Nova Scotia’s Part in the Great War

Chapter XLVI 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