Friday, November 5, 2010

HRM Point of Interest #16: Titanic Graves

On April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg and sank, about 640 km south of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. A number of the bodies were too badly damaged or deteriorated and were burned at sea, but 328 corpses were returned to land, with 209 being brought back to Halifax.


(Protestant victims' graves in Fairview Cemetery.)


(Some of the Catholic victims' graves, next to the tree/shrub, in Mount Olivet Cemetery.)

All of those victims thought to be Protestant (121) were buried in the Fairview Cemetery near my home. The Jewish victims (10) were buried in Baron de Hirsch Cemetery - literally right beside Fairview Cemetery, if not actually a part of it - and the 19 Catholic victims were laid to rest in Mount Olivet Cemetery.


(The final resting place of Titanic victim Joseph Ackerman, whose two grandsons from Southampton, England, travelled all the way to Halifax on October 2nd, 2009, to place this card on their grandfather's tombstone. The touching note reads:

"With fond thoughts of our grandfather Joseph Francis Ackerman.

Two of your grandsons from Southampton England... (names removed for privacy's sake) along with their wives were humbled and glad to have at long last been able to visit your resting place.

October 2nd and 3rd 2009")

1 comment: