Halifax Harbour was crowded with wartime shipping on December 6, 1917. Vessels were loading cargo, awaiting convoys, or under repair. The following lists include the major vessels involved or affected in the explosion. Selected vessels have links to images and more information.
The Two Ships in the Fatal Collision
| Mont-Blanc |
|
| Flag | France |
| Type | General Cargo, Munitions |
| Location | At Narrows inbound to Bedford Basin |
| Fate | Obliterated by blast, crew escaped |
| IMO |
|
| Flag | Norway |
| Type | General Cargo, charter for Belgian Relief |
| Location | At Narrows outbound from Bedford Basin |
| Fate | Severely damaged, driven aground, bridge & deck crew killed |
Other Ships Affected by the Explosion
| Acadian |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | General Cargo Inbound |
| Location | 15 miles from Halifax |
| Fate | Undamaged, felt concussion, saw blast cloud |
| Baleine (RCN) |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Minesweeping Trawler |
| Location | Sweeping Harbour approaches for mines |
| Fate | Felt explosion, undamaged, continued sweeps |
| Booton |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Tug |
| Location |
|
| Fate | Towed Old Colony to No. 4 Dockyard Pier for emergency hospital duty |
| CC 1 & CC 2 |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Submarines |
| Location | At Dockyard Pier 1 under refit |
| Fate | Broke moorings, minor injuries |
| CD-73 |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Coastal Drifter acting as Duty Boat |
| Location | To Niobe for Supplies |
| Fate | Badly damaged, crew injured |
| Calonne |
|
| Flag | Britain |
| Type | General Cargo |
| Location | Loading horses at Pier 9 |
| Fate | Severely damaged, hove over, 36 crew killed |
| HMCS Canada |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Auxiliary Patrol Ship |
| Location | Dockyard Anchorage by Jetty 2 |
| Fate | Minor damage, 1 serious injury, crew sent ashore to assist |
| HMCS Cartier |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Auxiliary Patrol Ship |
| Location | At Dockyard Jetty 3 following coaling |
| Fate | Minor damage |
| HMS Changuinola |
|
| Flag | Britain |
| Type | Armed Merchant Cruiser (Escort Ship) |
| Location | At Dockyard anchorage |
| Fate | Minor Damage. Crew assists in rescue |
| Clara |
|
| Flag | United States |
| Type | General Cargo "Tramp Steamer" |
| Location | Arriving Bedford Basin from Narrows |
| Fate | Proceeded Mont Blanc through Narrows, complicating Imo and Mont Blanc manoeuvres |
| Curaca |
|
| Flag | Britain |
| Type | General Cargo |
| Location | Loading horses at Pier 8 |
| Fate | Blown across harbour, sank at Tufts Cove, 45 crew killed, refloated in 1918 |
| Dartmouth |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Harbour Ferry |
| Location |
|
| Fate | Damaged but continued running |
| Douglas H. Thomas |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Tug |
| Location | At Dry Dock wharf |
| Fate | Severe damage, 3 deaths, towed to safety in Dartmouth |
| F.W. Roebling |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Schooner |
| Location |
|
| Fate | Severe damage, 1 death |
| HMCS Grilse |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Torpedo Boat Destroyer (Armed Yacht) |
| Location | Dockyard Jetty 2 on stand by for Harbour Defence |
| Fate | Minor damage and injuries |
| CGS Gulnare |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Bedford Basin Guard Vessel, anchored off Africville |
| Location | West Side Bedford Basin entrance |
| Fate | Minimal damage |
| Halifax (II) |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Harbour Ferry |
| Location | Mid Harbour approaching Halifax |
| Fate | Serious damage but continued running. Many minor glass injuries |
| HMS Highflyer |
|
| Flag | Britain |
| Type | Light Cruiser |
| Location | At Dockyard Anchorage |
| Fate | Damaged, 3 killed 50 injuries, crew assists with rescue |
| Hilford |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Tug, RN Charter, Port Convoy Office |
| Location | Returning from basin convoy liason, at Pier 9 to raise alarm |
| Fate | Severe damage, blown out of water onto Pier 9. Only 2 survived. |
| Hovland |
|
| Flag | Norway |
| Type | General Cargo |
| Location | In Dry Dock for repairs |
| Fate | Upper works seriously damaged, five crew members killed |
| J.A. McKee |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Coal Carrier |
| Location | At Dry Dock Wharf for repairs |
| Fate | Heavily damaged, no deaths |
| HMS Knight Templar |
|
| Flag | Britain |
| Type | Commissioned Escort Ship |
| Location | Alongside at Dockyard |
| Fate | Blown adrift by explosion. Two injuries. Sends rescue party and doctor ashore to assist. |
| HMCS Lady Evelyn |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Auxiliary Patrol Ship |
| Location | On Harbour Approaches patrol |
| Fate | Felt explosion, undamaged, went to action stations to face possible attack |
| Lola R. |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Schooner |
| Location | From Herring Cove to inner harbour |
| Fate | "Blown to pieces" |
| Maggie |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Tug, RN Charter, Port Convoy Office |
| Location | Downtown Halifax piers |
| Fate | Carried relief parties & surgeons ashore from RN ships |
| HMCS Margaret |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Auxiliary Patrol Ship |
| Location | At Dockyard Jetty 2 |
| Fate | Broke moorings, minor damage, two crew members killed ashore |
| Middleham Castle |
|
| Flag | Britain |
| Type | General Cargo |
| Location | Preparing to leave Dry Dock wharf for sea |
| Fate | Heavily damaged, lost funnel |
| USS Morrill |
|
| Flag | United States |
| Type | US Coast Guard patrol vessel |
| Location | At anchor, Dartmouth Cove awaiting supplies |
| Fate | Damaged |
| Musquash |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | RCN Minesweeping Trawler |
| Location | At Dry Dock Wharf |
| Fate | Set afire and adrift |
| Nereid |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | RCN Armed Tug (Examination Service) |
| Location | At anchor off Dockyard Pier 4, near Niobe |
| Fate | Moderate damage |
| USS Old Colony |
|
| Flag | United States |
| Type | Ex passenger ship bound for Britain for naval conversion |
| Location | At dry dock wharf awaiting boiler repair |
| Fate | Manned as temporary hospital by naval surgeons |
| PV-V (RCN) |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Minesweeping trawler |
| Location | Dockyard Jetty 3 for refit |
| Fate | Moderate damage |
| PV-VII (RCN) |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | General Cargo, Munitions |
| Location | At Narrows inbound to Bedford Basin |
| Fate | Obliterated by blast, crew escaped |
| Picton |
|
| Flag | Britain |
| Type | General Cargo, including munitions |
| Location | At Sugar Refinery Wharf |
| Fate | Badly damaged & set ablaze by explosion |
| Ragus |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Sugar Refinery Tug |
| Location | At sugar refinery wharf |
| Fate | Heavily damaged, most crew killed |
| Sambro |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Shipyard Tug |
| Location | Graving Dock Wharf |
| Fate | Sunk. Raised in 1920s and renamed Erg |
| St. Bernard |
|
| Flag | Demerara, British Guiana |
| Type | Schooner |
| Location | Unloading Lumber, Pier 6 |
| Fate | Completely destroyed. Crew of 3 killed |
| Stella Maris |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Tug under RCN charter, ex RN gunboat |
| Location | At Pier 6 attempting to tow Mont Blanc |
| Fate | Severely damaged, 19 crew killed, 5 survive |
| USS Tacoma |
|
| Flag | United States |
| Type | Third Class Cruiser |
| Location | 50 miles at sea off Halifax |
| Fate | Felt blast, came into port to assist with rescue |
| Togo |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Tug |
| Location | Naval Dockyard |
| Fate | Took wounded from rescue parties to USS Old Colony |
| USS Von Steuben |
|
| Flag | United States |
| Type | Armed Troop Transport |
| Location | At sea off Halifax |
| Fate | Felt blast, came into port to assist with rescue |
| W.H. Lee |
|
| Flag | Canada |
| Type | Naval Motor Boat |
| Location | At Dockyard Coaling Wharf |
| Fate | Fought fires on damaged vessels |
Abbreviations: HMCS - His Majesty's Canadian Ship (Canadian naval vessel)
HMS - His Majesty's Ship (British naval vessel)
USS - United States Ship (American naval vessel)
CGS - Canadian Government Ship
RCN - Royal Canadian Navy
RN - Royal Navy (British)