RMS/HMT Olympic in Dazzle Camouflage while service as a troopship during WW1.
In this letter, Noah mentions that the Olympic is in the harbour. According to Noah's grandson, John Draper, the Olympic was a sister ship of the Titanic. During WW1, the luxury class transatlantic ocean liner was used as a troop ship, hence the designation HMT. More on that in the genealogy notes below.
Author of Letter: Noah C Draper, 29 yrs old
Dated: Dec. 13 1916
Mailed from: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Attached to: HMCS Niobe
Profession: Farmer, Temporary Sailor
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Addressed to: Mrs. N.C. Draper, Keswick, Ont.
Relationship: Wife
Writing instrument: Fountain Pen with Black Ink
Writing Paper: Smooth paper, 8 1/2" x 11" with letterhead from St. Mary's Army and Navy Club, No 6, Barrington Street, Halifax, Canada
People mentioned in this letter:
Percy - Noah's older brother, lives near Adams, Saskatchewan
Uncle Lewise
Aunt Jennie
Aunt Mary Ann Draper - widow of paternal uncle Elemuel Draper, lives in Toronto
Flossy Folliott - Noah's 1st cousin paternal side, lives in Toronto
The babies:
- Mildred aka Midge, 3 yrs old
- James David aka Jay, 6 months (later called JD)
Places/things mentioned in this letter:
- Keswick - where Noah's family lives (the ones who didn't move west)
- Halifax - historic, protected harbor on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia
- Toronto
- The Olimpic - HMT Olympic**
- The Grolse (battle cruiser)**
Word or Phrase Use:
not - "...but I like writing (not)"
O.K. eh.
Legend:
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this
person/place/thing, or use the search box in the header at the top of this page
** see Genealogy Notes below
| Halifax, Canada, Dec. 13 1916 Nova Scotia Mrs. N. C. Draper, Keswick, Ont. Dear Ethel; - Well this will make 3 letters this week am I not breaking all records. HaHa. We have no idea when we will be leaving halifax but not this week I guess the Olimpic is still in harbour & will likely go tomorrow or next day. but no one knows for shure. Well I have got that paper for the Patrotic fund at last so am sending it. We had Saturaday afternoon night of and can go out every night untill Eleven. & have this afternoon off so you see we are not worked to hard It has been raining every day but 2 since we arrived here. There was a great storm yesteraday the Grolse a battle cruser which left here yesteraday at 2 oclock & had one of the fellows chum aboard went down last night at 11.20 |
| with all hands on board. about 300 miles from here. there has been no trace found of the ship since she sent word she was sinking. Well I suppose Percy has left for home before this. Was you at Uncle Lewise's funneral. I wish I could have been there. Tell Aunt Jennie I am sorry I did not get over to see them again before I left but will see them when I return, say the first time you are in Toronto go and see Aunt Mary Ann Draper or did you see them before you left. Did you see Flossy Folliott I must write to her, but I like writing (not) Well I guess I will have to close for this time. Hoping you are all well I remain as ever your loving husband. P.S. Noah C. Draper Kiss the babies night and morning for me, Ethel I miss you all, but if we all do our duty as we see it I guess we will get along all O.K. eh. some reasoning. N.C.D. |
Genealogy Notes
There are 3 Genealogy notes for this letter...
Genealogy Note 1 - HMT Designation
After posting Noah's last letter dated Dec 9, 1916, I received a message from Noah's grandson, John Draper, explaining the HMT Canada designation found on the image of Noah and crewmen doing mess duty. He said the HMT stands for Hired Military Transport and the ship, Canada, was used for troop movements.
Genealogy Note 2 - The Olympic
As for the Olympic, it was the largest of 3 sister ships, with the other two being the RMS Titanic and the HMHS Britannic. The Olympic also had the longest life of the three.
After posting Noah's last letter dated Dec 9, 1916, I received a message from Noah's grandson, John Draper, explaining the HMT Canada designation found on the image of Noah and crewmen doing mess duty. He said the HMT stands for Hired Military Transport and the ship, Canada, was used for troop movements.
Genealogy Note 2 - The Olympic
As for the Olympic, it was the largest of 3 sister ships, with the other two being the RMS Titanic and the HMHS Britannic. The Olympic also had the longest life of the three.
SS Olympic, 1922, after rerefit following the Titanic disaster, with a full complement of lifeboats
After the Titanic went down, the Olympic was taken out of service for a refit and her number of lifeboats were increased from 20 to 64. Other major modifications were made before she returned to service in March 1913.
In May 1915, the Admiralty requisitioned the Olympic as a troopship and installed 12-pounders and 4.7-inch guns. On 24 Sep 1915, the newly designated HMT Olympic began its military service with 6,000 soldiers onboard. From 1916 to 1917, HMT Olympic was chartered by the Canadian Government to transport troops from Halifax to Britain.
In 1917, she gained 6-inch guns and was painted with the "dazzle" camouflage scheme you see in the image in the top of this post. The dazzle coloring of brown, dark blue, light blue, and white made it more difficult for observers to estimate her speed and heading. Noted Group of Seven artist Arthur Lismer made several paintings of her in Halifax including this one:
In May 1915, the Admiralty requisitioned the Olympic as a troopship and installed 12-pounders and 4.7-inch guns. On 24 Sep 1915, the newly designated HMT Olympic began its military service with 6,000 soldiers onboard. From 1916 to 1917, HMT Olympic was chartered by the Canadian Government to transport troops from Halifax to Britain.
In 1917, she gained 6-inch guns and was painted with the "dazzle" camouflage scheme you see in the image in the top of this post. The dazzle coloring of brown, dark blue, light blue, and white made it more difficult for observers to estimate her speed and heading. Noted Group of Seven artist Arthur Lismer made several paintings of her in Halifax including this one:
Olympic in Dazzle at Pier 2 in Halifax, Painting by Arthur Lismer
Genealogy Note 3 - The Grilse
Noah wrote that the Grolse went down in a storm with all hands lost. After searching for a couple of hours for this ship without finding any record of it, I turned to Noah's navy grandson once again. Shortly after, John Draper messaged back that the ship was actually the Grilse, one of Canada's own.
Can you believe I had the book, The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910-1981 sitting on my desk and hadn't turned the 2 pages past my research on the Niobe?
Accordingly, HMCS Grilse started life as Winchester, an American yacht. Canada bought her in June 1915, outfitted her with 2 twelve-pound guns and a fourteen-inch torpedo tube, and commisioned her in July 1915 as a torpedo boat.
Launch of a torpedo from HMCS Grilse, 1915
This rare colourized photograph is courtesy of www.forposterityssake.ca and sourced through the George Metcalf Archival Collection in the Canadian War Museum.
The main mission of HMCS Grilse was protecting Canada's coast against U-Boat attacks. This next image from www.warmuseum.ca shows the Grilse at dock in Halifax, the busiest harbour on the east side of the country during WW1.
The main mission of HMCS Grilse was protecting Canada's coast against U-Boat attacks. This next image from www.warmuseum.ca shows the Grilse at dock in Halifax, the busiest harbour on the east side of the country during WW1.
HMCS Grilse at Dock, 1916
However, the Grilse had a major flaw in its inability to deal with winter. Not good if you're based in the North Atlantic for the season. And that's where Noah's letter comes in...
On Dec 11, 1916, the Grilse left Halifax for the Caribbean. According to a detailed description of the events found in the book, The Seabound Coast: The Official History of the Royal Canadian Navy, 1867-1939 Volume 1, the Grilse ran into heavy weather one day out of Halifax: "...With seas breaking inboard and the ship rolling violently, a party of seamen went on deck to throw the extra fuel barrels over the side and reduce the top weight. By the time the task was completed at 1710 hours, one seaman had broken his leg when he was thrown against the torpedo tube, and two other sailors were missing overboard. An hour-and-a-half later, a large wave carried away the aerial trunk for the wireless..."
The fascinating account reveals the valiant efforts made by the wireless operator to transmit a distress call with their location, while horrendous waves damaged the ship, crushed the after funnel, and took more lives.
By Dec 13, the day Noah wrote his letter, Halifax reported that the last words from the Grisle was that they were sinking. Rescue efforts began.
On Dec 14, still without word, or sight, of the Grilse, the Navy responded to inquiries from anxious relatives with telegrams stating, "...Grilse was lost at sea with all hands."
Noah's upcoming letters don't mention anything further about the Grilse, or Grolse as he wrote it.
However, the account goes on to say, "Only shortly before midnight that same day did Ottawa receive a message from Shelburne that Grilse had limped into harbour."
On Dec 11, 1916, the Grilse left Halifax for the Caribbean. According to a detailed description of the events found in the book, The Seabound Coast: The Official History of the Royal Canadian Navy, 1867-1939 Volume 1, the Grilse ran into heavy weather one day out of Halifax: "...With seas breaking inboard and the ship rolling violently, a party of seamen went on deck to throw the extra fuel barrels over the side and reduce the top weight. By the time the task was completed at 1710 hours, one seaman had broken his leg when he was thrown against the torpedo tube, and two other sailors were missing overboard. An hour-and-a-half later, a large wave carried away the aerial trunk for the wireless..."
The fascinating account reveals the valiant efforts made by the wireless operator to transmit a distress call with their location, while horrendous waves damaged the ship, crushed the after funnel, and took more lives.
By Dec 13, the day Noah wrote his letter, Halifax reported that the last words from the Grisle was that they were sinking. Rescue efforts began.
On Dec 14, still without word, or sight, of the Grilse, the Navy responded to inquiries from anxious relatives with telegrams stating, "...Grilse was lost at sea with all hands."
Noah's upcoming letters don't mention anything further about the Grilse, or Grolse as he wrote it.
However, the account goes on to say, "Only shortly before midnight that same day did Ottawa receive a message from Shelburne that Grilse had limped into harbour."
The Grilse. Image found in the book, The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910-1981
And that explains why I didn't find it in any historical records as being a ship lost at sea during 1916.
