First World War (1914-1918)
The Halifax Explosion

In December 1917, a collision between the relief ship SS Imo and the munitions ship SS Mont Blanc in the port of Halifax led to a massive explosion that devastated the harbour and the city, killing thousands.

HMCS Niobe, 1917

This photograph shows the damaged HMCS Niobe in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion.

Worn out by wartime service and recommisioned as a depot ship in September 1915, Niobe provided accommodation, training, and office space for the Royal Canadian Navy. Following the collision between the SS Imo and the SS Mont Blanc, Niobe sent a boat to offer assistance to the Mont Blanc, which had come to rest about a kilometre away. The explosion killed all of the boat's crew, and inflicted considerable damage on Niobe as well, killing or seriously injuring a number of people on board.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 20020045-2809