It started as an idea of former halifax mayor and chair of the halifax foundation, edmund morris. Ss montblanc, a french cargo ship laden with high explosives, collided with the norwegian vessel ss imo in the narrows, a strait connecting the upper halifax harbour to bedford basin. Fiction about the halifax explosion disaster that occurred in 1917 and killed 2,000 people. In many ways december 6th, 1917 was a typical early winter day in halifax. Ss imo was a steamship that served in passenger and freight trades and later as a whaling supply ship. The halifax explosion was a disaster that occurred in halifax, nova scotia, canada, on the morning of 6 december 1917. I made it a point to walk from the harbouurfront to the anchor site in order to appreciate the magnitude of the distance this anchor traveled. The halifax explosion is regarded an unparalleled chapter in the history of maritime disasters.
The halifax explosion was a maritime disaster in halifax, nova scotia, canada, which happened on the morning of 6 december 1917. The explosion turned two square miles of this calm, postcardpretty town into a nightmare of chaos, destruction, and death in a split second. The explosion occurred after two shipsthe montblanc and imocollided in halifax harbour. A light haze hung over the harbor, but visibility was generally very good. The first place to look is lacs thematic guide, halifax explosion. The great halifax explosion sheds new light on this sad but fascinating event. On december 6, 1917, the french munitions ship mont blanc and the norwegian warrelief vessel imo collided in the harbour at halifax, nova scotia. Ss montblanc, a french cargo ship fully loaded with wartime explosives, collided with the norwegian vessel ss imo in the narrows, a strait connecting the upper halifax harbour to bedford basin. Photographs taken by wwi sailor show the halifax explosion. The halifax explosion was the deadliest disaster in canadian history. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. On december 6, an unprecedented explosion, complicated by a terrible fire, destroyed half the city of halifax, canada. The book was presented to the museum in 2002 by the halifax foundation.
After the collision the montblanc was grounded at pier 6 and 20 minutes later kaboom. The halifax explosion of 1917 canada history and mysteries. New book details the halifax, nova scotia, explosion of 1917. The halifax explosion was the largest manmade explosion prior to the atomic bomb. Africville, campbell road, halifax, nova scotia 45 19171206. John boileau, a historian and retired canadian army colonel, has written a book, 6. The montblanc, heading to the war in europe and groaning under the weight of a killer cocktail made of tnt, picric acid, gun cotton and.
A fire on board the french ship ignited her cargo, causing a massive explosion that. The events of the horrific halifax explosion are well documented. On december 6, 1917, the french munitions ship montblanc and the. The imo can been seen beached on the far shore the james collectioncity of toronto archives in a final, fatal maneuver both captains bellowed out orders to. Devastation after the halifax explosion, showing what is left of the richmond neighbourhood. The aging french ship had been loaded in new york with a deadly cocktail of highly volatile explosives. The montblanc in halifax and the grand camp in texas city were both french registered. Monctons help after halifax explosion subject of new. Halifax explosion the anatomy of a disaster page 5. A fire on board the french ship ignited her cargo, causing a cataclysmic explosion.
The halifax explosion marking the 100th anniversary of. Halifax explosion library and archives canada blog. In 1917 nova scotia saw the largest pre atomic man made explosion. In his new book, the great halifax explosion, author john u. The norwegian vessel ss imo collided with ss montblanc, a french cargo ship laden with high explosives, in the narrows, a strait connecting the upper halifax harbour to bedford basin, causing a large explosion on the french freighter, devastating the richmond. A cargo ship accident that occurred between a french ship carrying explosives and a norwegian vessel carrying provisions for wartime relieving provisions, the halifax disaster in 1917 happened just towards the fagend of the first world war. Halifax explosion project gutenberg selfpublishing. Stern of montblanc before the explosion during a prewar visit to halifax, aug. Images from the halifax explosion that happened back in 1917. A moving exhibit on the explosion, halifax wrecked, can be seen at the maritime museum of the atlantic, lower water street. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the great halifax explosion. With survivors voices silent, the halifax explosion is.
A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism bacon, john u. In 1917, imo was under norwegian registry chartered by the belgian. Bacon has tracked the disaster in halifax a century ago to the. The halifax explosion occurred on december 6, 1917, when the city of halifax, nova scotia, canada, was devastated by the detonation of the ss montblanc, a french cargo ship that was fully loaded with wartime explosives. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism, which launched tuesday with a great event at michigans rackham auditorium. The great halifax explosion download ebook pdf, epub. Bridget murphy of resurgo place, seen here with a piece of the montblanc, is asking people to share stories about the monctonians who dropped everything to help the people of halifax after the. The french freighter mont blanc arrived at halifax from new york, intending to join a convoy assembling to cross the atlantic. There is a halifax explosion book of remembrance on display at the maritime museum of the atlantic.
A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism. But what started out as a typical day did not end that. The horrendous explosion in halifax harbor the morning of 6 december 1917 killed almost 2,000 people and altered the important atlantic seaport forever. The sun was bright in a clear sky and the ground was clear of snow. Halifax explosion of 1917 a thick cloud of smoke billowing over halifax and nearby towns, such as africville, in nova scotia, canada, after a munitions ship exploded in the halifax harbour on december 6, 1917.
A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism kindle edition by bacon, john u download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Heres what you need to know about the halifax explosion. All caused by the ss imo and ss mont blonc bumping into each other in halifax. Six million pounds of explosives detonated after the munitions ship montblanc collided with another vessel in halifax harbour. Who was to blame for huge halifax explosion 100 years ago. A newly discovered diary tells the harrowing story of the deadly halifax explosion on the eve of the disasters centennial, a sailors 1917 journal details a rare eyewitness account of the. The explosion, believed to be due to an attack, occurred as a result of an incidental collision between a small vessel of the belgian relief commission, the imo, and the montblanc, a ship loaded with three thousand tons of. The source of the explosion was a single cargo ship. That accident sparked a fire and an apocalyptic explosion that was the largest manmade blast prior to the 1945 dropping of the atomic bomb on hiroshima. Montblanc pilot francis mackey recalls halifax 1917 explosion the story fifty years later, the montblancs pilot maintains his ship had the right of way in the collision that sparked the disaster. Excerpt from the great halifax explosion book details collision of 2 ships and the explosion that altered a city, residents and relations between canada and u. Halifax explosion book of remembrance maritime museum of.
She was transporting 2,925 tons of various explosives to france, including gun cotton, tnt, drums of. Mont blanc anchor site halifax 2020 all you need to. On the 100th anniversary of the halifax explosion, two new books. The norwegian vessel collided with, a french cargo ship laden with high explosives, in the narrows, a strait connecting the upper halifax harbour to bedford basin, causing a large explosion on the french freighter, devastating the richmond district of halifax. Christened ss runic, she was bought, sold and renamed numerous times during her career. Click download or read online button to get the great halifax explosion book now. When the french munitions ship montblanc and the belgian relief.
On december 6, 1917, the french munitions ship mont blanc and the. The halifax explosion of 1917 the canadian encyclopedia. The halifax explosion and the persecution of pilot francis mackey by janet maybee. New books remember the great halifax explosion the star. Fascinated by the halifax explosion, i decided to find the site where the anchor of the mont blanc landed. There are some curious similarities between the halifax disaster of 1917 and the texas city texas disaster of 1947. The hms highflyer was involved in halifax and the ss high flyer was involved in texas city. Explosion in halifax harbour, 1917, by dan soucoup, nimbus publishing. The halifax explosion 1917 nova scotia, canada youtube. Francis mackey was a respected harbour pilot with a spotless record of twentyfour years service when he boarded mont blanc on the evening of 5 december 1917 and spent the night anchored outside the closed submarine nets. For the 800 or so folks who just about filled the place, thank. Halifax explosion fiction share book recommendations. Mackey became a convenient target for public anger. New book details 1917 halifax, nova scotia, explosion.
Library and archives canada lac holds various records that tell part of the story of the halifax explosion, its aftermath, and the relief work and investigations following the disaster. The parks memorial bells will ring out and prayers will be said, but experts who have studied the halifax explosion say the voices of its survivors are no longer able to tell the stories of the. See more ideas about halifax explosion, nova scotia and halifax harbour. The mont blanc was propelled toward the shore by its collision with the imo, and. Montblanc pilot francis mackey recalls halifax 1917. These unique photographs taken during the first world war by a british sailor show the biggest manmade explosion in history, when two warships crashed into one another, killing 2,000 people. Bacons the great halifax explosion trace the reverberations of the deadly disaster. The halifax explosion still reverberates the globe and mail.
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