The Two Ships in Collision
Halifax Harbour was crowded with wartime shipping on December 6, 1917. Vessels were loading cargo, awaiting convoys, or under repair. This list includes the major vessels involved or affected in the explosion. There were many other vessels in harbour which are not listed as they were not heavily damaged or directly involved with the explosion. Selected vessels have links to images and more information.
Mont-Blanc
Stern of Mont-Blanc before the explosion during a prewar visit to Halifax, Aug. 15, 1900.
Photo: Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, MP18.196.11, N-4,395
Name: Mont-Blanc
Official Number: 173945
Signal Letters: KHTN
Tonnage: 3121 Gross, 2252 Net, 2691 underdeck
Dimensions: 320' long, 44.8' breadth, 15.3' deep Forecastle 35', Bridge 76' Poop 30'
Built: Middlesboro, Britain
Builder: Sir Raylton Dixon & Co. Ltd.
Year: 1899
Registered Port: St. Nazaire, France
Owners: Cie Generale Transatlantique
Engines: Steam, Triple expansion, Single screw
Horsepower: 247 NHP
Crew: Captain Aime Le Medec; Halifax Pilot: Francis Mackey
Career: Inbound to Bedford Basin from New York with munitions cargo to join convoy for Bordeaux. Rammed by SS Imo on starboard stem at 8:45 am. Captain and crew abandoned ship and all but one survived. Ship blew up and totally destroyed at 9:05 am.
Sources: Lloyd's Register 1916-17; Halifax Explosion Inquiry; Ruffman, Alan Argonauta, Vol. XX, No. 3, July 2003, 9-15; No. 4, October 2003, 12-15; Vol. XXI, No. 1, January, 2004, 3.
Imo
Imo, driven ashore in Dartmouth after the explosion.
Photo: Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, MP207.1.184/270, MP207.1.184/270a,M90.61.15
Name: Imo
Official Number: 93837
Signal Letters: MJGB
Name Changes: Runic (I) 1889; Tampican 1895; Guvernoren 1920
Tonnage: 5043 Gross, 3405 under deck, 3161 Net
Dimensions: 430.7' long, 45.2' breadth, 30.3' deep Forecastle 48', Bridge 30', Poop 41'
Built: Belfast
Builder: Harland & Wolff
Year: 1889
Registered Port: Christiania, Norway
Owners: South Pacific Whaling Co.
Engines: Steam, triple expansion, single screw
Horsepower: 424 NHP
Crew: Captain Haakon From, Halifax Pilot William Hayes
Career: Built as the White Star cargo liner/livestock carrier Runic (I), later renamed Tampican. Sold and renamed Imo in 1912 as supply ship for whaling operation. Under charter to carry Belgian Relief supplies in 1917. Outbound from Halifax in ballast (empty) to load relief supplies in New York. Collided with munitions ship Mont Blanc. Heavily damaged by blast and driven ashore in Dartmouth. Six men were killed of the crew of 39 aboard. Rebuilt and renamed Guvernuren to serve as whale oil tanker. On November 30, 1921 abandoned off Falkland Islands after running onto the rocks.
Sources: Lloyd's Register 1889, 1893, 1916; North Atlantic Seaway, N.R.P. Bonsor, II, 758; White Star, Ray Anderson, 74, 91, 202, 1900; Proceedings of Drysdale Inquiry, p. 253; and additiomnal research by Alan Ruffman
| Name | Flag | Type | Location | Fate |
| Mont-Blanc | France | General Cargo, Munitions | At Narrows inbound to Bedford Basin | Obliterated by blast, crew escaped |
| IMO | Norway | General Cargo, charter for Belgian Relief | At Narrows outbound from Bedford Basin | Severely damaged, driven aground, bridge & deck crew killed |
Other Ships Involved
| HMCS Acadia | Canada | Auxiliary Patrol Ship acting as Bedford Basin Guard ship | East side, Bedford Basin entrance | Minor damage. (Now part of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic & the last surviving vessel from the explosion). |
| Acadian | Canada | General Cargo | Inbound, 15 miles from Halifax | Undamaged,felt concussion, saw blast cloud |
| Baleine (RCN) | Canada | Minesweeping trawler | Sweeping Harbour approaches for mines | Felt explosion, undamaged, continued sweeps |
| Booton | Canada | Tug | Towed Old Colony to No. 4 Dockyard Pier for emergency hospital duty | |
| CC 1 & CC 2 | Canada | Submarines | At Dockyard Pier 1 under refit | Broke moorings, minor injuries |
| CD-73 | Canada | Coastal Drifter acting as Duty Boat | To Niobe for Supplies | Badly damaged, crew injured |
| Calonne | Britain | General Cargo | Loading horses at Pier 9 | Severely damaged, hove over, 36 crew killed |
| HMCS Canada | Canada | Auxiliary Patrol Ship | Dockyard Anchorage by Jetty 2 | Minor damage, 1 serious injury, crew sent ashore to assist |
| HMCS Cartier | Canada | Auxiliary Patrol Ship | At Dockyard Jetty 3 following coaling | Minor damage |
| HMS Changuinola | Britain | Armed Merchant Cruiser (Escort Ship) | At Dockyard anchorage | Minor Damage. Crew assists in rescue |
| Clara | United States | General Cargo "Tramp Steamer" | Arriving Bedford Basin from Narrows | Proceeded Mont Blanc through Narrows, complicating Imo and Mont Blanc manoeuvres. |
| Curaca | Britain | General Cargo | Loading horses at Pier 8 | Blown across harbour, sank at Tufts Cove, 45 crew killed, refloated in 1918 |
| Dartmouth | Canada | Harbour Ferry | Damaged but continued running | |
| Douglas H. Thomas | Canada | Tug | At Dry Dock wharf | Severe damage, 3 deaths, towed to safety in Dartmouth |
| F.W. Roebling | Canada | Schooner | Severe damage, 1 death | |
| HMCS Grilse | Canada | Torpedo Boat Destroyer (Armed Yacht) | Dockyard Jetty 2 on stand by for Harbour Defence | Minor damage & injuries |
| CGS Gulnare | Canada | Bedford Basin Guard Vessel, anchored off Africville | West Side Bedford Basin entrance | Minimal damage |
| Halifax (II) | Canada | Harbour Ferry | Mid Harbour approaching Halifax | Serious damage but continued running. Many minor glass injuries |
| HMS Highflyer | Britain | Light Cruiser | At Dockyard Anchorage | Damaged, 3 killed 50 injuries, crew assists with rescue |
| Hilford | Canada | Tug, RN Charter, Port Convoy Office | Returning from basin convoy liason, at Pier 9 to raise alarm | Severe damage, blown out of water onto Pier 9. Only 2 survived. |
| HMCS Hochelaga | Canada | Auxiliary Patrol Ship | At anchor in harbour awaiting Pier 4 berth | Minor damage & injuries |
| Hovland | Norway | General Cargo | In Dry Dock for repairs | Upper works seriously damaged, Five crew members killed |
| J.A. McKee | Canada | Coal Carrier | At Dry Dock Wharf for repairs | Heavily damaged, no deaths |
| HMS Knight Templar | Britain | Commissioned Escort Ship | At Dockyard Anchorage | |
| HMCS Lady Evelyn | Canada | Auxiliary Patrol Ship | On patrol Harbour Approaches | Felt explosion, undamaged, went to action stations to face possible attack |
| Lola R. | Canada | Schooner | From Herring Cove to inner harbour | "Blown to pieces" |
| Maggie | Canada | Tug, RN Charter, Port Convoy Office | Downtown Halifax piers | Carried relief parties & surgeons ashore from RN ships |
| HMCS Margaret | Canada | Auxiliary Patrol Ship | At Dockyard Jetty 2 | Broke moorings, minor damage, two crew members killed ashore |
| Middleham Castle | Britain | General Cargo | Preparing to leave Dry Dock wharf for sea | Heavily damaged, lost funnel |
| USS Morrill | USA | US Coast Guard patrol vessel | At anchor, Dartmouth Cove awaiting supplies | Damaged |
| Musquash | Canada | RCN Minesweeping Trawler | At Dry Dock Wharf | Set afire and adrift |
| Nereid | Canada | RCN Armed Tug (Examination Service) | At anchor off Dockyard Pier 4, near Niobe | Moderate damage |
| HMCS Niobe | Canada | Cruiser, Depot Ship | Hospital Wharf, north end of Dockyard | Serious Damage. Several crew, including entire pinnace crew, killed. Surviving crew assisted ashore. |
| USS Old Colony | USA | Ex passenger ship bound for Britain for naval conversion | At dry dock wharf awaiting boiler repair | Manned as temporary hospital by naval surgeons |
| PV-V (RCN) | Canada | Minesweeping trawler | Dockyard Jetty 3 for refit | Moderate damage |
| PV-VII (RCN) | Canada | Minesweeping trawler | Sweeping Harbour approaches for mines | Felt explosion, undamaged, continued sweeps |
| Picton | Britain | General Cargo, including munitions | At Sugar Refinery Wharf | Badly damaged & set ablaze by explosion |
| Ragus | Canada | Sugar Refinery Tug | At sugar refinery wharf | Heavily damaged, most crew killed |
| Sambro | Canada | Shipyard Tug | Graving Dock Wharf | Sunk. Raised in 1920s & renamed Erg |
| St. Bernard | Demerara, British Guiana | Schooner | Unloading Lumber, Pier 6 | Completely destroyed. Crew of 3 killed |
| Stella Maris | Canada | Tug under RCN charter, ex RN gunboat | At Pier 6 attempting to tow Mont Blanc | Severely damaged, 19 crew killed, 5 survive |
| USS Tacoma | USA | Third Class Cruiser | 50 miles at sea off Halifax | Felt blast, came into port to assist with rescue |
| Togo | Canada | Tug | Naval Dockyard | Took wounded from rescue parties to USS Old Colony |
| USS Von Steuben | USA | Armed Troop Transport | At sea off Halifax | Felt blast, came into port to assist with rescue |
| W.H. Lee | Canada | Naval Motor Boat | At Dockyard Coaling Wharf | Fought fires on damaged vessels |