From the Vancouver Archives: "His career on the sea began in 1907 as a deckhand for the Canadian Pacific Coast Service fleet. On July 27, 1916 Swank received his certificate of naturalization, becoming a British Subject. That same year he joined the Royal Canadian Navy and served on the HMCS Malaspina and on other ships in the Atlantic. After serving for two years and earning certification as “Mate” in the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve, he returned to the CPR, transferring to their Ocean Service fleet. In 1919 he left service to write his Master’s papers which he received on August 5, 1919 with certification as “Master of a Passenger Steamer”. Swank’s first job as a ship’s Master was with Thompson Howe Sound Navigation which was late taken over by the Union Steamships Company. In 1922 he joined the Grand Trunk Pacific Line (now called Canadian National Steamships). In 1942 he joined the B.C. Steamship Line (now known as Northland Navigation), running to Alaska for the United States Army. In 1945 he joined the Frank Waterhouse Company which was later absorbed by Union Steamships Ltd. Swank sailed on all of the Union Steamship freighters and was Master of the Cassiar. (He retired 06/12/1957.)" |