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They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
BOTHAM, Robert John, AB, V11889, RCNVR, killed - 20 Sep 1943, HMCS ST CROIX - Son of Robert and Doris L. Botham, of Plato, Saskatchewan. Brother of Private Charles Raymond Botham, who died while serving with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.
Able Seaman Botham died when HMCS ST CROIX was sunk on 20 Sep 1943 by U-305. Of her crew of 149, there was only 1 survivor. HMCS ST CROIX was sunk on 20 Sep 1943 and the survivors were picked up by HMS ITCHEN K277 which was in turn sunk on 23 Sep 1943. Other than a couple crew that were identified by the sole survivor of ST CROIX as having been on ITCHEN it is not known which crew members died in the sinking of ITCHEN so all ST CROIX crew are listed as having died on 20 Sep 1943.
Able Seaman Robert John Botham was born at Melfort, Saskatchewan and was farming when he enlisted on October 21, 1941 at Saskatoon Saskatchewan. Brother of Private Charles. R. Botham with Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, R.C.I.C. was killed in Italy on May 23, 1944. They were the sons of Robert Samuel and Doris Lillian Botham. Both boys were farming when they enlisted. Besides the parents there are four other brothers, Sgt. William in the R.C.A.F. at St. Hubert, Que.; Harold twin brother of Pte. Raymond, in the Canadian Tank Corps.at Camp Borden; Donald and Gerald at home and four Audrey, Margery and Joyce at home.
Ships served in: SASKATOON DIVISION RCNVR - Enlisted 21 Oct 1941 * Commenced Active Service 29 Dec 1941 as an Ordinary Seaman, RCNVR HMCS NADEN - Drafted to NADEN 21 Apr 1942 * Rated Acting Submarine Detector, RCNVR 11 Aug 1942 HMCS CORNWALLIS - Drafted to CORNWALLIS 27 Aug 1942 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 04 Sep 1942 HMS MANITOULIN - Drafted to MANITOULIN 14 Sep 1942 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 06 Nov 1942 HMCS ANNAPOLIS - Drafted to ANNAPOLIS 29 Oct 1942 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 06 Nov 1942 HMCS ST CROIX - Drafted to ST CROIX 09 Nov 1942 * Rated Able Seaman, RCNVR 29 Dec 1942
(RJB001 - RJB002) Articles from the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix on the deaths of Robert Botham and his brother Charles // Courtesy of Operation Picture Me (RJB003) Service file for Robert Botham // Source: The Library and Archives of Canada
Second World War Casualty Index
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