Future Saskatoon street to honour Sask. woman known for Second World War naval courage

A former Saskatoon resident decorated for trying to save a fellow navy shipmate during the sinking of their boat during the Second World War is now in line to have a future Saskatoon street named after her.

Dr. Margaret Brooke was born in Ardath, Sask., got a degree in health sciences at the University of Saskatchewanand joined the Royal Canadian Navy in March 1942.

Six months later Brooke and nurse Agnes Wilkie were in their room aboard the Newfoundland ferry SS Caribou, according to Margaret R. Brooke, Brooke's niece and namesake.

"When they were getting ready for bed, Auntie Margaret decided she needed to know where the life jackets were, which is kind of strange," she said."She just had an inkling that was important."

It was.

The SS Caribou was torpedoed by a German U-boat. It sank within five minutes of the hit.

"The ship actually sank right underneath their feet. They didn't jump off that boat. Because of their life jackets, they popped up." Brooke's niece said.

Brooke held one hand to a rope tied to their overturned lifeboat and the other to Wilkie. Sadly, a large wave swept Wilkie away to her death.

Brooke's niecesaid her aunt "really felt she failed Agnes and she carried that to her grave."

The elder Brooke was named a Member (Military Division) of the Order of the British Empire for her efforts.

She served in the navy for another 20 years and then moved back to Saskatoon, where she earned a B.A. and then a Ph.D.in biostratigraphy and micro-palaeontology from the University of Saskatchewan.

'Don't ever call me Mrs.'

Brooke's name was previously chosen for an Arctic offshore patrol ship set to go into service in 2019.

• Navy ship named after Margaret Brooke, 'naval hero' in SS Caribou sinking

Brooke's niece said her aunt gave former defence minister Jason Kenney an earful when he phoned her about it.

"Well she tore a strip right off him," she said. "She said 'My name is not Mrs. Brooke. You can call me Miss Brook or Dr. Brooke but don't ever call me Mrs.'

"She made her own way in life and didn't depend on anybody."

Brooke died in 2016 in Victoria, B.C. at the age of 101.

Her name has now been put under a master list of names the city draws from when naming new streets. Her niece said Brooke would probably have been humble about the appointment.

"She never wanted any fuss or muss," she said.