The same day he was one of 25 officers and 1,115 other ranks of the Third Jamaica Contingent who embarked on at Kingston. Due to enemy submarine activity "Verdala" was routed to England via Halifax, Nova Scotia. En route she ran into a blizzard. "Verdala" was not properly heated and the soldiers had not been issued with enough warm clothing, causing 600 cases of exposure and frostbite, and five deaths. On arrival at Halifax 106 men were hospitalized.