1917 Halifax facts

While investigating facts about 1917 Halifax, I found out little known, but curios details like:

Vince Coleman, a train dispatcher who gave his life in the 1917 Halifax explosion to save hundreds of lives. His last message was: "Hold up the train. Ammunition ship afire in harbour making for Pier 6 and will explode. Guess this will be my last message. Good-bye boys."

About Ashpan Annie, who survived catastrophic explosion in Halifax, Canada in 1917 as a baby, protected from the explosion by an iron stove and kept warm for over 24 hours by the ashes. Annie lived to be 95.

In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across. Here are 20 of the best facts about 1917 Halifax I managed to collect.

1. In 1917, two ships collided in Halifax harbor, one of which was carrying munitions to the front. This resulted in a massive explosion, generating a tsunami and a fire that caused an estimated 11,000 casualties. For years this explosion was the standard for which others were measured.

2. So many people suffered eye injuries in the 1917 Halifax Explosion that physicians there gained a better understanding of how to treat eyes, and Halifax became internationally known as a care center for the blind

3. The 'Halifax Explosion'; a 2.9 kiloton-equivalent explosion in 1917 that killed 2,000 people and was the largest man-made explosion prior to nuclear weapons. It happened when two boats collided at only ~1 mph.

4. Halifax was leveled on Dec 6,1917 when 2 ships collided in the harbor,1 a munitions ship loaded with explosives bound for ww1.The city was wiped out by the blast and subsequent tsunami. Nearly 2,000 died, another 9,000 maimed, and 25,000 were homeless

5. Other industrial disasters that have occurred include the Halifax ship explosion (with cargo of high explosives) of 1917 that killed 2,000, and the Port Chicago Disaster (munitions explosion) of 1944 that killed 320 people.

6. The Halifax explosion. The largest man-made explosion prior to nuclear weapons. In 1917, a French cargo ship carrying tons of high explosives collided with a Norwegian ship leading to an explosion equivalent to 2.9 kilotons of TNT, 1/5 magnitude of Hiroshima, and killed 2000 people.

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Every year Halifax sends Boston their finest Christmas tree, thanking Boston for their help in the 1917 Halifax Explosion

The province of Nova Scotia sends a big ol' spruce to the city of Boston every December in gratitude for the humanitarian aid Boston extended after a horrible 1917 incident in which a ship carrying munitions exploded in Halifax Harbor - source

The world's largest pre-nuclear explosion was in Canada; in 1917 two ammo ships collided and flattened the East coast city of Halifax. - source

Halifax, which was devastated by a munitions ship explosion in 1917, nearly suffered the same fate again in 1942 - but the city was saved after a burning munitions ship was sunk by torpedo fire

The Halifax explosion in 1917 was the largest man-made explosion prior to the development of nuclear weapons, with an equivalent force of roughly 2.9 kilotons of TNT. - source

In 1917 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2000 people died and another 9000 were injured when a munitions ship caught fire and exploded.

Every year Nova Scotia sends Boston a huge Christmas tree as thanks for their assistance in the Halifax explosion of 1917

Every year, in honour of assistance rendered after the Halifax Explosion in 1917, Nova Scotia donates three valuable Christmas trees to Boston. One large tree, 40-50ft tall, is publically displayed, and two smaller trees are donated to homeless shelters so they can have real Christmas trees