On March 26, 1941, HMCS Otter, a converted yacht patrolling Halifax Harbour, caught fire and forced 41 crew members to abandon ship. Able Seaman Eric Arthur Woodbury survived the blaze, but family lore had long claimed a torpedo strike and hours adrift.

March 26, 1941: Engine‑Room Fire Forces Evacuation

According to the board of inquiry report cited by CBC journalist Richard Woodbury, the blaze erupted between 8:41 and 8:45 a.m. in the vessel’s engine room. The fire quickly overwhelmed the crew, and those on watch were either drowned or succumbed to exposure, leaving the exact cause of ignition uncertain.

The ship’s crew had just completed a drill the previous day, positioning 40 sailors in two lifeboats and a Carley float. When the fire broke out, gale‑force winds of 62‑74 km/h and five‑metre waves turned the evacuation into a desperate scramble for survival.

Survivors’ Testimony: No Torpedo, Just Flames

In his testimony to the inquiry, Eric Woodbury recalled turning on a fire extinguisher only to find it empty, confirming that the disaster was a fire, not a torpedo strike. As the ship listed, the crew clung to the Carley float and lifeboats, battling frigid water that was near freezing.

Woodbury’s account contradicts the family story that he spent “several hours in the water clinging to wreckage.” The official record shows that the survivors were rescued relatively quickly after abandoning ship, though many suffered from hypothermia.

Family Legend vs. Historical Record

Richard Woodbury grew up hearing that his grandfather had been torpedoed and had heroically held a fellow sailor aloft for hours. the board of inquiry, however, documented that the Otter’s loss was due to an internal fire, and the commendation awarded to Woodbury was for his efforts to assist others during the evacuation , not for a prolonged water rescue.

When Woodbury revisited the archives for the 85th anniversary of the incident, he found a photograph of the survivors leaving the hospital, but little else.. The inquiry’s detailed minutes provided the missing pieces, revealing a story of fire, rapid abandonment, and a cold‑water rescue rather than a torpedo‑laden drama.

Why the Misremembered Torpedo Story Persists

Oral histories often simplify complex events, especially when they involve trauma. The dramatic image of a torpedo strike fits a familiar wartime narrative, making it easier to pass down through generations. As Woodbury notes, his grandfather “didn’t appear to have told others about it in detail,” leaving a vacuum that family members filled with speculation.

Such myth‑making is common in veteran families , where the lack of written records can lead to embellished recollections. The Otter case illustrates how official documents, like the 1941 inquiry, are essential for correcting the record.

Remaining Gaps: Unanswered Details About the Fire’s Origin

Two specific questions remain unresolved: (1) What precisely ignited the engine‑room fire, given that the inquiry could not determine the cause? (2) How many of the 41 crew members suffered lasting health effects from exposure to the icy Atlantic waters?

Further research into naval maintenance logs and medical records from the Halifax Naval Hospital could shed light on these points, but such archives have yet to be fully examined.