Vince Coleman, a railway dispatcher, sacrificed his own life
“Hold up the train. Munitions ship on fire and making for Pier 6 … Goodbye boys.”
Vincent Coleman, a railway dispatcher, left his Richmond neighborhood home on Russell Street in Halifax’s North End early on December 6, 1917, for work. He left his wife Frances, who was wearing a bright blue dress she had made herself, to care for their young, two-year-old daughter Eileen. To get to his workplace at the Richmond train station, it took only five short blocks.
He worked in the deceptively small wooden station in the middle of the Richmond rail yards, not in the opulent brick passenger station on North Street. His job was to manage the heavy rail traffic created by the crowded Halifax harbor during the Halifax Harbor War, which he did while working just a few feet from the harbour and its busy piers.
He routed the heavy passenger traffic entering North Street Station during the war as well as the necessary troop trains and hospital trains from the Pier 2 ocean liner terminal. He also sent orders to the numerous trains feeding freight into the ship-filled wharves of North End Halifax.
Despite the fact that it had changed its name to “Canadian Government Railways” in 1916, Coleman worked for what was known as the “Intercolonial Railway” or “ICR” in Halifax. He was a rank above most stations’ regular telegraph operators as a dispatcher. He received praise for aiding in the containment of a runaway train a few years ago. Additionally, he was very involved in his railway union. In his wallet that morning, tucked beside some raffle tickets for the Victory Bond drive, was a clipping about an upcoming union meeting in Montreal.
A distant crash was followed by a column of black smoke rising above the rows of freight cars parked in front of the station as Coleman took over as the night dispatcher at the telegraph. After a collision, the French munitions ship Mont-Blanc caught fire. A naval sailor suddenly plowed through the door. Everyone was given the warning that the on fire Mont-Blanc was about to erupt with ammunition. One of the few people who was aware of the sailor’s deadly cargo was one of the naval officers who responded to the fire and sent her ashore. Coleman turned around and used the telegraph key to send his infamous message as William Lovett, his boss and the chief clerk at Richmond, and he started to leave.
Coleman was particularly concerned about Passenger Train No. 10, an overnight train from Saint John, New Brunswick. At 300 people on board, it was scheduled to arrive in Halifax at 8:55 am. It was scheduled to pass through the North Street Station’s approach tracks in front of the scorching Mont-Blanc in a matter of minutes. The exact wording of Coleman’s message was slightly different in the newspapers of the time, but its general content was consistently reported as follows:
“Hold up the train. Ammunition ship afire in harbor making for Pier 6 and will explode. Guess this will be my last message. Good-bye boys.”
Coleman was clearly aware that the explosion was coming and that he was facing death. He even ended by saying “Goodbye Boys” in telegraph shorthand.
Explosion
After that, Mont-Blanc erupted at 9:05 am. Pier 6 and the ship disappeared in a flame column. While others were thrown through the air, rows of boxcars vanished. Coleman’s station vanished just 750 feet from the blast’s center. As tidal waves rose from the harbor and roared back and forth across the Richmond yards, it was buried in debris from the railway yard and crushed by the blast. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic still has water stains in his wallet. His watch, whose hands and crystal have been blown away, and whose back appears to have been pounded in by hammers, speaks ominously of the violent forces that descended upon Coleman. Coleman most likely passed away at his telegraph key instantly.
However, the message transmitted by that telegraph key was picked up by every station from Halifax to Truro, including Rockingham, Bedford, Windsor Junction, Elmsdale, Stewiacke, and so on. The semaphore blades, or station order boards, that you once saw mounted on the sides of stations would have been swiftly moved by each station agent from the vertical “All Clear” position to the horizontal “Stop!” position. All Halifax-bound trains would come to a stop as they approached their next station with a bang, bang, bang, all the way to Truro, as the order boards would drop. In 1917, rail traffic was managed in this way. Before two-way radios were installed on trains, many years would pass.
Legacy
Coleman’s deed and outcomes were genuinely heroic. He is pictured alongside several Halifax explosion heroes, including Horatio Brennan, a brave tugboat captain who lost his life attempting to pull Mont-Blanc out of the city. They stand in for the many heroes of that day, including the firefighters, soldiers, sailors, and regular men and women who rushed into burning and collapsing homes to save their loved ones, their neighbors, and strangers.
Nicholas Winton ‘British Schindler’: Man who rescued 669 Czech children from Nazis
A man named Nicholas Winton saved 669 kids during WWII and lived almost all his life without letting people know.
Story of Kathrine Switzer: the first woman to run in Boston Marathon
Before women were allowed to run in the Boston Marathon, Kathrine Switzer participated. A race official attempted to forcefully remove her from the race in 1967, but her boyfriend pushed him down. She was the first female finisher who had a numbered entry in the race.
Quaker Oats Fed Children with Radioactive Oatmeal
In the 1940s and 1950s, Quaker Oats and MIT conducted experiments on radioactive iron and calcium-containing cereal. The diet was part of a study to see if the nutrients in Quaker oatmeal traveled throughout the body. In January 1998, a $1.85 million settlement was reached for 30 victims who came forward.
How Greek prime minister in 1830’s tried to spread the potato in Greece
A Greek prime minister in 1830’s tried to spread the potato in Greece but people weren’t interested so he put armed guards in front of shipments of potatoes so people would think they were important. People later started stealing these potatoes a lot which spread the crop to all of Greece.
The Mouth of Truth: Ancient Rome’s Legendary "Lie Detector" That Bit Off Hands
Discover the chilling legend of the Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità) in Ancient Rome—a massive carved stone face believed to bite off the hand of anyone who lied while inserting their hand into its gaping mouth. Uncover the truth behind its eerie reputation and how this ancient artifact became a symbol of honesty and fear.
Why the Brooklyn Bridge Was Once Crossed by 17 Camels and 21 Elephants
On May 30, 1883, a rumor that the Brooklyn Bridge was going to collapse caused a stampede, which killed at least at twleve people. To prove the bridge was safe, P.T. Barnum led a parade of 21 elephants over it.
Iranian inmate dies from happiness after finding out he will not be executed
An Iranian man who was convicted of murder reportedly died from happiness after learning that his death sentence was being commuted.
The Forgotten Story of Semipalatinsk and the Soviet Nuclear Experiments
Between 1949 and 1989, the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan became the primary location for Soviet nuclear weapons tests, exposing millions of unsuspecting villagers to radioactive fallout. Known as the “Polygon of Suffering,” this remote desert witnessed 456 nuclear detonations that caused widespread health crises, birth defects, and generational genetic damage. This article narrates the chilling legacy of Semipalatinsk, unveiling the human cost of Cold War arms development and the ongoing struggle for healing and recognition in Kazakhstan.
The incredible story of Julia "Butterfly" Hill and her legacy
American environmental activist Julia “Butterfly” Hill lived in a 1500-year-old California Redwood tree for 738 days to prevent it from being cut down by the Pacific Lumber Company. The Simpson’s episode “Lisa the Tree Hugger” was inspired by Hill’s story.
How 18th Century Women’s Rights Movements Shaped Modern Equality
The 18th century marked a turning point in the quest for women’s rights, as passionate voices challenged centuries of gender inequality and laid the groundwork for modern feminism. From pioneers like Mary Wollstonecraft to revolutionary declarations and early advocacy, this era sparked debates on education, political participation, and social justice that continue to resonate today. Journey through the origins of women’s rights movements and discover how their bold ideas shaped the fight for equality.
The Baltic Way: the longest unbroken human chain in history
On August 23, 1989, about 2 million people from Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania formed a human chain that united all 3 countries to show the world their desire to escape the Soviet Union and the communism that brought only suffering and poverty. This power stretched 600 km.
Shizo Kanakuri’s 1912 Olympic Marathon Finished 54 Years
At the 1912 Olympics, a marathon runner quit and went home to Japan without telling officials and was considered a missing person in Sweden for 50 years. In 1966, he was invited to complete the marathon. His time: 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes, and 20.379 seconds.
Jack the Baboon operated a railroad, earned a living, and never made a mistake
A baboon worked as a signalman for the railroad in the late 1800s. He never made a mistake and worked for the railroad until the day he died.
Philippines, the largest supplier of Nurses in the World
Philippines is the world’s largest supplier of nurses, supplying roughly 25% of all overseas nurses worldwide.
Irena Sendler: woman who rescued Jews during holocaust
Irene Sendler was the Zegota resistance group's head of the children's department. She risked her life to smuggle children out of the Warsaw ghetto, place them with Polish families or orphanages, give each child a new identity, and keep records so that they could be returned to their families. In 1943, the Gestapo arrested and sentenced her to death, but she was rescued by Zegota.
Inside The Mysterious Death Of The Famed Gothic Writer Edgar Allan Poe
Hours before his death Edgar Allen Poe was found on the streets of Baltimore. He was incoherent, wearing another man’s clothes, and unable to explain how he got there. The cause of his death is an unsolved mystery.
History of Treadmill, punishment for prisoners
Treadmills were originally a punishment used to harness human power on a giant wheel used to grind grains, hence the name "treadmill." The History of Treadmill
Nuclear bomb accidentally dropped on North Carolina in 196
4 January 1961: The 4241st Strategic Wing's Boeing B-52G-95-BW Stratofortress, serial number 58-0187, was on a 24-hour airborne alert mission off the United States' Atlantic Coast.
Moondyne Joe: The story of Australia's most notorious prison escapee
A man named Joseph Bolitho Johns (A.K.A Moondyne Joe) broke out of Australian prisons so many times that the police were compelled to build a special cell just for him. He escaped from that as well.
Before Radar: How Giant Acoustic Mirrors Detected Enemy Aircraft in WWI and WWII
Long before radar revolutionized air defense, enormous acoustic mirrors and specialized sound locators stood as the first line of defense against enemy aircraft. Designed as giant “ears,” these structures amplified distant engine noises, allowing operators to detect incoming planes by sound alone. Dive into the intriguing world of these pioneering listening devices, their operation, limitations, and enduring legacy in military history.
The mysterious secret of Dr James Barry
Before women were allowed to enroll in medical school, Margaret Ann Bulkley studied medicine and assumed the identity of Dr. James Barry for 56 years while dressing as a man. After 46 years of service as an army doctor officer, her secret was not made public until after her death in 1865.
Thomas Baker's heroic act that earned him the "Medal of Honor" was 8 bullets until death
Thomas Baker instructed his team to leave him with a pistol and eight bullets propped up against a tree after he was injured. Later, American troops discovered the now-deceased Baker in the same location, lying next to eight dead Japanese soldiers and carrying an empty pistol.
Knockers-up: waking up the Industrial Britain's Workers in 1900-1941
Before alarm clocks were invented, there was a profession called a knocker-up, which involved going from client to client and tapping on their windows (or banging on their doors) with long sticks until they were awake. It lasted into the 1920s.
Max Headroom Incident: America’s Creepiest TV Hack
In 1987 a man hijacked a television station during an episode of Dr. Who and wore a Max Headroom mask and uttered nonsense, and he still hasn’t been caught
Terry Fox, a 21-year-old one-legged cancer patient who ran 143 days before dying
Terry Fox was a 21-year-old one-legged cancer patient who ran 3,339 miles across Canada in 143 days before dying.
