Thanks Boston

[PEIPat]

At 09:04:35 Hrs on December 6th, 1917, two ships collided in Halifax harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada. One was loaded with the materials of war. The resulting explosion was the largest explosion in the recorded history of mankind until the A Bomb was first dropped on Japan in WW2. To this day, it still remains the largest accidental explosion experienced by man kind.
The Mont Blanc, bound for WW1 in Europe, was a small ship by todays standards but loaded with 2,000 tons Picric Acid, 180 tons TNT, 300 live rounds 90 mm ammo, and 32 tons Benzol. She collided with the Imo in the narrowest part of the harbour. The resulting explosion killed hundreds instantly. Windows were shattered over 75 miles away, and the explosion felt over 200 miles away. In the end, over 2000 people died, and over 9200 were injured. 19 of 24 firefighters on a tug died, and 8 of 9 first due on the wharf at pier 6 died. Many other firefighters were injured or instantly blinded from glass and other debris. Most of the cities front line apparatus was destroyed instantly along with the cities first motorized apparatus, 'The Patricia'.
The entire North End, or Richmond as it is known, was destroyed. Thousands of homes and business, and dozens of city blocks were completely leveled.
The next morning, one of the worst blizzards of all time hit the city.
Word of the disaster got around pretty quick. One of the first cities to respond was Boston with a train loaded with medical supplies, nurses, doctors, and volunteers. Boston continued to support the rescue, recovery, and re-building effort for months to come. New England and Atlantic Canada have always had strong bonds and family ties.
Ever since that day in 1917, Nova Scotia always sends the City Of Boston, and the people of MA a huge Christmas Tree to display. Tonight I watched the concert and the lighting of the tree (a 48 foot white spruce from Lunenburg) on TV.
Having been born and raised in Halifax (I'm from 'Midtown' next to Richmond), we were taught early on in school, and by survivors, what happened, and what Boston and MA did for us. So, Thanks Eh !
History buffs can find out more by typing 'halifax explosion' into their search engines. There are too many links to list here.
Anybody pals with Paul Hashhagen F D N Y Rescue 1 (retired)? I had his old e-mail (?) but it doesn't seem to work anymore. Maybe forward him this forum link ? Thanks. Hey Paul ! Need help with a story on this for Rekindles ? I have a few books. I guess we still have 13 years to the 100 year mark to do a draft.
Anyway, I hope all have a good Holiday in case I don't get on the forum until then. Stay safe.
Again, thanks Boston !

Pat Jay
Cross Roads Fire Dept
-Stratford PEI
PEIFFA Fire School Instructor
PEI Haz Mat Response Team

[DaSharkie]

It has always amazed me how far mutual aid came from way back when. Some of the big conflagrations of yesteryear in Maryland, NYC, Portland, ME etc got companies from Boston.

I mean can you imagine getting a call from Baltimore requesting help from Boston? That is an 8 hour drive - on highways that didn't exist then. About the same train ride time too. When you get to Baltimore the fire is still burning. Mindblowing.

I always wondered why Boston got a tree from Nova Scotia.

[RspctFrmCalgary]

I just watched a movie on TV about this a month or two ago. It was unbelievable

[len1582]

What was the movie name, was it an old or newer one?

[RspctFrmCalgary]

I can't remember right now, I'll have to think about it and get back to you.

[len1582]

O.K. thanks.

[PEIPat]

Hi troops.
Someone building their movie collection ?
(1) Try going to A&E.com as a start. They have a 2001 movie and/or documentary on the 'Halifax Explosion'.
(2) You can also try Amazon.com and try the search engine for VHS under the search heading 'halifax explosion'. There is a heading there for the A&E video.
(3) Next, try this quick downloadable video link: http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?ID=10203 for a quick 60 second movie bit.
(4) Try this link: http://www.movietome.com/movietome/s...fax_Explosion/
(5) This site below is probably by far the best: http://www.cbc.ca/halifaxexplosion/h..._site_map.html

Good luck. Let me know how ya make out.

Pat

[RspctFrmCalgary]

I think it might have been A&E. Unfortunately I don't see a way to check what movies were on in the past. Very powerful movie, that's all I can say. Sorry Len, I just don't remember the name of it. It may have just been called "The Halifax Explosion". I just downloaded Itunes and watched the "movie minute". One scene I do remember is the little girl just sitting there on a crate, I think waiting for her mom to pick her up and mom never came. The movie I saw had a fellow that gathered up all the children he came across and they were making their way through the city in the darkness.

Thanks for the links Pat.

[len1582]

No problem, I'll check a link or two.Thanks again.

[RspctFrmCalgary]

OK apparently I was at the wrong end of the dial and I watched it on CBC not A&E. The movie was called "Shattered City - the Halifax Explosion"

Here's another link ...

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mma/AtoZ/halexpl.html

Thank you, oh silent one from NS!

[manofire2]

Originally posted by RspctFrmCalgary
OK apparently I was at the wrong end of the dial and I watched it on CBC not A&E. The movie was called "Shattered City - the Halifax Explosion"

Here's another link ...

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mma/AtoZ/halexpl.html

Thank you, oh silent one from NS!

You watch CBC Sherri, shame on you!

Seriously though, this is a great story. A tip of the old fedora to Boston.

[PEIPat]

Hi again troops. I know there are alot of serious video collectors out there, so here is the link to buy a ligit copy of "Shattered City - The Halifax Explosion" : http://www.cbcshop.ca/CBC/shopping/s...spx?lang=en-CA

Enjoy.

Pat Jay
PEI Canada

[RspctFrmCalgary]

Originally posted by manofire2


You watch CBC Sherri, shame on you!

Seriously though, this is a great story. A tip of the old fedora to Boston.

I'll never admit it, you can't make me!!!

I happened to be browsing the online TV program grid one night and anything fire/emergency/survival type shows interest me, it caught my eye so I watched it! I had vaguely heard of it before, but didn't really know the whole story. I'm going to read up on it and see what else I can learn that WASN'T in the movie.

[PEIPat]

So it's history you want ? Well, let's see if I can wet yer appatite.
(1) The anchor from the Mont Blanc was thrown more then three (? Exact ?) miles inland from the explosion.
(2) The water was sucked out of the harbour and was chased back in in the form of a tidal wave of over 50 feet !
(3) A virtual cloud of glass was blown almost 200 miles away to distant Prince Edward Island.
(4) Every year the survivors dwindle in numbers. Every year there is a memorial service at Fort Needham in Richmond. It was 87 Years today.
(5) Anybody planning on visiting Halifax in the future ? There are very impressive displays at both the NS Museeum and the Maritime Museeum Of The Atlantic (The Maritime Museeum also houses the largest display of HMS Titanic memorabilia as most of that ended up in Halifax Harbour anyway....

Pat Jay
PEI, Canada

[RspctFrmCalgary]

2 part mini-series, "Shattered City, The Halifax Explosion" is going to be on CBC again, starting next Sunday.

[RspctFrmCalgary]

Well knock me over with a feather, that was my 2500th post

[PEIPat]

Well I'm pretty flattered that it was my thread that got you past the 2500 mark ..... but look at how long I've been a member and how many posts I have ... dosen't that tell you something ? Yes, that's right, stop playing on the $%#@* computer and go out and cut the $%#@* grass. And living in an apartment is not an excuse. Somebody else out there has grass to cut. If your that stuck, there must be a good place to fish in the foothills ?? I know, I know, there will never be a good place to fish other then the Maritimes, but you could at least try .... ??? Ha Ha Ha LoL !! Anyways, all chuckles aside, thanks for posting the new schedule for the CBC show. I actually don't have it on tape, but do now. Be good out there!

Pat Jay
Cross Roads Fire Dept
PEI Haz Mat Team
PEIFFA Fire School Instructor
Chief Grass Cutter

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

My mom was a hairdresser at a retirement facility located outside Philadelphia, PA a few years back. One of ladies she cut hair for lived 5 miles from the harbor. On that day her brother skipped breakfast and headed off to school early. The school was about 2 miles from the harbor I believe. They never found any of his remains. She was sitting in front of a picture window that was blown out. She kept a jar from that day forward, and filled it with the pieces of glass that would work their way from the skin on her back, neck, and head. In 1999 when my mom stopped working there, she had filled 12 ounces of a 16 ounce jar, and was still pulling out pieces.

[Smoke20286]

The story of the Halifax explosion is a fascinating one, The CBC mini-series was decent, but a little smarmy. Still it introduced a whole lot of Canadians to a story that was largely forgotten

[Diane E]

I was in Halifax in October and went on a tour that included stories of the incident. The school had it's shades down to keep out the sun that day and that's what saved the kids and their eyesite. To this day, the shades stay down (the building is no longer a school) as a reminder. There's also a nice maritime museum that has the story and also stuff from the Titanic. The Hurricane tracking display was pretty neat, too.

I found the story very interesting as, after 13 years in the fire service and three years studying fire science and "major disasters", I had never heard it before.