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

Director called on Captain Newcombe of H. M. C. S. Niobe by appointment at Paymaster Pinsent's house Victoria Road, the evening of December 29th. Newcombe is the handsome, athletic, low forehead type, champion boxer in the Army and Navy. Captain Elridge N. I. D. refers to him jocularly as "My friend the Boozer [?Bruiser]". Lost right foot at Gallipoli, at one of the famous beaches "V" Beach. Has the curious English naval fashion of understatement. Curious babyism in pronunciation. Says 'fought' for 'thought'. Was in his bath at the time of the explosion. "[?Pi-e-yi], somebody bring me a foot !" Ship was violently agitated and torn from moorings. Wire hawsers and chain cables, each link 2 1/2 inches in diameter, parted. In one case cable did not part but anchor was dragged out of the concrete in which it was embedded. The old sailors behaved extremely well. Some confusion among new hands. One thousand men on board. Married men who learned of disaster to families "unhappy". Mentioned especially conduct of Gammon and another sailor. Two divers were down below the jetty at work when the explosion occurred. The men working the pumps and lines left them in confusion. Three minutes is the limit of time a diver can live without air being sent to him. It takes four men to turn the handles of air pumps. Gammon turned the handles. The other man hauled the divers up. Impressed Captain Newcombe as a particularly gallant deed. Divers felt a sense of oppression. A weight coming down on them. Thought the crane had fallen down on them.

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MGI vol 2124 number 207