_OCEAN TRANSPORT._
The importance of the work done in Military District No. 6 during the
period of the Great War is doubtless not realized by the public, other
than those who were directly interested in the work. Aside from Halifax
being a fortified port, and the Naval Base of the Atlantic Fleet during
the War, it was the point of embarkation of the Canadian troops for
Overseas, with the exception of the First Contingent, which was sent
Overseas from Quebec. Therefore the work, devolving on District No. 6,
in handling the enormous number of Canadian, American, Australian and
New Zealand troops that passed through here was a matter of considerable
responsibility and care, not only in checking the men going on board
ship, but also in providing accommodations, rations, etc., while they
were held ashore at Halifax from a day to three or four weeks, awaiting
the arrival of their transports. In addition it was necessary to make
preparations for emergencies, of which there were several, including
such things as the stranding of a troopship near the mouth of Halifax
Harbor, which necessitated the safe removal, landing and caring for the
troops by other than the regular methods.
The detail work in connection with these duties was great and varied.
For instance, the Department at Ottawa would arrange the date for the
sailing of transports and the allotment of troops for each. The
Department would then notify this district accordingly. The troops
allotted to each ship would arrive by special trains, often before their
transport reached port. During this period of waiting many casualties
would occur, either through absentees, sickness, or from other causes,
necessitating extra accommodation at the local quarters or in hospital.
On the arrival of the ship these men would have to be checked on board
individually, all casualties accounted for, complete returns made out,
such as marching out state, lists of officers, inspection of all
documents, and many other details. After that particular ship was loaded
she would pull away from the pier and remain in harbor awaiting the
loading of the other transports. Very often these transports would lie
in the harbor for some days before sailing, awaiting the completion of
the convoy, a result being that additional casualties would occur daily
on each ship during that period. These had to be taken off the ship, in
turn, all documents corrected to date so that when the ship sailed from
the harbor an accurate record of every man on board was complete and
thus enabled the Government to check the proper charges of the Steamship
Companies for transportation. In the early stages of the War transports
to the number of forty would sail from Halifax in one convoy, but
towards the latter end of the War the Naval Authorities provided for
convoys not exceeding seventeen ships at one time.
In all there were 284,455 Canadian troops embarked from Halifax. Some
50,000 Chinamen, and a large number of American troops also embarked
from this port. In addition, ships with New Zealanders and Australians
on board called at this port to join the convoys, and often were allowed
to land for route marches and given shore leave. This also entailed much
work on this district, due to the necessity of looking after casualties,
absentees, etc.
Of all the casualties occurring during these embarkations a careful
record had to be kept, and in due course, that is, as soon as possible
after they became fit or were apprehended, they were sent Overseas on
later transports.
Many complicated questions arose during this period, as, for instance,
men arriving on troop trains under arrest for misdemeanors of various
kinds, and thus necessitating this district dealing with such cases.
Following is a summary of the Canadian troops that embarked at Halifax
during the war period:—
Date. Ship. Embarked Halifax. Monthly Total.
1915.
Jan. 8 Zeeland 346
————— 346
Feb. 23 Megantic 40
23 Missinabie 13
28 Scandinavian 23
————— 76
Mar. 6 Grampian 8
15 Northland 130
21 Corsican 40
22 Orduna
26 Hesperian 15
26 Chaleur 68
28 Missinabie 321
————— 582
Apr. 4 Scandinavian 12
6 Georgia 76
9 Chignecto 48
10 Metagama 641
12 Manchester Corporation 73
17 St. George 414
18 Northland 1,711
18 Grampian 1,660
24 Missinabie 440
————— 5,075
May 2 Hesperian 154
20 Saxonia 2,282
20 Halifax 37
————— 2,473
June 14 Herschell 523
15 Caledonia 1,833
————— 2,356
Aug. 8 Italia 1,211
8 Caledonia 994
9 Metagama 1,615
26 Caledonia 1,087
————— 4,907
Oct. 23 Lapland 2,319
27 Orduna 1,095
————— 3,414
Nov. 19 Chignecto 88
22 Saxonia 2,494
23 California 1,909
27 Lapland 2,281
————— 6,772
Dec. 3 Chaudiere 98
6 Orduna 1,121
8 Italia 430
————— 1,649
1916.
Jan. 22 Missinabie 1,591
————— 1,591
Feb. 10 Caraquet 24
————— 24
Mar. 13 Lapland 2,127
13 Baltic 2,606
30 Empress of Britain 3,542
31 Adriatic 2,440
————— 10,715
Apr. 1 Olympic 5,787
18 Missinabie 1,717
21 Chaleur 20
23 Empress of Britain 4,020
24 Lapland 2,201
29 Olympic 5,583
————— 19,328
May 6 Chignecto 61
12 Baltic 2,612
19 Adriatic 2,325
20 Empress of Britain 3,788
26 Grampian 692
31 Olympic 5,794
————— 15,272
June 18 Empress of Britain 3,420
19 Missinabie 1,663
28 Olympic 5,755
————— 10,838
July 8 Lapland 2,208
15 Empress of Britain 3,778
23 Olympic 5,290
28 Caraquet 162
————— 11,438
Aug. 6 Scandinavian 1,351
7 Cameronia 1,430
8 Metagama 1,581
8 Scotian 1,235
14 Empress of Britain 3,704
15 Grampian 1,471
21 Olympic 5,109
————— 15,881
Sept. 11 Scandinavian 1,396
11 Cameronia 1,412
12 Metagama 1,491
12 Northland 1,473
18 Olympic 5,486
23 Lapland 2,042
25 Southland 1,379
25 Corsican 1,426
26 Laconia 2,230
26 Tusconia 2,360
————— 20,695
Oct. 2 California 1,1 61
3 Missinabie 1,708
3 Saxonia 2,417
11, 12 & 13 Olympic 5,988
17 Cameronia 1,401
17 Metagama 1,721
17 Northland 1,662
24 Grampian 1,673
25 Mauretania 3,089
25 & 26 Corsican 1,351
30 Lapland 2,196
Oct. 31 Caronia 4,251
31 Empress of Britain 3,796
————— 32,414
Nov. 1 Southland 1,700
13 Olympic 5,909
23 & 24 Mauretania 3,123
27 Metagama 1,609
————— 12,341
Dec. 16 Olympic 5,999
27 Northland 36
————— 6,035
1917.
Jan. 23 Scandinavian 1,350
24 Canada 1,244
26 Grampian 1,525
————— 4,119
Feb. 16 Southland 1,749
16 Missinabie 1,727
————— 3,476
Mar. 4 Canada 1,241
4 Ansonia 1,049
25 Metagama 1,641
25 Lapland 1,637
25 Southland 892
26 Missinabie 1,595
26 Saxonia 2,357
————— 10,412
Apr. 9 Carpathia 2,341
9 Canada 1,282
17 Scandinavian 1,194
18 Ansonia 1,102
18 Northland 1,572
18 Grampian 1,654
27 Olympic 5,605
30 Megantic 1,141
————— 15,891
May 1 Metagama 1,696
3 Justicia 4,445
28 Olympic 5,823
————— 11,964
June 22 Justicia 4,160
————— 4,160
Aug. 6 Olympic 100
10 Grampian 1,500
11 Missinabie 1,402
————— 3,002
Sept. 5 Megantic 1,854
————— 1,854
Oct. 4 Metagama 1,276
20 Scandinavian 925
————— 2,201
Nov. 20 Scotian 1,352
24 Megantic 1,637
27 Metagama 1,182
————— 4,171
Dec. 21 Missinabie 1,700
21 Grampian 1,638
28 Canada 11
————— 3,349
1918.
Jan. 19 Kursk 50
27 Orita 320
28 Scandinavian 1,290
————— 1,660
Feb. 5 Grampian 1,607
5 Missinabie 1,678
5 Canada 826
13 Lapland 1,815
21 Megantic 1,822
21 Meletia 1,830
21 Saxonia 2,138
28 Metagama 1,692
28 Kasmala 111
————— 13,519
Mar. 1 Justicia 155
8 Scotian 23
8 Toloa 819
13 Chaleur 29
17 Saturnia 100
25 Missinabie 1,656
25 Scandinavian 1,293
25 Grampian 1,591
————— 5,666
Apr. 9 Metagama 1,672
9 Tunisian 1,318
9 Ulua 949
17 Scotian 1,324
17 Toloa 1,108
17 Melita 1,906
————— 8,277
May 11 Tierisias 1,252
11 Runic 394
16 Ajana 1,435
16 Valacia 1,020
23 C. of Marseilles 55
————— 4,156
June 17 Pannonia 853
24 Wiamana 389
24 Gloucestershire 512
24 Ionic 27
————— 1,781
July 2 Oxfordshire 390
3 Valacia 185
————— 575
———————
Total 284,455