Sambro, Nova Scotia

Sambro
Sambro
Community
	Sambro Location within Nova Scotia
	Coordinates: 44°28′46″N63°36′32″W / 44.47944°N 63.60889°W
Country	Canada
Province	Nova Scotia
Municipality	Halifax Regional Municipality
District	11
Founded	1755
Government
• Type	Regional Council
• Governing Council	Halifax Regional Council
• Community Council	Chebucto Community Council
Area
• Total	7.7 km2 (3.0 sq mi)
Highest elevation	31 m (102 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Time zone	UTC-4 (AST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-3 (ADT)
Canadian Postal code	B3V
Telephone Exchange	902 868
GNBC Code	CBHBV

Last updated May 01, 2024

Sambro is a rural fishing community on the Chebucto Peninsula in the Halifax Regional Municipality, in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is on the Atlantic Ocean at the head of Sambro Harbour, immediately west of the entrance to Halifax Harbour. Sambro is at the end of Route 306.

Sambro Island is within the community southeast of the harbour and is home to the Sambro Island Lighthouse, the oldest operational lighthouse in the Americas (since 1758). It stands 62 feet on the top of the rocky island. The original lens from the lighthouse is on display at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax.

Sambro Island Light, built 1758, with 18th-century fog cannons Sambroandcannons.jpg — Sambro Island Light, built 1758, with 18th-century fog cannons

Sambro Harbour also has a small pepperpot style lighthouse ocated at the harbour entrance.

Etymology

Sesambre, "an island thus named by some Mallouins, distant 15 leagues from La Héve," says Champlain. Laverdière thus explains the name: "In remembrance of a small island of that name which lies in front of St. Malo (now Cézembre). Sésambre became S. Sambre; and the English sailors, who are not greatly devoted to the saints, have called it simply Sambro.

1612: Sesembre

1660: Sesembre

1733: Sambro (British)

1741: Sambro (British)

1744: Sincembre

1747: Cincembre

1753: Sincembre

1755: Sambro

1761: Sincembre

1761: Sambro

Mi'kmaq: Meseebakun.uk (`the constant mocker`)

History

Three years after the founding of Halifax in 1752, 26 families settled and worked on Sambro Island after Governor Edward Cornwallis saw the need to populate the area with British settlers to prevent a French attack by sea. The community has evolved into a fishing and tourist community over the centuries, although many residents currently commute into Halifax for employment.

On 13 May 1759, Major John Moncrief met Admiral Holmes off of Cape Sambro with two ships, HMS Somerset and HMS Terrible, before proceeding to Louisbourg, then Quebec, leading up to the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in the Seven Years' War.^[1]

During the American Revolution, Sambro witnessed numerous naval battles, such as the Battle off Halifax. On 10 July 1780, the British privateer Resolution (16 guns) under the command of Thomas Ross engaged the American privateer Viper (16 guns) off of Halifax at Sambro Light. There was another engagement, described as "one of the bloodiest battles in the history of privateering". The two privateers began a "severe engagement",^[2] in which each pounded the other with cannon fire for about 90 minutes.^[3] The death toll was 18 British and 33 Americans.^{[lower-alpha 1]}

On 1 September 1782 the American privateer Wasp sailed to Pennant Point where they were confronted by three men from Sambro who fired on them, killing one of his crew and wounding three others including Captain Thomas Thompson. Captain Perry took command of the vessel and the privateers took one of the Sambro men prisoner. The privateers buried their crew member on an island in Pennant Bay. They then began their return to Massachusetts by rowing to West Dover, Nova Scotia and then on to Cross Island ("Croo Island") just off Lunenburg ("Malegash").^[4]

During the American Civil War, Sambro played a pivotal role in the Chesapeake Affair. A Union vessel was stolen by a crew Confederate sympathisers who were loading the vessel with coal at Sambro for the journey to the Confederate states. Union Navy warships intercepted the vessel and eventually took it to Halifax.

Shipwrecks

World War I

On 2 July 1918 SS City of Vienna hit the rocks on Sambro Island. All on-board were rescued.^[5] On 5 August 1918 the British tanker Luz Blanca was hit by a torpedo fired by the German U-boat SM U-156 on its way to Halifax. Her crew took to the lifeboats and began rowing for the Sambro light, 27 kilometres (17 mi) away. All survived

World War II

On 26 March 1941 HMCS Otter caught fire from a wiring issue and abandoned ship 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) south of Sambro Island. 19 died when a lifeboat capsized. On 24 December 1944 HMCS Clayoquot was hit aft by a torpedo fired by U-806. Eight sailors were killed. On 16 April 1945 HMCS Esquimalt was hit by a torpedo fired by U-190. 44 crew died from exposure. 26 survived.

After the war, on 21 October 1947, as part of "Operation Scuttled", the surrendered U-190 was scuttled at about the same position as where HMCS Esquimalt was sunk.

Notes

↑ There are varying reports on the casualties. Another source indicates that the Americans reported between 3 died (British reporting 30 American died), while British reported 8 killed and 10 wounded.

Citations

↑ Mackellar, Patrick; Moncrieff, James; Lewis, G. G. (1901). A short account of the expedition against Quebec commanded by Major-General Wolfe in the year 1759 by Major Moncrief, from the corps papers of the Royal Engineers. Memoirs of the siege of Quebec. Quebec: Nuns of the Franciscan Convent. ISBN 978-0-665-82805-8.
↑ Simeon Perkins Diary. 13 July Thur. 1780
↑ Harold, Horwood; Butts, Edward (1987). Bandits & Privateers: Canada in the Age of Gunpowder. Doubleday Canada. ISBN 978-0-385-25110-5.^{[ page needed ]}
• Murdoch, Beamish (1866). A History of Nova-Scotia, Or Acadie. Vol. II. Halifax: J. Barnes. p. 608.
↑ "John Fairbanks - His Journal". Collections of the Maine Historical Society. Portland, Maine. 1831. p. 142.
• "American Privateer "Wasp"". awiatsea.com.
↑ "the City of Vienna, sank, fully loaded with munitions. Today it is still a hazard at the sea bottom, not far from Peggy’s Cove, 2.6 km from shore near Sambro Island.

Related Research Articles

German submarine U-190 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.

Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Halifax largely owes its existence to the harbour, being one of the largest and deepest ice-free natural harbours in the world. Before Confederation it was one of the most important commercial ports on the Atlantic seaboard. In 1917, it was the site of the world's largest man-made accidental explosion, when the SS Mont-Blanc blew up in the Halifax Explosion of December 6.

The Battle of the St. Lawrence involved marine and anti-submarine actions throughout the lower St. Lawrence River and the entire Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Strait of Belle Isle, Anticosti Island and Cabot Strait from May–October 1942, September 1943, and again in October–November 1944. During this time, German U-boats sank over 20 merchant ships and four Canadian warships. There were several near-shore actions involving the drop of German spies, or the attempted pickup of escaping prisoners of war. Despite the 23 ships lost, this battle marked a strategic victory for Canadian forces as ultimately they managed to disrupt U-boat activity, protect Canadian and Allied convoys, and intercept all attempted shore operations. This marked the first time that a foreign power had inflicted casualties in Canadian inland waters since the US incursions in the War of 1812.

HMCS Saguenay was a St. Laurent-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces from 1956–1990. She was the second vessel in her class and the second Canadian naval unit to carry the name HMCS Saguenay. After being discarded by the Canadian Forces, the ship was sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of Nova Scotia.

Sambro Island Lighthouse is a landfall lighthouse located at the entrance to Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia, on an island near the community of Sambro in the Halifax Regional Municipality. It is the oldest surviving lighthouse in North America and its construction is a National Historic Event.

HMCS Esquimalt was a Bangor-class minesweeper that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She saw service in the Battle of the Atlantic and in the Battle of the St. Lawrence. She was sunk in 1945, the last Canadian warship to suffer that fate. She was named for Esquimalt, British Columbia.

Chebucto Head is a Canadian headland on Nova Scotia's Chebucto Peninsula located within the community of Duncan's Cove.

HMCS New Glasgow was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War and as a Prestonian-class frigate from 1955 to 1965. She was named for New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.

The Halifax Shipyard Limited is a Canadian shipbuilding company located in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

CCGS Sambro is a Canadian Coast Guard motor lifeboat homeported in Sambro, Nova Scotia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Local Escort Force</span> World War II-era escort group in the Royal Canadian Navy

Western Local Escort Force (WLEF) referred to the organization of anti-submarine escorts for World War II trade convoys from North American port cities to the Western Ocean Meeting Point near Newfoundland where ships of the Mid-Ocean Escort Force (MOEF) assumed responsibility for safely delivering the convoys to the British Isles.

HMCS Quesnel was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Canadian Navy that took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War. She primarily saw service in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named after Quesnel, British Columbia.

HMCS Raccoon was an armed yacht that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II. Purchased by the Royal Canadian Navy in 1940, the ship was originally known as the yacht Halonia. Used as a patrol vessel and convoy escort, the ship was sunk by the German submarine U-165 in the St. Lawrence River on 7 September 1942. Raccoon was escorting Convoy QS-33 at the time. The entire ship's crew was lost.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raid on Lunenburg, Nova Scotia (1782)</span> Battle of the American Revolutionary War

The Raid on Lunenburg occurred during the American Revolution when the US privateer, Captain Noah Stoddard of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, and four other privateer vessels attacked the British settlement at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia on July 1, 1782. The raid was the last major privateer attack on a Nova Scotia community during the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle off Halifax (1782)</span> Naval battle in American Revolutionary War

The Battle off Halifax took place on 28 May 1782 during the American Revolutionary War. It involved the American privateer Jack and the 14-gun Royal Naval brig HMS Observer off Halifax, Nova Scotia. Captain David Ropes commanded Jack, and Lieutenant John Crymes commanded Observer. The battle was "a long and severe engagement" in which Captain David Ropes was killed.

HMCS Clayoquot was a Bangor-class minesweeper that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She saw action mainly in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was sunk in 1944. The minesweeper was named after Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

HMCS Chedabucto was a Bangor-class minesweeper that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. During the Battle of the St. Lawrence in 1943, Chedabucto was sunk in a collision with a cable ship.

HMCS Chebogue was a River-class frigate that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily as an ocean convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Chebogue, Nova Scotia. During the war she was torpedoed and declared a constructive loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nova Scotia in the American Revolution</span>

The Province of Nova Scotia was heavily involved in the American Revolutionary War (1776–1783). At that time, Nova Scotia also included present-day New Brunswick until that colony was created in 1784. The Revolution had a significant impact on shaping Nova Scotia, "almost the 14th American Colony". At the beginning, there was ambivalence in Nova Scotia over whether the colony should join the Americans in the war against Britain. Largely as a result of American privateer raids on Nova Scotia villages, as the war continued, the population of Nova Scotia solidified their support for the British. Nova Scotians were also influenced to remain loyal to Britain by the presence of British military units, judicial prosecution by the Nova Scotia Governors and the efforts of Reverend Henry Alline.

The Battle off Halifax took place on 10 July 1780 during the American Revolutionary War. The British privateer Resolution fought the American privateer Viper and heavy casualties were suffered by both sides. The battle was "one of the bloodiest battles in the history of privateering.... a loss of 51 lives in a single battle was virtually unheard of."

References

HRM Civic Address Map

External links

Lighthouse

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[4] There are varying reports on the casualties. Another source indicates that the Americans reported between 3 died (British reporting 30 American died), while British reported 8 killed and 10 wounded.

[1] Mackellar, Patrick; Moncrieff, James; Lewis, G. G. (1901). A short account of the expedition against Quebec commanded by Major-General Wolfe in the year 1759 by Major Moncrief, from the corps papers of the Royal Engineers. Memoirs of the siege of Quebec. Quebec: Nuns of the Franciscan Convent. ISBN 978-0-665-82805-8.

[2] Simeon Perkins Diary. 13 July Thur. 1780

[3] Harold, Horwood; Butts, Edward (1987). Bandits & Privateers: Canada in the Age of Gunpowder. Doubleday Canada. ISBN 978-0-385-25110-5.^{[ page needed ]}
• Murdoch, Beamish (1866). A History of Nova-Scotia, Or Acadie. Vol. II. Halifax: J. Barnes. p. 608.

[5] "John Fairbanks - His Journal". Collections of the Maine Historical Society. Portland, Maine. 1831. p. 142.
• "American Privateer "Wasp"". awiatsea.com.

[6] "the City of Vienna, sank, fully loaded with munitions. Today it is still a hazard at the sea bottom, not far from Peggy’s Cove, 2.6 km from shore near Sambro Island.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[lower-alpha 1]

[4]

[5]