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HALIFAX DISASTER RECORD OFFICE
CHRONICLE BUILDING
HALIFAX, N. S.

Balcom put on the stretcher, and then proceeded to "fall in" B. Company. There was no bugler; got men to shout "Fall in, B Company," and so "got a bunch together". About fifteen or sixteen men. Everything was in a terrible condition. Men came to him covered with blood, but he took only those that were uninjured. He first proceeded to put out the fires in the officer's quarters, beginning at the south west corner, going north, and ending at the south-east. His method was to look in and drop off a man to put out the fires, and then go on to the next room. When he got round to the eastern side, and the south east corner of the building, he saw that the magazine was "shot to pieces". The concussion had shaken down the wooden part, broken in the doors and injured the roof. McLennan immediately mounted a guard, three men. They had no rifles, but they were capable of using their fists. At this time there was no fire. After placing the sentries, McLennan reported to Colonel Hamilton Gray, whom he found in front of his quarters. Gray's answer was "To Hell with the military magazine,. My wife's bleeding to death! Get me a medical orderly." As there was no medical orderly available McLennan went to the square, where the orderly sergeant had gathered more of B Company. McLennan "grabbed them" and started once more for the magazine. This was about fifteen minutes after the explosion, and must have got eight men "in the second bunch". His idea was to make the magazine perfectly secure. Found a piece of ship's plate about eighteen inches broad, by seven feet long and weighing between six and seven hundred pounds. Had wrapped itself round the top part of the iron picket fence, making a whole large enough for a man to get through. The magazine was uninjured, but