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-3- [centred at the top of the page]

in charge of this class was thrown to the floor unconscious, and buried under a mass of debris. Her left leg was badly fractured and bruised so that she could scarcely unearth herself and crawl to the Hall whence she was taken to the yard.

In the Fifth Grade room the pupils, though badly cut in some cases, escaped. The Sister in charge was deeply lacerated in the face, and narrowly escaped losing her nose which was almost severed. The First Grade children whose class-room was in the Basement were all saved, and the sister uninjured.

Whom ensued a scene of heart breaking anguish - mothers and fathers looking for their little ones: children stunned and not knowing where to go, as many of their homes had been destroyed.

Until the arrival of ambulances and other vehicles, the Sisters, though streaming with blood, cared for the fainting and dying children, securing wraps and coverings for those who could not walk....many of the people in the neighbourhood rushed to the School, and then sought shelter in the wrecked kitchen of the Convent, until warning came of another explosion soon to take place... words cannot describe the destitute and desperate condition of the stricken people.

The Convent was quite demolished, the north-west corner having been blown off. This portion of the building included sleeping apartments on the top flat, and the Superior's room and office on the second flat, and the Chapel on the first flat. There was one safe place only in the Superior's room, and just at the moment of the explosion sister Superior was in the spot, thus escaped, though a large portion of the floor went through, and plaster and glass fell like powder. Of the portion other four Sisters in the Convent at the time, only one was seriously out, her face being gashed from forehead to chin. The maid in the kitchen was badly out and lost one eye.

Orders came to move to the open. This [the is was crossed out and written over top was 'ere' to spell 'there'] was a large bog just a few steps from the Convent. Temporary resting places were made for those who appeared to be dying. The Priests hastened around amongst their people, bringing comfort to their