bases on the island where Canadian, British and American personnel were stationed; these servicemen often travelled on the ferries between Newfoundland and Canada.

-Of the 46 crew members of the S.S. 'Caribou', 31 died, including her captain and his two sons. Of the 118 Canadian, British and American armed services personnel, 57 died. And of the 74 civilians aboard the Caribou that early morning, 49 perished. 136 people in all were lost.

Leading Aircraftman Oiring, who was returning to his base following a leave, was one of the armed services personnel passengers, aboard the S.S. 'Caribou', who perished at sea.

He was one of eighteen Canadian airmen lost....

Pilot Officer John Hamilton BARRETT,

Pilot Officer Lionel Edgar LEGGE,

Aircraftman 2nd Class Lawrence William TRUESDALE,

Corporal William Palmer HOWSE,

Corporal Herbert Harold ELKIN,

Aircraftman 2nd Class Raymond CHATSON,

Aircraftman 2nd Class Thomas Henry CUMMINGS,

Aircraftman 2nd Class William Bruce WILSON,

Aircraftman 2nd Class Edward Allan THISTLE,

Aircraftman 2nd Class Raymond WATSON,

Aircraftman 2nd Class George William PARKER,

Aircraftman 2nd Class Donald Cameron GLOVER,

Leading Aircraftman Charles Michael McCARRON,

Leading Aircraftman Edward George WALKER,

Leading Aircraftman Dow Lester MITCHELL,

Leading Aircraftman Archie Walker JONES,

Leading Aircraftman Morris Nathan OIRING and

Aircraftman 1st Class Fred George COULSON.

Military Service-

Rank: Leading Aircraftman

Trade: Security Guard

Service Number: R/144937

Age: 21

Force: Air Force

Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force

During the Second World War, he enlisted in the RCAF on 15 December 1941 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; prior to enlisting, he had been a salesman for a clothing manufacturing business.

Son of Isidore and Sonia (née Blatt) Oiring of Edward Charles Street in Montreal; brother of Issie Dan.

Leading Aircraftman Morris Nathan Oiring is commemorated on Page 103 of Canada's Second World War Book of Remembrance.

He is also commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.