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MG 1 vol 2124 number 119

HALIFAX DISASTER RECORD OFFICE
Chronicle Building
Halifax, N.S.

Personal Narrative.
H. D. Brunt, Principal Bloomfield High School

In office—getting papers—window blew into face. Glasses broken but saved his eyes. Doors with thick English plate glass—driven into hands and face—thought of boilers but ‘where were the flames?’ Then thought of air-plane raid—Tried to go to basement. Doors to southward (front doors) jammed inwards. Broke lock by throwing himself against the doors—one of the swing-doors at the top of the steps had fallen and the children were sliding on the glass. They were also falling on the glass from the broken windows. Blew rally on the cadet whistle. Boys came back into the building, girls also and pulled the children back from the back of the crowd. As soon as the children heard his voice they ceased shrieking and obeyed. Garrison or Theakston (guards): duty of these boys was to pass children up to Assembly Hall: at sound of the explosion they turned them round, and passed them out into the yard. This was in overflow department.
Vickery, science teacher, hit by transom from other [xx] building—cut, dazed—carried children out from Kindergarten “What’s happened, Brunt?” He asked about half an hour afterwards. Patton, Manual Training teacher behaved well in taking out children. Not a child killed.
Twenty men sent under Lieut. from Wellington Barracks came running—“No need, all the children out”—Mother’s and fathers came and Brunt put the children in their parent’s arms.

MG 1 vol 2124 number 119 [written at top of page]