Personal information

During the First World War, Henry (Harry) Thornhill had spent two years in Portugal as a fish purchasing agent, spoke Portuguese fluently and when schooners from Portugal came to Grand Bank, he often invited the crew to his home. He had served many years at sea as captain of several fishing vessels and schooners and ran a small business ashore when asked to navigate the Portuguese fishing vessel Catalina from Fortune to St. John's, where she would pick up her sick captain. However, the vessel was lost with all hands when torpedoed en route.