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HALIFAX DISASTER RECORD OFFICE
ARCHIBALD MACMECHAN, F R. S. C.
DIRECTOR

PUBLIC ARCHIVES OF NOVA SCOTIA HALIFAX [circular stamp, blue ink, superimposed over "HALIFAX N. S."]

MG 1 vol 2124 number 133 [near top right corner, handwritten in pencil]

PERSONAL NARRATIVE

Lieut. Ray Colwell and Lieut. Arthur,
Composite Battalion,
personally to the Director, June 29th, in the office.

Arthur was in the barracks square at Wellington when the explosion occurred. It was just before the inspection of the guard. Arthur "beat it" and got behind a tree. The explosion threw hundreds of rivets, bolts, and big pieces of the Mont Blanc into the square, broke rifles in two, blew the packs off the men's backs. The band was playing in the archway and one fragment went through the big drum. ( Capt. K. M. Holloway sat on court-martial re the band instruments.) They blew the fire call. The men went first to the married quarters to rescue the women and children. The stairs were jammed with beams and furniture. The Infantry school was a long, low wooden building, west of the married quarters with a large number of rooms and a fire in each room. All the records of No. 6 Special Service Co. were destroyed. Capt. Jesse Turner had his hip broken. The Medical Inspection room was south of the orderly room on Gottingen St. Srysdale is a returned soldier. Hogbin has a Long Service Medal and served in South Africa. He saved many lives because he knew just what to do in stopping the hemorrhage. Gen. Benson appeared about half past