90th anniversary of the Halifax explosion

[banquo's_bumble_puppy]

This was the largest man-made explosion up 'til Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Yesterday was the 90th anniversary.

[Moose]

That's right, it is. I'd forgotten. Belated thanks, folks of Boston, for helping dig my unofficial family's butts out of the rubble.

[banquo's_bumble_puppy]

we send them a Christmas tree every year

thanks Boston

[Parrothead]

I wonder if "Barometer Rising" is still required reading in schools. I think I learned about the event from that novel (Grade 7 or 8 English), before any mention of it in history class.

[peteshimmon]

During the terrible first world war, the
front was mined with extremely large
explosive charges at several points.
Apparently three did not explode. A
lightning strike found one of them in
1955. Still two others there somewhere!

[The Supreme Canuck]

I didn't have any family at the Halifax Explosion, though my grandmother was at the "Other" Halifax Explosion during the Second World War.

[The Supreme Canuck]

Yes. 2000 dead, 9000 injured. I'd thank you not to make light of this.

[Moose]

Agreed. I had this big long post to express exactly why, but my words aren't sufficient to do justice to the enormity of what Le Médec of the Mont Blanc and From of the Iwo did to my city. And it doesn't do justice to the heroism on the part of many locals, nor to the charity and support of the folks in Boston, Toronto, and many points in between.

[The Supreme Canuck]

Quite right. Thank you, Moose.

[KaiYeves]

Yes, boom. 2000 dead, 9000 injured. I'd thank you not to make light of this.
Sorry. :-( I couldn't really think of anything to say. I will delete that other post now.

[Moose]

Thank you, KaiYeves, although for the life of me, I can't seem to recall exactly what I'm forgiving you for. Was there a post there? TSC, did you see one?

[The Supreme Canuck]

No, no post that I can see, there. Never was.

[publiusr]

According to this, Grandcamp may have exceeded Halifax

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_largest_artificial_non-nuclear_explosions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_Disaster
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_Explosion

I understand that vessels named 'High Flyer' were in/near both disasters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_Scale