Letters From the Front

Dated: January 3, 1918

As it might be of interest to some of my old friends at Hemmingford, the place of my birth and boyhood, my experience may be of interest. My family was in the Halifax disaster. Mrs. Graham was sitting me in a chair near a window, holding the youngest boy in her arms, her mother was holding the next oldest, when all the windows, casings and all, together with the doors, were smashed to atoms. The walls in places were broken through, so daylight could be seen. Nearly all the plaster was shaken off walls, chimneys flattened, and the house destroyed beyond repair. My wife got a bad cut from a piece of glass in the neck; it just cleared the jugular vein by a fraction of an inch. The baby was cut under the eye and forehand, but not seriously. Her mother, who was holding the other child, was stunned, and bruised about the face. She had the combs and pins blown out of her hair into the yard with some of her hair. My third youngest girl was near them, and only got a few minor cuts in the face. My oldest boy and girl were at school. The girl got a scalp wound and cut under the eye. The boy did not get a scratch, but was missing for a day. We found him in the outskirts of the town. All the houses in the vicinity of the north end are in ruins, a number burned. I was at St. John, New Brunswick, instructing at the time, so I got clear. I went to Halifax, as soon as possible and moved my family to St. John. I lost near all I had. The house was my own. I am thankful all my family are safe and will get over their wounds.

R. Graham
Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor of Royal Canadian Regiment