One of the worst things to happen in this country. And all because a couple of guys decided to play chicken with loaded ammunition vessels.

@barbarat5729

3 жыл бұрын

And killed hundreds of people. Many children.

@jegeriufanen4415

3 жыл бұрын

Barbara T Thousands. I blame the Emo (I know it's Imo) ship, damn stubborn careless incompetent captain. I don't see what mont blanc did wrong here. Did the Imo crew die?

@stevenhale2935

3 жыл бұрын

@@jegeriufanen4415 Yeah, they dead

@robertdavis-bater5088

3 жыл бұрын

@@jegeriufanen4415 I think he said all the crew were killed by the Tsunami caused by the explosion

@Shadow_foxx1

3 жыл бұрын

It’s so crazy the level of human stupidity. I’m so sorry this happened

This incident is a prime example of "but wait it gets even worse"

@LUNE.44

3 жыл бұрын

_”At least it can’t possibly get worse than this”_

@dr.velious5411

3 жыл бұрын

At least it wasn't raining burning twine I guess.

@SpacePirateK

3 жыл бұрын

This was literally Murphy's Law turned up to 11.

@pancak355

3 жыл бұрын

*Billy Mays voice* - "BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!!!!!!"

@iciajay6891

3 жыл бұрын

The Canadian National institute for the blind came as a direct result of this. As so many had eye injury because of glass. The mass blinding helped birth the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Jane Beaumont, CNIB's volunteer archivist, says the scale of the disaster led to fundamental changes. "It was a big enough event that it compelled people who cared and governments to take notice that we had needs of people with vision loss," she says.

My great grandmother was on the train Vince Coleman stopped. If he hadn't done that, i may not be here today. I have a photo of Mr. Coleman hanging in my apartment, and always will.

@SraTacoMal

2 жыл бұрын

Makes me wonder how many people aren’t commenting because they never existed because their would-have-been ancestor(s) died. I’m very glad for you and very sad for them. Mr. Coleman is a class act.

@michellehoward9970

2 жыл бұрын

+00+

@alexr3430

2 жыл бұрын

Bs hahaha 🤡

@DoctorProph3t

2 жыл бұрын

@@alexr3430 who hurt you

@davidmiloscia1913

2 жыл бұрын

True hero God rest his soul

My great grandmother was a child when this happened. She loved to always show us the scar on her leg caused when a piece of glass from their window sliced it open. She was a tough lady until the day she passed. Rest In Peace Nanny Kay (Kay the pie lady)

@meghansullivan6812

2 жыл бұрын

hahahah that's awesome if i had a scar that gnarly i bet i'd wanna show it off alll the time too! sounds like a cool lady. may she rest in peace

@klooks1013

2 жыл бұрын

BS

@garybrockwell2031

Жыл бұрын

Nice one Hannah 💗🇬🇧💯🙏

@really.just.me.tho.

Жыл бұрын

@@meghansullivan6812 She was a firecracker all her life

@johndo3713

Жыл бұрын

😂

Fun Fact: The reason we know the explosion happened at exactly 9:04:35 was because it broke the city hall clock at exactly that time. It still displays that time to this day, even though the clock has since been replaced.

@chrisjohnson7929

2 жыл бұрын

I don't know if you should consider that a "Fun Fact"...

@user-re9gj2zd5e

2 жыл бұрын

@@chrisjohnson7929 it’s not a boring fact. Fun indicates that it’s fun to know, not that the fact itself is a happy one.

@iwantthe80sback59

2 жыл бұрын

The original “Back to the Future”, no lol intended.

@ldobbs2384

2 жыл бұрын

It'd be the 'way' we know, not the 'reason' (it's HOW we know, not WHY) but whatevs.

@ldobbs2384

2 жыл бұрын

@@user-re9gj2zd5e 😐

Imo: Speeds Imo: Sails in the wrong area Imo: Doesn't make an effort to yield for a ship that has right of way Imo: botches the maneuver and crashes into the other ship Mont-Blanc: Evacuates a doomed ship and tries to warn onlookers to get to safety Judge: Oh yeah, totally the frenchies

@chatteyj

3 жыл бұрын

imo the Imo was 100% to blame

@kamallb4650

3 жыл бұрын

So crappy. This blame game never ends.

@andreagriffiths3512

3 жыл бұрын

That is so horrifically wrong I can’t even! The injustice makes my blood boil! 🤬

@swarley39

3 жыл бұрын

Did anyone ask why the American ship was in the wrong lane? And it's there a visual to see where the tugboat was that the imo couldn't position back into the proper lane? In all it serves as a good lesson in not rushing to get somewhere or through a task because by rushing it can cause even more trouble

@NinjaKittkatt

2 жыл бұрын

I mean who's the judge going to convict if almost everyone on the Imo died? Seems they got instant-karma'd.

"Only in death, does duty end." RIP Vince Coleman, may your legacy of service and sacrifice inspire generations to come, Hero of Halifax.

@EddyOfTheMaelstrom

Жыл бұрын

"Not even in death, does duty end"

@medieval6766

11 ай бұрын

"Even in death I still serve"

I often visit my best friend in Dartmouth. He's told me so many interesting stories about the explosion. Did you know that there are still trees with shards of metal stuck in the middle of them? The sawmills can't use any of those trees because they mess up the blades when it comes in contact with the shards.

@howdyh5267

Жыл бұрын

Hidden gem like this are what kept me digging youtube comments...my silly thumb up for the neat little story☺️

@davidsigalow7349

Жыл бұрын

The same is true for many old trees on the WWI battlefields in France. They cannot be cut down, as their trunks are too full of schrapnel from The Great War.

@marhawkman303

Жыл бұрын

@@davidsigalow7349 oh yeah, wasn't much left of Mont Blanc after that blast. most of the ship got turned into shrapnel.

@PCTC3183587

Жыл бұрын

There is a street in an area we know as the Northwest Arm called Anchor Drive. It's called that because the 1150lb anchor from the Mount Blanc was launched 4km through the air and landed in that area. There was also glass stuck in the ceiling of St Mary's Basilica that they discovered a few years back while touching up the murals

@jerilynjlee

8 ай бұрын

I'm vacationing in Halifax right now, and went past the triple smokestack, at the exact location on The Narrows that the explosion took place. If someone would kindly tell me where Mr. Coleman is buried, I'd like to pay my respects. What sheer bravery....

I love the unintentional symbolism of the hands getting blown off Coleman's watch. In his herosim he became timeless.

@TheChzoronzon

3 жыл бұрын

There was already something heroic in his visage, wasn't it?

@raymondwilliams2609

3 жыл бұрын

That's a very poignant and sweet tribute to Mr. Coleman, Tilly. 🤗❤️👋

@lindakay9552

3 жыл бұрын

They literally couldn't stop his pocket watch at the time of his death. 💜 ⏰

@709mash

3 жыл бұрын

I remember vividly seeing his story on TV back in the day on the Canadian heritage moment segments. He's a legend and a hero.

@qx4n9e1xp

3 жыл бұрын

LMAO. WE DID IT REDDIT!!

"to this day Nova Scotia provides Boston with a tree" *Everyone liked that*

@saxboi1144

3 жыл бұрын

We love it. It's such a nice gift and tradition.

@jordanc7263

3 жыл бұрын

Probably the most expensive christmas tree ever. It costs something like $230,000 to get them tree there

@g8kpr3000

3 жыл бұрын

Many people don't realize how tied Boston and Halifax really are. They're essentially sister cities. Back in the early part of the 1900s, people often left Halifax to work in Boston. Many many halifax families have relatives in Boston (including my own family). Boston was often thought of as "the big city".

@randallsmerna384

3 жыл бұрын

@@jordanc7263 Absurd! I highly question that.

@amberross4784

3 жыл бұрын

[Strong disliked that]

Vince Coleman’s bravery was incredible. He chose to save others knowing he was probably going to die doing so. Amazing man. I’m glad he is remembered so respectfully. Thanks.

@EQOAnostalgia

Жыл бұрын

Glory to God for that man!

@marhawkman303

Жыл бұрын

@@EQOAnostalgia He went to meet his maker knowing he'd done the best he could.

Vince Colman had to have nerves of steel to keep his hand steady on that telegraph. I can't even type out an email without typos when stressed and this man got that message out perfectly staring death in the eye. Legendary courage.

@apathyisdeath2977

3 ай бұрын

He stared down Death itself until he blinked. But even Death itself could never take away the immortalization and legacy of Vince's heroics. Vale, Vince Coleman. The Hero Of Halifax.

"Goodbye boys" I'm not crying, you're crying.

@n0gulag

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, at that moment I also got something in my eye.

@commonsense571

3 жыл бұрын

🌹🥺🌹

@amziah8028

3 жыл бұрын

these damn bugs always bother my eyes at the worst times i swear

@agentham

2 жыл бұрын

The most inopportune time to cut onions.

@fisharmy5785

2 жыл бұрын

Damn allergies.

"Goodbye boys" sent shivers through my brain.

@ElywinCarrinithshinyhunting

3 жыл бұрын

a man amongst boys. He will not be forgotten.

@happyfacefries

3 жыл бұрын

@@CanadianaEast that made it so real. I can't image how scared he was, but his actions saved numerous people. RIP

@equarg

3 жыл бұрын

I thought it was “Good Bye, and God Bless”.... Does not matter. He died a true Hero in my book. By saving those 300 lives, that train was able to send an SOS that alerted Boson Massachusetts to what happened. A train from Boston was the first to arrive despite the incoming weather with the first aid and help for the citizens of Halifax. As a thanks, every year the people of Halifax send a Christmas tree to the people of Boston every year still to this day. Coleman’s SOS saved those train passengers and probably other people affected by the blast. He earned his angel wings that day! RIP Coleman. Your last moments were not in vain.

@glorygloryholeallelujah

3 жыл бұрын

Seriously, the first part of the message was an inspiring display of heroism... But as it is with many things from history- it’s easy to feel slightly disconnected from the events, due to the significant passage of time. However, the *”this will be my last message, goodbye boys.”* part of the telegraph was a quick “reality slap to the face”- and it immediately humanized him. His story was no longer just an interesting part of a historic tragedy, he was a real person, a real hero -and exactly the kind of person I would hope to be, if ever I found myself in a similar situation...❤️

@Aint_no_senators_son

3 жыл бұрын

Such a great last effort. His message reminded me of a WW2 fighter pilot who was hit and going down over the ocean. He knew he was crashing and would be dead in a moment. His last radio contact he said, Time for a bath.

Love the tribute to Vince Coleman. And the fact that Halifax still sends a Christmas tree to Boston is so heartwarming. Despite all the corruption in this world goodness still carries on.

@berserkley

Жыл бұрын

I was about to lose it near the end when Vince Coleman wasn't mentioned. Glad they were able to bring his story into the narrative. A true hero whose sacrifice will always be remembered.

@screaming_cat2007

Жыл бұрын

From Boston here, never knew why the tree was sent before falling down the rabbit hole and learning about this tragedy. At least this tragedy caused some good in the end

@atsiv12

Жыл бұрын

There is more good deeds done in the world then what is mention.

I'm from Halifax. This is one of the best mini-documentaries I've seen about the Halifax Explosion, and I've watched HUNDREDS of them.

@christaylor2529

2 жыл бұрын

SHARE IT WITH EVERYONE

@borderlineiq

2 жыл бұрын

I know the story from Sea Tales, which was a very poignant, human telling of the tale: kzread.info/dash/bejne/pXiGutd_ZrK6o9Y.html

@lauratejeda8188

Жыл бұрын

That's amazing to hear,! Hope you've checked out more of these videos, I'm addicted.

@lauratejeda8188

Жыл бұрын

​@@borderlineiqthanks for sharing one

@snippetsofvictoria

Жыл бұрын

@@lauratejeda8188 Oh my gosh yes. They're some of the most detailed and deeply researched mini-docs I've ever come across. I, too, am an avid watcher of the channel.

My grandmother told me that she remembered the windows rattling in her house all of a sudden, which was an hour away by car. It was a few hours later before she found out why.

@McCartneysMyLove

2 жыл бұрын

Where did she live? I grew up in Kentville (an hour away) and always wondered if they would have felt it there too.

@KarIgnishaYumi

2 жыл бұрын

yeah i also live hour away again and was told by a senior the windows rattle for a few min

@flex215

2 жыл бұрын

An hour away! That has to be at least 10 - 15 Kilometers away. Wow

@daviddunsmore103

2 жыл бұрын

@@McCartneysMyLove I've heard that the explosion rattled windows in Charlottetown, so presumably most of Nova Scotia was shaken by the blast.

*ships crash* “But wait it gets worse!” *ships explode killing 1,600 people* “But wait it gets worse!” *destroys hundreds of buildings* “But wait it gets worse!” *starts fires around the city* “But wait, it gets *even* worse!” *makes thousands of people blind* “Still getting even worse!” *few people went to help because they thought it was an attack* “Worse again!” *blizzard traps tons of survivors in rubble and makes many people impossible to save*

@felixleiter9123

3 жыл бұрын

in england se call that a massive cock-up.

@dreamnants

3 жыл бұрын

Man, everything that could have gone wrong in this disaster happened. And to think we might not be discussing this disaster had that captain just been patient to wait or go slow.

@andreamarshall911

3 жыл бұрын

And the tsunami

@christophe3281

3 жыл бұрын

A Nova Scotia blizzard is the worst 😱

@nicewholesomeandpure5165

3 жыл бұрын

Seriously. Watching this was like a horrific real-life version of "the dog died" joke. ._.

Canadian here. This disaster cuts deep to all of my fellow countrymen that were taught it. Coleman has been and will always be a true hero in my books. Just a little side note, the train he managed to stop had 700 hundred, not 300 passengers on it that catastrophic day. Thanks so much for the video! ❤

@zxxDarkLightxxz

Жыл бұрын

What a true hero. Actually, probably the most definition of a hero I have heard of in real life.

@kathyjones1576

Жыл бұрын

And that's added to the fact that his message was relayed to many other stations and trains. It may have been meant for that one, but it branched out and saved many others.

@RodRyder-gb5mj

Жыл бұрын

Wtf says countrymen?

@jimgray3346

9 ай бұрын

What's wrong with saying countrymen?

@RichardTClark396

3 ай бұрын

@@jimgray3346country has been taken over by border jumpers so former country men is more accurate! Same in Germany ,France,America,Italy,Greece,Sweden all have lost their history,heritage and culture by invaders jumping borders.

Growing up in Massachusetts, they usually tell the story of this tragedy on the news right around the time that the tree arrives in Boston. Glad we could help out in such a trying time, and glad that the tradition still carries on.

@crisptomato9495

Жыл бұрын

Thanks to all of you Bostonians from Canada! 🇨🇦

@mistyz0ne

6 ай бұрын

here in ns they usually show your tree from us being lit up on our news ♥

Fun fact: the sinking of the Titanic, which happened just 5 years prior, helped the people of Halifax in organizing and cataloguing a large volume of dead bodies, as that is where the recovered Titanic dead were transported. This information proved useful when the harbor disaster occurred. I was wondering when this topic would come up. Truly fascinating.

@jenns7991

3 жыл бұрын

I learned that too, while visiting the Maritime Museum in Halifax.

@kcm4511

3 жыл бұрын

That’s incredible! Thank you for this, I had no idea!

@katiep6294

3 жыл бұрын

I didn’t know that! So interesting. Thanks for sharing.

@maureen669

3 жыл бұрын

That is very interesting. I don't know if I'd call it a "fun" fact; maybe "interesting" fact?

@E87K3

3 жыл бұрын

The controversy over your use of 'fun fact' is cracking me up. Given that 'fun fact' literally means an interesting or entertaining piece of trivia (yes I googled it because I thought I was losing my mind), I think people need to calm down a bit. And who are we supposed to be tiptoeing around given that this happened over a hundred years ago?

Just imagine the impact one life made- he not only saved the 300 people on one train, and who knows how many on the other trains that heeded the warning, but think of the descendants! His actions still directly affect things happening now, over a hundred years later. What an inspiration. Just do your best, that’s all you can do. You will never know how far reaching your decisions will go.

@unsafe_at_any_speed

3 жыл бұрын

Imagine if the captain of the Mont blanc had been a hero and drove his ship back out into the ocean? He had the opportunity to save thousands but now history remember him as a coward.

@jegeriufanen4415

3 жыл бұрын

Now imagine the impact the dickhead Imo captain made on thousands and the city

@wynks5456

3 жыл бұрын

@@unsafe_at_any_speed you mean IMO right? The Mont Blanc was coming from the port? I could be totally wrong that’s why I’m asking 😂

@sarahewson3607

3 жыл бұрын

@@twitchstaff4226 that’s very true- and while it’s a drop in the ocean, Schindler saved many future generations. Didn’t they all gather around him once? It’s mind boggling the courage it took for him to look Nazis in the eyes and know what he was doing.

@skylerricketts7392

3 жыл бұрын

@@unsafe_at_any_speed He wasn't a coward, his actions were completely understandable. Honestly you and I would do the same. Not to mention, its a boat that was just hit by another boat. Boat don't usually work after that.

I read “The Great Halifax Explosion” by John U Bacon. Excellent book, fills in a lot of gaps. I visited Halifax in the early ‘80s. The most prominent thing I remember was on a second floor landing, the imprinted “shadow” of a person, from the blast, on the wall opposite the window, which faced the harbor.

@davidcox3076

2 жыл бұрын

Those shadows were also found in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after both were struck by atomic bombs.

@billfred9411

2 жыл бұрын

I remember hearing a story about some one that found what seemed to be the skin of a persons face hanging on a fence around the time it happen. Don't know if its true but knowing damage this caused I cant help but think its a pretty plausible story.

@bethanyboudreau3164

Жыл бұрын

It was a priest. The silhouette can still be seen on the window of the church, even having been replaced

@themostdiabolicalhater5986

Жыл бұрын

@@bethanyboudreau3164 that doesn’t even make sense

@InsanityPlea100

9 ай бұрын

​@@themostdiabolicalhater5986I can fill in a gap here. The shadow is real, in both cases. The shadow on the wall could be scorch marks in the shape of a person, or the opposite, the shape of a person because the other parts of the wall were 'bleached' by the blast. The shadow on the window is less discernable. I grew up outside of Halifax and have seen the glass myself many times. There is an outline there, even though the window was replaced many times. Now, it is in a church, so I hesitate to say it is there to intentionally draw attention using a dead man's fate, but it is possible. The second option is that it is some kind of leak leaving a stain on each new pane of glass, and humans see a human outline, because that is how our mind works. The third, a local superstition, is that it is spiritual residue, and comes back because something horrible happened there (since the priest died looking at the event from the window, by getting hit by the glass shattering). W.e you believe, the shape is there in a window that has been replaced many times, in a church that you generally wouldn't expect to do something like that, for attention, for decades.

Vince Coleman’s sacrifice is truly a legacy that deserves to be immortalized. Online it says that “Coleman was survived by his wife Frances, although she and the youngest of their four children were seriously injured in the explosion.” His wife lived to be in her 90s. His legacy still lives on through his children, and I’m sure his current day family is proud of him. Amazing and heartbreaking story.

That last story has me tearing up. That man knowingly sacrificed himself to save the lives of 300 people he didn't know. What a beautiful act. Every once in a while my faith in humanity isn't completely extinguished. It's touching to know there are people willing to do that out in this world.

@emilybankscreative

3 жыл бұрын

Glad to know I wasn’t the only one emotional over that message. What a hero.

@berzerkbankie1342

3 жыл бұрын

He likely saved more people by having emergency services alerted early about the impending disaster

@foggyfrogy

3 жыл бұрын

reminds me of Randall McDougal. A truck driver that knowing his truck would explode, put the safety of everyone around him before his own. He was the only who died at this accident :'( rest in peace to all this heroes

@BabyCharmander

3 жыл бұрын

I got emotional at this one too. This whole video was really painful to watch. I'm glad the man was able to save so many people, but it still makes me sad he had to sacrifice his own life to do it.

@abebuckingham8198

3 жыл бұрын

If you haven't heard the story of Alexei Ananenko, Valeri Bezpalov and Boris Baranov then I would entreat you to discover their heroism as well. They give me hope.

For a sense of scale most people today can relate to, this explosion was 3x larger than the Beirut explosion last year. It remains the largest accidental explosion to ever occur.

@PerishingPurplePulsar

3 жыл бұрын

Don't quote me on it, but isn't it the largest non-nuclear man made explosion in history?

@ooglefluffg857

3 жыл бұрын

​@@PerishingPurplePulsar There have been larger ones done for weapons testing.

@marvindebot3264

3 жыл бұрын

@@PerishingPurplePulsar No, that record is set by an American detonation on a pacific atoll where they set off some insane amount of TNT. This was the largest accidental one, however.

@alukuhito

3 жыл бұрын

What Beirut explosion last year? They're always blowing things up over there. Is any of that really news to anyone anymore?

@alexmaclean1

3 жыл бұрын

@@alukuhito the one that was on the news 24 hours a day for weeks?

My great grandfather was orphaned by this event at the age of 5. They found him as the only survivor of his family in rubble. If he had not survived this, WW1, and WW2 I would not be here. (My grandfather was the youngest)

My grandmother was a young girl at the time, looking out her second floor bedroom window at the harbour and the two ships that were burning. The blast shattered the pane of glass in front of her, instantly blinding her and breaking her nose, blowing her back to the far side of the room. She spent the rest of her life blind, nose never reset, but married and continued on into her 80's. Her older sister, living in the old family house 90 miles away, heard the windows of the house and dishes rattling not long after the explosion.

@user-dt3rz2lz7q

Жыл бұрын

Oh Joe, thank you for sharing. That is so sad. What a brave woman. Rest peacefully those that did not survive. This is an extremely disturbing story. 😢

Vince Coleman - what a true hero. I'd heard his story before, but never that he left and returned, just makes his bravery even more amazing.

@BIGJ4898

3 жыл бұрын

Agree, this man had the time do decide whether to save himself or warn everybody else and he chose the latter. What a man!

@ImCurrentlyNaked

3 жыл бұрын

I'm just glad the guy managed to make it back in time whilst dragging along such a massive pair. What a hero!

@XanCalGil

3 жыл бұрын

This video is a re-enactment of the wiki page

@SoCalJellybean

3 жыл бұрын

I know, think of ALL the ancestors who are alive today, due to the actions of this one heroic man.

@nicoledoubleyou

3 жыл бұрын

@@XanCalGil some of us cant stop and read so it's fine

The rules: *apply to everyone in the harbor* The captain of SS Imo: "My parents told me i'm special"

@r-robertson-d

3 жыл бұрын

i mean, they had to yield TWICE to ships in the wrong place but yeah he made many errors and definitely contributed to the explosion . not everyone was following the rules tho, even remotely.

@dreamshooter90

2 жыл бұрын

@@r-robertson-d Yeah. That poor guy wasn't alone to blame.

@Zamandu

2 жыл бұрын

@@dreamshooter90 Others doing wrong doesn't justify yourself doing so

@dreamshooter90

2 жыл бұрын

@@Zamandu That's not what I said. That's not what I said at all...

@brianpj5860

2 жыл бұрын

Then its a good thing they all died for their transgressions.

"Blessed is he who gives his life for another." You earned your place in heaven, Vince Coleman.

@marhawkman303

Жыл бұрын

He went to meet his maker knowing he'd done everything he could.

@mathiefranchuk1624

9 ай бұрын

He certainly did earn his place in heaven..God Bless you 🙏 Vince Coleman ❤

@Heinz-bx8sd

8 ай бұрын

Where's that quote from

"I can't believe I survived that explosion" God - have a tsunami. "I can't believe I survived that flood" God - have a fire. "I can't believe I survived that explosion, tsunami, fire, and metal rain" God - have a blizzard.

@MsAggie78

2 жыл бұрын

😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

@vjspectron

2 жыл бұрын

Don't forget the glass: thousands lost eyes because of flying glass that blew both outward and BACK INTO the direction of the explosion. Given the scale of the disaster and the fact that it was 1917, the decision as made to remove the eyes of people who suffered such damage.

RIP to a real one: Vince Coleman; and to evreryone who lost their lives in this horrific tragedy.

@rubies200

3 жыл бұрын

@@CanadianaEast A hero for all times 💔

@rockstarofredondo

3 жыл бұрын

A reaI human bean.

My great-grandfather was partially blinded in the explosion. The aid sent by Boston was one of the reasons he decided to move to the area in 1920.

@janicesullivan8942

3 жыл бұрын

The City of Boston gets it’s Christmas tree from the people of Halifax ever since, as a thank you for their help.

@Gamble661

3 жыл бұрын

I'm born and raised just south of Boston and work in the city (well, not at the moment but returning soon!) and it's an event when the tree arrives every holiday season. There's news coverage and a big rally when it's lit, it is still a very big deal for the city of Boston.

@randallsmerna384

3 жыл бұрын

That doesn't make sense. Your great-grandfather was motivated to move to Halifax by the humanitarian acts of Bostonians that occurred AFTER the explosion - yet he was injured by the explosion before he moved there?

@Iukini

3 жыл бұрын

@@randallsmerna384 he moved to Boston dude lol

@janettamcgee8124

2 жыл бұрын

@@randallsmerna384 His great grand father was motivated to move to Boston because of the aid that they sent to Halifax.

This is one of those things where it's hard to really understand the size of the explosion unless you're there. I had heard of the explosion in school. But it wasn't until I actually visited Halifax and saw how far the destruction went. I would be seemingly far from the harbour, only to realise I was still in the blast zone.

@troybaxter

Жыл бұрын

The only point of reference I can think of without directly going to Halifax is the Beirut Explosion. I think we all saw the video of the 2020 explosion and saw how massive and destructive that was. This explosion had a yield 6 times greater than that.

@junkiedropouts3186

10 ай бұрын

​@@troybaxterWow thanks for the helpful reference, that explosion stuck in my mind because of the instant shock wave, hard to imagine that over 3km 😮

Hearing of Vince Coleman's last actions gave me goosebumps. Saving ~300 people, as well as other people in the streets or their homes who could have been killed by shrapnel from the train.

@kitsuneluey7824

Жыл бұрын

I just saw a comment saying that, there was actually approximately 700 on board that train, not 300. "Canadian here. This disaster cuts deep to all of my fellow countrymen that were taught it. Coleman has been and will always be a true hero in my books. Just a little side note, the train he managed to stop had 700 hundred, not 300 passengers on it that catastrophic day.", posted by "Patty Slater".

Vince Coleman, self-sacrificing hero, saved the lives of hundreds to thousands.

@jarrodbarker5050

3 жыл бұрын

Vince Carter could have helped but he was in Toronto at the time.

@felixleiter9123

3 жыл бұрын

awsome story. until today i thought the most famous vince coleman in history was a stolen base artist and centrefielder for the Saint Louis cardinals in the 80s. my mother was right. you do learn something every day.

@dangerousandy

3 жыл бұрын

A genuine hero.

@REDSHlFT

3 жыл бұрын

And imagine how many descendants of those hundreds saved there are today...

@greenonions785

3 жыл бұрын

Let me sing you a song, boys, of fire and flame Of a French ammo ship, the Mont-Blanc was her name How the brave Nova Scotia was never the same On the morning when Halifax burned 'Twas in early December 1917 She was packed to the gills with Grade A T-N-T They were bound for the fighting in High Germany When towards them the other ship turned The Norweigan ship Imo, some fault in her gears She struck Mont-Blanc's side like the mightiest of spears And the benzol ignited the captain's worst fears As the fire consumed bow to stern The people gazed on from their safe distant rooms Watched the soot and the smoke fill the sky with their plumes But within, the ships cargo would spell all their dooms How were they to know to be concerned? The crew rowed for shore, lest they burn or they drown They cried, "Save your souls!" as they ran through the town But their warnings were nothing but strange foreign sounds For the townsfolk, no French had they learned One man, Patrick Coleman, in the railway's employ Sent word, "Stop the trains or they'll all be destroyed This will be my last message, farewell to you, boys" For a true hero's death he had earned An explosion, colossal, when the munitions blew Devastation and debris for miles fired through The Mont-Blanc was gone, and the town with it, too And the waters raged up in return There were heroes and angels all fated to die Over two thousand souls laid to rest by-and-by We will always remember and lift a glass high To the morning when Halifax burned

Blaming the Montblanc is absurd. I'm happy this decision was overturned.

@luxborealis

2 жыл бұрын

It isn’t mentioned in this video, but the reason Montblanc was blamed (besides the captain of the Imo being dead) was that they had failed to show Imo (or anyone else) the flags showing dangerous cargo, having feared German submarines. Furthermore the court found that the captain and crew had panicked and abandoned ship within minutes of the fire starting, making no real attempt at putting it out, reversing the ship out to sea, or at least tried to cast anchor to prevent the Montblanc from drifting into port. In addition, before the fire, the Montblanc had not thrown her engines in reverse to avoid collision like the Imo, and it was judged that the Montblanc should have yielded way to the Imo despite the Imo being in the wrong lane, because the Montblanc was a smaller ship and would have been able to manuevre more easily in behind the American vessel in the centre lane that it would have been for the Imo to back up and wait for the other three ships to pass. To top it off, because of everyone else being dead, the only witnesses to the Imo’s alleged speeding was the Montblanc officers who were on trial, which many percieved to be victim blaming from the Montblanc crew.

@harshbuttrue2654

2 жыл бұрын

@@luxborealis Thanks Lux, that's useful and relevant info

@DR3ADER1

2 жыл бұрын

@@luxborealis Furthermore, the Moutblanc's crew abandoned ship, the Imo's crew remained on deck. Crew members on doomed vessels who leave early are almost always criticised for their dishonourable rashness and biases towards their own self-preservation rather than the wellbeing of others. This event happened only 5 years after the Titanic's sinking, where the captain of that vessel remained on-deck and went down with his ship. If you want to know why people are very much against crew members who abandon ship early, this is why. It is dishonourable for the crew to abandon ship in early haste.

@Baalek1

2 жыл бұрын

@@DR3ADER1 OTOH, had the Mont Blanc's crew not abandoned ship, Vince Coleman would not have been able to warn the trains of the impending explosion. So some good came of it.

@vivianlee4848

2 жыл бұрын

@@Baalek1 Agreed. Plus, there was probably nothing they could have done to prevent the disaster, knowing the volatility of their cargo. They at least could warn people, which did some good as you say.

I don't know how old my dad was at the time but he could feel it from Debert he said, he also said he could see the large cloud of smoke from the explosion. I can't imagine how horrible it was, a lot of the Halifax Citizens were told to take shelter at the military fortress on citadel hill which still stands to this day. After the explosion happened there was miniature tsunamis and that large blizzard, many froze but thanks to Boston's help many didn't, I am so glad I live in Nova Scotia, we have so much history here and I get to learn about this in school

This event and the Texas City disasters are two things I tend to mention whenever someone talks about some sort of local disaster that they think ranks as serious. Then I tell ask them, have they ever heard of Texas City or Halifax? And they always say no. People tend to be shocked these events happened and have been essentially forgotten. RIP to the victims of both disasters.

@enotsnavdier6867

Жыл бұрын

I wouldn't say that the Halifax Explosion was forgotten. It is still a relatively well known tragedy in Canada.

@Shawn666Hellion

Жыл бұрын

The propane facility explosion in Mexico 1984 I'm surprised isn't on this channel

@andrewtaylor940

Жыл бұрын

Halifax is fairly well known. At least in the Northeast US, where it still comes up every now and then in the stories they may run on slow news days. It's one of those disasters that other disasters get compared against. Plus New York City had 2 similar incidents one the year before, and one a few years later, that illustrated how close a call they had had. NYC had the Black Tom Explosion. Which was a rail yard storing ammo on a small spit of land. Thankfully when it went up only a small number of people are believed to have been killed. But German Sabotage was the main suspect. There was later a raging fire aboard an ammunition ship in 1943. Some brave harbor crews towed the ship away from shore and two of the FDNY Fireboats in concert with the Coast Guard managed to drown the ammo stores and prevent a catastrophic explosion. The Fireboats that held station alongside the burning ammo ship were the Firefighter and the John J Harvey. So using the Halifax disaster often plays into the backstory of those two well known vessels. The John J Harvey is currently a private museum and Special Charter Vessel located at the South Street Seaport in Manhattan. She gained some fame when she came roaring back into service with an all volunteer museum crew on 9/11. Texas City is less well known unless you are a Firefighter. Which is surprising as unlike Halifax, there is actual film footage of the Texas City explosion. For many years it was not for general public consumption, as the cameraman was filming the firefighters on the dock when the blast occurs. So it shows the death of the City Fire Chief 9the City Fire Department) and the photographer. The Camera somehow survived.

@troybaxter

Жыл бұрын

At least Texas City has a modern point of reference. It had the same yield as Beirut’s 2020 explosion. Really goes to show how massive the explosion was, and how dangerous ammonium nitrate is

this tragedy has reverberated throughout three generations of my family. my great-grandfather was a dock worker who was killed in the explosion. my great-grandmother was injured and had to give up my grandmother and great uncle, who were raised in a series of orphanages. the trauma of this caused my grandmother to grow up to be a very anxious, distant woman, which greatly impacted my father's upbringing and paved the way for my own often strained relationship with him. the aftershocks of the halifax explosion are still being felt.

@zed4225

2 жыл бұрын

Heart goes out to you and your family.

@hondomurray7927

2 жыл бұрын

I'm sorry to hear about the after effects to your family but perhaps you have touched people's lives in positive ways that you aren't aware of.

@clarencethomas5311

2 жыл бұрын

My great grandfather was also killed while working on the docks, i wonder if they knew each other ? He was only 32 and had 2 children one of which was my grandfather who was only 1 at the time. Not sure my grandfathers story after that as we werent close at all but eventually he moved out west where I still reside today

@stadbab

2 жыл бұрын

@@clarencethomas5311 i just got chills, that’s so wild. maybe they did - mine was about 25, irish catholic.

@clarencethomas5311

2 жыл бұрын

@@stadbab i was looking at the nova scotia archives the other day, thay have a list of all the victims and some family info, pretty cool. Check it out

Imo's Captain, probably: "I've moved twice for other ships this morning already, like Hell I'm moving a third time!"

@nanahuatli2144

3 жыл бұрын

He wouldn't have had to if he'd moved to the right side the second time. What an idiot.

@hkr667

3 жыл бұрын

@@nanahuatli2144 I know right. Ships have smaller turning circles than a shopping trolley. He could have turned the ship back to the right in 2 seconds. Even my grandma can do that, blindfolded!

@kamallb4650

3 жыл бұрын

@@hkr667 the had plenty of time plus he was over-speeding.

@judithchristiansonneegrimm1857

2 жыл бұрын

This is exactly what I think happened. He was already in a mood about leaving late, and then he was really in a mood when he was in the correct lane, but had to move twice. And that’s when he had his ‘Falling Down’ moment, ala Michael Douglas. Glad the government overturned the initial charge that it was all the French boats fault 🙄

@user-re9gj2zd5e

2 жыл бұрын

@@hkr667 ships are not fast. It takes a lot more than 2 seconds for two ships to travel a mile.

Imagine the descendants of those 300 train passengers telling generations to come about the great man who’s message made their existence possible.

@MarksTournaments

Жыл бұрын

There is one

Halifax also has a connection to another major disaster that occurred only a few years prior. After the sinking of the Titanic, the CS Mackay-Bennett was dispatched for recovery and brought back over 300 bodies of victims and burying about another 20 at sea. The bodies were brought back to Halifax (including that of JJ Astor) where the process of identification began, all done using a hockey rink as a makeshift morgue. This led to some important advances in forensics. Many of the bodies were buried in a cemetery on the north end of the city as many of the victims were poor and families could not afford to repatriate them. One included a then un-identified toddler (later identified as Sidney Godwin through DNA). Halifax is an amazing city. It is a small city but packs a lot of punch for its size. I'm not from there, or the Maritime provinces, but have visited a few times and will again.

Imagine trying to click out that message after running who knows how far in a panic AND knowing that you are going to die. I grew up near where the Texas City explosion occurred 30 years later and had heard of the Halifax explosion, but never the story of superhero Vince Coleman. I am glad his memory is cemented in history.

@The_Fat_Turtle

3 жыл бұрын

In Canada during the 90's they created what were called "Heritage Moments" that were dramatized mini-movies of important moments in Canadian history and showed them on Canadian TV during commercial breaks. The story of Vince Coleman was one of those moments they filmed, which hopefully shows that his sacrifice was valued and his legacy lives on: kzread.info/dash/bejne/pKthqMSwnd22e9I.html

@russellhltn1396

3 жыл бұрын

I'm curious how long it took. It wouldn't have been a few seconds. I'm estimating close to a full minute.

@709mash

3 жыл бұрын

@@The_Fat_Turtle I remember it vividly. It was an intense 2 minute clip.

@janettamcgee8124

2 жыл бұрын

@@The_Fat_Turtle Thank you for that information. Heritage Moments has been mentioned many times here. Your country seemed to have had a great idea on how to instill your history but in short snippets. It seemed to have worked. Have a great day.

@Scorpioncactusflower

2 жыл бұрын

@@The_Fat_Turtle That was really interesting. Thank you for posting the link to that~

As a Bostonian, it’s always bitter sweet to see the tree arrive. Such a beautiful tradition

@netreacher

2 жыл бұрын

God Bless the people of Massachusetts. You deserve each and every needle on that fir tree, and each and every year in perpetuity. As I said in my comment above, my paternal grandmother had some family members that were treated by the Boston medical team.

@CaptainLicorice

2 жыл бұрын

As a Nova Scotian, I can only say thank you for helping. I'm pretty sure without the support a lot more people would have died from exposure

@MakerInMotion

2 жыл бұрын

@@CaptainLicorice As a Massachusetts resident who grew up working on my family's Christmas tree farm, holy shit you guys have some big balsam fir and spruce trees. If Boston had asked us for one that big, we would have said we can have it ready in 30 years or so.

@Footy_Fan

2 жыл бұрын

Norway sends a tree to London due to Britain's aid in World War 2, also. I never knew about the Halifax-Boston relationship, though. These sorts of things always warm my heart.

@jvincentpelrine4364

Жыл бұрын

@@netreacher My great grandmother was also treated by the Boston medical team. Her 14 year old son dug her out of their burning home where she had been trapped in the wreckage. She ended up at the temporary hospital set up at the Bellevue building on Spring Garden Road (present day location is the Halifax library). NS born Prime Minister Borden was in PEI at the time of the explosion and visited the wrecked Halifax shortly after the explosion and would have visited this hospital. Perhaps your relatives were at the same hospital? Sadly my great grandmother May Stewart died of her injuries a week and a half later... I hope your relatives fared out better. It was still an amazing feat by the state of Massachusetts... the explosion occurred on the morning of December 6th... and they had a train outfitted doctors, nurses and the equipment needed for essentially what was a hospital enroute to NS by the end of that same day... with more support to follow. I always follow the progress of the tree each year as it is cut down in NS, bundled onto a truck... and shipped to Boston. J Vincent Pelrine NS

As a member of the US Coast Guard I just took the Service Wide exam to advance to E6. In the exam was questions on this incident and the impact it had on future USCG operations to keep ports safe.

I live in Halifax. The stories you hear about this event are just straight up horrific. After the explosion, a young boy was found on a hill screaming. Some locals came to aid the boy and help him to find his family. The problem is that the boy had absolutely no memory of anything before the explosion, and no family could ever be found. He was adopted by a local couple and today is the uncle of one of my good friends. As bizarre as this may seem, this is actually a fairly common occurrence.

The fact that children were offering to help carry things across town is something else. Children don’t understand how good their hearts are.

@cohengamertv6548

3 жыл бұрын

I would be one of them

@kingssuck06

3 жыл бұрын

Except that was a long time ago, if this happened today kids would have their phones out making tik toks

@friendlyghosthost1830

3 жыл бұрын

@@kingssuck06 grr phone bad!

@MovieMakingMan

3 жыл бұрын

I haven’t seen a kid mowing a yard or doing anything outside in over 20 years. The gen-X and millennials are the most inept and lazy generation in world history.

@friendlyghosthost1830

3 жыл бұрын

@@MovieMakingMan ok boomer

Hats off to Vince Coleman! That man was a hero, he sacrificed himself to save others. He ran into harms way, he knew he was giving his life. A lot of folks say they’d do that but he did, while others fled too.

@sharong8511

3 жыл бұрын

There is no greater love than this, for a man to lay down his life for a friend. Or in this case hundreds of friends...

I am from Nova Scotia but went to college in Boston. I had the privilege of performing at the Boston tree lighting in front of the tree donated by my province. It was very emotional and my small way of showing my gratitude towards the city of Boston. All my family in Dartmouth was able to watch the tree lighting televised 💕 forever grateful to the city of Boston for their part in our history

According to Wikipedia, this is the largest non-nuclear explosion in history...

As a Maritimer I'd like to let everyone who watched know that this is probably the best account I've gotten of the event, and I've been to the actual museum for this several times with different staff on each. Also watched a full on hour+ documentary. GREAT video!

@juliaconnell

2 жыл бұрын

thank you for that, appreciate knowing this. I've been binge watching (or rather listening - while other things done - ) content from this channel - but this one - watched, (cried) - omg *respect* to Vince Coleman As a Maritimer I found out yesterday from my 'auntie' (my mum's best friend - since they were 13, now both in their mid 80s) - that my great-gran volunteered for (probably) Mission to Seafarers (in Auckland, New Zealand) - (thanks, you just reminded me to contact them...) if you ever come down this way there is an excellent maritime museum in Wellington, and a smaller, but also very interesting one next to the Navy base in Devonport, here in Auckland. (as I discovered when my mum & I were invited many years back to the re-dedication of the main administration building to William Sanders (one of my/our greats is Caroline Sanders - not sure if his auntie or sister - he died a bachelor - on my ever increasing to-do list = contact the dots - mum doesn't know - her 'cousin' (3rd, 4th - lovely woman) ensured we were invited anyway - you might enjoy his story - (youtube tends to delete links - easy enough to find his info Lieutenant Commander William Edward Sanders, VC, DSO (7 February 1883 - 14 August 1917) was a First World War New Zealand recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that could be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces at the time. (from his wiki page) I'm particularly fond of this bit: Because the use of Q-ships such as Prize was still secret, the particulars of the action leading to the awards made to Sanders and his crew were not made publicly available.[35] Instead, the published details of his VC when it was gazetted simply read: In recognition of his conspicuous gallantry, consummate coolness, and skill in command of one of H.M. Ships in action I mean - conspicuous gallantry, consummate coolness...

@outcomethewolves19

2 жыл бұрын

I came here to say the same thing. I lived in Halifax and also visited the museum (even got married there) numerous times. This is the best account I’ve seen

@hilbm

2 жыл бұрын

I live in Halifax, born and raised. I agree 100% that this is the best account of the event!

@Cookiofshadows2

2 жыл бұрын

Remind me to visit that museum next time I roll through.

@borderlineiq

2 жыл бұрын

Although it appears to be an illegal copy of the Sea Tales episode, the hour-long program is here, with several eyewitness accounts, and very humanizing context: kzread.info/dash/bejne/pXiGutd_ZrK6o9Y.html

PVC's last message gave me literal chills. I hope that, if there's an afterlife, he's being heavily rewarded.

@greenonions785

3 жыл бұрын

Let me sing you a song, boys, of fire and flame Of a French ammo ship, the Mont-Blanc was her name How the brave Nova Scotia was never the same On the morning when Halifax burned 'Twas in early December 1917 She was packed to the gills with Grade A T-N-T They were bound for the fighting in High Germany When towards them the other ship turned The Norweigan ship Imo, some fault in her gears She struck Mont-Blanc's side like the mightiest of spears And the benzol ignited the captain's worst fears As the fire consumed bow to stern The people gazed on from their safe distant rooms Watched the soot and the smoke fill the sky with their plumes But within, the ships cargo would spell all their dooms How were they to know to be concerned? The crew rowed for shore, lest they burn or they drown They cried, "Save your souls!" as they ran through the town But their warnings were nothing but strange foreign sounds For the townsfolk, no French had they learned One man, Patrick Coleman, in the railway's employ Sent word, "Stop the trains or they'll all be destroyed This will be my last message, farewell to you, boys" For a true hero's death he had earned An explosion, colossal, when the munitions blew Devastation and debris for miles fired through The Mont-Blanc was gone, and the town with it, too And the waters raged up in return There were heroes and angels all fated to die Over two thousand souls laid to rest by-and-by We will always remember and lift a glass high To the morning when Halifax burned

@hannah1948

3 жыл бұрын

I sure hope he is.

@randallsmerna384

3 жыл бұрын

@@greenonions785 That's amazing! Who wrote that?

What a incredibly brave man Mr Coleman was it reminded me of my own local hero John 'Jack' Phillips who was the telegrapher on the Titanic who stayed at his post until the power went, hats off to you Sir.

@klooks1013

2 жыл бұрын

Sure… make it about you

@ks5553

Жыл бұрын

@@klooks1013 If you need a friend just reply here and we can chat

@jtp2007

Жыл бұрын

@@klooks1013 So is your job to go around KZread videos and act like a jerk? I've seen numerous disrespectful comments from you.

I always get goose bumps when people heroically and bravely sacrifice themselves in order to save hundreds of others. What a beautiful soul, I am so glad he is remembered.

I really enjoyed this longer episode. The last part about Mr. Coleman was not only fascinating but inspiring, and you paid him a wonderful tribute. I enjoy all of your videos but I hope you can continue making pieces of this length.

@aewtx

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, I enjoy the lengthier ones more.

@cavemanlovesmoke4394

3 жыл бұрын

Same!

@latinguy67

3 жыл бұрын

I'd be willing to send money to the man who makes these documentaries. They are of such a high caliber.

@brianpj5860

3 жыл бұрын

Ive been constantly commenting about this incident on here for like 6 months...l glad he finally made and episode about it. This was such an event.

@222ryry

3 жыл бұрын

@@aewtx that's what she said

It’s men like Coleman that truly amaze me. Rather than save his own life he saved the lives of many he never even knew.

@Hannah-zw9ow

3 жыл бұрын

It’s sad to me that this amazes people. That’s the person we all should be and yet so few of us are it’s worthy of amazement when someone is.

@crymars5890

3 жыл бұрын

@@Hannah-zw9ow the part that amazes me is that many times in life and death situations our desire to live outweighs our dedication to others. I would love to think I could be this selfless but honestly I just don’t know. 🙁

@fallenwolf3368

3 жыл бұрын

@@crymars5890 of course you could it takes passion for humanity to make that sacrifice.

@PerishingPurplePulsar

3 жыл бұрын

@@crymars5890 I'm of the belief that doing such a selfless act of sacrifice labels you a hero, but not doing so does not make you a villain. All of us are only human, and it is one of our primal instincts to stay alive. It is one thing to save yourself when there is ample opportunity to save another, but when it is a choice between your life and theirs the line becomes grey. If Vince had decided not to go back and instead saved himself, I would not blame him but under no circumstances would I claim that is heroic. Not everyone can be a hero, and expecting everyone to be is an unrealistic expectation. To me what really counts is that you did your duty, if you survived the explosion and are fit enough to help, then help, but if you are like the captain of the Costa Concordia and abandon your duty and refuse to help after getting to safety then you become a villain. If that makes sense, I have trouble articulating sometimes, so I mean no disrespect towards Vince Coleman or any others who saved lives at their own expense, just saying that if you were in his position and didn't go back, I wouldn't say you are a bad person, just not a hero

@crymars5890

3 жыл бұрын

@@PerishingPurplePulsar I completely understand what you are saying. I also agree with what you say. I wouldn’t think any less of him if he saved himself etc but the fact he didn’t does in my opinion make him a hero. A guy I graduated with him HS saved his younger brother from drowning when he himself couldn’t swim (he sadly drown after saving his brother). Even with immediate family I find that hard to fathom. Thankfully I’ve never been in this type of situation but I do strive to be selfless like that.

I'm from hali and always love hearing how others explain this tragedy. also seeing folks reactions to hearing it for the first time, whereas i obviously learned about it quite young. But for real Vincent Coleman was a fucking hero. The best of us really. One of the newer ferries in the harbour is named after him.

I moved from Canada's west coast to attend uni in Halifax in the 1980s, and at the time was unaware of this disaster. It was amazing how much I learned about it just by osmosis. The explosion, it's aftermath and the selfless efforts of everyone able to to assist are indelibly woven into the collective memory of that city - it will never be forgotten.

Just imagine for a moment, how many people alive today owe their existence to the selfless heroism of Vince Coleman.

@deborahhanna9126

3 жыл бұрын

More so because he knew it would mean his death but he chose to stay anyway. Seems like he should have a lot more recognition. Silly but i would much rather see his face on a tshirt than Che or Kartrashians.

@fart63

3 жыл бұрын

@@deborahhanna9126 who is che

@deborahhanna9126

3 жыл бұрын

@@fart63 Gavarra sp?

@fart63

3 жыл бұрын

@@deborahhanna9126 that does not explain a thing but thank you

@larkefedifero

3 жыл бұрын

​@@fart63 You should look him up, but only for your own historical information. NOT because he was any kind of a hero or *great man* (so thought only by idiots). ;-) In any case, that segues into my point that, once again in history, we have an example that "Only the Good Die Young." (Not me - I'm one of the "Leftovers," so-to-speak! ;-D )

mad respect to Mr. Coleman; knowing you're probably about to die must suck, to have the presence of mind to avert any part of the imminent disaster you're witnessing takes an absolute unit of a man

This was an amazing summary of what happened. What many people don’t know is there were poor populations who lived on the banks of Nova Scotia at that time. There was an indigenous population on the Dartmouth side and Africville on the Halifax side that were completely decimated and ignored by many rescuers. As a Nova Scotian, I remember doing research projects on the people neglected after the explosion and found it interesting.

@catherinemonroe6442

3 жыл бұрын

I heard about Africville

"Let me sing you a song, boys, of fire and flame Of a French ammo ship, the Mont-Blanc was her name How the brave Nova Scotia was never the same On the morning when Halifax burned…" -Fire and Flame, The Longest Johns.

@AtlasNL

3 жыл бұрын

T’was in early December 1917, she was packed to the gills with grade A TNT...

@Draconis_Eltanin

2 жыл бұрын

I was looking for a comment like this

Bless Coleman. He could have continued to run, but he ran back, into harms way to save lives, knowing that he most likely would not survive. Definitely a true hero.

@johnd1727

3 жыл бұрын

Yes , the term "hero" is used far too often which diminishes the term. The defining requirement is not that an individual's actions helps or saves the life of others - but that he/she does so in the certain knowledge that their own life would be forfeit doing so. And proceeds regardless.

@harshbuttrue2654

2 жыл бұрын

@@johnd1727 The Kroger near me has a "Heroes Work Here" sign

The captain orders “ ‘abandon ship.’ They needed no further encouragement to do so.” Ha ha ha. I don’t blame them. You didn’t have to tell them twice!

@theshermantanker7043

3 жыл бұрын

They know that there's enough explosives on it to turn everything in a large radius into dust I'm sure they needed no further prompting

@jonathandpg6115

2 жыл бұрын

@@emilyv424 yes that’s the reason they where charged…because they survived and the others didn’t

We watch the tree being shipped to Boston every holiday season. One of my favourite NS traditions. 💙🎄

My great-great-great grandmother lived in Halifax at the time. I remember hearing about this through my grandmother. It was a life-changing day for them for two completely different reasons: Finland (their home country) got their independence and this incident.

Much of my family is from Nova Scotia. I once visited the Maritime Museum when I was little. Learning about all the death on the harbour, and then later walking down the wharf where so many bodies had been laid had a profound impact on me. Not only was it where the Halifax Explosion occurred, it was also where the recovered bodies from the Titanic were placed as they were taken off the boats that found them. These days, it is a place where people walk and enjoy the beautiful view, but it felt strange, knowing how much tragedy was attached to where I was walking.

@thegracklepeck

Жыл бұрын

I always feel that way walking through any place that has seen a large loss of life. It's like I can feel emotional aftershocks and can be quite unnerving.

The irony of a wave of water causing a sea of flames.

@hughjass1044

3 жыл бұрын

It didn't. The fires were started by overturned stoves and oil lamps along with, of course, the blast itself.

I heard about this incident many times, but this was the first time I heard about the heroic efforts of Patrick Vince Coleman. A true hero. Rest In Peace.

I’m from Halifax and the Halifax explosion is something we all know about and learn in school but we never really learned that much about it. I’ve been watching your channel for about a month now and have become a fan, so when I found this video I was like “he knows about us!”. I haven’t clicked on a video faster and I’m glad I did. This video gives more insight than history classes ever did

That last part was especially poignant, what a hero.

In Canada we aired 'Heritage Moments' on television, short stories about important moments in Canadian History, and one of the most memorable is of Vince Coleman's recognition of the impending disaster and self-sacrifice in sending of the message. It still makes you tear up thinking of all those who died, but also of all those saved by his action. The photos of the before and after are shocking.

@Thurston86

3 жыл бұрын

I remember those!! The one that always stuck with me is the “I smell burnt toast” one.

@kellsey9461

3 жыл бұрын

This is totally what I thought of too!

@EllawoodBlues

3 жыл бұрын

Yes! Those heritage moments were great! I think you can find most of them on KZread

@stinkletoes8285

3 жыл бұрын

@@EllawoodBlues Marconi ..Through the air across the ocean...

@g8kpr3000

3 жыл бұрын

@@stinkletoes8285 But I need those peach baskets back! Why Didn't I shoot 'em It means... we were here Come on Vince, COME ON!!!

I’m from Boston, and every year we are gifted a Christmas tree from the Nova Scotians because we sent help to them. Truly tragic what happened, but I’m happy that my city was able to do some good.

🇨🇦 I had the great honour of speaking on the phone with a survivor of the Halifax explosion. I work in a call centre and this phone call happened almost twenty years ago. The gentleman was quite elderly and we were having a friendly conversation and the subject of getting older came up. He was a life long citizen of Halifax and he stated that I’d likely never heard of the Halifax explosion and when I said that I certainly had, he was delighted and asked if I had a few minutes to listen to his story. I said that I did and he said that he was just a little fella, but he remembered the chaos and of that day, being carried by his mother as she ran. He said that almost everyone they knew had been killed and it was talked about for most of his life. I thanked him for sharing that with me and I told him that it was kind of him to tell me about it. I’m certain that he must have passed by now, but I’ll always remember him.

Another massive but ignored Canadian disaster is the Lac Megantic derailment.

@furygeist

3 жыл бұрын

Hope FH covers it! He'd do it justice!

@lawlzd00domg

3 жыл бұрын

Yesss I've so been hoping he'll do a video on this

@soshiangel90

3 жыл бұрын

liking for a boost! I want to learn!

@Ragerian

3 жыл бұрын

With the cancellation of pipelines, we very might see another in the future

@hotrodthug

3 жыл бұрын

@@Ragerian i think thats why its isn't mentioned much by the powers that be. Makes too strong of a case for pipelines.

My grandmother was 14, living in Peggy's Cove, about 30 miles from Halifax. They felt and heard the explosion.

Hearing about Mr. Coleman made me cry a little. What an amazing person. I'm really glad you closed the episode with his story.

My Grandmother survived this and used to tell me about it. I'm 60,from Halifax,grew up and still live in the area,about a 20 minute walk from where it happened. We had neighbors who had an enormous bolt protruding from the backyard of their property,right across from our house. It was always assumed that the bolt came from the explosion and we never doubted it. These neighbors arrived on our street in 1970,a year after we did. I think they made a mild attempt to remove it. It is fairly large and still there.

Vince Coleman didn't wear a cape but was a true hero! I hope his story is remembered forever! So brave and selfless!

@madtrucker0983

3 жыл бұрын

No but he did wear under wear over a pair of tights.

Vince Coleman was just a regular guy, and he did something so amazing on a moment's notice. I am often really moved by these videos, but this has me in tears.

Anyone else tear up reading Goodbye, boys? What a heroic act. Selfless. Truly remarkable

I love these documentaries, just facts , no sides taken. I had no idea about this incident and considering how many lives lost I’m really surprised. Keep up the great work

I seriously love this channel. It treats the victims with respect and retelling the events as accurately as possible

I'm so glad you were able to include the story of Vince Coleman. When I was a child, his story in the 'Canadian Heritage Minutes' always resonated with me the most, as my grandmother grew up in Halifax. He saved many lives, far more than he likely thought he would reach, especially when including subsequent generations.

@jordanc7263

3 жыл бұрын

What about the house hippos tho?

@heatherdelisle408

3 жыл бұрын

@@jordanc7263 The house hippo was possibly the best Canadian invention ever, but they weren't a Canadian Heritage Minute. They were a public service announcement produced by the Concerned Children's Advertisers to combat what would eventually be called Fake News. Didn't work though. I still want my own house hippo.

@heatherdelisle408

3 жыл бұрын

@@acidheadzzz It was a PSA commercial from 1999 to help children think critically about what they see on TV. Not sure if it was shown throughout Canada? But here's the link: kzread.info/dash/bejne/hp2exdGMaNSueag.html

This was such a touching tribute. I'm from Ontario and I've been to Halifax several times. I've been to the big museum dedicated to the explosion, as well as both the cemetery and memorial. Halifax really is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Wow never heard of this! Was in the Army and sometimes around munitions. Ain’t no joke! 🎖️ Salute to Vince Coleman, what a bro. 🕊️ Coleman was like Columbo, “Oh, just one more thing!”

Saw this in my recommended and I clicked so fast. I live in Bedford (the town that’s situated around what’s known as the Bedford basin) From my room where I’m sitting right now I have a clear view of the Bedford basin and the Halifax narrows as I live really close to the shore. My house was built in 1884 and every single window was blown out by the explosion except for one which is still intact to this day. It was so weird but cool to hear you talk about this event when I could see exactly where it took place just out my window. Growing up in Bedford we learn about this just by common knowledge and also through school, we even went on field trips based on the Halifax explosion. Not to mention the many tests I had to take based on this subject. It’s a big part of my community’s history and I’m so glad you shared it with so many others! :)

@happyfacefries

3 жыл бұрын

Damn

@kelly87

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your story xx

@piranhaowner1967

3 жыл бұрын

You are living in a part of History.... ❤️

@nigonkouk1770

3 жыл бұрын

69th thumbs up yo' ;|)

@avavavavavavavavavavavava

3 жыл бұрын

It's odd and unfortunate that not all canadians know about this incident. I grew up on the other side of Canada in British Columbia, and this is the first I'm hearing of this tragic event.

My grandmother was living in Halifax in 1917. She was fifteen years old and she told us many stories about that day and the weeks that followed. Unfortunately l was young and l don't remember all of them. Just bits and pieces. Like the glass shards sticking out of the side of the houses and mounds of shoes collected from the dead. But without her, no me.

Halifax has the oldest passenger ferry system in North America, it crosses the Harbour transporting people between Halifax and Dartmouth. One of the five ferries is named the Vincent Coleman.

I grew up in Halifax during the 60's and heard stories from my grandparents and uncles all my life. I was just there last week on vacation and was in the Hydrostone almost every day. Aside from the stand alone houses that were located at the west end of each boulevard, which were torn down sometime in the 70's, all of the buildings remain standing, not just some.

Some trivia for you: The SS Imo was originally built as the SS Runic by Harland & Wolff in Belfast for the White Star Line. After the Halifax Explosion, she was refloated and returned to service until she wrecked off the coast of the Falkland Islands in 1921.

@AgentMaryland

3 жыл бұрын

>White Star Line They truly have the worst luck, don’t they?

@chatteyj

3 жыл бұрын

How did the ship survive but none of its occupants? How did they die?

@PerishingPurplePulsar

3 жыл бұрын

@@chatteyj I mean, if you put a bunch of animals in an oil drum and roll it off a cliff the oil drum would likely still be usable as an oil drum after some repair, but I'd wager all the animals inside would be dead. Similar idea, just with a ship, humans and the largest non-nuclear man made explosion in history (iirc)

@comeatmebro8120

3 жыл бұрын

@@chatteyj The Imo wasn't hit by the explosion, the tsunami that occurred afterwards is what killed the crew and sank the ship so that's why it was still salvageable

@janicesullivan8942

3 жыл бұрын

@@chatteyj Read another account that the ship was literally lifted out of the water due to the blast, and landed right side up.

I was going to recommend this event for you to cover! My great grandmother lived near Halifax and was 18 when this happened. She went to the site to help and was so overwhelmed by the death and injury that she decided there to become a nurse in the war. Because of that, she met my great grandfather when he was one of her patients.

My great grandmother was living in Halifax when this happened, she was just a little girl at the time. Her home was far from the explosion but she was still asleep when suddenly the blast had blown in her windows and part of her home too but her and her family survived without injury. It's a good thing she was still asleep because if she had been awake and looking out the window at the smoke, she may have lost her vision from glass shards too or possibly worse.

This was really excellent! When we were in Halifax we took a tour and they explained all about this, and the heroism of the rescuers. It's amazing how beautiful Halifax is today.

I genuinely got chills and started choking up about the heroism of Vince Coleman, been years since that's happened. What a legend!

As a Canadian who grew up on the 90's, never forgot the Heritage moment commercials that had this one.

@happyfacefries

3 жыл бұрын

I just saw that. It's haunting, but it will stick with you.

@Thurston86

3 жыл бұрын

I learned more from those heritage moment clips than I did from any history class!

@carleymorris4595

3 жыл бұрын

I learned that basketball is a Canadian invention because of those commercials!

@harshbuttrue2654

2 жыл бұрын

Hate to think of what the announcements would be like today.

Mr. Coleman is still a national hero in Canada. Thank you for sharing his story.

I’m from Halifax & you couldn’t have done a better job of telling this bit of our province’s history; truly well done. Maybe I’m just homesick, but I was getting teary by the end.