Christmas Tragedies: Ships That Sank in December

[@froshmasta]

Halifax received a lot of assistance from Boston after the explosion as well and as a way of thanking them we send a giant Christmas tree to them every year that they display in their city. This is a tradition we're proud to support here.

[@thetiniestpirate]

That's a fun remembrance gesture

[@linda10989]

​​@@thetiniestpirateAnd heartfelt because if it hadn't been for the massive amount of people and medical supplies Boston sent, the death toll would've been much, much higher! Thank you Boston ❤

[@MC-810]

I lived in the City of Boston for many years and heard this story in the past. I’ve gone to the lighting at the start of the Christmas season or passed by the different trees throughout the years and think it’s a beautiful gesture from the people of Halifax to the people of Boston. I doubt there are many alive now who were alive then (if any); and if they were alive then likely not old enough to remember the explosion. So this tree is a way to honor and remember not only the aid the people of Boston sent, but also to remember and honor of those who were killed. Thank you for the beautiful trees. Merry Christmas to our friends in the north and throughout the world. Happy holidays to those not celebrating Christmas. Peace to all.

[@Diane_McDon]

As a Bostonian; I’m glad we could help and appreciate the tree

[@n8pls543]

Lewiston, Maine, too.

[@leefromoakville3810]

As a Canadian I’m probably biased, but the Halifax Explosion deserves a full episode. Thanks for a you do, Mike!

[@jordanpeterson5140]

As an American, I agree. It's one of those parts of history that gets overlooked a lot, and it really shouldn't be.

[@wildalbalass4867]

Hear hear, says this Scotswoman 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@neilcoligan8621]

I've visited the graveyards in Halifax where many explosion victims are buried. I also just finished "The Great Halifax Explosion" by John U. Bacon.

[@FourProngedFork]

@MaritimeHorrors has a good one on the halifax explosion, well made and respectful. Its definetly worth a watch

[@jordanpeterson5140]

@FourProngedFork that's a really good episode, I like his channel, too. But I'd still like to see our dapper Australian friend do an episode on it.

[@JakeTheBear1]

Thank you for commemorating the Doña Paz on the eve of its anniversary. Sincerely, from the 🇵🇭

[@54GodzillaFan]

The Halifax explosion itself deserves it's own video... easily the most cataclysmic shipping accident in mankind's history. It was even the largest man-made explosion until the Trinity atomic bomb test.

[@randomrazr]

good thing olympic left before it happened

[@DistractedGlobeGuy]

It's even got a _Titanic_ connection since a lot of the explosives _Mont Blanc_ was carrying would have been provided by Standard Chemical & Lumber, Major AG Peuchen's firm.

[@eS._Te]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKCZlpudYp14d9E

[@1stpogo]

I lived in Halifax for 10 years. There are gravestones near downtown, they are blackened and bent back away from the harbour. Mike mentioned people injured by glass, I have read about the wards in hospitals filled with children blinded by flying glass. I do agree with the others who have said this deserves its own episode as there is so much more to this disaster than Mike was able to mention here.

[@newscottishgolf7305]

We actually opened a school for the blind when that was not a commonly available service anywhere in the world due to so many eye injuries from shrapnel from the Halifax explosion I believe the institution still stands to this day

[@MoodusOperandi]

I appreciate the correct pronunciation of München. Thank you, A native German speaker

[@JGCR59]

Also Captain Scheunemann (who was german)

[@mimiharv]

Yes, I really appreciate how he always tries to get the pronunciation of non-English words and names right!

[@Martin48964]

If you ever visit Halifax you will be inundated with the history of this explosion and Titanic's victims buried there. As a Canadian I suggest you visit this historical place!

[@mikeprimm4077]

I would love to visit halifax. Visit the graves the Titanic victims, as well as as well as the waterfront area. I was obsessed with the Halifax explosion when I was a kid, I read everything I could get my hands on that had anything to do with it LOL

[@stevenkarnisky411]

I have been to Halifax twice, and have heard the story of the explosion, as well as seen the area where it occurred.. An entire episode would, indeed, be appropriate to cover this horrendous tragedy and the way it played out in almost slow motion up until the inevitable explosion. As a US citizen, I've found our Canadian neighbors to be delightful hosts. Halifax is worth visiting.

[@rika8484]

I'm from Kewaunee, WI and went to school in the Two Rivers/Manitowoc area, so I've heard the story of the Rouse Simmons my whole life. Incredibly sad story. Thanks for keeping the memories of these ships alive!

[@guyk768]

I'm very familiar with the Rouse Simmons, mostly by the name The Christmas Tree Ship. Very bittersweet story. I watched the documentary about it on The Weather Channel years ago. They had an interview of a man who knew the name when he was a kid and how they sang German Christmas chorus in the captains home. After the ship was lost that year, the captains wife ordered trees that were brought down by train and got a small ship and there's a picture of her giving a Christmas tree away to a poor family. From what I recall of the story, she did this until she passed away in the 1930s.

[@jaredthehawk3870]

The local US coast guard station continues the tradition today.

[@theskicker8856]

@@jaredthehawk3870 true. But what they don’t tell you is that Schuenemann was a greedy man, notorious for using broken down old schooners (he’d pulled the Simmons out of a mud bank shortly before the trip) and overloading them for a quick buck.

[@LoriTalbot-du2qt]

My Grandmother was there in Halifax the day of the explosion, and luckily survived . Something her future children, grandchildren and great grandchildren are happy about! She ended up taking in a boy who lost his family. He stayed with the family for years until he moved to Oklahoma. He just passed about 15 years ago.

[@swampyankee]

The Christmas Tree Ship tradition was revived 25 years ago by the Chicago maritime community with the trees arriving aboard a US Coast Guard cutter.

[@Wildcat_Media]

Hearing the story of the Rouse Simmons (which, this is the first I've heard of it) - makes me think a little bit of my dad. See, when I was little, our family didn't have a ton of money. But during Christmas, my dad would play Santa Claus for a variety of Christmas parties and events around town, and he sold Christmas trees on a vacant lot that my grandparents owned. Even though my parents were poor as church mice back then, we had excellent Christmases because of all the stuff Dad was doing to bring in extra money. Hearing that the Herman Schuenemann was known as "Captain Santa" just made my heart melt. Heartbreaking that he had to go out like that, but it sounds like Captain Santa was one of the good ones. Merry Christmas to Mike and the rest of the Oceanliner Designs crew! Thanks for all your hard work, and I look forward to many more fascinating videos in the year to come.

[@paulw4310]

The last two were especially horrific and, admittedly, I had never heard of either until now. Thanks for brining attention to them, Mike.

[@nathanclarke2501]

As a born and raised Halifax resident, I love seeing you cover the Halifax explosion. Love your content!

[@Aikurisu]

One interesting survivor's account of the Halifax tragedy was how some of the crew fled the scene for the hills and, while passing a curious young woman nursing her infant amidst the chaos, one of the crew stopped to warn her of what was about to happen. However, due to the language barrier they had he was forced to take the baby from her arms and it was due to this act that both the child and the mother survived the explosion as she literally gave chase right behind them, thinking the worst. Bet she was grateful after all was said and done.

[@kamerlort]

Happy Holidays Mike Brady from Oceanliner Designs ♥️♥️♥️😊

[@debbiejarus1723]

I really enjoyed this video, Mike. As a child, I always found the Rouse Simmons wreck particularly haunting....I actually still do! It's amazing to hear that a few maritime disasters took place during the holiday season....a time most of us in the Northern Hemisphere don't associate with ships. Your work is beyond outstanding . Thank you!!

[@theskicker8856]

Yeah but Schuenemann was a greedy man, using crappy old schooners (he pulled the Simmons from a mud bank not long before his final trip), overloading them beyond belief, trying to make a quick buck.

[@georgbloemer4099]

German native speaker here - perfect pronunciation of "München".

[@M-7412]

With the Halifax explosion, there was also a snowstorm the night of the explosion. It was apparently one of the worst storms in years. So that added to the misery of the people who had lost their homes.

[@CJODell12]

They must have felt like God had not only abandoned them but was actively punishing them.

[@orwellboy1958]

I'd like to wish Mike and my fellow watchers a very merry Christmas.

[@carlmontney7916]

Anyone who has lived in the Great lakes area can testify to the fact that the Great Lakes are dangerous. Just as dangerous, if not more so than traversing the ocean. A storm can come up fast and the number of ships that have been lost on the Great lakes is a testament to that. The Great Lakes museum says 6,000 ships but Great Lakes historians say the estimate is probably much higher as many as 25,000. Very dangerous sailing those Lakes.

[@mpetersen6]

There are several factors at play. First is sea room. Quite often there is literally no where to run. Second is the wave frequency. We used to be an active port and a lot of sailors off of foreign vessels said they hated coming into the lakes. And not all the Lakes are the same. Plus the St Lawrence Seaway has been a mixed blessing. Greater trade plus invasive species.

[@wivyy]

Having grown up in Nova Scotia, we learned about the Halifax explosion from a very young age in school, I remember we spent an extensive amount of time reading stories in class by survivors of the explosion, it was truly one of the most devastating disasters, not just in Nova Scotia, but worldwide as well.

[@EuropeYear1917]

Ah, another great video from our friend Mike Brady at Oceanliner Designs!

[@Feline_Frenzy53]

Thank you, Mike. I am wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season.

[@miapdx503]

Remember, every time we celebrate a holiday, it's a reminder of a tragedy to someone else. God bless you and yours this season. 🌹⚓

[@MVM.7]

It’s gonna be a great watch again.

[@brannonlittle718]

This is a Captain Santa household! We love Captain Santa 🎅

[@flourypath]

Just remember, mike brady is love, mike brady is life

[@ladyrhy]

I just started watching your videos a few months ago and I've become completely enthralled. Thank you for the time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears and heart you put into these videos Mike! ❤❤

[@Chord_]

Of all the stories to come out of the Halifax Explosion, the one that still chokes me up to this day is Vince Coleman's. He was a train dispatcher, and on the day of the explosion, he was stationed near to where the Mont Blanc ran aground. Like so many others, he was watching the disaster unfold when a sailor ran past the crowd, warning them of the imminent explosion. Fearing for his life, he ran. But, after a moment, he turned around, and went back into his office. A passenger train was due to arrive within minutes carrying 300 passengers, and would be going directly past the Mont Blanc. With what little time he had, he sent out a warning: "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." Not long thereafter, the Mont Blanc exploded. Vince was killed in the explosion. But, because of his last act on this Earth, he saved hundreds of lives. Not only had the intended passenger train stopped, but other passenger and freight trains coming to the station did as well. The message leapt from telegraph to telegraph, and rescue crews across Nova Scotia were already being prepared for the disaster within minutes and hours. If it weren't for him, many more would have died. It's a story that sticks with me, because it's the perfect testament to the human spirit; indomitable, even in the face of death. I'll join my voice in the choir of people calling for the Halifax Explosion to, one day, be a full length documentary. Until then, may you, Mike, the team, and anyone reading this, have a happy holidays.

[@jazzmodern]

Thanks Ocean Bradys of Michael's Designer

[@jetsons101]

What a great way to enjoy my morning coffee before heading off to work.... Thanks for another enjoyable and educational video....

[@timhollon1867]

Thank you for the videos, and Merry Christmas 🎄

[@John-mu4py]

Love your show, loved your collaboration with Caitlin Doughty, love her show also. Between you and the Skynea channel, it meets my maritime expectations. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@jordancarroll8851]

Excellent video as always. I’ve never heard of the Halifax Explosion till now, it’s sad that the court system never worked in the favor of the people back in the day. Would love a detailed video on it one day!

[@adiconsdaple2285]

Well HALLO! 🙂🖐🏻 It's our Friend Mike Brady again... 😊 I am always happy when you upload a new Video. Thank you very much. 😉👍🏻

[@J.MacInnes]

The Halifax Explosion was one of the events that is pivotal to Canada, we were a relatively young country still finding ourselves - WW1 was our coming of age but it was the Halifax Explosion that started the process that brought us together.

[@MrDiddlebug]

Excellent video, friend. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[@gabrielegambino6272]

Hey, my friend Mike Brady from Oceanliner Desings, thanks for giving us a happy video to watch together at Christmas!

[@taraconnor8006]

The Halifax Disaster is a tragedy remembered by many Canadians to this day

[@BenBootKHTwo]

It was interesting to listen to your account of those disasters. I’ve heard them in more detail on a few other channels. Maritime Disasters is a great channel.

[@propertyofranger]

Hey Mike! Please make a full video dedicated to the Halifax explosion, it is such an incredible incident and I know that with your storytelling skills you would truly do it justice.

[@ozziemederos]

Awesome video Mike well done 👏

[@AJSTYLEZ24]

I love Mike Brandy's videos of these ship stories. History is so much better when you have a great friend aboard.

[@petersicheri1150]

I love your narrative style 😀

[@jaynorris3722]

Thank you Mike for making this day a good day. You're a star 🌟 Happy Holiday to you and all.

[@andrewolson5471]

The Halifax explosion makes the Mythbusters cement truck explosion look like a party snapper!

[@phaasch]

There's nothing more heart-rending, the accounts of ships which just vanished, leaving no survivors. No story, no memorial, particularly at this time of year. "For Smith our brother, Only son of loving mother, The ocean lifted, stirred, Leaving no word" (John Pudney)

[@ronjones1077]

Your last tragedy I had never heard of. Almost unbelievable! GOD Bless all who were lost in all of these stories. Thank you for your continued well researched and well presented videos.

[@karengarrison3666]

Seeing my new friend Mike Brady has put me in the Christmas Spirit! Merry Christmas, Mike Brady! ❤🌲💚

[@cseivard]

Happy Christmas! Thank you for such good work!

[@lindyc.2552]

I absolutely love history! I love nautical history most of all! I love the stories of these beautiful ships, boats and vessels, their glory days and their tragic demises. I ❤ this channel. Good job!

[@rickwallace5806]

Hey it's your friend Mike Brady here to tell us tales of people that drowned and ships that sank at Christmas time. Boy that Mike Brady he sure knows his audience.

[@PaladinThomas]

Thanks Mike, you've been cranking out the videos lately. I greatly appreciate it friend.

[@Dodgerambo100]

I hope you will never end your KZbin Career! I love that how you present your Storys and such! And of course the Storys in particular are highly interesting!

[@toriamansfield2999]

Please do a separate episode the Halifax explosion.

[@BLD426]

Well, those are some happy holiday stories from our friend Mike Brady.😁

[@theWanderersnotebook]

It’s always a good day when our friend Mike Brady from OceanLiner Designs uploads a fantastic video!

[@nathanl7018]

Thank you for covering the Rouse Simmons. I was born and raised in the Two Rivers area and heard many stories about the Christmas Tree ship.

[@martinhonor3483]

Thank you for another fascinating video. I have heard of the Halifax explosion, but in a rather dispassionate way. The images and your narrative bring home the full scope of the disaster.

[@sudicalwig]

Interesting, entertaining, heartfelt and informative as usual! One of my absolute favorite channels!

[@UncleJoeLITE]

Good (Thursday} morning & happy Christmas to our friend Mike, his crew & everyone here. Best wishes from Canberra 🇦🇺 ⚓

[@RG-Models86]

Indeed, bad things can happen at any time, regardless of whether it's Christmas or not. Great video, Mike 👍

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

Well-told stories Mike, thanks! And a very Merry Christmas to you and yours!

[@_SimpleJack_]

Let's keep it cheerful Mike. Merry Christmas from Finland

[@Unownshipper]

Wishing you a merry Christmas, Mike, and happy New Year!

[@benderbendingrodriguez420]

Halifax Explosion mentioned brings all us Canucks out.. pleae do a video on it Mike Brady, our friend!

[@DonaldWMeyers-dwm]

After the Halifax explosion, the people of Boston said supplies and medical teams to help the survivors, and ever since the people of Halifax ship a Christmas tree to Boston in gratitude.

[@DeaconBlu]

Great vid Mike! Thanks! That deal in Halifax….? Just…Wow 🙀😳🤯 Massive…MaSsIvE blast! Holy crap!

[@kristadisgumundsdottir3658]

Everyone should have a friend like Mike Brady.

[@adiconsdaple2285]

We already have him as our Friend. 😊👍🏻 Best Wishes...

[@notknightbean]

just wondering when part 2 of the moro castle will be out. I am really looking forward to it and can't wait to hear your conclusions. If you mentioned it off site you could point me there.

[@SAOS451316]

He mentioned a video or two ago and in the community tab on his page that he's hard at work on it and it should be released soon. It's been a very big project he says.

[@nanabutner]

Wishing you a MERRY/HAPPY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thank you so much for all the amazing information you share with us!

[@Redshift42]

Another born and raised Halifax resident here. Interesting timing, and just yesterday it was announced that a dredging operation for the shipyard had just recovered a significant portion of the Mont Blanc's hull.

[@gabrielegambino6272]

Hey, my friend Mike Brady from Oceanliner Desings, thanks for giving us an happy video

[@codehaunta9878]

Shipping isn’t for the feint of heart

[@-Fibreglass-]

Hello my friend Mike Brady from Oceanliner designs. Can you do a video on the Pendleton and Fort Mercer. I know you've done a video mentioning them a bit but can you cover the T2's service in the war, the rescue efforts and the aftermath? Ta muchleh

[@MiniMC546]

The MV Doña Paz tragedy was dubbed as Asia's Titanic by many. A title that Filipinos like myself abhor. The Titanic tragedy is something that can't be used to compare and should be given respect as such. Unfortunately, there are documentaries and some books have that title be given to the Doña Paz.

[@jaydee9593]

The Dona Paz and Vector story was freaking horrifying

[@RandolphStephenson-q1l]

A Big Holiday Season Shout Out to our Pal Sir Michael Brady . Be Blessed Dear Friend ! 🤗🫴☝️👍🫲🙏FOMBS.

[@tuxedotservo]

Glad that you covered the Rouse Simmons, aka "The Christmas Tree Ship" When they found her wreck on Lake Michigan the remains of Christmas trees were still in the hold. According to reseach from Frederick Stonehouse, fisherman for years before the discovery of the wreck would pull deteriorating pine trees up in their nets.

[@lawrencegough1599]

It's not even been 30 minutes and already has over 200 views,we all love your Chanel mike😊

[@MrEarthMinecraft]

amazing story love it!

[@AliceStClair-t4m]

Thank you for another excellent video!

[@farfle]

Thank you for covering the Rouse Simmons, a story I have always been fascinated by.

[@naughtiusmaximus830]

Lake Michigan gets a fairly predictable “Polar Express” storm the first week in January. Maybe it came early that year.

[@ethanolgan]

I know your channel is not all about ship disasters, but a good one that has a weird connection to Christmas would be the Halifax explosion in Canada. It is an incredibly interesting story not many people know about. It also touches on relations with Canada and the US with the Boston christmas tree.

[@plaidzebra5526]

I can relate to this opening. December for me I wish was a happier time like it is for many others around the world, but for me, in recent years it's just full of loss and heartbreak. It's truly a lot and I do hope with time I hope it just works out to where it's not as painful in years to come. P.S. love the video as always

[@roadweary5252]

Loving all your content, Mike!

[@tgland02494]

Awesome video thanks!

[@TheHylianBatman]

The Halifax explosion remains a singularly fascinating event to me. What I would give to be able to freeze time at that moment and wander around the town.

[@MarcusGearHero]

I been to Halifax NS over 9 years ago and I saw pieces of explosion and what was left of the ship. It's in puts on perfective.

[@moose3945]

Hey look! It’s our friend Mike Brady!

[@dicekolev5360]

No shit, I thought it's Trump 🙄🙄🙄

[@moose3945]

@ U good? It’s not that deep lmao.

[@JGCR59]

As a kid, the fate of the München always intrigued me. There is an exhibit on her in the german shipping museum in Bremerhaven, including her broken lifeboat. The ship was a LASH (Lighter Aboard Ship) carrier, meaning it carried self propelled barges instead of containers that were unloaded via a stern gate via a portal crane running on rails along the sides of the hull. There were a few of those in the 1970s but the eventual building of container terminals all around the world made them superflous. There was always the theory that the loading crane for the barges broke loose and smashed the bridge, killing most of the crew and making the ship turn broadside to the waves. But that was before rogue waves became an established fact due to satellite data. Even then a rogue wave was theorized because the damage on the liveboat wreck could not be explained otherwise.

[@helena14]

Tragedy truly doesn‘t follow any calender. My fily was devasted when last week my 26 year old cousin died. Wasn‘t at sea but still an insane shock that will overshadow the christmss season for us going forward year by year.

[@AngelGoddess44]

Happy Holidays, fellow Shippies!!!🎉❤ My friend Mike Brady... another amazing video, ole' Chap! Just asking again, I think an amazing video would be discussing the building and construction of Ship Bridges. 🚢

[@chriscothran8744]

Another interesting X-Mas related shipping disaster I'd nominate for the list is the loss of the SS Leopoldville lost on Christmas Eve 1944

[@KXXULADavidOC]

The Dona Paz and the Halifax Explosion are particularity shocking and tragic, hadn't heard of the Dona Paz before and hadn't realized just how bad the the Halifax Explosion was

[@jimmy_styx7463]

Holiday season and cheers all around - then Sir Brady drops a compilation of tragedies! 😂

[@harryvlogs7833]

If this was instead a video about Christmas plane crashes we'd all know the Lockerbie disaster would take top place

[@madcatdad42]

Coming from the south west of England, I always remember the Penlee disaster of 1981. Where the brave crew of the lifeboat Solomon Browne gave their lives trying to save the crew of the Union Star.

[@Tantalis77]

my god, mike brady's done it again