On December 6, 1917, two tramp steamers, the Mont-Blanc and the Imo, collided in wartime Halifax Harbour, creating what became the largest man-made explosion of its time. More than 2,000 people died, 9,000 were injured, 6,000 people were left homeless and an additional 19,000 were left without adequate shelter. In a combination of words and images (many never seen before), John Boileau delivers a breathtaking account of the magnitude of this event.

Retired colonel John Boileau served in the Canadian Army for thirty-seven years, including command of Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), and went on to be appointed Honorary Colonel of the Halifax Rifles (RCAC) for ten years. He is an author and media commentator who specializes in military history and has written fifteen books and more that 650 magazine and newspaper articles. Two of his books, Fastest in the World and Halifax and the Royal Canadian Navy were shortlisted for the Dartmouth Book Award for Non-Fiction. John was founding chair of the Halifax Military Heritage Preservation Society and chair of the National Council of Honorary Colonels. He is a recipient of the Order of Nova Scotia, the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee Medal (NS), a Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia Vice-Regal Commendation and a Commander Canadian Army Commendation. He and his wife, Miriam, live in Bedford, Nova Scotia.

John Boileau's profile page

"SUPERB"
"A superb piece of historical research, concise and well written, yet presented in a richly illustrated edition. An impressive undertaking!" — Daniel Soucoup, author of A Short History of Halifax and Explosion in Halifax Harbour, 1917

"LIKE NEVER BEFORE"
"The Halifax Explosion of 1917 was the largest man-made explosion before Hiroshima. Such a disaster today would generate a worldwide storm of video coverage, but the actual photographic record is sparse. This handsome book helps us see this century-old catastrophe as never before." — Robert MacNeil, author of the novel Burden of Desire

"EXPRESSIVE"
"John Boileau's new offering contains information about the Halifax Explosion that is textually interesting, visually expressive, and exoteric in its overall presentation. People of all ages who are interested in the subject matter will enjoy this book." — Joel Zemel, author of Scapegoat: the extraordinary legal proceedings following the 1917 Halifax Explosion