My granfather was killed in the explosion. He was a dockyard worker and his name WALTER ROOME of Dartmouth. However the interesting fact in this story is that he had two brothers C. ROOME and R.E.G. ROOME both veterans of W.W.1 and served overseas. Walter actually wanted to serve with his brothers but since he was employed at the dockyard he was exempted from military service. His wife did not want him to volunteer. Subsequently they agreed to flip a coin and should he win he would go and if she won he would stay home. Well the outcome was obvious. The two brothers returned from France and lived long and happy lives. However my grandmother never forgave herself for not allowing him to enlist. My mother told me this story and she never knew her father because she was born on December 31, 1917 nearly one month following the explosion.