HMCS NIOBE
Diadem Class Cruiser
A good deal more imposing than Rainbow, NIOBE had served in the RN from 1898 to 1910, one of eight sisters of the Diadem class. She was commissioned in the RCN on 06 Sep 1910, at Devonport, and arrived at Halifax on 21 Oct 1910. NIOBE was nearly lost during the night of 29-30 Jul 1911, when she went aground off Cape Sable, necessitating repairs that were not completed until the end of 1912. A court martial was held in Nov 1911. Lt Lord Allister Graham who was officer of the watch up to approx 15-20 minutes before the grounding, was found guilty of causing, or suffering to be caused, the stranding of HMCS NIOBE on the dangerous ledges of Cape Sable. The Navigating Officer, Lt Charles White, was found guilty of suffering, through negligence, the NIOBE to strand on the treacherous ledges off Cape Sable. he was severely reprimanded and dismissed from the ship. The Commanding Officer, Cdr William Balfour MacDonald, RN, was tried and found not to be negligent in the stranding of HMCS NIOBE. In the fall of 1914, after the ravages of two years' disuse had been made good, she joined the RN's 4th Cruiser Squadron on contraband patrol off New York. Worn out, she returned to Halifax on 17 Jul 1915, never to put to sea again. With her funnels near collapse and her engines worn out, NIOBE was paid off on 06 Sep 1915 and became a depot ship for the rest of the war. On 06 Dec 1917 she was moored 700 yards from the ammunition ship Mont Blanc, which caught fire after a collision with the Belgian relief ship Imo in Halifax harbour. NIOBE was the first ship to give the alarm after collision, and Warrant Boatswain Albert Mattison and six ratings left NIOBE and boarded the Mont Blanc in an attempt to scuttle her. They all died in the resulting explosion which destroyed much of Halifax. NIOBE was extensively damaged in the explosion and her superstructure and funnels were wrecked. Numerous fires were started on board which destroyed the ship's records. NIOBE was repaired and continued to serve as a depot ship until 1920 when she was sold for scrap. She was broken up at Philadelphia two years later.
Photos and Documents The Ship's Bell Ship's Company Photos
HMCS NIOBE Collection HMCS NIOBE'S anchor damaged in Halifax Explosion found
Commanding Officers
In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice Lest We Forget
In memory of those who have crossed the bar They shall not be forgotten A
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Photos and Documents
(NBE000) HMCS NIOBE arrived in Halifax, NS to officially become one of the first warships of the newly established Royal Canadian Navy. This photo is from the personal photo album of OS J. O. Cossette (later Rear-Admiral Cossette) of NIOBE sailing past Georges Island on the day it arrived in 1910 // Courtesy of the Naval Museum of Halifax
(NBE001) HMCS NIOBE (NBE002) HMCS NIOBE (NBE003) Canadian Cruiser NIOBE in Danger of Foundering // Newspaper article on the grounding of HMCS NIOBE on 29/30 Aug 1911 off Cape Sable // The Toronto World, Wed., 02 Aug 1911 (NBE004) HMCS NIOBE in dry dock after nearly sinking when she ran aground off Cape Sable in 1911 (NBE005) HMS NIOBE in dry dock // Photo credit: Library and Archives of Canada
(NBE006) HMCS NIOBE in Halifax after conversion to Depot Ship // Source: ReadyAyeReady.com (NBE007) HMCS NIOBE at St. John's, Newfoundland // From the collection of William Herbert Rose and Marmaduke Rose // Courtesy of Bud (Donald) Rose (NBE008) SAILORS GET ORDERS TO QUIT NIOBE // Canadian Cruiser to be Dismantled at Once // The Morning Chronicle, 16 Jun 1913, Halifax, NS // Courtesy of George Newbury (NBE009) John Stotesbury - Survivors Account of the Halifax Explosion // Ottawa Journal, Dec. 4, 1965 p.2 c. 1-3 // Courtesy of Ken McLeod (NBE010) HMCS NIOBE in Halifax - date unknown // Courtesy of Mike O'Keefe
(NBE011) HMCS NIOBE (postcard) (NBE012) HMCS NIOBE at sea (postcard) // Source/Credit: Cape Breton Military History Collections (NBE013) Boxing match on HMCS NIOBE - undated // Courtesy of Dave Shirlaw (NBE014) Boxing match on HMCS NIOBE - 1917 // Courtesy of the Naval Museum of Halifax. This photo appears to have been taken at the same time as "NBE013" (NBE015) "The Arena Cup" presented to HMCS NIOBE in 1912 by the Arena Rink Company for "competition between the ship's crew for Hockey." // Courtesy of Bennetts Barbershop
(NBE016) A postcard featuring HMS DEVONSHIRE addressed to Mr. Paul Le Vasseur, Ship's Officer, HMCS NIOBE, Halifax, NS. The post card is from Els Burrows and it appears from his comments on the ledgers, he possibly served in NIOBE as well. // Courtesy of Michael Cormier Note: The RCN Ledger Sheets list a Paul Levasseur who served in the RNCVR (O.N. VR-6930) that was born 18 sep 1875, Quebec, Quebec and in the RCN (O.N. 61312) with a surname spelling of Lavesseur but the same date and place of birth.
(NBE017) Members of the Gunroom on HMCS NIOBE, Halifax, circa 1910-1911 Rear: A/SLts Napier-Hemy, Hubert John; Currey; Hallewell, Edmund Gilling; De Quetteville, Stanley Nelson; Jefferson, Frank Harvey; Clarke; Front: Midshipmen Beard, Charles Taschereau; Brodeur, Victor Gabriel, Barron; Nelles, Percy Walter; German; Bate, Henry Trennick; SLt Hollingsworth, Alfred Source: Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3398852 Courtesy of Mary Ruth Noiles
(NBE015) HMCS NIOBE - 1915 (NBE016) HMCS NIOBE // Edward H. Livesay's 2nd ship (NBE017) HMCS NIOBE - 1915 // Typed on back of photo: HMCS NIOBE, 1915. The arrow shows where I began to paint, and I continued as far as the mast. It is about 100 ft. from the yard to the water, or 75 ft. to the deck. Only a swinging wire to stand on, and a rod along the top of the yard. I was very, very scared! If I had got dizzy, and fallen, I should have been killed. It was the first time I had ever been aloft - I was 33. (Able Seaman Edward H. Livesay) From the collection of Sam Sunter Courtesy of Brian Dobing
(CH06-CH07) Tea Party on board HMCS NIOBE - 1911
(CH08) Cecil Horton
(CH12) Lady Laurier with unknown Battle Class Trawler ahead, towing HMCS NIOBE out to HMS CORNWALL after she ran aground in Jul 1911 (CH13) HMS CORNWALL towing HMCS NIOBE (CH14) Lady Laurier following astern of HMCS NIOBE with tow ropes attached while NIOBE is being towed by HMS CORNWALL
(CH15-CH17) HMCS NIOBE in dry dock at Halifax - 1911 From the collection of Cecil W. Horton, Engineer Captain, RN Courtesy of Roslyn Duffus
The HMCS NIOBE collection from the Naval Museum of Halifax
(NMoH-Niobe-001) Hoisting the White Ensign on HMCS NIOBE, Devonport, England (NMoH-Niobe-002) HMCS NIOBE coaling, Devonport Dockyard, England
(NMoH-Niobe-003) "Quite Times" HMCS NIOBE in Halifax - 1910 (NMoH-Niobe-004) "Marching to Prayer" HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-005) Mess deck on HMCS NIOBE
(NMoH-Niobe-006) HMCS NIOBE alongside in HMC Dockyard, Halifax - winter (NMoH-Niobe-007) HMCS NIOBE alongside in HMC Dockyard, Halifax - winter (NMoH-Niobe-008) HMCS NIOBE, Jetty 4, HMC Dockyard, Halifax - winter (NMoH-Niobe-009-NMoH-Niobe-010) HMC Dockyard, Halifax - winter - seen from HMCS NIOBE
(NMoH-Niobe-011) Sailors going ashore to HMC Dockyard from HMCS NIOBE - winter (NMoH-Niobe-012) Official Residence - 1911 & No. 4 Jetty (Coaling Jetty) - 1911 - HMC Dockyard (NMoH-Niobe-013) Supervised exercise for NIOBE sailors by the Halifax Graving Dock
(NMoH-Niobe-014) Canada's First Naval Recruits Nov 1910 - HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-015) Canada's first Naval Recruits (province not listed) - HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-016) Canada's First Naval Recruits from Ontario (NMoH-Niobe-017) Canada's First Naval Recruits from Ontario Nov 1910 - HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-018) Canada's First Naval Recruits from Nova Scotia
(NMoH-Niobe-019) No Caption - presumed to be Naval Recruits (NMoH-Niobe-020) 1st Naval Recruit from New Brunswick on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-021) OS Joseph Edward McInnis - 1st Naval Recruit from Prince Edward Island on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-022) OS J. O. Cossette (later Rear-Admiral Cossette - Full name: Marie Joseph Romeo Oscar Cossette) (NMoH-Niobe-023) Unknown group of sailors on HMCS NIOBE - likely new Naval Recruits
(NMoH-Niobe-024) P.M.O. & French Canadians on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-025) Unknown Chief Petty Officer on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-026) Unknown sailor on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-027) Unknown sailors on HMCS NIOBE - the sailor on the right has a Stoker trade badge (NMoH-Niobe-028) Unknown sailors on HMCS NIOBE - the sailor on the left is a 2 badge Killick (Leading Seaman)
(NMoH-Niobe-029) Ship's Cooks on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-030) Officer's Chef and Mates on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-031) Portrait of an unknown HMCS NIOBE sailor. The medal he is wearing has not been identified (NMoH-Niobe-032) Chief Torpedo Instructor on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-033) Unknown sailor on HMCS NIOBE - May 1911
(NMoH-Niobe-034) The RCN's Coronation Contingent for the Coronation of King George V 1911 onboard HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-035) HMCS NIOBE lit up while at anchor in harbour at Charlottetown, PEI, for the coronation of King George V in 1911
(NMoH-Niobe-036) Engineer Officers on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-037) Officers on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-038) "Ex Snotty - Engr Subs" on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-039) Unknown officer on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-040) The Chief Writer on HMCS NIOBE "Wailing"
(NMoH-Niobe-041) Coaling Party HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-042) Coaling Party HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-043) Coaling Party HMCS NIOBE, Halifax, 27 Oct 1910 (NMoH-Niobe-044-NMoH-Niobe-045) Two HMCS NIOBE sailors in "Coaling Rig" ... and then in "Going Ashore Rig"
(NMoH-Niobe-045) Part of HMCS NIOBE'S Brass Band that played on Coaling Days (NMoH-Niobe-046) Coaling ship alongside HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-047) Coaling ship alongside HMCS NIOBE - Feb 1911 (NMoH-Niobe-048) HMCS NIOBE'S Artisans (NMoH-Niobe-049) Dhobey day on HMCS NIOBE
(NMoH-Niobe-050) HMCS NIOBE sailors on the jetty in HMC Dockyard preparing for a "Road March" (NMoH-Niobe-051) Steam Pinnace alongside HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-052) Steam Pinnace and 2 whalers alongside NIOBE preparing to take liberty sailors ashore (NMoH-Niobe-053) Sailors manning the rails on HMCS NIOBE (possibly waiting to go ashore) (NMoH-Niobe-054) Sailors on the boom of HMCS NIOBE climbing down to the boat alongside. (webmaster's note: There had to be a better / safer way to do this)
(NMoH-Niobe-055) HMCS NIOBE - Loading Ammunition (NMoH-Niobe-056) Gunnery Instruction on HMCS NIOBE (NMoH-Niobe-057-NMoH-Niobe-058) Gunnery practice on HMCS NIOBE
(NMoH-Niobe-059) HMCS NIOBE'S main engine (NMoH-Niobe-060) Wrestling on HMCS NIOBE'S boat deck in winter (NMoH-Niobe-061) HMCS NIOBE Scratch Soccer Team (NMoH-Niobe-062) Wedding of the Fleet Paymaster, St. Mary's Church, Halifax // Click here to see a photo of St. Mary's Church after the Halifax Explosion. Source: St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica Foundation Courtesy of the Naval Museum of Halifax
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