Transcription

                              January - 1918
Temp. dropped as low as 22 below
while at Camp Merritt & ground
covered with about 8" of snow
while there.
All on the qui vive while en-
tering Halifax Harbor as great
explosion happened just 1 mo
ago.  Signs of devastation and
wreckage all about area of
explosion Belgian Relief Ship
Imo which ran into the one
carrying explosives laying
on our Starboard, going in &
as harbor here only about 3/4
mile wide we passed quite close.
She lay more than 1/2 out of
water on beach, yet apparent-
ly not not so very much dam-
aged, a 4 Master. Saw other
large steam vessels that are
complete wrecks, whole sterns
torn to scrap-iron & superstruct-
ure a mass of wreckage.
All houses along both sides of 
harbor windoless and noticed
one are of perhaps 20 acres
which was once place of 1500
homes. swept absolutely bare.
Saw many houses jumbled up
like a pile of kindling & ones
imagination can hardly con-
ceive of an explosive force so
great as to produce such vast
havoc & wreckage.
Great many ships in Harbor
all camouflaged, one U.S. War
Vessel & many flying British flag.
Too cold to be out on deck long
at a time but tis a bleak barren
desolate looking country tho
busy appearing City.
All beginning to wonder now
how long we will lay here be-
for starting across.
Began life-boat drill yesterday
9" all having been assigned
To a boat_ I to #16 with 11 Offs
& 35 Men.  To-day got to them
with life belts on in 2 min.
First mail censored. put ashore
at Halifax