The View from Sailors from St. Thomas, Ontario The Halifax Explosion December 6, 1917 was the largest man-made explosion until the nuclear era. There are many excellent resources about this event. What follows are the memories of two St. Thomas men writing home to their parents in the aftermath. Seaman Gunner James A. Cluskey and Seaman Owen George Young were serving in the navy as members of the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve (the precursor to the 'Wavy Navy'). They were witnesses to the catastrophe and the aftermath. |  |
Seaman Gunner James A. Cluskey VR2238
Letter To: Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Cluskey, 151 Alma Street, St. Thomas
We Were Right in the Middle of It
| …We just arrived in from the sea on Thursday the 6th about 8:15 a.m., and had nicely tied up and had breakfast and were about to start work. I, with a couple of more were on deck having a chat and all at once there was an explosion, followed by another awful one and then there was an awful pour down of pieces and parts of ships and pieces of projectiles, all sizes. One piece of shell just missed me by a few inches and hit the deck with such force that it put quite a dint in the deck. I cannot tell how our ship was so lucky because we were right in the middle of it. |  |
It Looked like a Zeppelin
There was a big French ship [SS Mont Blanc] loaded with 7,000 tons of explosives and shells coming in and a big Belgian Relief Ship going out. The Belgian Relief Ship [SS Imo] rammed the French ship and started a fire in some benzene which was carried on deck. The officers and others of the French ship abandoned their ship and twenty minutes after there was nothing left of it. At first it looked like a Zeppelin, but it happened to be the funnel off the ship flying through the air.
Devastation
| The greater part of Halifax is ruined and fire started all over both Dartmouth and Halifax and if there had been a north wind blowing there wouldn’t have been any Halifax left. Every available place such as churches, Y.M.C.A. and shops of all descriptions are used as hospitals and morgues. The gun which was on the French ship was found buried in the ground three miles away. The city is under martial law and I suppose it will be for some time to come. |  |
Loose Lips Sink Ships
Well as this will likely be censored this is all I can say at present.
Seaman Owen George Young RV3971
Letter To: Mr. & Mrs. G.F. Young, 29 Elysian Street, St. Thomas
Everything is Completely Demolished
I was pleased a few days ago to receive a letter from you, but owing to existing conditions up till the present time I have been unable to answer it. As you know during the past few days we have had quite an exciting time and judging by what I saw while through the city today it has had some effect on the place. Even right south and to the north and everything is completely demolished; all that remains is battered down trees and the places where houses have been razed to the ground.
December 10th
The day after the catastrophe a strong wind blew all day, following later by snow, but even that did not put the fires down and even now (Dec. 10) as I am writing there are still some burning ruins despite the fact that it has rained some since that show storm… (The letter was here interrupted owing to the fact the writer was called to perform some duties on board the ship. Continuing on the following day.)
December 11th - Threat of Censorship
 | Things are very much the same as yesterday, but there is not so much snow now. Well, I guess I cannot say much more about the explosion as I am informed all letters will be censored. |
Relief Pouring in to Halifax
While I think of it this is my tea hour too, so I shall have to hurry. You know I am on duty now and the hours are pretty long too. We do not get much time to ourselves just now. I have been on duty until 11 o’clock at night some nights since the disaster, and haven’t very much more in the way of news anyhow, but I must say here, that there is all kinds of relief coming in since the last few days. Trains have arrived from Toronto, Montreal and the United States. The Americans are certainly doing their share. There is one of their hospital ships now in the harbour half full of wounded and another relief ship has just arrived from Boston.
Thoughts re Brother Bert
Speaking of Bert [Seaman Young’s younger brother] I guess it is hard to say why you have not heard from him. It is hard to tell what they may be doing over in France and I guess worrying won’t do any good, there are quite probably just as well off as we are here. I wish however that the war was all over then we would know what we were doing.
North End Just Like France
Soldiers arriving here from France state that the north end of the city here is just exactly like the devastated area of France. All you can see now is white snow and charred trees with a little smoke rising here and there. They have placed guards all along the streets and the city is under martial law. It being impossible to go into the ruins of the damaged part of the city without a pass from the authorities.
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