"Our Gallant Doctor"
Enigma and Tragedy: Surgeon-Lieutenant George Hendry and HMCS Ottawa, 1942
by James Goodwin
During the Battle of the Atlantic, Dr. George Hendry had just finished performing two major surgical operations on board the destroyer HMCS Ottawa when his ship was ambushed by 13 German U-boats. Canadian warships like Ottawa had inadequate radar sets that were incapable of detecting submarines approaching in the dark. On September 13, 1942, U-91 stole in and torpedoed Ottawa, sinking her in 20 minutes. utterly exhausted, Dr. Hendry was lost along with 113 of his shipmates.
George Hendry was a much-loved man, a great university athlete, and a very good doctor. Unfortunately, he was also naive and too trusting. One night in January 1941, he committed a very foolish indiscretion. He would spend the rest of his tragically short life making amends for this mistake.
close this panelJames Goodwin obtained his MD from the University of Toronto and went on to the Harvard Medical School for his postgraduate training in obstetrics and gynecology. he has taught and practised perinatology at four Canadian universities and abroad. Dr. Goodwin and his wife, Alison, live in Toronto, where he is studying medical history at the University of Toronto.
close this panel[A] well-written, thoroughly researched and interesting book.
... the account of HMCS Ottawa's last moments is vivid and moving.
