This is a story drawn from the early days of the Canadian Navy, an
account of four young Canadian seamen who were the Navy's first
casualties at the beginning of the First World War. Ironically, many
consider them victims of incompetent seamanship by a British naval
officer. The four were among the 21 young men who made up the first
class of the Royal Navy College of Canada, set up in 1911 shortly after
the Canadian Navy itself was established in 1910. All four sailors were
from Canada's Maritime provinces. After their training at the College,
they were posted to the British Navy for further experience at sea.
William Palmer, first in his graduating class, and Arthur Silver, senior
Cadet Captain, both from Halifax, were personally chosen by Rear-Admiral
Christopher Cradock to go to war on the large and powerful British
vessel Good Hope. Their comrades John Hatheway of Fredericton, and
Malcolm Cann of Yarmouth, were also selected, to the disappointment of
the remaining men. Within six weeks, these our much-envied comrades were
dead as the Good Hope went down with no survivors, sunk by the German
navy. First to Die depicts the early history of Canada's navy and the
reality of war at sea, experienced through the eyes of the four young
midshipmen eager for adventure. The book is extensively illustrated with
photographs drawn from key archival and private collections.